Happy Birthday, Mr. Monk

'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.

While, as far as previous episodes go, not as good as "Mr Monk is Someone Else", "Mr Monk and the Voodoo Curse" and particularly "Mr Monk and the Foreign Man", "Happy Birthday Mr Monk" is a better episode than "Mr Monk and the Critic", "Mr Monk Takes the Stand" and especially "Mr Monk and the UFO". At least the mystery here wasn't obvious, overstuffed and uninspired or excessively weird or silly. It may lack the pathos and consistent humour of the best 'Monk' episodes, but, short-comings and all, it's a decent and entertaining episode.

There are things that don't come off successfully. The least successful is Stottlemeyer's romantic subplot, this seemed more of an excuse to give the character something to do after taking too much of a back-seat in some of the later episodes, and it just felt too rushed and bland with the chemistry between Ted Levine and Virginia Madsen (also lacking warmth and having very little to do) was not particularly convincing.

Some of Monk's behaviour in the middle act is a little too cartoonish and overplayed, the morgue stuff was overkill. Yes, that joke about the blood was not funny, necessary or tasteful.

However, the mystery generally is one of the stronger faring ones of the season up to this point. It's not always plausible, but it was suitably twisty, didn't get too silly or weird and didn't feel like it was trying to do too much and not do enough with it. It starts off well with the single most grizzliest murder of the show (didn't think it was overdone though, 'Monk' is no stranger to brutal murders, the opening murder in "Mr Monk vs. The Cobra" and the murder with the elephant in "Mr Monk Goes to the Circus" were brutal too) and the second murder was done via a clever method, though some have questioned its plausibility in how more people weren't harmed. The identity of the murderer was not as easily foreseeable as in other episodes, not like (as far as Season 8 goes) "Mr Monk Goes to Group Therapy", "Mr Monk's Favourite Show" and especially "Mr Monk and the Critic".

Apart from the Stottlemeyer subplot and Monk being too cartoonish in the middle, the character moments were delightful. Loved how caring Natalie is towards Monk and understood Monk's aversion to birthday parties (relatable once the reason is given and it is not an over the top one for Monk's condition) and Natalie's persistence (seeing as if there is anybody deserving of a birthday celebration it's Monk). Personally liked the fake car and vacuum stuff. Particularly good is how Season 8 began showing Monk conquering some of his phobias and seeing him making progress. This was believable and it was right decision for gradual progression to be made rather than all being magically cured just like that in the final episode when Monk finally gets closure.

One of the best things about 'Monk' has always been Tony Shalhoub, who was as Monk consistently one of the best things about every episode regardless of what material is thrown at him.. 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.

Traylor Howard is sassy and sympathetic and Ted Levine does his best with beneath him material. The supporting cast are solid. The writing is amusing and thought-provoking.

Visually, the episode is slick and stylish as ever. 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.

In conclusion, decent but for a special episode it could have been better. 7/10 Bethany Cox

Mr. Monk has an episode-long running battle with Natalie over him not wanting a birthday party. He explains to Natalie that when he was ten he had the big birthday party, and that his mother even invited "Cowboy Hank", a local TV western figure, to come and do rope tricks and entertain the kids. Then, when Cowboy Hank left, all of the other kids left too. It was never about celebrating Monk's birthday for the other kids. It was about getting a chance to see Cowboy Hank in person for free.

Natalie, who is pretty bad about minimizing Monk's feelings, downplays his trauma once again and insists that she will manage to throw him a surprise birthday party regardless of what he wants. She says it's so he can see people really do care about him, but it seems to be more that Monk is challenging her intelligence when matched up against his own to sniff out a conspiracy, and she is accepting that challenge.

As for the mystery this week? There are two murders, both with no seeming connection to one another. In one, a janitor is shredded by an industrial trash compactor. In another, an attorney at a new product demo is poisoned by a drink that several others had a sip of who are unhurt.

Also, Stottlemeyer meets a woman he becomes instantly smitten with and who will not tell him her name, saying only that her initials are TK. Considering his last girlfriend was a murderer, maybe he should tap those brakes.

Or Monk and the vacuum cleaner. When a man is forced into a trash compactor at a plant, things are set in motion. Monk investigates and, in the process, comes across an inventor and his self cleaning vacuum. So what does that have to do with anything. Too many coincidences and plot twists.

Monk's impending 50th birthday is fraught with peril as Natalie plans a surprise party for the reluctant detective. He also gets his hands on a super-duper vacuum cleaner, which he does everything but marry. Meanwhile, people start dying around him. The two plots mesh quite nicely. Meanwhile, the captain meets a woman who might just prove to be a keeper. This is assuming she doesn't turn out to be a killer (remember his last flame?). I must admit the killer in this episode is telegraphed early on, but it is fun watching him try to outmaneuver the defective detective. We get to see Monk as a little boy in a poignant flashback.

S8 e9 am i crazy or there is 2 actor that can't be here ?? They should be in prison Monk already arrested them in the past seasons.

I love the series by the way.

I just discovered it a few month ago on tv and then I proceeded to watch it on netflix, I am deep into it this a really good show i don't know what else to writhe lol love monk Lelland is hot Sharona the best Nathalie also the best, i didn't really liked her at first but it was because I was sooooo mad but she's really cute and so kind with everyone Disher is so funny I mean everyone is funny not gonna lie but you know what i mean.

Ok bye.