Monk: Season Eight

He was seeing more than anybody
For twelve years, Adrian Monk has been hunting his wife's killer, struggling with his phobias and compulsions, and solving plenty of crimes.

But now his lonely quest is finally ending. "Monk Season Eight" is a brilliant finale for the long-running detective series -- the writers have a whole season to wrap up plot threads, sketch out futures for the beloved characters, and introduce a final round of bizarre crimes that only the OCD detective can solve. And of course, they finally address the main mystery: who killed Monk's wife, and why?

First, Monk (Tony Shalhoub) is hired by a former child star who starred in his favorite sitcom, "The Cooper Clan" -- and the reality might tarnish his favorite show. Among his other problems: voodoo dolls, UFOs, a Nigerian man whose wife was killed in a hit-and-run, camping trips with surly small boys, birthday parties, the murders of Dr Bell's new therapy group, a snobby theatre critic who apparently murdered someone while he...

A Delightful Conclusion
The writers and the cast outdid themselves for the final season. The plot lines were fresh, witty, and hilarious. There are some big surprises in the eighth season -- not just in the individual episodes ("Happy Birthday, Mr. Monk" contains a big surprise, which I won't divulge), but throughout the season, the characters -- Stottlemeyer, Disher, and Natalie -- develop in some surprising ways that are satisfying to watch.

But it's Mr. Monk who really steals the show.

Tony Shaloub's acting as he breathes life into the neurotic Mr. Monk is always a delight to watch, over and over. And each season includes one or two virtuoso cadenzas to showcase Shaloub's talent, lest we start thinking that Shaloub and Adrian Monk are actually one in the same. For instance, in "Mr. Monk Takes His Medicine" (Season Three), Monk's new medication turns him into a completely different person, with hilarious results. ("You can't rush 'The Monk.'" "You're bringing 'The Monk' down, man.")...

The end of our beloved monk series
WoW! I worried; I almost didn't want to see the very last installment. What were the writers going to do? Would they be out of ideas; would they disappoint us; had they gone stale; would they wrap things in cliches and unbelievable tidiness?

What writing! That was the best ending to a long-standing series that I have ever seen. The writing was superb. It could not have been any better. They brought in everyone; wrapped up everything in so funny, touching, believable, and perfect a way, that we, the fans, were almost okay with letting him go. There were so many things I was afraid they were going to do - and they didn't. I think I watched the 2 ending shows 3 times, as I watched it with various family members who hadn't seen it yet. Everyone had the same reaction - wet eyes (even some of the guys!) and a kind of warm glow as you turned off the tv and told Monk good-bye. - Perfect!

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