#trudy monk

[mincedmeat-draws]

Do i look like him?

[mndvx]

MR. MONK’S LAST CASE: A MONK MOVIE (2023) dir. Randy Zisk

[kidneys-and-custard]

I will never get over this show!!

[victoria-writes]

Love Diagnosis

Pairing: Adrian Monk x Reader

Summary: Monk has a crush on his new assistant (reader) and talks to his therapist about it

Word Count: 1,544

Notes: She/Her pronouns are used for the reader. Trudy Monk, Leland Stottlemeyer, and Natalie Teeger are mentioned but don't make an appearance. Entire fic is just dialogue between Adrian and Dr. Kroger. Mentioned age gap between Monk and the reader.

Read it on AO3 here

Story:

“You don’t understand, doctor. This isn’t some cute crush. I can’t get her out of my head!”, Monk said frantically from the chair he sat in across from his therapist.

“Adrian”, Dr. Kroger began while taking off his glasses and sitting forward in his chair, “it’s perfectly normal to look forward to seeing someone you like. It seems that you and Y/N have developed a special relationship and it’s only natural for you to think of her. If anything, this is great progress. It means you’re moving on after losing Trudy”.

“No, no, no, no”, said Adrian as he waved his hands about, “I am not moving on from Trudy. She is my wife. Y/N is a parasite who has infected my brain. She’s probably an alien. That’s the only explanation. A very pretty alien, but an alien”.

Dr. Kroger smiled, “Y/N is not an alien. It’s okay to be scared. You and Trudy were together for a long time and you were both very devoted to each other”.

“I can’t be scared because I’m not moving on. How can I be scared to do something I’m not doing?”

“Adrian-“

“It’s like she’s taken me hostage in my own mind. Everywhere I look, she’s all I think about. I walked into a CVS with Natalie today to get more wipes and I saw the shampoo section. Why was my first thought ‘What kind of shampoo does Y/N use? She always smells so nice.’?” 

Dr. Kroger sets his glasses on the table next to him, “I’m going to suggest something that may sound a little crazy to you. Have you considered telling her how you feel?”

“…Dr. Kroger”, Monk scoffed, “Are you sure we’re sitting in the right seats? Because where I’m sitting it seems that you may be the one that needs help if you think that is a reasonable solution.”

“So I’m going to take that as a no.”

“Of course, I haven’t talked to her about it!”

“And why is that?”

“….well…”

“Well?”

“…” 

“You’re frightened she may not feel the same way as you do.”

“…yes”

“And if she does feel the same way, you don’t want to know because then you’d have to accept the fact that you’re in love with a woman after Trudy’s passing.”

“yes”, Monk grumbled while looking at the floor with sudden interest.

“So you think it’s better to bury your feelings deep inside and only let them out during our sessions”

“Now you’re getting it. I’m so glad we could come to an understanding”, Monk smiled and sat back in his chair, relieved. 

“Adrian, these feelings aren’t just going to disappear overnight because you don’t want to face them. You see her almost every day now.”

“This is all Natalie’s fault.”, Adrian furrowed his brows as he spoke, “I wouldn’t have had to hire another assistant if she didn’t need so many days off.”

“Natalie needed the time off to take care of her daughter as a single mother. It’s a miracle she was able to balance work and her child for as long as she did.”

“Yeah, well, she should’ve balanced for longer so I wouldn’t have to deal with this.”

“Tell me, what is it that you like about Y/N?”

“She smells nice.”

“You mentioned that already”

“She’s a good assistant. She’s very clean and doesn’t touch me without asking. I like her hairstyle too, not just the shampoo. Her nails are neat and manicured, so I don’t feel disgusted by the thought of her touching me.”

“Anything else?”

“When she does touch me…her hands are soft.”

Dr. Kroger looked at Adrian with raised eyebrows and interest written across his face.

“Y/N, she has a certain way of talking. She emphasizes certain words in her sentences and talks with her hands.” 

At this point, Adrian is staring up at the ceiling and smiling fondly as he pictures Y/N in his mind, “She gets so animated when she’s passionate. And she has so many strong opinions on things. Things I never even give a second thought to. Just the other day, she went on a very passionate rant about what kind of handle she prefers on umbrellas.”

