Anyone watching Monk series finale?

It's part 1 of a two-part finale. Monk's been poisoned. Dying. He must find his wife's killer next week, right? Appears it will be Craig T. Nelson. Sad the show's ending, but I suppose it's time.

 

I forgot the finale was on tonight. Haven't watched this show much lately, but I'll miss it.

 

It will live forever in syndication.

 

Once they showed Trudy's video, I had a pretty good idea of how it would end. But the finale was still pitch-perfect.

 

Pretty darned good.

Still can't believe that Leland once demanded that the lotion be put in the basket.

I haven't seen someone with such a career turnaround from reviled character to beloved. Perhaps Ricky Williams.

 

I haven't seen every Monk episode, but I wish there was one where Leland demanded that Monk put the lotion in the basket.

MONK: The lotions have been moved.
LELAND: We don't have time. Put the lotion back in the basket.
MONK takes the lotion out of the basket and arranges it just so.
LELAND: PUT THE LOTION BACK IN THE BASKET, DAMMIT!

 

THAT would have been tremendous.

I'm guessing Levine wouldn't have wanted any part of it, though

 

I thought it was great. Handled the resolution with the bad guy well and I liked what they did to give Monk something to live for from now on.

 

What I liked the most was that the producers didn't screw around with it. They gave viewers what they wanted. Brought back Sharona earlier, gave Monk his badge back and put the characters in good places. Better, more regarded shows have had much worse finales.

 

I watched the encore last night (they showed it twice). It was well done. The best part to me is that it didn't end with Monk heading off to the sunlight or something like that. They get called out to a crime scene to start the day.

Plus, Monk, as JakeandElwood pointed out, had something to live for after he saw Trudy's video and solving her and the midwife's death. It was a bit touching with Randy Newman's song at the end.

Adrian Monk, it will always be a jungle out there.

 

And yet, if he wasn't so OCD he could have solved the crime a decade earlier. My question is - why kill the guy at the fertility/birthing center years later. Was that ever explained? How would they know he was going through old paperwork? Did he contact the judge or something? I realize the "cases" weren't central to the show, but I think I might have missed something.

 

He had been blackmailing him because the documents were just written, but had they been updated into the computer they would have been more available. That was the hook, that the records were being computerized.