Monk (TV series)

This article is about the television series; for the titular character, see Adrian Monk.

Title card (Season 2 - 8)

Monk is an American dramedy series created by Andy Breckman and starring Tony Shalhoub as the title character; Adrian Monk. The show debuted on July 12, 2002, on the USA Network and ran for eight seasons. The series finale aired on December 4, 2009.

Plot

Adrian Monk was an exceptional police detective who worked for the San Francisco Police Department until his wife, Trudy, was murdered by a car bomb, which Monk believes was intended for him (Monk eventually learns that this wasn't the case). Trudy's death led Monk to suffer a nervous breakdown. He was discharged from the force and became a recluse, refusing to leave his apartment for over three years. With the help of Registered Nurse Sharona Fleming (Bitty Schram), he was finally able to leave the apartment. Captain Leland Stottlemeyer of the SFPD hired Monk as a private consultant, to keep him occupied and to prevent his thoughts from lingering on the death of his wife‘s murder.

Monk's compulsive habits are numerous, and a number of phobias (312, later, 311) compound his situation. The OCD and a plethora of phobias inevitably lead to very awkward situations and cause problems for Monk, and anyone around him, as he goes about investigating the cases. However, these same personal struggles, particularly the OCD, are what aid him in solving cases, resulting in his catchphrase, “It’s a gift...and a curse.”

Captain Leland Stottlemeyer (Ted Levine) and Lieutenant Randall "Randy" Disher (Jason Gray-Stanford) call on Monk when they have trouble with an investigation. Stottlemeyer is often irritated by Monk's disorder, but respects his friend and former colleague's amazing observational abilities, as does Disher.

Ever since childhood, Monk's obsessive attention to detail allowed him to spot tiny discrepancies, find patterns, and make connections that others often fail to make. Monk continues to search for information about his wife's death, the one case he has been unable to solve.

When Sharona decides to re-marry her ex-husband and move back to New Jersey, Natalie Teeger (Traylor Howard), a widow and mother of an eleven-year-old daughter Julie, is hired as Monk's new assistant.

Monk has a brother, Ambrose, and a half-brother (on his father's side), Jack, Jr.

Production

According to an interview with executive producer David Hoberman, ABC first conceived the series as a police show with an Inspector Clouseau-like character suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder. Hoberman said ABC wanted Michael Richards for the show, but Richards turned it down. Hoberman brought in Andy Breckman as creator, and Breckman, inspired by Sherlock Holmes, introduced a Doctor Watson-like character as Monk's nurse and an Inspector Lestrade-like character which eventually became Captain Stottlemeyer.

Although ABC originated the show, the network handed it off to the USA Network. USA is now owned by NBC (NBC Universal). Monk was the first ABC Studios-produced show (formerly Touchstone Television) aired on USA Network instead of ABC. On January 12, 2006, USA Network announced that Monk had been picked up through at least season six as one of the "highest-rated series in cable history." Season 5 premiered Friday, July 7, 2006, at 9 p.m. Eastern time. This marked the first-time change for the program, which aired at 10 p.m. during its first four seasons. The change allowed the show to work as a lead-in to a new USA Network series, Psych, another offbeat detective program. Monk has followed a consistent format of airing half of its 16 episodes in the summer and the second half in the winter.

Previously aired episodes of Monk began airing on NBC Universal sibling network NBC April 6, 2008. NBC eyed the show because its block with Psych could be plugged into NBC's schedule intact. The shows are being used to increase the amount of scripted programming on the network as production of its own scripted programming ramp back up following the writers' strike. Ratings for the broadcast debut were well below NBC averages for the time period. The show came in third behind Big Brother 9 on CBS and Oprah's Big Give on ABC.

Location

Although set in San Francisco and its area, Monk is for the most part shot elsewhere except for occasional exteriors featuring city landmarks. The pilot episode was shot in Vancouver, British Columbia, and the subsequent Season 1 episodes were shot in the Toronto, Ontario, area. Most of the episodes in Seasons 2-6 were filmed in the Los Angeles, California, area, including on-stage at Ren-Mar Studios for seasons 2-5 and at Paramount Studios for season 6 (these include Adrian’s apartment, Stottlemeyer's precinct house, Dr. Kroger’s office and Natalie’s house). Some outdoor scenes are filmed on the Universal Studios Backlot in Hollywood, CA.

