Monk episode review — 1.4 — Mr. Monk Goes to the Carnival

Original air date: August 2, 2002
Director: Randall Zisk
Writer: Siobhan Byrne

Rating: 8/10

Monk has his hearing for reinstatement, and seems to do very well, but starts an argument with Sharona upon leaving, as he wants to drive the car, thinking they’ll be watching him as he leaves, and doesn’t want them to think he’s being cared for.

Sharona reluctantly gives in, and Monk crashes into a flagpole just about a block away. It’s a really funny moment, as you can only imagine how miserable Sharona is working for the guy.

Throughout the entire series, Tony Shalhoub is never short of remarkable. His depictions of all of Monk’s quirks is quite impressive, but that he’s able to maintain a sort of childlike likability while being a complete asshole is also truly remarkable. I’m not sure how many actors could have pulled it off in such a way.

The crime here is an interesting one. Stottlemeyer’s former partner, Adam Kirk (Stephen McHattie), is undercover at a carnival to hear about a shipping of drugs, but the person he’s meeting insists that they talk on the ferris wheel. Once they’re there, the other guy starts freaking out, and when Kirk leaves the ferris wheel, it’s revealed that the person’s been stabbed.

Kirk has a reputation of police brutality, in part because of Monk previously reporting what he had seen when they worked together. Because of this, Monk thinks he’s guilty and doesn’t want to take the case, but he and Sharona agree they need to, since Stottlemeyer will be speaking at the hearing for reinstatement.

Monk eventually goes to the carnival with Sharona and her son, Benjy (Max Morrow), and we have a fun but short montage of Monk trying to have fun or at least pretend he’s having fun.

Monk eventually figures out that someone Kirk had put behind bars tried to discredit him in order to get his case dropped, and makes the connection between both the person who was murdered, as well as the ferris wheel operator, who’s the one who stabbed hiim.

Monk solves the case after Stottlemeyer doesn’t recommend him for reinstatement, though, so Monk and Sharona find themselves alone at the carnival, attempting to catch the recently released Leonard Stokes (Alan Van Sprang). Sharona decides to go up into the ferris wheel in order to get a better view, and of course he’s already up there. Monk then tries to climb to save her, and ends up doing absolutely nothing because he’s scared out of his mind.

It’s a pretty good climax, not really exciting, but definitely funny. And it’s a solid episode overall, though not too remarkable. I like how at the end, Stottlemeyer gives Kirk his badge and gun back, but Monk is in frame. This episode has some emotional impact, and seemingly advances the grand story of Monk trying to be reinstated. I say seemingly because there are still seven seasons to go, of course. Maybe “revisits” is the better word.