“I would’ve thought you’d have an opinion on that sort of thing.” 

“Oh, I do now that I’ve thought about it. I much prefer the curved handles to the straights ones, even if they have grooves for the fingers to sit”, he scoffs and shakes his head, “the fingers are never as comfortable on those as they are on the curved handles and-“

“I think we’re getting off track here. Is there anything you dislike about her?”

“Oh, yes”, Adrian quickly nodded, “She’s a horrible driver and always parks crooked. She’s lucky she has me or she’d anger a lot of other drivers with her parking.”

“Uh-huh.”

“She chews on her mints and I can’t stand the sound. What psychopath chews on those? You’re supposed to let them sit in your mouth.”

“I see.”

“She stands too close to me wherever we go. Like I said she doesn’t touch me without asking but she’s always so close.”

“And that bothers you?”

“Yes, my heart starts to beat very fast and I can’t breathe sometimes. Once I thought I was having a heart attack but she told me I was just having a panic attack and made me do breathing exercises with her.”

“Did they help?”

“Yes, but only for a little bit because she kept standing close to me after that. She was worried I would faint so she stood even closer.”

“And?”

“I’ve never had clammier hands in my life.”

“Did you have these symptoms when you first started to see Trudy?”

“I…I don’t remember. It was all so long ago. Let’s not talk about that.”

“I apologize if I made you uncomfortable. Let’s move on from that.”

“Okay.”

“…”

“I had eggs for breakfast this morning but the yolk was a little too runny. That made my skin itch.”

“Let’s not talk about eggs.”

“Okay.”

“If you and Y/N were to enter a romantic relationship-“

“That would never happen.”

“Humor me for a second. If you and Y/N entered a romantic relationship, what do you think it would be like? Truly imagine it for me. What would dating Y/N look like?”

“I…I don’t know. I’m not dating her so how would I know?”

“Just try and imagine it.”

“Okay.”, Adrian sighed quietly as he closed his eyes, “Okay. I’m imagining.”

“Go on.”

“We’d have to spend a lot of time together. That’s what couples do.”

“What would that time spent together look like?”

“I suppose we would hang out at my house. Go to different places around town. Maybe to that coffee shop she likes.”

“Which shop is that?”

“The one on third avenue with the blue walls.”

Adrian’s eyes were still closed but he could hear the smile in Dr. Kroger’s voice, “You remember the kind of things she’s passionate about, little details about her, and even what coffee shop she likes.”

“I’m a detective. It’s my job to remember things about people.”

“Do you know how she takes her coffee?”

“Of course.”

“Do you know how Natalie takes her coffee?”

“No”

“Do you know how Captain Stottlemeyer takes his coffee?”

“No”

“Interesting. Have you ever thought about kissing Y/N?”

Adrian opened his eyes, “I don’t see how that’s relevant.”

“I find it very relevant. Have you thought about kissing her?”

Adrian took a long pause before answering, “Yes. Once she stood very close to me, she stands much too close to me, and I…”

“You…?”

“I was looking at her lips and I started to lean in but I pulled away.”

“Did she know you wanted to kiss her?”

“I don’t think so. When she asked why I was staring I lied and told her she had dry lips and needed to put on chapstick. It couldn’t have been further from the truth. Her lips looked very”, he pauses looking for the right word in his mind “soft.”

“Has she ever indicated any interest in you in a romantic sense?”

“I don’t think so.”

“No, you wouldn’t.”, Dr. Kroger sighs, “Adrian, there is only one solution to this dilemma and that is to speak to her about it.”

“That would be highly inappropriate. I’m her employer and several years older than her.”

“While that is true, she has the right to know about this. She spends nearly every day with you.”

“What if she quits? Then, I’d have to find another assistant and I don’t want her to go.”

“That is a risk you’ll just have to take. It is much more likely that she will either tell you she doesn’t feel the same way or that she does. She’s your assistant but she’s your friend too. I’m sure she’d understand.”

“But what if she doesn’t?”

“But what is she does?”

