"Monk" Season 8 thread (1 Viewer)

[Joseph DeMartino]

I enjoyed it, but the mystery itself was even more obvious than usual. (I'll admit I was still working out the mechanics of how she got the boxes post-marked ahead of time, but it was clear from the start that the dolls were made up after the deaths and immediately clear that the paramedic's uncle was the target even before we saw the inverted horseshoe.)

But the personal side of the story was great and I loved the tag where Natalie kept messing with Monk's head and he continued to lecture her on superstitions without any trace of irony. And she just enjoys it. I think scenes like this add a sweetness to the Natalie/Monk dynamic that was never really there, or at least not there in the same way, with Sharona.

Regards,

Joe

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Tonight's episode was the first one that really felt like the beginning of the end of the series. Just a really really strong episode wrapping up one of the strangely most important relationships on the show.

 

[TonyD]

Yes a very good episode.
Now isn't it about time to start getting into his wife's murder.
I'm just concerned they will just use only 2 or 3 episodes to wrap that all up.

I was hoping this would be more of a season long section of the show.

 

[Steve Berger]

There are 8 episodes remaining on "Monk". They are running straight through the rest of the season without a break and should finish on Dec 4. I have not looked at episode descriptions so I have no idea how they will cover the process of Trudi's investigation. (fast - slow - bits and pieces ?)

 

[Zack Gibbs]

I've read it's the last 4-5 episodes that will deal with it. (which is more than enough IMO) They should start after Sharona's guest spot.

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

Originally Posted by Zack Gibbs The two of them in the trunk was priceless.

Later,

Joe

 

[GlennH]

Many funny moments in this episode. Loved the imaginary scenes of Monk as the killer.

The actors are so at ease and in sync with their roles at this point. Running like a well-oiled machine. It's a shame they are wrapping it all up soon.

 

[Ockeghem]

Man, when Harold said "Here's what happened," I roared with laughter. Harold Krenshaw is a wonderful character, and the part is portrayed beautifully by the actor!

 

[GlennH]

Another good episode with the Birthday and the vacuum cleaner. I was on top of my game with this one. I figured out the scheme when I noticed the tool belt incident.

 

[Joseph Bolus]

Originally Posted by GlennH

Another good episode with the Birthday and the vacuum cleaner. I was on top of my game with this one. I figured out the scheme when I noticed the tool belt incident.

Yeah ... And next week "My Sharona"!

 

[AlexF]

My favourite bit of this episode was the "Dumpster or Porta-Potty" bit...

"Do you even know me!?"

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

If it weren't the last season, just the fact that it's Virginia Madsen would be enough to ensure that the Captain's romantic losing streak was ultimately doomed to continue. Considering we've only got seven episodes left, though, who knows. I was moved by how profoundly her name affected Stottlemeyer, and how poignant it was that he and Monk should be connected in such a way. I don't think the writers would play that card if she didn't have an important role to play.

Originally Posted by GlennH /forum/thread/288962/monk-season-8-thread/60#post_3619071

Yeah ... And next week "My Sharona"!

USA's been airing this season in a really weird order. After the season premiere, they aired (by production code) 807, then 803, then 802, then 808, then 806, then 803, then 811 and now 812. "Mr. Monk and Sharona" was supposed to lead into a continuous four episode arc. Now we're getting a standalone that was supposed to air earlier in the season after next week's episode, and the four episode arc itself is being bisected by another standalone episode.

 

[GlennH]

Re: Stottlemeyer's new love interest, I also think this one will turn out well for him, since they're wrapping things up for good. Could the title of the episode scheduled for November 13 give us a clue?

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Given how perfect the cold open for this episode was, I kind of wish USA hadn't promoted Sharona's return out the ying-yang. If she'd walked through the door without any of us expecting it, that would have been incredible. The moment by the sink was a reminder of the best of the Monk/Sharona relationship; the softer side of Sharona we only got to see when her and Monk were the only two characters in the room.

This episode did a good job of repairing the damage from Bitty Schram's hasty write-off in the middle of season three and give Sharona a proper send-off. I was really happy she got the "Special Guest Star" credit; considering the shoddy way she was treated, it was the least they could do.

