S5.E7

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Mr. Monk Gets a New Shrink

Episode aired Aug 18, 2006
TV-PG
43m

IMDb RATING

8.4/10

1.1K

YOUR RATING

Stanley Kamel and Ted Levine in Monk (2002)

Comedy Crime Drama

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.

See production, box office & company info

IMDb RATING

8.4/10

1.1K

YOUR RATING

6User reviews

See production, box office & company info

See more at IMDbPro

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Tim Bagley and Stanley Kamel in Monk (2002)

Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Towards 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.

Goofs
Lt. 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. Incorrectly 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.

Connections
Featured in The 59th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (2007)

Soundtracks
Violin Concerto In D Major, III. Rondo, Op. 61
Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven
This is the music Dr. Kroger is listening to at home.

User reviews6

Review

Featured review

10/10

Outstanding episode within the best series

Whenever you access one of the "Monk" episodes - or the master listing - on this site, all are rated among the highest among any of the many films or TV series contained.

This one is no exception - clever, amusing and entertaining, as usual. In addition to the primary characters, it also adds amusing glimpse of Dr. Kroger's family, and his dysfunctional "shoemaker's kid" relationship with his rebellious son, and has a major appearance by Monk's arch-OCD rival, Harold, as possessive of his relationship with the doctor as is the title character.

This is also a special episode because of its centering around the Stanley Kamel character. Mr. Kamel and Dr. Kroger, respectively, represent one of the most engaging performers and characters in the history of television, movies, or any other entertainment medium in history. Seeing any of his past performances also, obviously, is special because of his sudden death between last season and the upcoming one.

An interesting sidelight to this particular episode is gained from seeing the brief biography in this site for Rick Curry, who played the role of Dr. Sorenson, the psychiatrist whom Monk visited upon Dr. Kroger's referral. Missing the lower portion of an arm, in the story it is cited as a boating accident he'd experienced a couple of years earlier (of which Dr. Kroger was unaware). This disturbed Monk, who was compelled to use the word "symmetrical" as he provided answers about others during Dr. Sorenson's brief questioning. The doctor noticed his obvious concern about the arm, and explained it - all done, in harmony with this program's treatment of handicap, with appropriate humor, while completely devoid of any disrespect (in the manner this series treats OCD affliction). In real life, Mr. Curry (now a member of the Jesuit Order) was born with this handicap, and has done significant work organizing theater workshops for the handicapped.

Monk's trying surreptitiously to peruse his file while at Dr. Kroger's office, investigating the cleaning lady's murder, and his reaction to the doctor's announcement of his planned retirement, are outstanding parts of this story, and it is overall one of the best episodes of the best show today.

I don't need more than two hands to count the television programs I'd place in the same category as "Monk," For me, there are only two - "The Larry Sanders Show," and the original "Columbo" series which I would place alongside it.

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