Mr. Monk and the Actor

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"Mr. Monk and the Actor"
Randall Zisk
Written byHy Conrad
Joe Toplyn
Production code#503[1]
Original air dateJuly 7, 2006 (2006-07-07)
Guest appearances
Stanley Tucci as David Ruskin
Greg Grunberg as Jack Leverett
Susan Ward as Michelle Cullman
Peter Weller as Actor Playing Stottlemeyer
Andrea Bogart as Actress Playing Disher
Carrie Chason as Actress Playing Natalie
Episode chronology
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Mr. Monk and the Garbage Strike
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"Mr. Monk and the Actor" is the first episode of the

Natalie Teeger (Traylor Howard
). In this episode, Monk has to link two different cases while an actor hired to play him in a film emotionally disturbs him.

Written by Hy Conrad and Joe Toplyn, and directed by

Randall Zisk, "Mr. Monk and the Actor" guest starred Stanley Tucci. The staff envisioned the episode after imagining the possibility of Monk becoming a famous detective. When the episode first aired in the United States on the USA Network on July 7, 2006, it was watched by over 5.1 million viewers. Critics gave it a positive reception, especially praising Tucci's performance. It also led Tucci to win the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
.

Plot

While a car dealer, Jack Leverett (

method actor David Ruskin (Stanley Tucci
)—set to play Monk in the film—is there to observe his mannerisms, Monk tries to impress him.

The next day, Ruskin follows Monk again as he investigates a case at a pawnshop in which its owner was shot during a robbery. Monk is intrigued as to why the burglar entered through the wall and only stole a small amount of money and a wristwatch.

Natalie (Traylor Howard
) and Monk find the murder weapon. Monk notices the same glitter on the firearm as he had found in Cullman's hair, deducing that the same person committed both crimes, stealing the watch to replace his own broken watch. Meanwhile, Natalie first worries that Ruskin's presence can harm Monk, then that the reverse is true.

Later, Stottlemeyer and Disher attend the film's production. Natalie's warning is right: Ruskin has so adopted Monk's persona that he is distracted by minor details of the set and is unable to complete the scene. He leaves the studio, goes to Monk's house to learn why Monk does his job, and explores Monk's files on Trudy's murder, grieving Monk. An afflicted Monk goes to Natalie's house, where he solves the case when he sees a note that

Julie
tore up to prevent Natalie from reading it. The pawnshop is adjacent to a restaurant where clients are drawn on the wall each night by an artist, and it was the restaurant side of the wall that was significant. On the evening of the first crime, Leverett and Cullman were sketched together while dining there, and Leverett later returned to destroy that evidence.

Ruskin goes to Trudy's murder scene, where he is mistaken for Monk and told that Leverett is "the killer". When Stottlemeyer and Disher arrive at Leverett's business to arrest him for killing Cullman and the pawnshop owner, Ruskin has already arrived and is holding him hostage for killing Trudy. Monk enters and stops Ruskin, but is emotionally shaken when Ruskin says he could have saved Trudy. At the end, he talks with Dr. Kroger and cancels his holiday trip.

Production

Stanley Tucci, who was "always our first choice for the actor role,"[2] guest starred in this episode. His performance was highly praised by television critics, and led Tucci to win the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series.

"Mr. Monk and the Actor" was co-written by Hy Conrad and Joe Toplyn, and was directed by

made-for-TV film is recorded about that case. It was not done but writers still wanted to create an episode focusing on a TV film, which eventually became "Mr. Monk and the Actor". On its original script, it exceeded the runtime by about six minutes so a scene involving a child mistaking a gun for a toy was cut. It would be the murder weapon, and even though a six-year-old actor was hired for the scene it was not filmed.[2]

Shalhoub and Tucci had been friends since they met each other at the

Mr. Monk, Private Eye" and volunteered for the role of the actor who plays Captain Stottlemeyer.[2]

Release and reception

"Mr. Monk and the Actor" was first available via

season four premiere's figure of 6.4 million.[10] USA, however, said it was the most watched scripted hour in basic cable ever from its time slot.[8][9]

The episode was well-received; IGN's Colin Moriarty gave it a score of 9 out 10,[11] it was deemed "excellent" by John White of The Digital Fix,[12] and it was elected by The Futon Critic's Brian Ford Sullivan the 49th best television episode of the year.[13] Kevin McDonough, a critic for the United Feature Syndicate, called it "a great episode" and compared it to a Seinfeld episode with a similar premise.[14]

Several critics praised Tucci's performance and his interactions with Shalhoub.[15][16][17] Diane Werts wrote for Newsday, "Which one's nuttier? It's a toss-up, and a fascinating one with the terrific Tucci as Shalhoub's emotional tango partner."[18] An anonymous reviewer for Times Colonist commented "Watching Shalhoub pretend to be Monk pretending to be a suave, sophisticated sleuth is a delight in its own right. Watching Tucci take Monk's nervous tics to ridiculous extremes is even more of a delight, especially when its appears that Monk's nervous disorder may be catching."[19] In contrast to other reviewers, Adam Finley of AOL TV elected the best moment of the episode Disher's reaction to the fact his role is played by a woman who dates Stottlemeyer.[20]

There's plenty of comedy in "Mr. Monk And The Actor." The writers wring laughs from the inaccuracies in Hollywood's versions of the series' leads, and the culminating fight scene in which Shalhoub and Tucci try to out-Monk each other is a complete joy. However, the arc of the episode serves as a microcosm for the series: Monk has a chance at some small happiness, only to have it taken away, leaving him worse than before.

