It's a Jungle Out There

After 8 seasons, Monk finally came to an end on USA last night.


When I was a kid, I used to watch Wings, starring Tim Daly and Stephen Webber. And featuring an immigrant cab driver named Antonio Scarpacci, played by Tony Shalhoub.

When Monk first started airing, I pretty much ignored it (being in High School at the time, I didn't spend nearly as much time watching television), only watching the occasional daytime rerun when I was idly lying on the couch. It was not until the spring semester of my freshman year in college did I start watching it. College really brought the return of my heavy television watching from my childhood, and I spent days watching the old episodes at my computer while I ate lunch (quizno's honey mustard chicken) between classes.

What drew me to the show, in retrospect, is that Monk is a hopeless romantic. Here is a character that was so in love with his wife that her death that her loss completely destroyed him. I relate to him because he is so visibly broken (and we are all broken) and because I cannot help but feel that the complete and genuine love he holds is, in its way, inspiring.

There's a lot also going for this show, the humorous writing, the wonderful acting (Tony Shalhoub takes what could be an exaggerated physical sight gag and turns it into an understated charmingly irritating quirk), not to mention major character chemistry, the mere fact that I love police procedurals, etc. and it has received numerous awards and nominations because they put on an amazing show.

But really, simply, what drew me in was how hoplessly in love this broken police detective is. And I am glad, in the end, everything could come to a close. It's what he deserved.

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