Monk sat in silence with no rebuttal prepared. What could he possibly say to that?

“We’re nearing the end of our time together, Adrian. Next time you see Y/N, politely tell her how you’ve been feeling about her.” 

“...”

“Adrian, tell her.”

“Yes, Dr. Kroger.”

“I’ll see you on Tuesday.”

[thinkingisadangerouspastime]

not to be overly critical of an incredibly tiny fandom but i think it says a lot about fandom practices in general when the main supporting character in monk, arguably a dual protagonist, has always been a woman, yet there is rarely fandom content about sharona or natalie (two undeniably well-developed and interesting characters) and instead people fixate on a male character who is in fact the third most present character on the show (arguably the fifth most present when you consider percentages rather than plain numbers) and also apply a highly amatonormative lens to his relationship with adrian. i won't even comment on how trudy gets sidelined and reduced despite being thee specter that haunts the text. fandom misogyny truly cuts deep

[mr-stottlemonk]

Imagine Monk, Trudy and Leland, but it’s Poly

hell yeah, bi power. more love. triple the hugs. you hurt monk you get a duo who will make you REGRET and REAP in more ways than you're ready for.

[hipstersbleedroses]

[karihighman]

BTS FROM MR. MONK’S LAST CASE AKA: THE MONK MOVIE PREMIERING DEC. 8 ON PEACOCK 😀🧼🔍 | 📷: IG linked here.

Also enjoy this pic of Tony Shalhoub at the Packers vs. Chiefs game yesterday via WWE IG:

[s-misaki]

“I went to the grave and it still hurt.”

[mitsuki91]

Once again I am reminder that I like one type of bond with the superiority of Monk/Trudy as a ship (yes, I love man who are pathetically in love with his wife even after death :v)

[cometcon]

[Messages I sent to my friend last night for when I find out if I'm right or not as I continue watching this show. PLEASE DO NOT GIVE ME ANY SPOILERS. I WANT THE SHOW TO REVEAL IT AS CORRECT OR INCORRECT.]

Listen. I'm in Season 2 of Monk and I need to write this down to you because I'm calling it now and I don't think you want to watch this so it should be fine if I'm right:

RANDY KILLED TRUDY

I'M LIKE 80% SURE OF IT

They've dropped TWO extremely subtle hints by this show's standards and this show isn't always the most subtle in its set up and pay off [so with the vibe I'm getting from what I think I'm noticing I feel like they want it to be there so you can go back and see it again later but are intentionally drawing as little attention to it as possible so you hopefully don't figure it out early but also if you do you'll feel really smart for having engaged with the show] .(I much prefer that to telling me everything though so it's mostly ok).

One: Randy mentioned back in Season One that he joined the police department 4 years ago. At that time in the story, it was 4 years ago [according to a line spoken by Dr Kroger in the SAME EPISODE which practically guarantees that Randy's 4 years information is important!!] that Trudy died to PLASTIC BOMBS UNDER HER SEAT. [The reason why I clocked this as important is that the show has been consistently training us as the audience to never ignore a seemingly off-hand remark using times, dates, number of years, locations or anything like that whatsoever because 99.99999999% of the time it's relevant and gets used by Monk (sometimes others but usually Monk) to crack the episodical cases. I'm telling you now I'm 99.99999999% sure that wasn't an off-hand comment that doesn't actually matter any more than any other comment like that has ever been in any episode to that point or after it. It means something. They've taught me it means something so I really hope that pays off.]

ok it might be three actually I just realised something from another character not just Randy

Two: I'm now watching Season Two and Monk was talking to another character and they have him tell her that the car bombs were plastic bombs and that he feels guilty because he's sure they were meant for him. This isn't the first time this show mentioned car bombs, but it is the first time I remember them being identified specifically as plastic bombs.

Three: The very next episode - the one I'm currently on - is dealing with a series of murders using PLASTIC BOMBS.

GUESS WHAT RANDY JUST SAID

Ok ok so relevant dialogue leading up to it:

Monk: "What do we have?"

Captain Leland: "Mail bomb. An ounce and a half of plastique with a magnesium charge."

