 Monk (ABC, USA) Though the character of Adrian Monk is unusual and Shaloub is engaging to watch, the show's writing is so unsubtle that you can see every plot twist coming a hundred miles away. Characterization is accomplished simply be reinforcing the premise of the show every few minutes. Monk's backstory (he developed ODC following the murder of his wife, and still isn't over it) is referred to several times throughout each episode, almost as though the producers want to ensure you can get into the show at any point. It's a lack of confidence that reduces Monk to the lowest common denominator. There's no nuance to it at all; any other show would leave the backstory to the pilot episode and then rely on strong writing for forward-moving development. I'd rather be intrigued and made curious to find out more, as opposed to given a straight explanation that renders my interest nonexistent. The support characters are all stock TV clichés – the hard-nosed-but-tender police captain, the ditzy female assistant – and the plots mostly grasp at straws to create what the writers probably think of as "weird" scenarios. From the little of Monk I've bothered to watch, I'm not inspired to see any more, though I did hear that they had an episode where Willie Nelson plays himself and is the primary murder suspect, but even that seems rather trite and showy. Monk began on ABC but later found a home where it belongs, on USA. This network is the TV equivalent of the generic food aisle at your local grocery store, offering cheap alternatives for dispassionate consumers.
Review by La Fée © 2004 |