“Monk” is the epitome of the classic blue-sky show. Its mysteries are gripping, but the show’s characters are inviting — always giving viewers a reason to laugh. That’s still the case with Peacock’s reunion movie “Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie.” And yet, there’s something surprisingly dark about the state of obsessive-compulsive detective Adrian Monk when we catch up with him, post-pandemic.
“At this point we find Monk is really in a in a dark, dark place,” star Tony Shalhoub tells Variety‘s Awards Circuit Podcast. “He’s in a deep hole. His team is not really close by and he’s kind of lost his purpose. And (exec producer) Andy (Breckman) presented this idea that Monk was entertaining thoughts of suicide. It hit us hard in the beginning. We thought, ‘geez, we’ve gone dark in the show before, but not this dark!'”
But Breckman pointed out that one of the most beloved holiday movies of all time, “It’s A Wonderful Life,” manages to be about a man with thoughts of killing himself — yet it’s a classic. “When he framed it that way, it really made sense,” Shalhoub says. “Combine that with the research we had been doing about how since since the pandemic, even a year or so before, there has been an uptick in suicides among especially among American men of a certain age. It’s a real problem, we’re not just grabbing ideas out of the air. It’s out there. We kept saying, as long as we can do this in a kind of subtle way, and keep what the comedic side alive, then I think we can recapture the balance. Breckman was able to do that in the script.”
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Indeed, “Mr. Monk’s Last Case” winds up being something extra special for the character, the show and the fans of the franchise. We recently spoke with Shalhoub about why the time was right to bring back “Monk” and how that ending could very well set up more movies. We also chatted about how much he misses “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” the action film he’s shooting next, his success with awards and much more. Listen below!
In the film, Monk returns to solve one last and very personal case involving his step-daughter Molly. The event allows for the opportunity to bring back most of the cast from the original series. The original “Monk” ran for eight seasons, between 2002 and 2009, on USA network. For the film, besides Shalhoub, back are Traylor Howard, Jason Gray-Stanford, Melora Hardin, Hector Elizondo and Ted Levine, along with newcomers Caitlin McGee and James Purefoy.
“There were conversations somewhere around five, six years after we wrapped the series, should we revisit it with a ‘Monk’ TV movie?” Shalhoub says. “Conversations were had, scripts were written, treatments were trotted out. For various reasons, it just didn’t happen. We were very proud of the way we wrapped it up. My feeling was, if we’re going to bring this back, we have to either match or outdo where we ended. Wouldn’t be any real point to come in under that.”
That’s where it was left — until the pandemic felt like the perfect time to look at how Monk was faring. Shalhoub and some of the cast starred in a PSA about proper precautions and protocols for COVID. “We just did it as a kind of a lark, really. But the public service announcement just gained so much traction. And it got us all thinking, ‘well, here’s a compelling reason to bring this character back.’ How would Adrian Monk have navigated through the pandemic? That just started the ball rolling, and Andy came up with a great idea. I’m so glad we did it, because we really felt like the the movie wasn’t just episode 126. It really moved the needle.”
Of course, “Monk” isn’t the only project he’d consider returning to. Fans ask him all the time about “Wings.” And then there’s the recently wrapped “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” which Shalhoub said he would return to in a heartbeat.
“That was a terrific job,” he said. “And five seasons, for me, it just didn’t seem like enough. The TV gods do what they do, and, certain decisions are made. But that was a that was a rare, rare time. Tremendous creative team. Terrific cast. And something that really caught fire fast, globally. We just had the best time.”
Next up, Shalhoub is set to appear in “Play Dirty,” a streaming movie for Amazon based on Donald E. Westlake’s “Parker” novels. He’s also appearing in an off-Broadway play up in June. “And then I’m available. I’m making myself available,” Shalhoub says.
Also on this episode, “True Detective: Night Country” star Kali Reis, who plays Evangeline Navarro, a half-Dominican state trooper in Ennis, a fictional town in rural northern Alaska. Reis spoke to the Awards Circuit Podcast about the series, including her interpretation of the ending and whether she thinks Navarro is still alive. Plus she talks about working with Jodie Foster, and her unique status as an someone who first appeared on HBO as a boxer before headlining an HBO original series.
Variety’s “Awards Circuit” podcast, produced by Michael Schneider, is your one-stop listen for lively conversations about the best in film and television. Each week “Awards Circuit” features interviews with top film and TV talent and creatives; discussions and debates about awards races and industry headlines; and much more. Subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify or anywhere you download podcasts. New episodes post weekly.