Randy (looking a little excited which wouldn't be unusual in normal circumstances for his character but is extra sus here given my existing sus): "There were two triggers-- a chemical detonator wired to the wrapping, and a motion detector. So when you opened it and moved it-- boom."

Cap. Leland: "Not hard to make.”

AND RANDY, this cheeky smug little fuckwit, GUESS WHAT HE SAYS NEXT????

"Crude and unpredictable actually."

YOU SMUG LITTLE PIECE OF SHIT MOTHERFUCKER I SEE WHAT YOU DID THERE YOU SNEAKY LITTLE SONNOVA FUCKING BITCH

I'M GUNNING FOR HIM. I'M GUNNING FOR RANDY. FUCKING LITTLE WEASLEY SHIT.

Also you know there's that whole thing where some killers like to insert themselves into the investigation where possible as part of the thrill/try to head the cops off etc. It's a real life phenomenon. And if Randy is the type of character I've been thinking he is then he's a) very good at putting on the unthreatening bumbling dumbass assistant role which hello Felix archetype but without the competence angle to begin with, and b) he's exactly the type of person to insert himself into the police department Monk works with to see the damage he did to Monk with the bombs and revel in it, as well as stay close enough to gain trust with the department and Monk to know what's going on, but probably also to keep feeding his ego that even Adrian Monk can't figure out that Randy did it.

Basically imagine Felix [Red vs Blue] if he had no game or rizz and you have the underlying character I'm picking up from Randy.

(And if I'm right then a) I'm going to scream so loud the neighbours might call in a welfare check for me and b) jesus mother fucking christ his actor is amazing at playing a character-within-a-character, goddamn. Every kudo on Earth to him.)

[I haven't managed to watch past the Playboy episode yet because unfortunately I have a life and I can't bingewatch constantly until It's revealed whatever happened to Trudy but you can bet your arse I'm going back in as soon as possible because I'm so excited to find out if I'm seeing shit or if I'm seeing shit I'm both supposed to and not supposed to see. Goddamn I've missed getting to use my brain while watching media.]

************************************************

UPDATE: I just started Season 3 and I started my other best friend on Monk too last night so they're getting in on the drama. XD

We'll see how this season goes. They're ramping up the Trudy plot lately so my money is on this season for some kind of reveal. Crossing my fingers. It has to be Randy. Look at that weasely little face. Piece of shit.

Also said best friend I'm messaging in the screnshots above saw the individual scene where that dialogue is from I was freaking out about earlier. And they pointed out he looks really dressed up and they don't think it's because of his 'girlfriend.' They think it's because he was excited as fuck to be doing a bombing case similar to what he did (but inferior in his eyes of course) and he dressed up for it. Fucking smug little prick.

****************************************************

UPDATE: I finished the first episode of Season Three and I'm calling BULLSHIT. NO. NOT ALLOWED. B u l l s h i t. I'M STILL GUNNING FOR YOU RANDY YOU FUCKING PRICK I KNOW YOU DID IT I KNOW IT I FEEL IT IN MY LEFT ANKLE FUCK YOU. MY ANKLE DEMANDS YOUR TWO-FACED BACKSTABBING WIFE-BOMBING BLOOD, DO YOU HEAR ME????

****************************************************

UPDATE:

S3 Ep7.

There's a LOT more focus on Randy lately and it's making me itch.

Sharona just made a joke about Randy blowing up his 'girlfriend.'

Yeah that's not the only girl he blew up, Sharona, you watch. I know it was him. I can fucking smell it from here even through that cologne. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...

Mini Update: Ok so Crystal's real. One thing he didn't lie about but wow there's a lot of focus on making Randy adorable. I'm not buying it. It's set up to make his evil nature feel all the more like a vicious betrayal, I tell you!!!!

****************************************************

UPDATE: I miss Sharona and the way they wrote her off in the show was weird and kind of lazy (though I guess I shouldn't be surprised; this show is lazy whenever it would be too much effort to spend a little more time on something to get a better result I just try to ignore it as much as possible since I'm already ignoring a lot/critically consuming a big percentage of it mentally). I wish they'd just paid her actress what she asked; it was probably perfectly reasonable and she was fucking epic.