Theme music

During the first season of Monk, the series used a jazzy instrumental intro to the show by songwriter Jeff Beal, performed by guitarist Grant Geissman. The theme won the 2003 Emmy Award for Best Main Title Music. When the second season began, the series had new theme music, a song entitled "It's a Jungle out There", by Randy Newman. Reaction to the new theme was mixed. A review of the second season of Monk in the New York Daily News included a wish that producers would revert to the original theme. Shalhoub expressed his support for the new theme in USA Today, saying its "dark and mournful sound,...[its] tongue-in-cheek, darkly humorous side.... completely fits the tone of the show." Newman was awarded the 2004 Emmy Award for Best Main Title Music for "It's a Jungle out There." This debate was referenced in the episode "Mr. Monk and the TV Star," which features an actor who plays a detective in a TV show, and several characters mention an in-story controversy over the change of that show's theme music, including obsessed fan Marci Maven, played by Sarah Silverman. In the epilogue of the story, she implores Monk to promise her that he will never change the theme music if he ever gets his own show. When Monk agrees to the promise (only so he can go back to bed), the original music is heard as the scene fades to credits.

The original theme is also heard in episode 8 of season 3 as Monk drives to Los Angeles with his neighbor and father-in-law. It is also heard in several other episodes as the show enters the credits and then kicks into the new theme's instrumental.

For the season 6 episode, "Mr. Monk and the Rapper," guest star Snoop Dogg performed a hip-hop version of "It's a Jungle out There," and he accompanied Monk with "Here's What Happened" in rap form.

The June 16, 2008 re-airing of the first episode featured a new credit sequence with the Newman theme.

Episodes

• Season 1
• Season 2
• Season 3
• Season 4
• Season 5
• Season 6
• Season 7
• Season 8

Episode in Season	Episode Overall	Title	Directed by	Written by	Aired	U.S. viewers (millions)
1	1	"Mr. Monk and the Candidate"	Dean Parisot	Andy Breckman	July 12, 2002	4.76
Monk investigates an assassination attempt on Mayoral Candidate Warren St. Claire and learns there's more at play than meets the eye. This episode is split into two parts when airing on television.
2	2	"Mr. Monk and the Psychic"	Kevin Inch	John Romano	July 19, 2002	4.06
Everyone believes psychic Dolly Flint has accomplished the impossible when she discovers the body of the former Police Commissioner's missing wife. Everyone except Monk.
3	3	"Mr. Monk Meets Dale the Whale"	Rob Thompson	Andy Breckman	July 26, 2002	4.87
An 800-pound recluse, aka Dale the Whale, is the number one suspect in a murder case. But how can a man who can't even fit through his bedroom door be a murderer?
4	4	"Mr. Monk Goes to the Carnival"	Randall Zisk	Siobhan Byrne	August 2, 2002	4.91
Monk, who suffers from vertigo, investigates the death of a police detective murdered on a ferris wheel.
5	5	"Mr. Monk Goes to the Asylum"	Nick Marck	Tom Scharpling David Breckman	August 9, 2002	4.48
After being temporarily institutionalized, Monk stumbles upon a four-year-old murder. Or is his mind playing tricks on him?
6	6	"Mr. Monk and the Billionaire Mugger"	Stephen Cragg	Timothy J. Lea	August 16, 2002	4.46
A billionaire is shot dead while mugging a couple outside a theater. It appears to be a mid-life crisis gone horribly wrong, until Monk figures out the truth.
7	7	"Mr. Monk and the Other Woman"	Adam Arkin	David M. Stern	August 23, 2002	2.55
Monk investigates an attorney's death and develops a love interest in one of the suspects.
8	8	"Mr. Monk and the Marathon Man"	Adam Davidson	Mitch Markowitz	September 13, 2002	4.86
Monk, himself a former marathon runner, figures out the clever scheme devised by a furniture magnate to dispose of his mistress during a citywide marathon.
9	9	"Mr. Monk Takes a Vacation"	Kevin Inch	Hy Conrad	September 20, 2002	2.68
During his vacation, Monk helps solve a murder witnessed by Benjy, Sharona's son, even though the corpse keeps on eluding them.
10	10	"Mr. Monk and the Earthquake"	Adam Shankman	Tom Scharpling David Breckman	October 4, 2002	2.01
Sharona's life is in danger while Monk brilliantly solves a seemingly perfect crime committed during a San Francisco earthquake.
11	11	"Mr. Monk and the Red-Headed Stranger"	Milan Cheylov	Andy Breckman Tom Scharpling	October 11, 2002	2.53
A blind woman witnesses the murder of Willie Nelson's road manager. Is the country music legend the killer?
12	12	"Mr. Monk and the Airplane"	Rob Thompson	David M. Stern	October 18, 2002	4.25
Braving his fear of flying and of enclosed areas, Monk boards a plane with Sharona and solves the murder of a passenger's wife.

