Well, at least I got my wish for one week as this series went back to what it used to do: concentrate both on the crime and Monk's quirks. They had totally gotten away from the crime angle with a lot of silliness but this episode is more like the older ones in which the crime is the story and Tony Shaloub's comedic talents are mixed in.
Actually, Traylor Howard as Natalie takes center stage here, pushing Monk into going into the private detective business. That part gets a little carried away and she's already gone ahead and rented an office, bought all the furniture, etc., without him knowing.
After a few days of no clients, he finally gets a "fender bender" case, which winds up leading to two things: 1 - catching a murderer, and 2 - Capt. Stottlemeyer finding a girlfriend, real estate agent "Linda Fusco" (Sharon Lawrence), who is the one whose car was dented and says "son-of-a-bitch four times in about a minute in here. Was that necessary? That's the kind of woman the captain thinks is cool.
Overall, it wasn't a great episode but it good enough and a pleasant break from all the goofiness of the first few episodes of this fifth season.
Actually, Traylor Howard as Natalie takes center stage here, pushing Monk into going into the private detective business. That part gets a little carried away and she's already gone ahead and rented an office, bought all the furniture, etc., without him knowing.
After a few days of no clients, he finally gets a "fender bender" case, which winds up leading to two things: 1 - catching a murderer, and 2 - Capt. Stottlemeyer finding a girlfriend, real estate agent "Linda Fusco" (Sharon Lawrence), who is the one whose car was dented and says "son-of-a-bitch four times in about a minute in here. Was that necessary? That's the kind of woman the captain thinks is cool.
Overall, it wasn't a great episode but it good enough and a pleasant break from all the goofiness of the first few episodes of this fifth season.