Scholar Claims "Monk" Promotes Consumerism in a Control Society

The comedy/detective series "Monk" appears to be a humorous look at obsessive-compulsive detective who deals with his problem while solving crimes. But, Monk might really be a subtle argument for government power and consumerism "cloaked in the language of freedom."

That's the conclusion of a new study by Davi A. Johnson, an assistant professor of communication studies at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas. "Monk," featuring Tony Shaloub as the detective with psychological problem, has aired on the USA Network and will soon appear on NBC also. The show has been praised by advocacy groups for its progressive approach to mental illness. The study is published in the latest issue of Critical Studies in Media Communication, an academic journal published by the National Communication Association.

Johnson acknowledges the progressive view of mental health on the show. He describes Monk as "a great detective in the line of Sherlock Holmes, Hercules Poirot and Columbo, but unlike his quirky yet confident forbears, Monk's OCD renders him need, emotional, and plagued by self-doubt."

Professor Johnson, though, argues that the show's anti-stigma angle disguises other themes - support for consumerism in a "control society." Monk's work with the police "to solve crimes committed against the social order," he argues.

Further, Johnson argues that Monk deals with his obsessive behavior through consumerism, using it as "a necessary means of manifesting one's personality" in a control society. As a result, the show uses Monk's psychological problems as an avenue for touting brand names through product placement.

The detective, for example, drinks only Sierra Springs bottled water, uses only Lysol brand cleaner and Lever disinfectant wipes, and rides in a Buick Lucerne. Thus Johnson notes, "In Monk's view, choice of product . . . is an integral way of constructing and maintaining the stability of his very existence."

While Johnson acknowledges that product placement is a common feature of modern television, he believes Monk goes further by incorporating that identity in other marketing efforts. On Buick ad, for example, argues that the new Buick Lucerne has an attention to detail that "perfectly aligns with the discerning and precise skills of Adrian Monk." What makes that unusual, Johnson argues, is that the marketing campaign uses "Monk's identity as a means of imbuing brand name products with a particular identity,"

The bottom line, according to Johnson, is that viewers shouldn't take the show at face value. Behind the anti-stigma rhetoric is a theme of government control. And television, at its basic level, is still trying to sell you something.

Or, as Johnson argues, Monk shows how "control society can take even the most sedimented 'stigma' and convert it into capital."

Reference

Johnson, Davi A (2008). Managing Mr. Monk: Control and the politics of madness. Critical Studies in Media Communication, 25, 28-47.