Monk – Recap & Review – Mr. Monk and the Badge

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Monk
Mr. Monk and the Badge

Original Air Date: Nov 20, 2009

Jeff P. – Sr. Staff Writer
jeffp@thetwocentscorp.com

After viewing tonight’s episode of Monk, it will only leave us with two episodes left in the series. But at least it appears that we can now start calling Adrian “Detective” Monk. That’s because tonight’s teaser starts with Stottlemeyer and Disher presenting Monk with his new (old) badge.

Even though Monk is very excited to go to his first day back on the job, he stops himself and asks what Natalie will be doing. She tells him that they’ll still be friends, and she’s put in an interview with a concert promoter named Jim Paxton. They both seem to be sad about their potential parting.

During his first roll call in 12 years, Monk learns that the Police are on the lookout for a serial killer Leland is calling the “Pick-Axe Killer”. He’s murdered 5 people already and they don’t have much on him yet. Monk tells Stottlemeyer he’s ready to look through the case, but Leland tells him that he’s promised the board that he’d ease him back to work… in other words, desk duty.

An Officer Russell Dimarco (who is a big fan of Monk) offers to help him get situated, including giving him a computer. Monk who is largely outdated wants to know why he can’t use a log book.
As he has trouble dealing with everything, he finds out that they have a person in custody that they believe is the pick-axe killer. His name is Richard Mathis, and he was fingered by Mikhail Alvinov, a window washer. Alvinov will receive $500,000 as a reward for the information he provided. Meanwhile, Natalie is working for Paxton and seems to be enjoying the benefits.

Later, Monk goes on his first call… a woman complains that a Mr. Barton tried to suffocate her. He goes into the apartment with his gun ready, only to find out that Mr. Barton is her cat! The visit wasn’t a total loss, though. He notices the building that Alvinov was the washer for and something bothers him. He tells his new Sergeant that there was a hole in Alvinov’s story about seeing the alleged killer’s license plate. The sun would have been directly in his eyes, and since he was 7 floors up, how could he see a license plate? But the Sergeant wants him to let it go.

We jump over to Alvinov who meets up with Officer Dimarco, who brings up something about an agreement they have. Alvinov throws a bag over to him, but as Demarco looks in the bag… Alvinov shoots him dead. The next day Monk and his new boss are on the scene. Monk finds a dog food coupon in Demarco’s hand that is the exact size of a dollar. He figures out quickly that Demarco was involved in a payoff. However, the new Sarge wants Monk to be 100% sure that Demarco was taking a payoff, because he is a “brother” to them.

Stottlemeyer and Disher go to look for Monk at a memorial for Dimarco at his house. They know he’s there, because someone has separated all of the fruit from the fruit salad. They catch up with him and Leland warns Monk to tread lightly with his theory. Monk had already noticed that Dimarco didn’t have a dog (the coupon) and he had a passport application and a brochure for the Cayman Islands. Monk sees Dimarco’s wife and asks her if they had a trip planned, or if he had any bank accounts in the Caymans. Stottlemeyer rushes over to save Monk from getting pounded by the other police.

At Dr. Bell’s office, Monk admits that he’s not happy with his new situation. He can’t choose his own cases, and has to do things like checking on the cat lady. Dr. Bell tells him that he understands how he feels, and reminds him that he can quit.

That night, Monk stays late at the station and the janitor comes in the office. He has a cart full of Dimarco’s belongings that perks Monk right up. He finds Dimarco’s ticket books and lightly brushes a pencil across the top blank ticket. The license plate number that comes up is the same number that he saw on TV that Alvinov claimed was the plate of the Pick-Axe killer.

The next day Monk goes to confront Alvinov. He tells him he’s there to arrest him for murder. When Monk turns to look for his partner, Alvinov knocks him out. When he comes to, he realizes that Alvinov has him on the window washing stage and they’re going up the side of the building. Monk tells us what happened:

While Dimarco was writing tickets, he realized that he wrote a ticket for the car of the Pick-Axe Murderer. He knew that he couldn’t accept the reward money being a police officer, so he made a deal with Alvinov. Alvinov would get the reward as a civilian and they would split the money. However, Alvinov got greedy and killed Dimarco so he could keep it for himself.

After the exposition, Alvinov ties himself on to the staging and starts shaking it trying to get Monk to fall. Since Monk is holding on tightly, he uses the remote to lower one side of the staging and Monk slips to the end almost falling off. The remote drops next to him, so he is able to reverse it and climb back up. He disarms Alvinov and sticks his badge right into Alvinov’s leg. Alvinov falls off and appears to be knocked out, hanging by his harness. Then Monk stabilizes himself and lowers the stage back down. At the bottom he meets his partner and the sergeant who’s witnessed the battle. He tells them that he’ll be quitting and now be known as the “Former former former detective”.

The episode ends with Monk handing in his badge and gun to Stottlemeyer. He tells Monk that he has a surprise for him, and he has to leave through the west exit to get it. When he does, Natalie is waiting for him. She asks him if he needs an assistant, because she doesn’t feel the need to book dinners for Paxton. He takes her back, but of course tries to offer her a pay cut.

I enjoyed this episode a lot. I’m already finding myself getting choked up, and it’s not even the finale. I don’t know how I’ll feel after that. If the producer’s concept in splitting up Natalie and Monk was for sadness and longing, it worked for me. I loved seeing Stottlemeyer give Monk his badge. And as usual Shaloub is amazing and very believable in playing Monk receiving the honor. Next week starts the two part series finale and if it holds up to this episode, and even this season, it will truly cap off this show as one of the best ever in my mind. What do you think? Did you choke up, or am I just really lame? Your two cents is always appreciated.