Monk TV Show Cancelled

Yes, it's official. The crime-solving days of television's most famous "Defective Detective" are coming to an end. USA Network renewed its long-running comedy, Monk, for an eighth season, but also announced that this will be its last. Alas, this means that after the final 16 episodes air sometime this summer, there will be no more super sleuthing in San Francisco for Adrian Monk.

The title character of Monk is played by the talented actor Tony Shalhoub, whose portrayal of the dysfunctional detective has earned him three Emmys and six nominations. Monk is a man whose psyche is awash in a sea of phobias and obsessive-compulsive quirks, yet he always manages to solve the crime and give the bad guy his comeuppance. To enjoy this show requires a good deal of the typical "suspension of disbelief" since someone with Monk's lengthy list of fears and OCD issues would not be able to function so well in society.

Monk's suffers from 38 documented phobias which include all of the common ones like snakes, spiders, crowds and needles, as well as the more unusual, such as fear of feet, slime, milk, tap water and puppets (yes, those are real phobias!). Monk's phobias are prioritized as well. When Monk finds out there are snakes loose in a house he and Captain Stottlemeyer (Ted Levine) are searching, he immediately hops up onto the dining room table. The captain says, "I thought you were afraid of heights." To which Monk replies, "Snakes trump heights."

Mr. Monk also has a sad but endearing way about him that makes you wish you could bring him home and take care of him, much like you would a little lost puppy. Of course, a puppy would be infinitely less trouble than Mr. Monk, who will only drink one kind of bottled water (Sierra Springs), needs everything to be perfectly symmetrical or in multiples of ten, and lives by outlandishly rigid rules that only make sense in his own mind.

Every episode of Monk has at least one comedic bit that makes me laugh so hard I nearly cry. One of my favorites is when Monk brings out a birthday cake wrapped with layers of plastic, which he calls a "spittle shield." Everyone thinks it's a brilliant invention until they light the candles and the cake goes up in flames. Its classic moments like these that I'll miss the most when the Monk television series ends.

The good news for all Monk-o-philes who are already mourning the loss of their favorite show, is that USA seems committed to giving their highly successful television series a proper ending. All too often, networks decide to cancel a show at the last minute and the writers are forced to slap together a finale that leaves the fans befuddled at best, or infuriated and sad. USA VP Jeff Wachtel said in a statement, "Our fans have been extremely dedicated, and season eight should prove to be a very satisfying reward."

Many longtime viewers hope this means a resolution to the only crime Monk could never solve: the murder of his beloved wife Trudy. Others would like to see Monk find some personal peace, rejoin the police force, or find a way to conquer some of his fears. Here's the thing: the phobias are what makes Monk the lovable Defective Detective he is, so they better not take them away from him!

*****

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