Adrian Monk - America's answer to Sherlock Holmes. And my latest addi(c)tion to tv series.
Its a detective series, where the lead character is the most eccentric of all detectives you would've ever seen. He is like "Thenali" Kamal with 312 phobias (as of season 6 episode 3) and is quirky at his wonderful best. An ex-cop, who lost his wife to a car bomb and part of his sanity, blessed with photographic memory and over the top analytical mind, the series revlove around not just how he solves each case but how he over comes each of his fear in the process. The way in which the stories are structured, in most of the cases, the "who" and in some cases the "why" also will be known before hand. Its always the "how" which would be the best part and would never be easily guessable. Well, thats the essence of a good mystery right. Monk episodes are testimony to it.
The best part about the series is the subtle humour in each of the episodes. Kudos to the story writing department for their amazing imagination in figuring out one perfect murder after another for around 125 plus episodes. In a running span of 40 odd minutes, they have to throw in one perfect, or near perfect to be precise, murder mystery mostly associated with Monk's quirks and humour thrown in at the same time, is like juggling six balls while cycling on one wheel on a tight rope!! But they almost manage to pull it off with every single episode. There will be emotions, humour, thrill, mystery and even the irritating fears of Monk grows on you after a while. At times, feels like slapping him into submission, but, well, this is an American series right and people are "sensitive" !! Konjam overaavay sensitivea irupaangalonu thonum at times. Monk's annoyingly perfect nature like keeping things straight, always rounding things, making food with square edges, touching every standing pole near him, fear of getting infected with germs the list goes on and on and requires immense patience if you are really living with a person with such kinds of eccentric behaviour. His assistants,Sharona - in first few seasons and Natalie - for majority of the 8 seasons, avanga rendu perukum kovil katti kumbidanum, if they are that much patient in real life!! Especially Natalie, she suffers so much in silence but always is shown as an amazingly understanding character. Avlo porumailaam nejamavay irukuma!!! And she is so cute with a beautiful smile to top it.
Wherever Monk goes, murders will follow. And one episode is based on his class reunion, is my favorite one of the lot. More than the murder mystery, its one episode where i felt really sad for that character. He revisits his college mates only to find that no one remembers him. He marries his college mate, the only girl ever to have shown true interest in him, who gets killed in the car bomb. He always mentions her in almost all the episodes but rarely she makes a screen appearance. While, everyone in the college remembers her, Monk is hardly recognised. Infact they remember him as captain cool for his fetish to clean the canteen refrigerator. That one episode showed how sad it would've been to grow up with so many phobias and the reason why Monk is adamantly addicted to his phobias. For they were his "friends" growing up and had kept him away from general public. It was a heartwarming episode and made me realise my case is no less different from Monk, if i had to attend my high school reunion!!
Its a detective series, where the lead character is the most eccentric of all detectives you would've ever seen. He is like "Thenali" Kamal with 312 phobias (as of season 6 episode 3) and is quirky at his wonderful best. An ex-cop, who lost his wife to a car bomb and part of his sanity, blessed with photographic memory and over the top analytical mind, the series revlove around not just how he solves each case but how he over comes each of his fear in the process. The way in which the stories are structured, in most of the cases, the "who" and in some cases the "why" also will be known before hand. Its always the "how" which would be the best part and would never be easily guessable. Well, thats the essence of a good mystery right. Monk episodes are testimony to it.
The best part about the series is the subtle humour in each of the episodes. Kudos to the story writing department for their amazing imagination in figuring out one perfect murder after another for around 125 plus episodes. In a running span of 40 odd minutes, they have to throw in one perfect, or near perfect to be precise, murder mystery mostly associated with Monk's quirks and humour thrown in at the same time, is like juggling six balls while cycling on one wheel on a tight rope!! But they almost manage to pull it off with every single episode. There will be emotions, humour, thrill, mystery and even the irritating fears of Monk grows on you after a while. At times, feels like slapping him into submission, but, well, this is an American series right and people are "sensitive" !! Konjam overaavay sensitivea irupaangalonu thonum at times. Monk's annoyingly perfect nature like keeping things straight, always rounding things, making food with square edges, touching every standing pole near him, fear of getting infected with germs the list goes on and on and requires immense patience if you are really living with a person with such kinds of eccentric behaviour. His assistants,Sharona - in first few seasons and Natalie - for majority of the 8 seasons, avanga rendu perukum kovil katti kumbidanum, if they are that much patient in real life!! Especially Natalie, she suffers so much in silence but always is shown as an amazingly understanding character. Avlo porumailaam nejamavay irukuma!!! And she is so cute with a beautiful smile to top it.
Wherever Monk goes, murders will follow. And one episode is based on his class reunion, is my favorite one of the lot. More than the murder mystery, its one episode where i felt really sad for that character. He revisits his college mates only to find that no one remembers him. He marries his college mate, the only girl ever to have shown true interest in him, who gets killed in the car bomb. He always mentions her in almost all the episodes but rarely she makes a screen appearance. While, everyone in the college remembers her, Monk is hardly recognised. Infact they remember him as captain cool for his fetish to clean the canteen refrigerator. That one episode showed how sad it would've been to grow up with so many phobias and the reason why Monk is adamantly addicted to his phobias. For they were his "friends" growing up and had kept him away from general public. It was a heartwarming episode and made me realise my case is no less different from Monk, if i had to attend my high school reunion!!
Comments
Gilsu - How can you even mention Monk and Sherlock Holmes in the same sentence.
2. Monk is fun to watch, his quirks and behaviour are a treat.... have seen 2 seasons and after that, well dont have the series and no mood/time to watch it online...
:D
But....
Is perfection a part of being sensitive?
I am not a perfectionist but i fear touching banisters or railings in public places for fear of geting infected with germs and use sanitiers and hand washes often. This is not eccentric.
andha food square, touching poles enakku puriyala...maybe only if we see the serial or explain.
@ Ramesh - HE is already americanized. Succumbed to natalie and her likes.
can work may be if tamil actors like tamanna, anushka are airlifted. what say, gils?
I am glad you like it!
Vidya
hahaah...u shd see her...natalie is actually semma cute..sherlock holmes kathai mathirye thaan intha seriesum irukkum..silathelam script would super duper amazing...semma creative
@rt:
no way alike..but deductive sense wise i shd say Monk would be almost an equal..torrents venuma? :)
:D:D:D converteda..ada kodumaiye :D
@asha:
//m not a perfectionist but i fear touching banisters or railings in public places for fear of geting infected with germs and use sanitiers and hand washes often. This is not eccentric.
andha food square, touching poles enakku puriyala...maybe only if we see the serial or explain.//
ungalukkagavay adutha post coming :D:D
//like tamanna, anushka are airlifted. what say, gils?//
intha ideavai naan kannapinnaavena aamothikaren :D:D
hey unakum Monk pudikuma..sooper :)