Episode in Season	Episode Overall	Title	Directed by	Written by	Aired	U.S. viewers (millions)
1	13	"Mr. Monk Goes Back to School"	Randall Zisk	David Breckman Rick Kronberg	June 20, 2003	5.43
Monk takes a job as a substitute high school teacher to determine whether a teacher's fall from a clock tower was really a suicide, or a lesson in murder.
2	14	"Mr. Monk Goes to Mexico"	Ron Underwood	Lee Goldberg William Rabkin	June 27, 2003	4.03
Monk travels to Mexico to investigate the mysterious demise of a skydiver who reportedly drowned to death... in mid-air.
3	15	"Mr. Monk Goes to the Ballgame"	Michael Spiller	Hy Conrad	July 11, 2003	3.64
When a ruthless CEO and his wife are lured to their deaths, Monk connects their murders to a baseball great and his quest for the homerun record.
4	16	"Mr. Monk Goes to the Circus"	Randall Zisk	James Krieg	July 18, 2003	4.07
When a circus ringmaster is murdered by a high flying daredevil, all leads point to his vengeful ex-wife. But how could the acrobatic ex have committed the crime with a broken foot?
5	17	"Mr. Monk and the Very, Very Old Man"	Lawrence Trilling	Daniel Dratch	July 25, 2003	3.65
Captain Stottlemeyer takes a page from the book of Monk in order to determine why anyone would want to murder the world's oldest man.
6	18	"Mr. Monk Goes to the Theater"	Ron Underwood	Wendy Mass Stu Levine Tom Scharpling	August 1, 2003	4.70
Monk reluctantly takes the stage to investigate an actor's murder.
7	19	"Mr. Monk and the Sleeping Suspect"	Karl Schaefer	Jerry Levine	August 8, 2003	4.52
Monk knows who is behind a string of mail bombs that have been exploding around San Francisco. The only problem is his primary suspect... is in a coma.
8	20	"Mr. Monk Meets the Playboy"	Tom DiCillo	James Krieg	August 15, 2003	2.79
When a high-powered magazine publisher chokes to death under mysterious circumstances, all clues lead to the infamous swinging party palace, The Sapphire Mansion.
9	21	"Mr. Monk and the 12th Man"	Michael Zinberg	Michael Angeli	August 22, 2003	4.36
When a rash of murders sweeping the city goes unsolved, Monk is called upon to find a correlation with the victims and stop a killer before he strikes again.
10	22	"Mr. Monk and the Paperboy"	Michael Fresco	David Breckman Hy Conrad	January 16, 2004	5.95
When his paperboy is murdered, Monk turns to the pages of the newspaper for clues to solve the baffling crime.
11	23	"Mr. Monk and the Three Pies"	Randall Zisk	Tom Scharpling Daniel Dratch	January 23, 2004	4.94
What could possibly make a cherry pie worth killing for? Monk finds out, with a little help from his long-lost brother Ambrose.
12	24	"Mr. Monk and the TV Star"	Randall Zisk	Tom Scharpling	January 30, 2004	6.27
Monk suspects the star of a hit TV crime show of killing his ex-wife. His only problem: the actor's rock solid alibi.
13	25	"Mr. Monk and the Missing Granny"	Tony Bill	Joe Toplyn	February 6, 2004	5.52
A law student promises to get Monk reinstated to the police force in exchange for his help in finding the kidnappers of her beloved grandmother.
14	26	"Mr. Monk and the Captain's Wife"	Jerry Levine	Andy Breckman Beth Landou	February 13, 2004	5.60
When the Captain's wife falls victim to a union dispute gone awry, it's up to Monk to find out what really happened and bring Stottlemeyer back from the brink.
15	27	"Mr. Monk Gets Married"	Craig Zisk	David Breckman	February 27, 2004	4.77
It's unholy matrimony as Monk and Sharona pretend to be married to get the goods on a con man.
16	28	"Mr. Monk Goes to Jail"	Jerry Levine	Chris Manheim	March 5, 2004	5.51
When a death-row inmate is murdered 45 minutes before his execution, Monk is brought in to find out why.

