'Monk' has always been one of my most watched shows when needing comfort, to relax after a hard day, a good laugh or a way to spend a lazy weekend.
"Mr Monk Gets Cabin Fever" is up there to me as among Season 3's better episodes. It's always interesting, with a good deal of hilarious moments, a couple of touching ones and a couple of tense ones with a fun and twisty mystery. The outcome of Randy's subplot is too easy to deduce, a case of not quite enough suspects and only one really having the opportunity and resources. Natalie is becoming more interesting and with good rapport with Monk, there still could be a little more to differentiate her from Sharona perhaps and this is a kind of story where Sharona would have been at home perfectly in.
It is very easy to like how sensitive and down to earth she is even if one misses the sharper and more no-nonsense Sharona. Even at this stage there is a preference for how Natalie deals with Monk's quirks and problems, seeming a little more caring and understanding than Sharona, and she and Monk click very well together. Traylor Howard is doing just fine, she captures the character's personality very well and looks comfortable doing so.
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.
Jason Gray-Stanford (with a subplot that sees him more sympathetic than he can be) and Ted Levine (loved that he had more to do here and that it was all worthy of him) are great fun to watch and the four of them work so well. Faith Prince and Moon Bloodgood also give strong supporting turns.
The mystery is as said fun and engaging, most notable for the innovative (for 'Monk') use of the '24'-style dual-frame summation for not one but two final solutions done as one that also proves to be very entertaining. There is a real sense of danger here and Monk's witnessing of the second crime is reminiscent of 'Rear Window'.
Even better are the character moments, with some inspired dialogue and wonderful interaction. For hilarious moments, we have Monk's struggles with Nature, the slapstick scene with Stottlemeyer and the bed-post, when they get lost and especially celebrating Stottlemeyer's birthday in the storm. Found Stottlemeyer's hopes and dreams reminiscing very touching and done with a lot of heart.
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 hilarious wry humour, lovable quirkiness and tender easy-to-relate-to drama is delicately done. 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.
Overall, great episode. 9/10 Bethany Cox
