movieking

This was a decent episode, but the problem that I have with the last two episodes is that someone in Monk's circle was directly involved in the case (last week his brother, this week Natalie). I think that they use this plot device much too often.

Also, there was no doubt that the case that Natalie was working on would merge with the case of the missing judge.

Still, I enjoyed it.

Noojimbo

It was alright, but it seemed that Monk solved the case a little too fast. I think they should have stretched out the actual detective work and maybed dropped the lawyer's attack on Natalie. The last ~15 minutes seemed especially weak (more like filler) because the tension wasn't convincing. Monk's a great light hearted show, but I don't think anyone could be convinced that the writers would harm or kill off a character as essential as Natalie just 3 episodes into a new season.

Also, how did she know how to operate that forklift?

Iron_Giant

We enjoyed the show, it was a Natalie showcase. The music card was very funny when he was trying to hide it.

Second Guest

Well, at least there were no guest stars, but there were a couple of aspects of this episode I didn't like. I'd thought the writers had learned from last year's misfires that putting Monk in extreme situations (and, for Monk, the flu is an extreme situation) or taking characters out of character does not enhance their humor and can actually make them seem false and cartoonish. Stottlemeyer's shtick with the suspect's tie reminded me of his interrogation of the chimp in last season's panic room episode. He's funny enough just being himself and not some bumbling buffoon. If that sort of thing is absolutely necessary, then that's Disher's job.



All that aside, though, I still liked this episode. Monk going to such heroic lengths (for him) to save Natalie put a nice warm finish on an otherwise flawed and sloppily written story.

Charlie Goose

That's not really a nitpick, but a gaping plot hole as far as I'm concerned. Those musical greeting cards do not play when closed, so the whole shtick about Monk trying to hide or silence the card, ending with him recycling it, doesn't make any sense at all.

movieking

Agreed. But in one scene when Monk closed the card, it continued to play, so I took it that the card was broken.

Chew

Have we ever seen Monk get quite as physical as when he tackled and wrestled the killer? Especially in a "garbage dump"

Charlie Goose

Well, he was feverish. We have seen him in acts of bravery though, like going down the sewer in the pilot episode or climbing a ferris wheel to rescue Sharona.

Second Guest

...and there was that "jig" he danced in "Mr. Monk Gets Fired". I'm sure that was very physically demanding for him.

cdollaz

It seems the episodes are concentrating less on the detective aspect and more on the character aspect, which I do not like. It's like the crime is an afterthought these days.