Episode in Season	Episode Overall	Title	Directed by	Written by	Aired	U.S. viewers (millions)
1	29	"Mr. Monk Takes Manhattan"	Randall Zisk	Andy Breckman	June 18, 2004	5.54
When Monk travels to New York City to investigate his wife's murder, he gets tangled up in a baffling case involving the shooting of a foreign ambassador.
2	30	"Mr. Monk and the Panic Room"	Jerry Levine	David Breckman Joe Toplyn	June 25, 2004	4.70
When a big-time record producer is found dead in his panic room, Monk must help decide the guilt or innocence of an unlikely suspect.
3	31	"Mr. Monk and the Blackout"	Michael Zinberg	Daniel Dratch Hy Conrad	July 9, 2004	4.55
When the city is overrun by a string of unexplained blackouts, it's up to Monk to keep the "City by the Bay" out of the darkness.
4	32	"Mr. Monk Gets Fired"	Andrei Belgrader	Peter Wolk	July 16, 2004	4.68
Monk must find the evidence to put away a grisly murderer and regain his detective's license from the grouchy new police commissioner.
5	33	"Mr. Monk Meets the Godfather"	Michael Zinberg	Lee Goldberg William Rabkin	July 23, 2004	4.73
Monk infiltrates an organized crime family as he tries to get to the bottom of an apparent mob hit.
6	34	"Mr. Monk and the Girl Who Cried Wolf"	Jerry Levine	Hy Conrad	July 30, 2004	5.40
The shoe is on the other foot when inexplicable happenings put Sharona's own sanity to the test.
7	35	"Mr. Monk and the Employee of the Month"	Scott Foley	Ross Abrash	August 6, 2004	5.77
Monk takes a job at a department store to solve the murder of one of the store's employees.
8	36	"Mr. Monk and the Game Show"	Randall Zisk	Daniel Dratch	August 13, 2004	4.85
Monk heads to Los Angeles to help the father of his late wife solve a very puzzling mystery on a game show.
9	37	"Mr. Monk Takes His Medicine"	Randall Zisk	Tom Scharpling Chuck Sklar	August 20, 2004	5.88
Monk takes a new medication that alleviates the symptoms of his obsessive-compulsive disorder but impairs his ability to solve crime.
10	38	"Mr. Monk and the Red Herring"	Randall Zisk	Andy Breckman	January 21, 2005	5.50
Why would a thief want to steal an ordinary pet fish? Monk finds out, and meets a new assistant in the process.
11	39	"Mr. Monk vs. the Cobra"	Anthony R. Palmieri	Joe Toplyn	January 28, 2005	4.10
When all signs in a murder investigation point to deceased Kung Fu movie star Sonny Chow, Monk must find the real culprit.
12	40	"Mr. Monk Gets Cabin Fever"	Jerry Levine	Hy Conrad	February 4, 2005	5.00
When Monk is taken into protective custody after witnessing a Chinese mob killing, he's brought to a remote cabin in the woods where he uncovers another murder.
13	41	"Mr. Monk Gets Stuck in Traffic"	Jerry Levine	Tom Scharpling Joe Toplyn	February 11, 2005	5.02
Monk gets stuck in a traffic jam and finds that the cause of the standstill is murder.
14	42	"Mr. Monk Goes to Vegas"	Randall Zisk	Tom Scharpling David Breckman Daniel Dratch Joe Toplyn	February 18, 2005	5.40
Monk travels to Las Vegas when Captain Stottlemeyer suspects foul play in the death of a millionaire casino owner's wife.
15	43	"Mr. Monk and the Election"	Allison Liddi	Nell Scovell	February 25, 2005	4.85
When Natalie runs for school board, Monk must figure out who's behind an attempt on her life.
16	44	"Mr. Monk and the Kid"	Andrei Belgrader	Tom Scharpling	March 4, 2005	4.44
Monk unravels a baffling mystery after a toddler finds a severed finger in a park.

