Monk - Mr. Monk and the End part 1 - Series Finale

[Christopher]

As for it being fatal, I think the only reason they are saying it's fatal, because they don't know what exactly it is. I've come to understand that Treatment A work for Poison A, but Treatment A for Poison B will either not work, or just kill you on the spot (Well, maybe not quite on the spot, but...).

The doctor clearly said it was a "ricin-based" poison. Given what the link above says about ricin in real life, I would imagine that anything ricin-based would have pretty much the same effects and the same treatment, at least for a given method of exposure. But as I said, this show has often played fast and loose with the facts. For the purposes of the story, this "ricin-based toxin" will work however they want it to, regardless of what happens in real life.

 

[StarshipDefiant]

As for it being fatal, I think the only reason they are saying it's fatal, because they don't know what exactly it is. I've come to understand that Treatment A work for Poison A, but Treatment A for Poison B will either not work, or just kill you on the spot (Well, maybe not quite on the spot, but...).

The doctor clearly said it was a "ricin-based" poison. Given what the link above says about ricin in real life, I would imagine that anything ricin-based would have pretty much the same effects and the same treatment, at least for a given method of exposure. But as I said, this show has often played fast and loose with the facts. For the purposes of the story, this "ricin-based toxin" will work however they want it to, regardless of what happens in real life.

Oh, right...I forgot about that, well...that's what you get for drama, I guess, heh... Was still a good watch though, and I am looking forward to the final episode, irregardless of how obvious things are or loose facts. I'll miss the show, but I can see why they are calling it quits, do it while it still somewhat has a good name.

 

[Technobuilder]

I'm just surprised Trudy was using Digital Tape in 1996/1997.

It was around, but really uncommon.

 

[Joe Washington]

Watching this episode makes me so wish that the creators of the show had taken more of a serialized approach to the last two seasons of the show after Monk finds out there is someone called the Judge who is behind Trudy’s murder. Like:

SEASON SEVEN: Monk is obsessed with finding everything he can on the mysterious man known as the Judge. Eventually he gets his big break on his search when he comes across an important clue which leads to another clue which leads to another until the season finale when Monk meets face-to-face with the Judge. Only the Judge who has powerful connections refuses to go down without a fight and since Monk doesn’t have any solid proof to convict him, Monk makes it his mission to find proof by whatever means necessary.
SEASON EIGHT: The final season covers a long battle of wits between Monk and the Judge which culminates in the series finale with Monk finally bringing the Judge to justice.

 

[Kestra]

I thought it was pretty decent, but I'm nervous that the last ep will be a letdown. No reason for it, just irrational fear. I'm surprisingly emotional about Monk ending, although I'd rather see it go out while it's still good. I think all the scenes between Natalie and Monk were really touching, too.

 

[Harvey]

Monk hasn't really impressed me since...I don't know...probably season one or two. But that doesn't really matter at this point, because the show has managed to be brilliantly funny in the face of all its faults. I'm sure the finale will deliver on those grounds, regardless of the story wrap-up of Trudy's murder case.

 

[Finn]

I'm not sure there is need to explain the death of Natalie's husband. It's just like how they never explained how Jessica Fletcher's husband died on Murder, She Wrote or how Jack Crusher was killed on some mission on TNG.

 

[SmoothieX]

I am a big Monk fan and am sad it is going off the air. Though, considering the show is a bit of a one trick pony, it's cool it lasted 8 years.

Given how light hearted the show is, I'd be stunned if he died, but I actually think it would be a great ending.

I can't wait to see how it ends. You knew as soon as they announced the final season, well years before that actually, the finale would be the one where he solves Trudy's death.

I wanted to fast forward through the season to get to this. I'll be a sad panda on Friday once its over.

 

[Borgminister]

Crap, already?? Missed it, will have to DVR both on Friday.

 

[Technobuilder]

I just hope Psych gets to run for at least 8 years.

 

[Meredith]

It was the wipes!!! and Holy Carp it was so sad!!!

 

[Kirby]

Hmmm... I'm torn on this one. I was hoping for some sort of un-Monk like intense, dramatic ending, but instead everything wraped up nicely. Still a good show, I'm glad it lasted 8 seasons.

 

[Greg Cox]

Watching this episode makes me so wish that the creators of the show had taken more of a serialized approach to the last two seasons of the show after Monk finds out there is someone called the Judge who is behind Trudy’s murder. Like:

SEASON SEVEN: Monk is obsessed with finding everything he can on the mysterious man known as the Judge. Eventually he gets his big break on his search when he comes across an important clue which leads to another clue which leads to another until the season finale when Monk meets face-to-face with the Judge. Only the Judge who has powerful connections refuses to go down without a fight and since Monk doesn’t have any solid proof to convict him, Monk makes it his mission to find proof by whatever means necessary.
SEASON EIGHT: The final season covers a long battle of wits between Monk and the Judge which culminates in the series finale with Monk finally bringing the Judge to justice.

Nah, that would have been a different show. MONK was never really about Trudy's murder. It was a light-hearted comic procedural, with a just a pinch of pathos to give it a little weight.

Not every show needs to have a complicated arc. MONK was an old-fashioned detective show, like COLUMBO or THE ROCKFORD FILES. That was the whole idea.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Pity we never got that Monk/CI crossover. The thought of Monk meeting Robert Goren is just too hilarious.

 

[nx1701g]

I have to admit that - even though I called pretty much everything about the murder - I liked the ending where he has a part of Trudy thanks to her daughter. He even seems to be more... normal at the end of the episode.

 

[Greg Cox]

He even seems to be more... normal at the end of the episode.

Indeed. Watch his body language in that final scene when he reports to the crime. He looks much more relaxed and in-charge. It's subtle, but effective.

Nice acting on Shaloub's part.

 

[Caretaker]

I liked it. A good finale, overall. Although, I still hope for a Monk movie.

 

[Christopher]

It was kind of an anticlimax that after striving to solve Trudy's murder for all these years, he gets the answer just handed to him by a plot contrivance. It would've been better if Trudy's tape had only provided a clue and he'd needed to deduce the rest. Instead, the solving of the overriding quest of Monk's life was almost an afterthought and was overshadowed by the solution to the murder of a peripheral character.

Otherwise, though, it was a pretty nice wrapup. Although I was kind of surprised that it didn't end with Monk finally getting his detective's badge back. I thought that was as much a quest of his as solving Trudy's murder. Or did they drop that after I stopped watching regularly several seasons ago?

And I feel sorry for Summit, New Jersey, getting an idiot like Disher as their police chief. They're doomed.

 

[Greg Cox]

They dealt with the badge thing the episode before the finale. Monk finally got his badge back, then realized he was better off working as a consultant. He had changed and his current arrangement suited him better. (For one thing, San Francisco homicide cops don't have personal assistants named Natalie.)

 

[StarshipDefiant]

What a great finale this was, I am fond of this one, because they knew ahead of time it would be the last, so they made sure to wrap things up. In some ways, I am disappointed, it's over but in others, it was a good end worthy of the series and showed Monk having a sliver of happiness in his life, which he had so richly deserved. I did find the cliche of the Judge killing himself to avoid trial disappointing though, but whatever.

Overall, it was a good episode.