DVD Review - Monk series box set

When Creative Loafing's own Joe Bardi asked me to review all 5,480 minutes of acclaimed USA Network's TV show Monk, I jumped at the opportunity, but when I heard it came out on October 5th, well, I got a little worried, canceled all my plans and picked up a case of Red Bull and hand sanitizer (to get into the mood). Sure, I've seen the occasional episode of Monk, what USA Network fan hasn't, but, how do you review an entire series without watching every single episode? The answer is you couldn't, which meant, clearly, I had my work cut out for me as I pressed play on season one, knowing I had an additional 7 seasons and plenty of bonus features to go.

The British have Sherlock Holmes, and we have Adrien Monk, an ex detective who has many issues, including Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and a phobia of just about everything. Despite his near lack of ability to have a normal life, he has exceptional observational skills that are way beyond normal. Monk used to have his compulsions under control until the murder of his wife Trudy when he became catatonic for three years. Now, as the series starts, Monk is getting back on his feet with the help of an assistant, and taking cases for the San Fransisco Police Department in an attempt to get his badge back. And, as each episode begins, we see the crime, and Monk's incredible observational gifts attempt to solve the crime, and ultimately solve the most important crime; his wife's death.

As a fan of any other show on USA, like Psych, Burn Notice, or any other detective show, you can see Monk creating the template for nearly every detective show since. The creation of this template is quite exciting, and the dynamic between Monk and his assistant, either Sharona (Bitty Schram) or Natalie (Traylor Howard) is also incredibly original and very similar to Sherlock Holmes and his Watson, or even a bit of Doctor Who and his companion.

First off, the box set is very well designed, and looks good. It's not quite as original looking as, say the Lost box set, which looks really amazing, and has some cool crap inside, but it's something that will look good on your book shelf. On top of the 32 discs, it includes a book with cute tidbits of information on Monk, along with trivia and a list of 38 of Monks phobias, including number 22, "Touching," and number one, "germs."

Some of the special features are quite good, as they interview the actors, show the process of creating and writing Monk, and the basis for Monk's OCD. There is also a special feature about why Monk won an Emmy, what happened before the series started, and what kind of obsessive compulsories the cast have. They are all relatively short, but seeing these master actors perfecting their craft is very entertaining. There is also a great episode commentary for the two-part series finale that is a must see for any Monk fan.

So, here are some of the episodes on the list that you must see. Whether you are someone like me, who has never gotten into the show, or someone who saw every episode and wants to catch up with the best parts of Monk.

Mr. Monk and the Candidate: the two hour pilot episode that started it all off sees Monk and Sharona solving the murder of a senate candidates body guard. This episode was really well written and starts things off perfectly.

Mr. Monk Goes to the Asylum: Monk is losing it and is confined to an insane asylum, but it doesn't stop him from solving a murder. The episode was great because it focuses on the dramatic and sad truth regarding his loss of his wife, but at the same time is incredibly funny.

Mr. Monk Takes his Medicine: My favorite episode that sees Monk take some medicine that essentially turns off his OCD, but at the cost of his incredible deductive skills. The line "you're bringing The Monk down, man" says it all.

Mr. Monk and the Red Herring: The first episode of Natalie, and an unfitting sendoff for Sharona, the episode is a fun mystery that has Monk realize he can't live without an assistant.

Mr. Monk Gets Drunk: This episode is another great way of showing that our hero is flawed, and questions the sanity of Monk. I always feel sad for him as we often wonders if he is completely crazy, and you are never quite sure.

Mr. Monk and the Leper: An episode shot totally in black and white, and the DVD also has the color version, the episode is shot quite uniquely, and offers a great mystery involving a leper, which Monk easily identifies with.

There are another six or seven more that are truly worth mentioning, but I'm going to skip to the end of the series, Mr. Monk and the End, Part 1 & 2. The finale sees the conclusion to Monk's wife, Trudy's murder, as Monk is poisoned and dyeing. It's a great two-parter, as you see an incredibly dramatic conclusion where you aren't certain of anyones future until the end as we get a really good send off to a great group of actors.

There are also some great episodes involving some wonderful guest stars, starting with my favorite, John Turturo (Monk's brother); Tim Daly (playing himself, and great for anyone who saw Wings), Sarah Silverman (an obsessive Monk fan), Andrew McCarthy, Craig T. Nelson (the guy from Coach plays a judge), Alfred Molina, Snoop Dogg, James Brolin, Brooke Adams, and Tim Curry, amongst others.

I learned a lot about Monk, including liking Sharona more than Natalie as Monk's assistant; Lt. Disher (Jason Gray-Stanford) doesn't really have a purpose; seasons five and six show a bit of bitterness for Monk; Tony Shalhoub is amazingly talented; every episode makes me feel kinda sorry for Monk and finally, that I should invest in more disinfectant wipes.

The DVD picture quality came across as kind of grainy, which I thought would end in season one, but continued throughout all 8 seasons, which was noticeable on my HD TV, but the sound quality was quite good, as was the special features and the presentation. However, at $190.99 on Amazon.com, I think the price needs to drop a bit before I can recommend this set. Once it hits around $150, which I'm sure it will be by Christmas time, it will be a must-have for everyone.

This review also appeared on Creative Loafing's website. You can see the wonderful page by clicking HERE.