Television Reviews

Television Reviews -
Monk: Navigation

Monk - TV-PG

Rate It!
On 14+
4 stars

Witty crime drama too highbrow for most kids.

TV Rating: TV-PG Network: NBC, USA Cast: Tony Shalhoub Genre: Drama
Available on: DVDDownload

It's quick and easy to pass on
this great info!

Common Sense Note

Parents need to know that this series includes subtle references to sex and drugs, as well as mildly violent scenes in which a murder is committed. The main character suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder and is easily rattled by germs, chaos, and changes in routine, a fact that is sometimes played for laughs (albeit sympathetic ones).

Families can talk about how detectives solve crimes. What kind of methods do they use to find the perpetrator? Another good discussion topic would be Monk's OCD. Can kids imagine what it would be like to have the disorder? How does Monk balance his OCD with his work? Do kids think they'd be able to do the same in his position?

Rate It!

Common Sense Review

Reviewed By: Lucy Maher

MONK is the story of Adrian Monk (Tony Shalhoub, who has won two Emmys and a Golden Globe for his work on the show), a brilliant but quirky detective armed with a photographic memory and the ability to piece together even the weakest of clues.

Monk, who suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), lost his job with the San Francisco Police Department when he couldn't get a handle on the phobias he developed after his wife's death. Now, with the help of his assistant, widow Natalie Teeger (Traylor Howard), Monk works as a private consultant, helping solve cases the police department can't. In doing so, he hopes to convince his former boss, Captain Leland Stottlemeyer (Ted Levine), to allow him to return to the force.

Monk is a thinking-person's television show thanks to fresh, intelligent writing and well-nuanced characters. Shalhoub's tender portrayal of his character's subtle idiosyncrasies is nothing short of amazing, and he easily wins viewers' affection. However, that very subtlety may make the show a little difficult for tweens and young teens to enjoy. They may have fun figuring out "whodunit," but the understated, Seinfeldian humor laced throughout will be lost on them.

Families who enjoy Monk might also like Law & Order, CSI and The Closer.

Rate It! Send to a Friend

It's quick and easy to pass on
this great info!

Content
CS adults kids

Sexual Content

Violence

In each episode, a murder is committed and the crime scene -- including the dead body -- is featured.

Language

Mild ("son of a bitch") and infrequent.

Message

 

Social Behavior

 

Commercialism

 

Drug/Alcohol/Tobacco

Rate It Now

Tell others what you think!
Write a review or post a comment.

Tell others what you think!
Write a review or post a comment.

Tell others what you think!
Write a review or post a comment.

OR

Tell others what you think!
Write a review or post a comment.

It only takes a minute to get great benefits! Sign up now and get a FREE Internet Survival Guide!