Something about Adrian Monk

My recent favourite TV comedy show is Mr. Monk. It's light-weight but not full of non-sense like many other shows that present a totally artificial and forced story and trying so hard to get a few laughs. The only laughs they get are from the canned laughter from the show itself.

Mr. Monk stands out from among the rest. Each character is beautifully crafted and has his/her own personality, yet the characters mesh together and support each other flawlessly. I used to really like Sharona, Mr. Monk's assistant and was sad to see her leave the show. It took a few episodes for me to get adjusted to Natalie Teeger. I found her somewhat nasal tones a little jarring. But she has grown into her part. And full marks to her!

Lt. Disher is a gem. I really love it when he gets caught out doing something stupid by Stottlemeyer, who reprimands him with his gruff voice or a hopeless grimace with a bit of a snort. Disher plays his part beautifully. His comical expressions is natural and you just can't help to laugh.

Tony Shalhoub, aka Mr. Monk, is actually a well-seasoned actor. And this series has brought him to the forefront of viewers' attention. He has played other roles with equal finesse, but somehow remained somewhat faceless (to me anyway) until he became Mr. Monk. Only after re-watching some older movies did I realise that he was the weird scientist in Spy Kids, and that he was the leading character in the horror movie 13 Ghosts. In fact, he has played many roles in many movies, and it's a pleasant surprise to identify him accidentally: “Oh, that's Mr. Monk!”

His background is also a little bit different. He is thoroughly American - of Lebanese origins. His father emigrated from Lebanon to the US and married Tony Shalhoub's mother, a second generation Lebanese American. He is one of a number of Lebanese Americans who have excelled in the US, on stage, screen and in public life.

See also Adrian Monk - the Unfunny Comic.