Ep 19. Monk
- January 1, 1970
Monk season 1 episode 19 is titled "Monk", which also happens to be the name of the show's protagonist, Adrian Monk. In this episode, Monk's past comes back to haunt him when a man from his army unit is found dead. Monk is forced to confront his fears and anxieties from his time in the military as he works with the police to solve the case.
The episode begins with Monk attending a meeting of his army unit, where they reminisce about their time together and bond over their shared experiences. However, the nostalgia is short-lived, as they are interrupted by the news of one of their unit members being found dead in a hotel room. The victim is identified as a man named Paul Hanlon, who had been struggling with alcoholism and depression.
The police investigation leads them to believe that Hanlon died by suicide, but Monk is unconvinced. He starts his own investigation and finds some discrepancies in the police's findings, which leads him to suspect foul play. As Monk delves deeper into the case, he uncovers some disturbing truths about his old army unit and the events that occurred during their time in service.
To complicate matters further, Monk is also struggling with his own memories and emotions from his time in the army. He suffers from PTSD and has nightmares about an incident that occurred during his service, which he has never fully dealt with. As he investigates the case, he is forced to confront his fears and anxieties head-on, which makes for some emotional and intense scenes.
The episode also features some interesting character development for Monk's assistant, Sharona. While Monk is dealing with his army past, Sharona is dealing with her own family issues as her sister attempts to reconcile with their estranged father. Throughout the episode, Sharona grapples with the idea of forgiveness and whether it's possible to move past past grievances.
Overall, "Monk" is a character-driven episode that dives deep into Monk's past and sheds light on some of the struggles he has faced throughout his life. It is a poignant and emotional episode that is sure to resonate with fans of the show.