****************************************************

UPDATE: S4 Ep2. I'm loving how much they diss on Randy. Fucker deserves it. Unfortunately I haven't seen anything else to give me any more input on my theory other than the newspaper clippings on his fridge last season in that episode where he got conned with fortune cookies. If you tilt your head and squint you can maybe see it as him enjoying getting to work with Monk on cases but like, in the gloating way, if that makes sense. Humour me here I'm desperate for more to shit on him with. XD

OH actually come to think of it I did see a smile at some point in one of the episodes where I felt sure Randy shouldn't have been smiling/it was sus as fuck but now I don't remember which one. Dammit I should have written it down straight away. Sneaky little shit.

In this episode I'm on currently he gave Ambrose a big stink eye for not letting him take the candy (and so he shouldn't; wife-killers don't get candy, Randy. Lol no rhyme intended. Hah. No-Candy Randy has a good ring to it I reckon lol).

Anyway, Ambrose had better watch it, or he might get a plastic bomb lobbed through his window. XD

YEEEEEES MORE HANDING RANDY DEAD PIGEONS MAKE THE BASTARD MAN SUFFER

****************************************************

UPDATE: S4 Ep6.

You sure are very intent on exhuming Trudy's body, Randy... What, you worried you didn't finish the job properly?

Oh my fucking gods Randy is having a fucking ball driving Stottlemeyer around the bend right now! This fucking ass knows exactly what he's doing and he's having FUN! Also, he could be using this as a cover for how hard he's going in trying to find Trudy!!

****************************************************

UPDATE: S4 Ep7.

Awwww they're giving the bomber a surprise birthday party!! That's so cute!! He's gonna fucking betray them and it's gonna hurt like a mothefucker and I'll be sitting here unsure whether to cheer or not because I'm right FUCK YEAH CALL OF THE YEAR. But it'll also mean the characters they've made me care about are gonna get absolutely WRECKED. But I'm also a whump-lover so I guess cheering will still be appropriate. XD

HAH THE CAKE CAUGHT ON FIRE FUCKING SERVES YOU RIGHT 'LIEUTENANT'.

OH MY FUCKING GODS THEY'RE WHUMPING RANDY SO HARD THIS EPISODE I LOVE IT. XD

****************************************************

UPDATE: S4 Ep11.

Oh Randy honey you seem very interested in trying to make sure Monk isn't found in case he found something out about the Trudy bombing. That's fascinating...

****************************************************

UPDATE: S4 Ep14.

I have to say I'm getting pretty sick of the writers torturing Monk and having other characters act out of character to refuse to do anything about it because torturing Monk is more important than consistent or even basic human characterisation. There's a difference between whumping a character vs torturing an already bad representation of a disabled neurodivergent person and this show does a disturbing amount of the latter specifically for laughs. This show seems to be trying to one-up itself whenever it can after already having retconned Monk into being more self-centred than he was in earlier seasons/generally leaning even harder into the allistic writers' idea of what severe OCD and 'high functioning' autism look like than they already were. I'm trying so hard to critically consume because I enjoyed the characters and their dynamics, plus waiting to find out what happened to Trudy, but I'm watching this show steadily slowly losing more and more of the things that made it at least bearable let alone enjoyable and it's beginning to frustrate me in closer percentages to whatever enjoyment I'm still getting out of it. I'll try but idk how much longer I can put up with this.

****************************************************

UPDATE: S4 Ep15

"You're a compassionate guy, Randy. This just means you have a heart." * "What if I'm a bad boy? ;) " * "You're one of my oldest friends, Randy. I've known you for years." Oh yeah. They're setting it up. There's going to be a reveal soon, I'm sure of it!! :D

Also lmao more whumping Randy via his tooth. XD

Writing gripe again: what the fuck was the point of taking Monk to the dentist if they weren't going to take him in to check the scene? At this point the writers really did just put him in there for 'normal people' to laugh at him for being scared of the dentist. It's fucking disgusting. (This is me critically consuming btw. This is the critical part. I'm allowed to hate and love things in the same show without one cancelling the other out.)

