Mr. Monk and the Naked Man

When it comes to Phobias against certain people, Monk would outright be a Bigot. He was almost like a Fascist in this episode. I love this series and I adore Monk, but his bigotry against certain people is just not funny. Capt's confrontation regarding this was long awaiting. Though it wasn't elaborate, it was still the only nice thing in this episode.

One night a young woman, a file clutched in her hand, rings for entry to a large mansion, claiming it is a matter of life and death. A car pulls up and a figure with a knife chases the woman down to the beach below. The assailant catches he young woman and stabs her repeatedly until she dies, takes the file, and leaves.

The next day the police are on the beach looking at the victim and the scene. Monk is invited of course. But after Monk is already there Stottlemeyer and Natalie notice that this is a nude beach. Monk has a fear of nudity like he has a fear of so many other things. But this is different. It's not just a fear he has for nudity and nudists, it's an active dislike and even disgust - very un-Monk like. Monk seems to have it in for a guy who lives in a trailer on the beach. He's like the leader of the nudists, particularly in their attempt to keep the tech billionaire in the big house above from attempting to get the zoning commission to allow the sale of the beach to himself. Does this struggle have anything to do with murder? Watch and find out.

Stottlemeyer's little intervention with Monk over his hang-up with the nudists is good acting by Ted Levine, and it leads Monk to confronting a childhood trauma that turns out to not be what he's thought that it was all of these years. Highly recommended mainly for Monk's reaction to the various and unique situations presented in this episode.

'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.

Liked the Season 6 opener "Mr Monk and his Biggest Fan", but "Mr Monk and the Rapper" was a big disappointment and one of my least favourite 'Monk' episodes. "Mr Monk and the Naked Man" turned out to be leagues better than the previous episode, it's nowhere near a show high-point but turned out to be so much better than the absurd concept (when hearing about it and made me dread the episode) made it sound, a charming light-hearted romp and not the embarrassment expected. It's not perfect.

For my tastes Monk does solve the case far too quickly and jumps to conclusions without any proof in a baseless and rushed fashion (this time over a prejudice that makes one think "oh for goodness sake"), rather than the methodical approach he took to solve the case. The obsessiveness occasionally comes over as contrived, and Disher is not an endearing goofball anymore but has become ridiculously stupid and behaving like a child.

However, there are many good things. It's charming, light-hearted and amusing, with lovely interplay between Monk and Natalie and Stottlemeyer is still the authoritative and sympathetic leader. It was a lovely touch to see Monk moving forward and overcome another problem, which sees some character progression, as was the additional song by Randy Newman, completely removing the bad taste in mouth garnered from the remix of the theme song in the previous episode.

Diedrich Bader and Alfred Molina are very good here. Particularly Bader, who isn't phased at all being naked on screen and gives the character dignity. The mystery is a pretty good one and balances with the character moments well, definitely the best of the three Season 6 episodes up to this point and the least obvious.

As said many times, 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.

Natalie is down to earth, sympathetic and sassy, also being sensitive to Monk's needs and quirks which Traylor Howard does well bringing out. Ted Levine is good and isn't wasted this time, and the blame can't be put at Jason Gray-Stanford's door for Disher being written so poorly.

Writing-wise, the mix of wry humour, lovable quirkiness and tender easy-to-relate-to drama is delicately done, particularly the last one. The quirks are sympathetically done and never exploited or overdone.

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. Oh and a good job is done with the different opening credits sequence to accommodate the changes made. The episode is made with a lot of slickness and style as always.

Overall, pretty good. 7/10 Bethany Cox

This episode reveals the Monks as the most masochist and sadistic marriage EVER shown on tv. It's completely asexual, Trudy is punishing herself for the Judge, and Monk is happy because he got a marriage ON HIS TERMS,which is all he cares about. If he truly loved Trudy, he'd try to help them both. But he's dead inside and feels nothing, not even the happiness Trudy supposedly brought to him. And the show wants us to enjoy their married life. We can't. He's a sadist..hestomps his feet and cries if the world doesn't confirm to him. And that includes his wife. DON'T GIVE THIS a free pass for the death of his wife. She's better off now.

Monk can't deal with the nudists, he completely loses his sheet from start to finish and its absolutely hilarious. Americans don't have humour apparently, these other reviewers don't get that it's all for the laughs...phew oh boy...🙄