Mr. Monk Gets a New Shrink
- Episode aired Aug 18, 2006
- TV-PG
- 43m
Dr. Kroger questions his abilities after a patient becomes the prime suspect in a murder. He decides to retire but a distressed Monk is convinced someone else is responsible.Dr. Kroger questions his abilities after a patient becomes the prime suspect in a murder. He decides to retire but a distressed Monk is convinced someone else is responsible.Dr. Kroger questions his abilities after a patient becomes the prime suspect in a murder. He decides to retire but a distressed Monk is convinced someone else is responsible.
- Joseph Wheeler
- (as Kevin Fry-Bowers)
- Madeline Kroger
- (as Juli Donald)
- Troy Kroger
- (as Cody Mcmains)
- Clark
- (uncredited)
- Tech
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaTowards the end Monk states that he is starting to develop a phobia of blankets and asks if it has a name. Lodiculaphobia is the fear of blankets.
- GoofsLt. Disher and Capt. Stottlemeyer are seen playing a game of chess. Unfortunately, the chess board was incorrectly set up, so that the bottom-right square is black.
The chess game being played makes little sense. White has pieces all over the board, while Black only has two pieces remaining, which means Black should have already resigned. Lt. Disher moves his pawn diagonally, which is not a legal move because usually a pawn can only move one square forward.
- Quotes
Dr. Charlie Kroger: Adrian, I cannot continue to practice anymore after today. The police think that one of my patients killed Teresa Mueller. I should have seen it coming. I didn't; I missed it. This is all my fault.
Adrian Monk: This isn't happening. This can't be happening.
Dr. Charlie Kroger: Adrian, I promise you I'll get you another doctor. I'll call you next week.
Adrian Monk: Okay! So it's not true! You're not retiring! I mean, you can't because... He can't retire...
Dr. Charlie Kroger: [to Natalie] This is step one in the grieving process: denial.
Adrian Monk: Damn you, Charles! Damn you to hell! I hate you. I hate you! You are dead to me.
Natalie Teeger: That's not denial.
Dr. Charlie Kroger: No, step two, that's anger.
Adrian Monk: Okay. Okay, we're all adults here. We can work this out. I can hire you full time, all right? Put you on payroll.
Dr. Charlie Kroger: This is step three: bargaining. It usually doesn't go around this quickly.
Adrian Monk: Why me? Why is it always me? Everybody's always leaving me.
Natalie Teeger: Depression?
Dr. Charlie Kroger: Yeah.
Adrian Monk: This can't go on. I mean, it's just too much. Okay, you're right. It's not the end of the world. I'll just have to find another doctor. I owe you so much. Thanks to you, I think I can get past this. Thanks, doc.
Dr. Charlie Kroger: And finally, acceptance.
Natalie Teeger: Thank God that's over.
Adrian Monk: He can't retire! The man can't quit because he's not a quitter.
Natalie Teeger: Wait, what's going on?
Dr. Charlie Kroger: I don't know. It's like he's starting all over again, like he's in a loop.
Adrian Monk: I hate you for this, Kroger! You are dead to me! You understand me? Dead!
Dr. Charlie Kroger: I really should be heading home.
- ConnectionsFeatured in The 59th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (2007)
- SoundtracksViolin Concerto In D Major, III. Rondo, Op. 61
Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven
This is the music Dr. Kroger is listening to at home.
Of the Season 5 'Monk' episodes, from personal opinion it is "Mr Monk Gets a New Shrink" that is the most special. One of the best examples of a 'Monk' episode that made me laugh and cry, especially the former, is one of the best episodes in a while and one of the best of the whole show. The mystery here is one of the show's best ever, it doesn't play second fiddle, it's cleverly plotted, is never obvious, is perfectly logical and doesn't get too silly.
Loved that there was more focus on Kroger, a great character that can be under-utilised, and that we got to know his family with his riot of a son being one of the episode highlights. Stanley Kamel gives some of his best acting of all his appearances on the show (perhaps his best) in a remarkably nuanced turn. There are a few emotional moments, like when Monk goes through the five stages of grief. Even better are the comedic elements, which are some of the show's funniest, and almost all of them at the courtesy of the interplay between Monk and Harold, which like the following of Kroger and the arguing over the time slot is hysterically funny.
Would have loved to have seen more of Natalie, Disher and Stottlemeyer too, but they are well played and hardly wasted. Thankfully Disher is nowhere near as much of an idiot here. As aforementioned, Kamel is fantastic while Tim Bagley is hilarious as Harold.
As said many times, one of the best things about 'Monk' has always been the acting of Tony Shalhoub in the title role. It was essential for him to work and be the glue of the show, and Shalhoub not only is that but also at his very best he IS the show. Have always loved the balance of the humour, which is often hilarious, and pathos, which is sincere and touching.
Natalie is down to earth, sympathetic and sassy, also being sensitive to Monk's needs and quirks which Traylor Howard does well bringing out. Jason Gray-Stanford and Ted Levine are good as usual as Disher and Stottlemeyer.
It's not just the cast or story though. Another star is the writing, which is also essential to whether the show would be successful or not and succeed it does here. The mix of wry humour, lovable quirkiness and tender easy-to-relate-to drama is delicately done, particularly the last one. The quirks are sympathetically done and never exploited or overdone.
Visually, the episode is shot in a slick and stylish way, and the music is both understated and quirky. While there is a preference for the theme music for Season 1, Randy Newman's "It's a Jungle Out There" has grown on me overtime, found it annoying at first but appreciate its meaning and what it's trying to say much more now. Oh and a good job is done with the different opening credits sequence to accommodate the changes made.
Altogether, a brilliant episode and very special. 10/10 Bethany Cox
- TheLittleSongbird
- Aug 20, 2017
Details
- Runtime43 minutes
- Color