The current generation of TV watchers may have been introduced to Tony Shalhoub through Amy Sherman-Palladino’s multiple Emmy and Golden Globe-winning The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. But there once was a time when Shalhoub was the king of detective dramedy on television. Now, this veritable blast from the past is making waves on Netflix.
Monk was brought to life by the creative genius of Andy Breckman, who not only created the series but also contributed to its writing. Under his direction, Monk became a beloved fixture in the world of television. Of course, the heart and soul of the show was Shalhoub, whose portrayal of the eccentric detective Adrian Monk earned him widespread acclaim and adoration from audiences worldwide.
Monk follows the quirky and obsessive-compulsive—this was in an era when OCD wasn’t yet portrayed on-screen as the debilitating mental illness that it is—detective Adrian Monk. He solves fresh new crimes every episode with his keen eye for detail and unparalleled deductive skills.
When Monk first graced our screens in 2002, it introduced audiences to a new kind of detective—one who was flawed, endearing, and utterly unforgettable. The show’s innovative approach to the detective genre, coupled with Tony Shalhoub’s masterful performance, made Monk an easy TV darling. It went on to win eight Emmy Awards, one Golden Globe Award, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Now, more than two decades after its television debut, Monk is experiencing a resurgence on Netflix, thanks to the movie spin-off that was released by Peacock in 2023, Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie. Speaking to Today.com, Shalhoub noted how the ever-pessimistic detective was all the worse in the movie than he was ever on the show, “He was on the mend and doing well and then the pandemic hit, and he regressed terribly.” He pressed on, “In fact, I think we find him in this movie in worse shape than when we saw him in the pilot.”
With 18.4 million views on Netflix and counting, Monk proves that the timeless appeal of a good old-fashioned whodunit never goes out of style. You can watch Monk on Netflix.