Episode in Season	Episode Overall	Title	Directed by	Written by	Aired	U.S. viewers (millions)
1	45	"Mr. Monk and the Other Detective"	Eric Laneuville	Hy Conrad	July 8, 2005	6.38
When fellow detective Marty Eels shows up at a crime scene knowing all the answers, has Monk finally met his match, or is Eels cheating?
2	46	"Mr. Monk Goes Home Again"	Randall Zisk	Tom Scharpling	July 15, 2005	5.0
Monk solves a Halloween murder mystery while he and his brother Ambrose wait for their long-lost father to return home.
3	47	"Mr. Monk Stays in Bed"	Philip Casnoff	Hy Conrad	July 22, 2005	4.51
Natalie puts herself in jeopardy to pursue a case when Monk is sick in bed with the flu.
4	48	"Mr. Monk Goes to the Office"	Jerry Levine	Nell Scovell	July 29, 2005	4.7
When a parking garage attendant is killed and a financial analyst's hand is broken in a mysterious attack, Monk goes undercover in an office to solve the case.
5	49	"Mr. Monk Gets Drunk"	Andrei Belgrader	Daniel Dratch	August 5, 2005	3.82
A relaxing getaway in wine country turns into a crime-filled weekend as Monk and Natalie try to uncover a murder involving a man that doesn't exist.
6	50	"Mr. Monk and Mrs. Monk"	Randall Zisk	David Breckman	August 12, 2005	4.4
Monk must get to the truth when it appears that his late wife Trudy is still alive.
7	51	"Mr. Monk Goes to a Wedding"	Anthony R. Palmieri	Liz Sagal	August 19, 2005	5.5
Monk must prevent a killer from spoiling the party at Natalie's brother's wedding.
8	52	"Mr. Monk and Little Monk"	Robert Singer	Joe Toplyn	August 26, 2005	5.28
When a childhood crush comes to Monk with a mysterious murder, Monk tries to win her heart by solving the case.
9	53	"Mr. Monk and the Secret Santa"	Jerry Levine	David Breckman	December 2, 2005	5.48
When a detective dies at the police department Christmas party after drinking from a poisoned bottle of port intended for Captain Stottlemeyer, can Monk find the killer?
10	54	"Mr. Monk Goes to a Fashion Show"	Randall Zisk	Jonathan Collier	January 13, 2006	5.4
Monk enters the world of high fashion when he believes a young man accused of a model's murder is innocent.
11	55	"Mr. Monk Bumps His Head"	Stephen Surjik	Andy Breckman	January 20, 2006	6.0
When Monk wakes up in an unfamiliar town with amnesia, can he solve a local murder mystery and find his way home?
12	56	"Mr. Monk and the Captain's Marriage"	Philip Casnoff	Jack Bernstein	January 27, 2006	5.35
Captain Stottlemeyer has to go to anger management class when he slugs a cop who claims he's having an affair with the Captain's wife.
13	57	"Mr. Monk and the Big Reward"	Randall Zisk	Tom Scharpling Daniel Dratch	February 3, 2006	N/A
Monk and Natalie try to solve a diamond heist that promises a big reward. But in their race for the money, they face three unscrupulous competitors.
14	58	"Mr. Monk and the Astronaut"	Randall Zisk	David Breckman Joe Toplyn	March 3, 2006	4.89
Monk tries to prove that an astronaut committed murder despite the suspect's seemingly airtight alibi: he was in space.
15	59	"Mr. Monk Goes to the Dentist"	Jefery Levy	David Breckman Tom Scharpling	March 10, 2006	N/A
Lieutenant Disher quits the force when no one believes that he witnessed a murder while under anesthesia at the dentist.
16	60	"Mr. Monk Gets Jury Duty"	Andrei Belgrader	Peter Wolk	March 17, 2006	5.4
While sequestered on jury duty, Monk juggles two cases: proving that the accused is not guilty and figuring out who was killed outside the courthouse.

Episode in Season	Episode Overall	Title	Directed by	Written by	Aired	U.S. viewers (millions)
1	61	"Mr. Monk and the Actor"	Randall Zisk	Hy Conrad Joe Toplyn	July 7, 2006	5.09
A famous actor preparing to play Monk gets a little too close to one of Monk's real-life murder investigations.
2	62	"Mr. Monk and the Garbage Strike"	Jerry Levine	Andy Breckman Daniel Gaeta	July 14, 2006	4.89
When a union boss' death threatens to prolong a city wide garbage strike in San Francisco, it's up to Monk to help end the strike by determining whether the boss' death was suicide or murder.
3	63	"Mr. Monk and the Big Game"	Chris Long	Jack Bernstein	July 21, 2006	5.09
Julie's basketball coach is murdered, and Monk must step in as the new coach while trying to solve the case.
4	64	"Mr. Monk Can't See a Thing"	Stephen Surjik	Lee Goldberg William Rabkin	July 28, 2006	5.20
Monk is blinded after he witnesses a murder in a fire station but realizes that he can still solve cases.
5	65	"Mr. Monk, Private Eye"	Peter Weller	Tom Scharpling Daniel Gaeta	August 4, 2006	5.28
When Natalie convinces Monk to go into business as a private eye, his first case is a seemingly innocuous fender bender that leads to a far more dangerous investigation.
6	66	"Mr. Monk and the Class Reunion"	David Grossman	Daniel Dratch	August 11, 2006	5.60
While attending his 25th college reunion, Monk reminisces how he met Trudy and tries to prevent the murder of a former classmate.
7	67	"Mr. Monk Gets a New Shrink"	Andrei Belgrader	Hy Conrad	August 18, 2006	5.21
When Dr. Kroger retires after his cleaning lady is killed, it's up to Monk to solve the case and get Dr. Kroger back to work.
8	68	"Mr. Monk Goes to a Rock Concert"	Randall Zisk	Blair Singer	August 25, 2006	5.63
Monk goes to a rock concert to look for Captain Stottlemeyer's son and finds himself in the middle of a murder investigation.
9	69	"Mr. Monk Meets His Dad"	Jerry Levine	Tom Scharpling Dan Dratch	November 17, 2006	N/A
Monk's estranged father, Jack, returns at Christmas time, but all is not merry with the Monks.
10	70	"Mr. Monk and the Leper"	Randall Zisk	Charles Evered	December 22, 2006	N/A
Monk finds himself in the middle of a shadowy murder plot worthy of a classic Hollywood film noir.
11	71	"Mr. Monk Makes a Friend"	Randall Zisk	Andy Breckman Daniel Gaeta	January 19, 2007	5.16
A fun-loving everyman named Hal bumps into Monk, and the two become fast friends. For the first time in his life, Monk appears to have a buddy. But is Hal up to something?
12	72	"Mr. Monk Is At Your Service"	Anton Cropper	Rob LaZebnik	January 26, 2007	5.0
When Natalie suspects foul play in the deaths of her parents' wealthy neighbors, Monk goes undercover as a butler to investigate.
13	73	"Mr. Monk Is On the Air"	Mike Listo	Josh Siegal Dylan Morgan	February 2, 2007	5.2
Monk goes toe-to-toe with a popular radio shock jock who is suspected of killing his wife.
14	74	"Mr. Monk Visits a Farm"	Andrei Belgrader	David Breckman	February 9, 2007	4.9
When Lt. Disher inherits a farm from an uncle who committed suicide, he decides to quit the police force and start a new life in the country. But Disher soon suspects that his uncle was murdered, so Monk joins him on the farm to investigate.
15	75	"Mr. Monk and the Really, Really Dead Guy"	Anthony R. Palmieri	Joe Toplyn	February 23, 2007	4.71
When the mysterious "Six Way Killer" strikes in San Francisco, Monk's detective skills are pitted against the flashy forensic technology of a federal agent as they both pursue the murderer.
16	76	"Mr. Monk Goes to the Hospital"	Wendey Stanzler	Jonathan Collier	March 2, 2007	5.7
Monk goes to the emergency room for a bloody nose, but when a doctor in the hospital turns up dead, Monk joins the murder investigation, and soon his own life is in grave danger.