But yeah so the allistic character Randy gets to have a completely understandable outburst about not being there for their entertainment and that's framed as normal and fine (which it is. No one should be treated that way. I'm gunning for him because I'm sure he killed Monk's wife based on all the clues earlier seasons left us even if they decided to retcon it later which I'll hopefully find out at some point. I laugh at Randy because I think he puts on the dumb act to get people to underestimate him and because if I'm right he fucking deserves the whumping and that's what makes it funny because his character is an actually terrible person getting off extrrmely easy in light of that). But Monk never gets to call out the abominable way he's treated just for existing in weird and inconvenient ways for the rest of the world. He has to take it on the chin and be the laughing stock of the allistic audience this was written for and us neurodivergent people watching it were expected to just accept watching the way we're treated be played for laughs on screen, further reiterating that this treatment is normal, acceptable, reasonable and to be expected because our behaviours and struggles make us deserve to be infantalised, sensationalised and turned into cheap entertainment for the 'normal' masses. What's worse? THEY GO OUT OF THEIR WAY AND EVEN MAKE THE WRITING WORSE IN ORDER TO PRIORITISE THIS.

So I hope people who watch Monk, particularly later seasons because they weren't as bad about it in earlier ones, keep this in mind when watching because this isn't ok but I see it all the fucking time, even in more recent things.

We are not your playthings, your cheap entertainment, your annoying road blocks, your tragic story, your helpless little children to save, your inspiration porn, your magical good doctor/detective/lawyer/forensic bone specialist/etc or whatever else you see us as other than human beings. We're more complex than Hollywood finds convenient and entertaining to portray us as. We are a spectrum. We are unique individuals with vastly differing lifestyles and needs. We are HUMAN. Start fucking writing us that way.

Ok out of meta level and back to story and characters.

AWWWW Stottlemeyer just said "I miss you. I need you." to Randy. That's so fucking sweet. :') It's a shame he said that to Randy of all people given what I'm sure he did/is doing, but sweet all the same!!

****************************************************

UPDATE: S5 Ep6.

RANDY YOU STINKY LITTLE MOTHERFUCKER I SWEAR I WILL FUCKING SLAP YOU!!!!

DID YOU SEE THAT? HE DELIBERATELY MENTIONS THE LIBRARY ISN'T WORTH ANYTHING, IS STANDING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SHOT (WHERE NATALIE SAYS IT'S IMPORTANT TO MONK BECAUSE OF TRUDY) LOOKING AT THE GROUND BARELY CONTAINING A SHIT-EATING GRIN FROM WHAT I CAN TELL AND THEN HE SAYS "I DIDN'T KNOW THAT'S WHERE HE MET TRUDY" WHICH TO ME IS TANTAMOUNT TO HIM ADMITTING HE DID IN FACT KNOW AND WAS SHITTING ON IT DELIBERATELY AS A POT-SHOT AT MONK WTF RANDY YOU GJVJFKFHKCOHCHCOCLJC *THROTTLING MOTION*

****************************************************

UPDATE: S5 Ep13

First of all, I skipped the radio room scene specifically where I knew the writers would let the Max asshole absolutely wale on Monk because pretending it's ok to constantly shit on neurodivergent people for however long they like then patting themselves on the back for having this one put the bad guy in jail or whatever else they do to make themselves feel like good people is a holding pattern for these writers now and I would rather spend that time on sections of this show I'm still enjoying or do something more productive with my time. Like rant about outdated fictional media from the early 2000s on tumblr. XD (Seriously though this is STILL a problem in way too many things and it's been over 20 years like wtf.)

But with that knowledge already - plus the little section at the end I had to watch as part of skipping to the next scene being the radio asshole saying "I should be but I'm not" to Natalie who I assume said he should be ashamed of himself or something followed by him being a misogynistic prick because they get to do that in this show a fair bit too surprise surprise - when Randy starts LAUGHING in the Captain's office with Monk and Natalie there? And admits he LIKES that asshole?

More of THIS piece of shit showing his true colours? I very much believe so. Still gunning for him. It just keeps piling up...

