Ep 15. Mr. Monk Goes to the Dentist

Mr. Monk Goes to the Dentist is the fifteenth episode of season 4 of the television series Monk. The show follows Adrian Monk, a brilliant detective with obsessive-compulsive disorder as he solves crimes in San Francisco with the help of his assistant, Natalie. In this episode, Monk is forced to confront one of his biggest fears when Natalie takes him to the dentist to have a cavity filled.

As soon as Monk arrives at the dental office, he is immediately hit with his usual anxieties. The sounds of the drilling, the smell of the dental tools, and the sight of the metal instruments all trigger his OCD and cause him to become extremely agitated. He tries to calm himself down by going down his usual list of things that make him happy, but it only seems to make his fears worse.

As Dr. Bloom, the dentist, begins to work on Monk's tooth, he becomes more and more agitated. He starts to hear a tapping sound in his head that he can't seem to shake. And when the nurse in the office begins to cough, Monk becomes convinced that she is trying to sabotage the procedure. Natalie does her best to keep Monk calm, but even she is starting to get frazzled.

Meanwhile, outside the dental office, a woman named Marcy is found dead in her car. Monk becomes convinced that she was murdered and that the motive was related to her job at a local tech startup. He enlists the help of Captain Stottlemeyer and Lieutenant Disher to investigate the case, but finds himself struggling to focus on the investigation while his tooth is being worked on.

As Monk goes back and forth from the dental office to the crime scene, he begins to uncover clues that point to a possible suspect. But every time he gets close to solving the case, he is distracted by the tapping sound in his head or the smell of dental tools. Natalie does her best to keep him on track, but even she is starting to get frustrated by his inability to focus.

Finally, the tapping sound in Monk's head leads him to an important piece of evidence that helps him solve the case. With the help of Captain Stottlemeyer and Lieutenant Disher, Monk is able to identify the killer and bring him to justice. And with his tooth finally fixed, Monk is able to breathe a sigh of relief, grateful that his trip to the dentist is finally over.

Overall, Mr. Monk Goes to the Dentist is a classic episode of the show that showcases Adrian Monk's various anxieties and phobias. It also provides a glimpse into his relationship with Natalie, who is always there to support him and keep him grounded. And while the murder mystery of Marcy is ultimately solved, the real focus of the episode is on Monk's struggles with his OCD and how he copes with his fears.