Episode in Season	Episode Overall	Title	Directed by	Written by	Aired	U.S. viewers (millions)
1	77	"Mr. Monk and His Biggest Fan"	Randall Zisk	Andy Breckman	July 13, 2007	4.82
When Marci Maven is accused of a bizarre crime, she turns to the object of her obsession for help: Adrian Monk.
2	78	"Mr. Monk and the Rapper"	Paris Barclay	Daniel Dratch	July 20, 2007	4.88
Monk is hired to clear the name of a famous rap star who is accused of murder.
3	79	"Mr. Monk and the Naked Man"	Randall Zisk	Tom Gammill Max Pross	July 27, 2007	5.01
Monk must confront his prejudice against nudists when he's called to investigate a murder on a nude beach.
4	80	"Mr. Monk and the Bad Girlfriend"	Wendey Stanzler	Joe Toplyn	August 3, 2007	N/A
Monk's friendship with Captain Stottlemeyer is put to the test when Monk suspects the captain's girlfriend of murder.
5	81	"Mr. Monk and the Birds and the Bees"	Michael W. Watkins	Peter Wolk	August 10, 2007	5.10
Monk tries to prove a sports agent is guilty of murder while helping Natalie's teenage daughter with her love life.
6	82	"Mr. Monk and the Buried Treasure"	Sam Weisman	Jonathan Collier	August 17, 2007	4.54
Monk finds himself in a dangerous situation when he helps his psychiatrist's son follow a treasure map.
7	83	"Mr. Monk and the Daredevil"	Jonathan Collier	Alan Zweibel	August 24, 2007	5.03
Monk's world is turned upside-down when a famous daredevil is revealed to be his rival, Harold Krenshaw.
8	84	"Mr. Monk and the Wrong Man"	Anton Cropper	Salvatore Savo	September 7, 2007	4.39
When a man Monk sent to prison years earlier is cleared by new DNA evidence, Monk helps him rebuild his life.
9	85	"Mr. Monk Is Up All Night"	Randall Zisk	David Breckman	September 14, 2007	4.52
When Monk suffers from insomnia, he ventures into the night and stumbles upon a murder.
10	86	"Mr. Monk and the Man Who Shot Santa Claus"	Randall Zisk	Ben Gruber	December 7, 2007	4.55
Monk becomes a social pariah when he shoots a man dressed as Santa Claus. Can he clear his name and foil a larger criminal plot in time for Christmas?
11	87	"Mr. Monk Joins a Cult"	Anton Cropper	Josh Siegal Dylan Morgan	January 11, 2008	5.65
When Monk infiltrates a cult to solve a murder, he falls under the spell of its charismatic leader.
12	88	"Mr. Monk Goes to the Bank"	Michael W. Watkins	Hy Conrad	January 18, 2008	5.46
When the safety deposit box holding one of Monk's treasured possessions is robbed, Monk will do whatever it takes to solve the case.
13	89	"Mr. Monk and the Three Julies"	David Breckman	Tom Scharpling	January 25, 2008	5.32
Monk must find a murderer who, to Natalie's horror, appears to be killing women with the same name as her daughter.
14	90	"Mr. Monk Paints His Masterpiece"	Andrei Belgrader	Jon Wurster	February 1, 2008	5.45
Monk takes up a new hobby — painting — and meets with unexpected success.
15	91	"Mr. Monk Is on the Run (Part One)"	Randall Zisk	Tom Scharpling	February 15, 2008	5.60
When Monk is arrested for murder, he escapes the custody of a small-town sheriff and becomes a fugitive on the run.
16	92	"Mr. Monk Is on the Run (Part Two)"	Randall Zisk	Hy Conrad	February 22, 2008	6.88
While everyone mourns Monk's "death," Monk searches for the truth that will clear his name.