Hey at least they called Willie a little person rather than any of the numerous other slurs I would have expected from a show like this. Not sure how that community would feel about a little person being used solely as a suspected-murder-weapon plot device, though my money's probably on 'yuck' just based on the typical marginalised experience of being constantly and only used that way in media across the board. Also the way they treat him in the next scene is NOPE.

Oh you had to pull over did you Randy? Bitch I bet you pulled over because it was near impossible not laugh your arse off at a man making fun of Trudy on the radio but the captain was in the car and that would have really blown your cover.

****************************************************

UPDATE: S6 Ep1

Oh Randy does have a brain. What a surprise. I'm watching you, asshole. (But props for the jengi attack, great job ngl).

****************************************************

UPDATE: S6 Ep2

OK HEAR ME THE FUCK OUT.

They're talking about the bomb and Stottlemeyer is once again talking about how basic this bomb was. HE SHOOTS A LOOK AT RANDY (translation: I suspect Randy knows about this and has talked to Stottlemeyer before so he looks to Randy while talking about this very basic BOMB thinking this knowledge is just innocent and some of the only decent knowledge Randy has) and then Randy?

THIS FUCKING LITTLE SHIT IS IN A BACKGROUND SHOT LOOKING AWAY FROM STOTTLEMEYER HAVING JUST COME FROM THE FRAME WHERE THE CAPTAIN LOOKED AT HIM, THEN AT STOTTLEMEYER ONCE THE CAPTAIN IS TALKING TO MUDERUSS AGAIN, THEN GLANCING BACK DOWN TO WHATEVER HE'S HOLDING IN HIS HAND WITH THAT CONFIDENT 'INNOCENT BUT COMPETENT BUT SHHHH SHHHH' LOOK I'VE SEEN HIM DO A FEW TIMES IN THE SHOW NOW HOLY FUCKING SHIT. AND THEN THEY STRAIGHT UP SHOW HIM FULL SCREEN DEAD CENTRE WITH THE MOST INTENTIONAL-LOOKING DEADPAN EXPRESSION I'VE EVER SEEN. WHAT IS THE POINT OF THAT? THOSE ARE SOME VERY POINTED AND OTHERWISE UNNECESSARY SHOT CHOICES, WRITERS...

I'M STILL GUNNING FOR YOU RANDY. I HAVE MY EYES ON YOU AND I'M WRITING THIS DOWN THIS TIME.

[alexisnoir]

Mr Monk's Last Case

Okay, so Adrian Monk was and still is my first show thanks to which I was in a fandom. This show is the reason I can write, talk and understand English language, even though I had English language lessons at school. The show was like a teacher that would give me one hour assignment which I would repeat day after day for a week until the next assignment. That pattern would repeat itself for the next 6-7 years (I wasn't in the shows fandom in season 1 and joined when season 2 was at the end)

I met a lot of great people who were helpful, kind, understanding to this young Polish girl trying to teach herself another language, knowing mostly basics and nothing else, using Google translator and any dictionary she could find.

I was with the fandom when the news of Stanley Kamel death was announced, he was on the official shows forum, talking to us, interacting with us. Yes, we used the official USA network forum to talk and share stuff, fanfiction and art included.

I remember there fans who met with Michael Shalhoub, Tony Shalhoubs brother, can't remember if this was at his house or one of the fans. But those were the days where actors could go and meet fans, talk to them, meet with them. Now I can't imagine something like this happening.

Since Mr Monk's Last Case has its premiere today December 8th on Peacock, that's what I'm going to do - watch it!

[kidneys-and-custard]

What Was I Made For? by Billie Eilish

[startrekmemequeen]

I'll be in denial for at least a little while

[thinkingisadangerouspastime]

just realized how well trudy and adrian fit for:

"i'll take care of you."

"it's rotten work."

"not to me. not when it's you."

[mr-stottlemonk]

How do we feel about trudy? Personally i don't like her, or maybe i just got so sick of monk mentioning her every minute.

I really like the show but hated most moments that were about trudy.

I don't know it felt so awkward to watch. and i know shes his wife and it's hard to get over a lover dying but come on, 8 years. Its okay if he brings her up sometimes i just don't think it's necessary that they bring her every episode or so.

