The day we hoped would never come — Reviewing ‘Mr. Monk and the End’
Monk was an Emmy-winning television series that almost single-handedly resurrected the USA Network’s critical standing during its highly rated eight season run that culminated with the two hour “Mr. Monk and the End” episode broadcast on Dec. 4, 2009. Stretching over two weeks, the finale saw notoriously finicky private detective Adrian Monk finally apprehend his wife’s murderer.
Rendered brilliantly by veteran actor Tony Shalhoub, Monk’s obsessive-compulsive disorder was heightened by the death of his beloved wife Trudy, portrayed by The Office regular Melora Hardin for the majority of the series.
Although it was sad to see Monk conclude, watching him emerge victorious was definitely worth it. Plot-wise, the final episode explored Monk being poisoned because he was getting too close to the truth — the identity of Trudy’s murderer.
Guest-starring Craig T. Nelson as a judge responsible for ordering the murder of Trudy, the final episode was humorous, uplifting, sad, gut-wrenching, and dramatic, covering the breadth of human emotions. Not many shows currently on television can lay claim to this remarkable feat.
For awhile viewers may have wondered whether Monk would survive his poisoning, but this viewer knew otherwise. Seeing his determination in the…