Episode in Season	Episode Overall	Title	Directed by	Written by	Aired	U.S. viewers (millions)
1	93	"Mr. Monk Buys a House"	Randall Zisk	Andy Breckman	July 18, 2008	5.64
When his new neighbor plays his music too loud, Monk decides it's time to move.
2	94	"Mr. Monk and The Genius"	Michael W. Watkins	Joe Toplyn	July 25, 2008	5.06
Monk goes up against a Bobby Fisher-type chess genius who always appears to be two steps ahead of Monk.
3	95	"Mr. Monk Gets Lotto Fever"	Michael Zinberg	Hy Conrad	August 1, 2008	4.60
Natalie becomes the new lotto girl in California, and Mr. Monk finds himself a little jealous of Natalie's fame. She is embroiled in a scandal when the lotto machine is discovered to be rigged.
4	96	"Mr. Monk Takes a Punch"	Barnet Kellman	Salvatore Savo	August 8, 2008	3.62
Mr. Monk feels he is too over the hill and will never pass the SFPD physical. He finally gives up on his dream of reinstatement and finds it liberating, but a case in which he meets a boxer making a comeback in the ring re-inspires Monk.
5	97	"Mr. Monk Is Underwater"	Paris Barclay	Jack Bernstein	August 15, 2008	4.65
A former friend of Mitch's dies in a locked room aboard a submarine and everyone cries suicide. When Monk and the crew investigate, the ship suddenly descends and Monk finds himself trapped on-board, underwater.
6	98	"Mr. Monk Falls in Love"	Arlene Sanford	Josh Siegal Dylan Morgan	August 22, 2008	4.57
Monk develops a crush on a woman who is accused of murder. Despite the overwhelming evidence (including her confession), Monk is determined to prove her innocence.
7	99	"Mr. Monk's 100th Case"	Randall Zisk	Tom Scharpling	September 5, 2008	4.99
"In Focus" covers Monk's handling of a serial killer case (in which four people were killed) and the gang gathers for a viewing party to watch the piece. As Monk watches the interviews of his biggest friends and adversaries, he realizes that victim #3 was killed by someone else and must solve the crime.
8	100	"Mr. Monk Gets Hypnotized"	Michael W. Watkins	Tom Gammill Max Pross	September 12, 2008	5.02
After Monk seeks a new form of therapy (hypnosis), he finds himself reverting to his 9-year old personality.
9	101	"Mr. Monk and the Miracle"	Andrei Belgrader	Peter Wolk	November 28, 2008	4.39
When three homeless men seek out Monk's services at the holidays, Natalie convinces him to investigate the death of their friend.
10	102	"Mr. Monk's Other Brother"	David Hoberman	David Breckman	January 9, 2009	5.24
When Monk's delinquent half-brother, Jack Jr., escapes from prison and breaks into Monk's apartment, he manipulates Monk into helping him find the person he claims framed him for murder.
11	103	"Mr. Monk on Wheels"	Anton Cropper	Nell Scovell	January 16, 2009	4.94
When Natalie unwittingly helps a thief steal the bicycle of a biotech CEO, she ropes Monk into solving a crime straight out of "Encyclopedia Brown" — until Monk learns the hard way how dangerous this thief really is. The episode is also known as Mr. Monk Gets Shot.
12	104	"Mr. Monk and the Lady Next Door"	Tawnia McKiernan	Hy Conrad Joe Toplyn	January 23, 2009	4.96
While investigating a murder at a museum of oddities, Monk befriends a warm older woman, but he has trouble believing the friendship comes without a catch.
13	105	"Mr. Monk Makes the Playoffs"	Randall Zisk	Josh Siegal Dylan Morgan	January 30, 2009	5.39
Monk has scored tickets to the biggest football game of the year, but he and Captain Stottlemeyer can't go inside until they figure out who tried to blow up a fan in the parking lot.
14	106	"Mr. Monk and the Bully"	David Breckman	Joe Ventura	February 6, 2009	5.67
When a childhood bully who terrorized Monk hires the detective to trail his wife, whom he suspects of infidelity, Monk relishes the opportunity to prove him right — and things get even sweeter when the bully is accused of murder.
15	107	"Mr. Monk and the Magician"	Randall Zisk	Andy Breckman	February 13, 2009	5.11
Monk goes head-to-head with a magician he suspects of murder.
16	108	"Mr. Monk Fights City Hall"	Chuck Parker	Tom Scharpling Josh Siegal Dylan Morgan	February 20, 2009	5.54
When the parking garage where Monk's wife was killed is set for demolition, Monk intervenes — but soon finds himself investigating the disappearance of a city official key to preserving the site.

