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Monk: Mr. Monk and the Red Herring

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Monk ends up hiring a new assistant, Natalie, but she has been the subject of a brutal attack involving the attempted theft of...her daughter's beloved pet fish. Read full recap »

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Writers:: Andy Breckman

Director:: Randall Zisk

Stars:: Tony Shalhoub (Adrian Monk); Traylor Howard (Natalie Teeger (episodes 39+)); Jason Gray-Stanford (Lt. Randall Disher); Ted Levine (Captain Leland Stottlemeyer)

Recurring Role:: Emmy Clarke (Julie Teeger); Stanley Kamel (Dr. Kroger)

Guest Star:: Alan Heitz (Human Corpuscle); Eileen Grubba (Mother); Parker Goris (Fire Safety Kid); Brooke Baumer (Applicant #1); Rachel Winfree (Applicant #3); Bernadette L. Speakes (Applicant #2); Raymond O'Connor (Clemm); Adam Wylie (Pet Store Clerk); Amy Aquino (Mrs. Bowen); Tony Armatrading (Mr. Franklin); David Purdham (Lyle Peck)

When Monk and Natalie enter the the museum's women womb exhibit, Monk stops and Natalie says Doctor Monk. edit »
When Mr. Franklin is looking up "Larry Tilburn" he's not on an Internet search engine; the computer isn't even logged in. edit »
Science fair exhibits are not permitted to use open flames, let alone unattended ones. edit »
When Monk is pacing off the distance for the fire extinguisher, the nozzle varies between folded and extended, even though the first thing he did was extend the nozzle. edit »
When Julie's fish is flopping on the ground, you can see the string pulling it. edit »

This episode's opening credits are different from the previous episodes of the season; they have been edited to remove any clips that included Sharona in the scene. Replacing those scenes are a couple with the new assistant Natalie. edit »
Tony Armatrading (Mr. Franklin) is credited as Anthony Armatrading. edit »
The end credits omit Bernadette L. Speakes, listed on the official site as Applicant #2, and give that role to Rachel Winfree, listed on the site as Applicant #3. In order to include both actresses and avoid assigning two cast members the same role, the listings here follow the official site. edit »
This episode explains Sharona's absence and introduces Monk's new sidekick, Natalie Teeger (Traylor Howard), and her eleven-year-old daughter, Julie (played by thirteen-year-old Emmy Clarke). edit »

Stottlemeyer: You mean that's just a regular rock? Son of a bitch, I stood in line for a half-hour just to touch this stupid thing. edit »
Applicant #3: Mr. Monk, can I be honest with you?
Monk: I wish you wouldn't . . . . edit »
Applicant #2: What would my hours be?
Monk: Nine a.m.
Applicant #2: Until?
Monk:: Until one.
Applicant #2: One p.m.?
Monk: Until one of us dies. edit »
Dr. Kroger: Your new assistant is out there somewhere.
Monk: God help her. edit »
Monk: You're a doctor. Can't you make her come back?
Dr. Kroger: What would you like me to do? Fly back to New Jersey and drug her, bring her back here?
Monk: No. But thank you. (Pause) She's pretty smart. She'd probably escape. edit »

Scissor Attack;
In the opening scene when Julie stabs the intruder with a pair of scissors, there is more than a passing resemblence to Hitchcock's 1954 classic, Dial M For Murder, in which Grace Kelly kills her attacker in exactly the same way. edit »
Julie Teeger: He's like Velma in Scooby Doo.
When Monk figures out that Natalie hid her money in a coffee can, Julie rightly compares him to Velma, a brainy character in the cartoon detective show Scooby Doo who always gets everything right. edit »
Pet Store Clerk: Yeah, it's Sergeant Pepper.
The name of the Monk-like parrot who's mourning his dead "wife" refers, of course, to the Beatles song "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" from the 1967 film Yellow Submarine. The album with that title was released in 1990. One line of the lyrics reads, "We'd like to take you home with us, we'd love to take you home"--exactly what many viewers wish Monk would do with the parrot. The parrot's behavior suggests that he's an African lovebird, but I've been informed that he's really a sun conure, which is native to Malaysia. edit »
Title: Mr. Monk and the Red Herring
The term "red herring" originally referred to a salted, smoked herring, so-called for its reddish-brown color (c. 1420). In 1884, it was first used figuratively for a false lead (so-called because fugitives supposedly used red herrings to divert bloodhounds from their trail). Logic teachers and composition instructors use the term to refer to a logical fallacy that distracts the reader or listener from the real issue. Mystery fans will recognize it as a seeming clue that misleads the reader or viewer, and often the protagonist as well. edit »

9.5
10
QuakertownBob
member since: Sep 15, 2006
Mr. Monk and the Red Herring
The Bottom Line: "A very special episode"
The show starts with a break in at Natalies house and she gets in a fight with him and kills him. Monk is trying to find a new assistant since Sharona left and is having a hard time doing it. ...Continue »
07/21/08 05:23pm | report abuse
7
00
oceanic6
member since: Feb 16, 2008
Mr. Monk and the Red Herring
The Bottom Line: "Fine example"
Following the resignation of Sharona; Monk has to solve the mystery of a double break - in and find a new assistant. ...Continue »
02/26/08 03:10am | report abuse
10
00
gopink
member since: Aug 30, 2006
Mr. Monk and the Red Herring
The Bottom Line: "Exactly why I watch this series"
New Character! ...Continue »
10/23/07 10:48am | report abuse
9
00
pink2006
member since: Mar 18, 2006
Mr. Monk and the Red Herring
The Bottom Line: "Adventurous"
Mr. Monk is back, and with a new partner! ...Continue »
05/14/06 12:26pm | report abuse
7.7
10
naldro
member since: Jul 10, 2005
Mr. Monk and the Red Herring
The Bottom Line: "Cleverly plotted"
Why didn't he get the bird? ...Continue »
09/03/05 11:04am | report abuse