'Monk' has always been one of my most watched shows when needing comfort, to relax after a hard day, a good laugh or a way to spend a lazy weekend.
Up to this point of Season 3, "Mr Monk Gets Fired" is the best. With that being said, the previous three episodes are still enjoyable, just not up to "best of 'Monk'" standards, a distinction that "Mr Monk Gets Fired" nearly hits. Would have loved to have seen more of Sharona, whose most significant contribution is tackling the commissioner on Monk's odds, and outside of the commissioner, Karen and Dr Kroger the supporting characters are not really all that memorable.
There is still nonetheless a huge amount to enjoy. The mystery is a fun and intriguing one, at times a surprisingly elaborate one, with a clever ending that avoids being confusing or silly. Even better are the character moments, one really feels sorry for Monk despite such a big error (an error though that would have been job costing anyway without back-up, but one really does get more of a sense that he was fired for personal reasons rather than the error).
Loved Karen's contribution, bringing some welcome levity and one really enjoys the relationship between her and Stottlemeyer, and that it actually gave Stottlemeyer more to do (after having a few episodes where he was underused), showing a lot of love, frustration, friendship, loyalty, desire and wanting to help Monk and solve the case within professional limits. Disher is amusing and never comes over as an idiot.
One of the best things about 'Monk' has always been the acting of Tony Shalhoub in the title role. It was essential for him to work and be the glue of the show, and Shalhoub not only is that but also at his very best he IS the show. Have always loved the balance of the humour, which is often hilarious, and pathos, which is sincere and touching. It is remarkable here that right from the first episode to when the show ended that one likes him straight away, even with his quirks and deficiencies that could easily have been overplayed, and also that he is better developed than most titular characters of other shows at this particular stage. Who can't help love Monk's brilliant mind too?
Bitty Schram and Jason Gray-Stanford are good, she sharp and no-nonsense but sympathetic, and he appealing and amusing without being buffoonish. Ted Levine fares best of the regulars, staying true to Stottlemeyer's usual traits while adding some more layers. Glenne Headley, Saverio Guerra and Stanley Kamel are also good, the rest of the cast are on the forgettable side but competent.
It's not just the cast though. Another star is the writing, which is also essential to whether the show would be successful or not and succeed it does here. The mix of hilarious wry humour, lovable quirkiness and tender easy-to-relate-to drama is delicately done mostly deft.
Visually, the episode is shot in a slick and stylish way, and the music is both understated and quirky. While there is a preference for the theme music for Season 1, Randy Newman's "It's a Jungle Out There" has grown on me overtime, found it annoying at first but appreciate its meaning and what it's trying to say much more now.
All in all, great episode if not quite one of the best. 9/10 Bethany Cox