Episode in Season	Episode Overall	Title	Directed by	Written by	Aired	U.S. viewers (millions)
1	109	"Mr. Monk's Favorite Show"	Randall Zisk	Jack Bernstein	August 7, 2009	5.14
When an attempt is made on the life of a former child star who recently published a tell-all biography, Monk is thrilled to act as her bodyguard — until he learns exactly how different she is from her TV alter ego.
2	110	"Mr. Monk and the Foreign Man"	David Grossman	David Breckman Justin Brenneman	August 14, 2009	5.31
While investigating the puzzling, high profile murder of a maid whose assailant apparently tried to treat her wounds, Monk finds himself increasingly drawn to another case involving a visiting African man investigating his beloved wife's hit-and-run death.
3	111	"Mr. Monk and the UFO"	Kevin Hooks	Michael Angeli	August 21, 2009	5.16
Monk must uncover the link between a missing girl and a UFO sighting after Natalie's car breaks down in a small desert town.
4	112	"Mr. Monk Is Someone Else"	Randall Zisk	Salvatore Savo	August 28, 2009	4.98
Monk assumes the identity of a dead hit man in an effort to foil an assassination plot.
5	113	"Mr. Monk Takes the Stand"	Mary Lou Belli	Josh Siegal Dylan Morgan	September 11, 2009	4.65
Monk's confidence is shattered when a slick-talking defense lawyer ridicules him in court and uses his many phobias and tics to convince a jury to acquit his latest murder suspect.
6	114	"Mr. Monk and the Critic"	Jerry Levine	Hy Conrad	September 18, 2009	4.88
Natalie becomes convinced a critic who panned her daughter Julie's theatrical performance was responsible for a murder at the same time as the show.
7	115	"Mr. Monk and the Voodoo Curse"	Andrei Belgrader	Joe Toplyn	September 25, 2009	4.74
Voodoo appears to be the only explanation when unmarked dolls sent to San Francisco residents accurately predict a series of inexplicable deaths — including, perhaps, Natalie's.
8	116	"Mr. Monk Goes to Group Therapy"	Anton Cropper	Joe Ventura	October 9, 2009	4.37
When Monk's insurance company refuses to pay for more individual therapy sessions, Monk joins Dr. Bell's therapy group, where somebody appears to be murdering his fellow patients.
9	117	"Happy Birthday, Mr. Monk"	Tawnia McKiernan	Peter Wolk	October 16, 2009	3.98
Natalie tries to throw a surprise birthday party for Monk while he investigates the mysterious death of an office building's maintenance man.
10	118	"Mr. Monk and Sharona"	Randall Zisk	Tom Scharpling	October 23, 2009	5.42
When Sharona returns to San Francisco to handle legal issues related to an uncle's death, Monk suspects foul play and finds himself torn between the differing styles of Sharona and Natalie.
11	119	"Mr. Monk and the Dog"	David Breckman	Beth Armogida	October 30, 2009	4.69
Monk reluctantly adopts a dog while looking into the suspicious disappearance of its owner.
12	120	"Mr. Monk Goes Camping"	Joe Pennella	Tom Gammill Max Pross	November 6, 2009	4.26
To woo the lone holdout on the reinstatement committee, Monk accompanies Lt. Disher on a scouting trip with the man's troublesome son — where nature isn't the only thing the troop has to fear.
13	121	"Mr. Monk Is the Best Man"	Michael Zinberg	Joe Toplyn Josh Siegal Dylan Morgan	November 13, 2009	4.39
In order to save the wedding of someone close to him, Monk must first find out who is trying to sabotage it and why.
14	122	"Mr. Monk and the Badge"	Dean Parisot	Hy Conrad Tom Scharpling	November 20, 2009	5.30
Monk finds his return to the police force to be more challenging than he expected when he becomes involved in the case of a serial killer.
15	123	"Mr. Monk and the End (Part One)"	Randall Zisk	Andy Breckman	November 27, 2009	5.82
Monk is called to a crime at the location where he first heard the news of his wife's murder and begins the most important investigation of his life.
16	124	"Mr. Monk and the End (Part Two)"	Randall Zisk	Andy Breckman	December 4, 2009	9.44
Monk pursues the killer of his wife in the series finale.