Ep 7. Mr. Monk Gets a New Shrink

Mr. Monk Gets a New Shrink, the seventh episode of season 5 of Monk, follows Adrian Monk (played by Tony Shalhoub), a former police detective with obsessive-compulsive disorder, as he struggles to adjust to his new psychiatrist, Dr. Neven Bell (played by Hector Elizondo), after his longtime therapist dies unexpectedly.

At the start of the episode, Monk is seen attending the funeral of his former therapist, Dr. Kroger, and struggling to come to terms with his death. He finds it hard to let go of his connection to Dr. Kroger, whom he's been seeing for years. Despite Dr. Kroger's instruction that Monk should find a new psychiatrist, Monk insists on being his own therapist, much to his assistant Natalie's (played by Traylor Howard) frustration.

Later, while walking home from the grocery store, Monk witnesses a man being thrown from a rooftop. The victim's dying words are "Captain Kruger," which piques Monk's interest as Dr. Kroger's name is spelled similarly. Monk takes this as a sign and decides that he is meant to solve the mystery of who killed the man and why he said Dr. Kroger's name.

Monk's investigation leads him to a warehouse where Kruger (played by Michael B. Silver), a notorious crime boss, is overseeing a shipment of illegal weapons. There, he's also reunited with his arch-nemesis, Harold Krenshaw (played by Tim Bagley), who informs him that Dr. Kroger treated Kruger's daughter and that Monk is in danger for getting involved. Despite the threat, Monk refuses to back down and continues to dig deeper.

Meanwhile, Monk's new psychiatrist, Dr. Bell, attempts to reach out to his new patient and help him work through his grief. Dr. Bell is not as conventional as Monk's previous therapist, but he seems to know how to push Monk's buttons in a way that is productive. They have a breakthrough during a session where Dr. Bell challenges Monk to face his deepest fear: the loss of control. This exercise helps Monk realize that it's time for him to let go of Dr. Kroger and move on.

As the investigation heats up, Monk discovers that Kruger's daughter was murdered in an attempted kidnapping. The man he saw thrown from the roof was the architect of the kidnapping, and Kruger was seeking revenge. In the end, Monk solves the case and brings peace to Kruger's daughter's family.

Throughout the episode, Monk struggles with his new psychiatrist and the changes in his life. He's forced to confront his grief and deal with his OCD in new ways. This episode is a turning point for Monk as he learns to let go of the past and embrace a new approach to his therapy. It's also an exciting mystery with lots of twists and turns, showcasing Monk's unique investigative skills.