Things that made me happy:

• Sharona once again separated from Trevor. I think that was the thing that bothered me the most about the way she was written off the show; Trevor was portrayed as a complete jerk in his two guest appearances, and there was and remains no way that I could buy her remarrying him. But since that bullet was already fired, so to speak, they treated the wound as best they could.
• Bitty Schram and the writers picked the character back up like riding a bike, too. I was worried Sharona would be contorted to fit the needs of the plot in the way that Natalie increasingly is, but I needn't have worried. Schram captured all of Sharona's subtleties (which is difficult given how unsubtle Sharona tends to be), and so did the writers. She's so much more of a personality than Natalie that I think it's much easier to figure out what fits and what does.
• The lawsuit was about college for Benjy. When I read that the Sharona episode plot revolved around a lawsuit, I was worried. For one thing, it seemed tactless given that Sharona was written out of the show over a money dispute. For another, Sharona (for all of her protestations about money) never came across as a litigious person. It seemed to diminish her, somehow. Those concerns were fully addressed by the episode. In many ways, it was a classic Sharona-era "Monk" plot: Monk's gift of perception undermined Sharona's hopes and ambitions one more time.
• Resolution of the Randy and Sharona sexual tension. One of the key elements of the show that was lost when Sharona left the show was the delightful verbal sparring between Randy and Sharona. By the time she left in the third season, they had accumulated a good deal of history and complexity that offset some of the slapstick of Randy's character. I was glad to see that play out here, even if we only got two scenes with it.

Things I would have liked to have seen:

• It would have been nice to see Benjy again in the flesh instead of a picture for Monk's benefit. I think it would have been particularly neat to have a scene where Benjy and Julie meet; two characters we primarily remember as children that are now on the verge of becoming adults. On the other hand, the episode was already overstuffed with content. It might also have been too cute by half.
• A more fleshed out wrap-up of Sharona's character. What we got was probably the best that we could have gotten in one episode. That being said, Sharona wholeheartedly embracing Natalie as her replacement was a little too tidy for my tastes. After the pitch-perfect cold open, I would have liked to have gotten a bit more resentment from Monk and a bit more guilt from Sharona. The later seasons have tended to favor the lighter touch, but I think this episode demanded something a little bit heavier. It felt like a classic Sharona-era "Monk" episode (with Natalie tagging along), and I would have liked something more. In particular, it feels wrong that she won't be there when Monk finally solves Trudy's murder.

But generally, I'm really grateful they finally paid Sharona the attention she was due. Bitty Schram did such a terrific job with this character.

 

[Zack Gibbs]

I was disappointed. It's not that it was bad, though the mystery wasn't anything great. It just made me realize that while I like Sharona, she really never was that important. It's no wonder she was so easily replaced.

On another note, I think Monk is a rare show that would lend well to "movie of the weeks." The cast, costs, and logistics of it all just work out. I was thinking tonight how they could sometimes do "Sharonas" and sometimes do "Natalies."

^^Adam, did you watch "White Collar?" I know you did, go start a thread.

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

I don't think there was anything "shoddy" about the way Schram's departure was handled on the part of the producers. She basically pulled a MacLean Stevenson - holding the show up for more than it was willing or able to pay on the theory that she couldn't be replaced. She was wrong and she paid the price. If there was any "shoddy" behavior there I think it was in her breaking her contract and leaving the rest of the team in the lurch. She's lucky the character wasn't just killed off-screen, which would have forever prevented her return. Given the timing and the pressure to both continue producing the show and establish a new sidekick, I think they did as good as job as they could with what had to be a short and easy-to-grasp explanation in the dialogue. And I think it was gracious of both parties to bury the hatchet for the good of the show and the benefit of the fans and agree to having her return.

Her "Special Guest Star" billing is pretty standard in these situations, and is what her agent negotiated for her.

I was worried Sharona would be contorted to fit the needs of the plot in the way that Natalie increasingly is...

... [Sharona's] so much more of a personality than Natalie that I think it's much easier to figure out what fits and what does.

So, you can't figure out what fits and doesn't for Natalie, because she is less of a personality, but you can simultaneously declare that what little personality she has has been distorted to fit the plot. )

Regards,

Joe

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Originally Posted by Joseph DeMartino Maybe you just don't understand or appreciate Natalie's personality, which is a good deal subtler than Sharona's?

I didn't say that I couldn't figure out what fits and what doesn't for Natalie; I said it's easier to figure out what fits and what doesn't for Sharona because the lines are more clearly demarcated. Because she's blander than Sharona, the writers seem to feel they can get away with making it her pushy toward Monk in one episode and a pushover in the next.

While I agree that Natalie is more understated than Sharona, I disagree that her personality more complex. Especially in the late season two episodes and early season three episodes, we got to see a lot of the shades and undercurrents of Sharona that lurk underneath her brash Jersey girl default.

Nor do I think it would have made any sense to get into guilt or resentment with Monk and Sharona. While this episode is very much a gift to long-time fans of the show, it still had to be written so that someone who had never seen a frame of Monk would be able to tune in and follow the story. They couldn't stop the story dead to explain the circumstances of Sharona's departure, which is the only way the ending you envisioned would have worked. Especially not when you only have 40-some minutes of story time.

Considering that we're a half a dozen episodes from the series finale, I'm not sure why it would have to be written so that someone who had never seen a frame of Monk would be able to tune in and follow the story. Given that it took Monk months to get over losing Sharona, and given the years of affection that Sharona showed Monk, I think it only makes sense that there should have been more tension there. Zack came away with the impression that "she really never was that important." As someone who recently revisited the early seasons, I know that this is simply not the case.