— Matt Crowley, The A.V. Club[21]

Moriarty, Matt Crowley of The A.V. Club and Variety's Paula Hendrickson used it as example of how Monk can fit comedy scenes during dramatic ones.[11][21][22] Ann Zivotsky, a writer for the North County Times, commented, "Watching Tucci and Shalhoub play this for laughs would have been enough for some shows, but the Monk writers take the opportunity to let the movie actor share with Monk the insights he's learned about the detective, which may help, or hurt, Monk."[23] Finley and David Kronke of Los Angeles Daily News also highlighted the line "[Ruskin] wanted to play a character that wasn't so depressing and dark. He's in England doing Hamlet."[17][20]

Criticism to the episode was done by Finley who said, "So much of this show is dependent on Monk's subtle mannerisms, but he exaggerates them to an absurd degree as he tries to impress the actor who's playing him."[20] Similarly, Werts said "Shalhoub pushes a tad too far with the compulsions."[18] Robert Bianco of USA Today was also critical of its "excessive quirks and overall credibility-busting silliness."[24] Although praised Shalhoub–Tucci dynamic, Rich Heldenfels of Akron Beacon Journal criticized it as "the actor-imitating-life thing has been done before on TV and in the movies, and the gag well is pretty dry."[25]

At the

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for his role on this episode.[26][27]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Mr. Monk and the Actor – Credits". USA Network. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
  2. ^ a b c d "Production Blog: Mr. Monk and the Actor". USA Network. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
  3. ^
    CBS Interactive. Archived
    from the original on August 31, 2017. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
  4. ^
    Ziff Davis Media. Archived
    from the original on February 23, 2015. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
  5. ^ Rich, Frank (February 24, 1989). "Reviews/Theater; An Overstuffed and Uninhibited John Guare". The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 31, 2017. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
  6. News Corp. Archived
    from the original on August 31, 2017. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
  7. ^ Umstead, R. Thomas (May 12, 2006). "'Monk' on the VOD Case". Multichannel News. NewBay Media. Archived from the original on August 31, 2017. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
  8. ^ a b c Becker, Anne (July 11, 2006). "USA's Psych Nabs Record Ratings". Broadcasting & Cable. NewBay Media. Archived from the original on August 31, 2017. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
  9. ^ a b "The Heat Is On: USA Is #1 Again in July". USA Network. August 1, 2006. Archived from the original on August 31, 2017. Retrieved February 22, 2015 – via The Futon Critic.
  10. Gannett Company. Archived
    from the original on February 23, 2015. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
  11. ^ a b Moriarty, Colin (July 10, 2006). "Monk: "Mr. Monk and the Actor" Review". IGN. Ziff Davis Media. Archived from the original on February 23, 2015. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
  12. ^ White, John (August 21, 2007). "Monk Season 5". The Digital Fix. Poisonous Monkey. Archived from the original on August 31, 2017. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
  13. ^ Sullivan, Brian Ford (January 1, 2007). "The 50 Best Episodes of 2006: #50–41". The Futon Critic. Archived from the original on August 31, 2017. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
  14. South Coast Today. Local Media Group. Archived
    from the original on August 8, 2017. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
  15. ^ Robinson, Jeffrey (July 11, 2007). "Monk – Season Five". DVD Talk. Internet Brands. Archived from the original on August 31, 2017. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
  16. ^ Catlin, Roger (July 7, 2006). "Tucci Amusing As Mimic 'Monk,' While 'Psych' Fails To Find Same Formula". Hartford Courant. Tribune Publishing. Archived from the original on August 31, 2017. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
  17. ^
    TheFreeLibrary.com
    .
  18. ^ a b Werts, Diane (July 5, 2006). "Review". Newsday. Cablevision. Archived from the original on August 8, 2017. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
  19. Canada.com
    .
  20. ^ a b c Finley, Adam (July 7, 2006). "Monk: Mr. Monk and the Actor". AOL TV. AOL. Archived from the original on February 23, 2015. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
  21. ^ a b Crowley, Matt (February 3, 2015). "Monk was the decade's silliest—and saddest—Sherlock Holmes". The A.V. Club. The Onion. Archived from the original on August 31, 2017. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
  22. Penske Business Media. Archived
    from the original on August 31, 2017. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
  23. U-T San Diego. MLIM Holdings. Archived
    from the original on September 1, 2017. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
  24. ^ Bianco, Robert (July 6, 2006). "'Psych' just might make believers of us". USA Today. Gannett Company. Archived from the original on September 30, 2017. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
  25. ^ Heldenfels, Rich (July 6, 2006). ""Monk"/"Psych"". Akron Beacon Journal. Archived from the original on August 8, 2017. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
  26. ^ "Monk". Emmys.com. Television Academy. Archived from the original on July 6, 2015. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
  27. ^ "Stanley Tucci: The Best and Worst of Times". CBS News. January 11, 2010. Archived from the original on February 23, 2015. Retrieved February 22, 2015.

External links

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