Also i don't really appreciate the way they portrayed ocd, I feel like the show would've been much better if they didn't exaggerate some things.

But that's just my opinion though! you may not agree and i hope i phrased my thoughts right because English isn't my first language

*long post so half of this will be under the cut!

**you phrased your thoughts just fine dear, no worries <3!!

when i started (re)watching Monk, i definitely felt my own heart ache for Adrian because loosing someone who you love that makes life look better, seem better and makes it out to be something you can manage is amazing. I loved that Monk truly loved his wife that much. It's hard letting go of someone who loved you for who you are and didn't try to turn you into something else. Or make you hate yourself even more.

About 5 seasons in though, the potrayal of her became more of something like... painting her out to be the perfect wife, woman and person - and while we can't exactly dispute that because we only get flashbacks, hallucinations, dream-like visions and the episodes at the end. No one is perfect and it did grow to be a bit tiresome.

At some point, you do realize that it turns to unhealthy dependency. On her. On the memory of her. On their past relationship. The years go by and Adrian is stuck in one place. And yes, there are episodes where he does make a bit of progress, ask other women out and tries to go out with them but then, it doesn't work out (it never will, that's always the transparent outcome).

Trudy stands for acceptance and love all through out the show. And the other characters (Natalie, Stottlemeyer, Sharona and later on, Randy) show that easily too.

Thing is though, with Trudy and a lot of other things; Monk does not have the proper coping mechanisms/processes etc. He's not that great at understanding his own emotions and letting things go. Though, that gets better over the course of the series.

Not towards Trudy though and partially, i definitely blame the writers. I would have loved to see more of Monk self-healing. Self-healing and accepting himself (which is fucking hard) but it would have been great to see a man so broken down and unable to move on finally love himself. There's a lot of self-albeism in the show that Monk sets on himself, toxic masculinity standards and self-esteem issues. And ofc, a whole lotta bunch of things.

And I'm ngl, the show tried their best to tackle that. I'd have loved more of dealing with that. But 2002-2009 shows aren't overally the best with that. By the sixth season I stopped paying much attention to it. I found the episode Mr. Monk Stays Up All Night a bit... too much, lmfao.

And the episode where they think she's alive also feels,, this or that. Though, i think such a situation happening was not entirely RARE back then. Missing/Dead people do turn up again... once in a blue moon.

and yes, definitely. as a person with adhd & ocd myself there are episodes where i did have to just pause and walk around my house or take a break (and sometimes even skip) because i felt a bit offended or among the lines of "err,,, that's not exactly how it is/works..." -> especially towards the episode Mr. Monk Takes His Medicine. Didn't like how they portrayed that at ALL. The group therapy episode was also a little iffy but i've never been to group therapy myself so I can't say much there.

They could have done better research, because there are some things that just seem so out of the blue you have to pause but there are also other things that hit you right IN THE FACE that you feel seen and heard for a moment. the show definitely helped me feel like there was a chance for things i struggle(d) with when i was younger. But then again, ocd research isn't that great currently either. :")

To add on to that though. I'm not sure if you've given Mr. Monk's Last Case a try but i don't think they improved much on it there either. It's tiresome, tbh, that when people think ocd they think it's all about aligining things, cleaning things... like gosh, no, a person with ocd can have a messy desk, mugs littered all about their room too... so the writers do lean into being lackluster in their potrayal of OCD.

there's also the thing where most of the time, it's not easy for people to actually SPOT someone with ocd. the show makes it out to be an oddity, struggle for willpower and startingly exaggerated sometimes. Which is a shame. Though, extenuating circumstances can definitely make it worse so, it's here and there too.

Anyway! i think i rambled off a bit too much... i do agree with you on this anon! that the focus on Trudy grew, in some episodes, to be over the top. But Adrian's commitment to her is quite heart-warming but right now, I do tend to skip over those episodes, lol. Unless there's a particular thing I feel like watching in either one of them.

thank you for very much for the ask!! i love discussing such topics haha. i hope i managed to convey my own opinions on the show and Adrian/Trudy.

<3.