I think part of the problem was how much of the episode was eaten up by the Natalie/Sharona comparisons. If they could have written her out for the episode -- say, have her take a trip with Julie -- it would have freed up the episode to really wrap up the Monk/Sharona story.

The same objection applies to having Benjy and/or Julie in the episode - you'd have to divert valuable screen time away from the plot to basically name-check a couple of characters who don't contribute to the story, and you have to pay two more guest star salaries to do it. The picture of Benjy accomplished most of what an appearance would have done and was a lot cheaper. (Ditto when Sharona and Benjy were mentioned during Monk's memorial service in "Mr. Monk is on the Run".)

I ultimately agree with you here. As I said, it's something I'd have liked to see, but something that ultimately wasn't necessary for the episode.

In the end, I'm not sure anything they could have done would have completely satisfied.

Other than more Sharona/Monk interaction the things I'd have liked to see aren't necessarily things they should have done. The reason I'd like Sharona to have at least a cameo in the finale is because she was the one who rescued him in the aftermath of Trudy's death.

Because of the out-of-order air schedule USA is employing, next week's new episode was actually meant for the first half of the season. Then we get the first two episodes of the four episode final arc, then another stand alone that was meant to precede the four episode arc, and then finally the two part finale.

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

That being said, I don't think you're being fair to Bitty Schram. Her contract was up after 38 episodes, just like the rest of the cast.

That simply isn't true. Nobody writes a "38 episode" contract. Especially not for a show with 16 episode (originally 13 episode) seasons. Standard series contracts are for seven seasons, with the studio (not the actor) having the option to continue or not after each season. Schram left a little over halfway through the 16 episode third season. Do you really think Shaloub's contract ran out halfway through season three? Neither the network nor the studio is that stupid.

SAG contracts also include automatic pay increases for each season, so Schram would have been making more in S3 than she did in S1, just not as much more as the other actors who were successful in renegotiating.

As a practical matter, on all successful shows, the actors try to renegotiate in mid-contract to get what they believe is fairer compensation for helping to make the show a hit. Shaloub et. al. did exactly that. Shaloub and Levine got raises, Schram didn't. As was also the case with Jorja Fox and (possibly) George Eads on CSI, the studio had upped the salaries (or given producing credits) to some actors, but drew the line with others they thought expendable in order to keep the over-all budget where they needed it to be.

Officially Schram left over "creative differences" when the producers decided to take the assistant character in a different direction. There was never any suggestion of Schram's contract being up and not renewed, at least not that I can find. I believe that's because it wasn't.

Regards,

Joe

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joseph DeMartino

That simply isn't true. Nobody writes a "38 episode" contract. Especially not for a show with 16 episode (originally 13 episode) seasons. Standard series contracts are for seven seasons, with the studio (not the actor) having the option to continue or not after each season. Schram left a little over halfway through the 16 episode third season. Do you really think Shaloub's contract ran out halfway through season three? Neither the network nor the studio is that stupid.

You have to remember that until this season, "Monk" aired in split seasons. The first 8-9 episodes (depending on whether the 9th was a holiday special) were filmed in one chunk, the ninth episode was filmed mid-break if it was a holiday special, and then the back seven were filmed in a chunk.

That being said, I was going on memory and after doublechecking, you're more right than I was. USA released Bitty Schram from her contract after the first half had been filmed because negiotiations broke down.

SAG contracts also include automatic pay increases for each season, so Schram would have been making more in S3 than she did in S1, just not as much more as the other actors who were successful in renegotiating.

As a practical matter, on all successful shows, the actors try to renegotiate in mid-contract to get what they believe is fairer compensation for helping to make the show a hit. Shaloub et. al. did exactly that. Shaloub and Levine got raises, Schram didn't.

I believe Jason Gray-Stanford also negotiated a raise, which still leaves Schram as the only cast member who got shafted. As the show's continued success proves, USA Network's gamble paid off. I like Natalie quite a bit and do believe the chance gave the show a new injection of life. I do believe Schram was justified in feeling insulted (USA's "the male cast members aren't expendable but the lone female regular is" policy comes across as tactless, regardless of its fiscal prudence) and do believe her exit could have been handled more organically. I realize I wanted more out of last Friday's episode than one episode could accomodate, but that's part of the problem of wrapping up a major character in one episode like that. In a way tonight's episode (Monk adopts a dog!) is easier on everybody, because there are no expectations attached. It's either a decent stand-alone or it isn't.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Tonight's episode played a lot of the same notes as "Mr. Monk and the Kid" in a less intense way, but that's fine with me since "Mr. Monk and the Kid" is one of my favorite episodes in the entire series.

In other positive news, the last of the remaining stand-alone episodes has been moved up to next week. That means we'll get the last four episodes in an uninterrupted arc. And then that's all she wrote, folks.