Monk is an American mystery comedy-drama television series created by Andy Breckman and starring Tony Shalhoub as Adrian Monk. It originally ran from 2002 to 2009 and is primarily a police procedural series but also exhibits comic and dramatic tones in its exploration of the main characters' personal lives. The series was produced by Mandeville Films and Touchstone Television in association with Universal Network Television.
The series debuted on July 12, 2002, on USA Network. It continued for eight seasons, with the final season concluding on December 4, 2009. The series held the record for the most-watched scripted drama episode in cable television history from 2009 through 2012 (broken by The Walking Dead) with "Mr. Monk and the End – Part II", its series finale, with 9.4 million viewers, 3.2 million of them in the 18–49 demographic.
The series was critically acclaimed, winning eight Emmy Awards, one Golden Globe Award, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards.
On March 15, 2023, Peacock ordered a Monk follow-up film, titled Mr. Monk's Last Case: A Monk Movie with original cast members Shalhoub, Levine, Howard, Gray-Stanford, Hardin and Elizondo confirmed to reprise their roles from the series with creator Andy Breckman penning the script, which will premiere on December 8, 2023.
Premise
Adrian Monk, a San Francisco Police Department detective, has a nervous breakdown after his wife, Trudy, is killed by a car bomb, possibly because of her work as a journalist. He loses his job and refuses to leave his house for four years. With the help of his nurse and assistant, Sharona Fleming, he finally is able to leave his house and begins work as a private detective and as a consultant for the police, although his obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), which has worsened since Trudy's death, poses challenges for him and frustration for those around him. Monk also continues to investigate Trudy's death.
Monk's numerous compulsive habits and phobias compound his situation. Monk is afraid of 312 things, including germs, milk, ladybugs, harmonicas, heights, asymmetry, enclosed spaces, foods touching on his plate, messes, frogs, snakes, risk, and more. The OCD and phobias cause problems for Monk and anyone around him as he investigates cases. However, these same struggles, particularly the OCD, also aid him in solving cases alongside his sharp memory, specific mindset, and attention to detail. Ever since childhood, Monk's obsessive attention to detail has enabled him to spot tiny discrepancies, find patterns, and make connections that others miss. Because Monk's insights operate at both the conscious and subconscious level, he will frequently note that something is amiss about a crime scene but not grasp its full importance until someone later makes a seemingly trivial remark or discovery.
Captain Leland Stottlemeyer and Lieutenant Randy Disher call on Monk when they have troubles with investigations. Stottlemeyer is often irritated by Monk's behavior, but respects his friend and former colleague's amazing insight and observational abilities, as does Disher. In the middle of season three, Sharona decides to remarry her ex-husband and moves back to New Jersey. She prompts Monk to hire a new assistant. Monk discovers Natalie when she is involved in a homicide case, in "Mr. Monk and the Red Herring". She then becomes his assistant. Natalie is a widow and the mother of her 11-year-old daughter Julie. Natalie is able to understand and bond with Monk better than most people, largely due to sharing his grief over the loss of a spouse. Sharona appears in one episode in season eight.
Monk has a brother Ambrose and a half brother, Jack Jr., whom Monk first learns about when his father tells him in season five. He meets Jack Jr. in the episode "Mr. Monk's Other Brother" during season seven.