Adrian Monk – the Unfunny Comic

Adrian Monk (or Mr. Monk) of the Monk TV series is a character whom, if you met in real life, you would probably find difficult to tolerate. But the TV show is a great success, and is one of my favourites.

It's a light-weight comedy usually with an engaging story line that keeps your interest going till the denoument . Little clues are left throughout the show, and at the end the viewer can say with a satisfying smile, “That's what I thought”. Or if not, then it's explained how he didn't get it. And it's done with a light touch, nothing too heavy-handed.

The thing about the show is that none of the characters is out to play for laughs by being “funny”, but gets them because of their fine acting. Each character is well-crafted and each has his/her own individual quirks. They come together, complimenting one another, and the result is a fine comedy hour.

I used to like Sharona and was sad to see her replaced by Natalie Teeger, whose somewhat nasal tones were a bit jarring to me. But Natalie has grown into her role and has become melded as part of the whole.

The character Lt. Disher is a real find. He's the only character who does “funny” things, but only as part of his natural character. I am floored each time by his anguished expressions when he is caught doing something stupid by Stottlemeyer, who, with his gruff voice and no-nonsense demeanour, is another gem.

I didn't realise that I had seen Tony Shalhoub ( aka Mr. Monk) a number of times before in the movies. He somehow remained faceless, until he got his part in the Mr. Monk series. But now I can identify him in many other parts, in which he also excelled in his acting. He was, for example, the leading character in the horror movie 13 Ghosts. Not a great movie, but it's amazing how he put himself into that role. A wonderful actor.