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Monk Season 5 Episode 1

Mr. Monk and the Actor

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9.6

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Episode Summary

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AIRED: 7/7/06

While working on a double murder, Monk finds that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery when he finds that an obsessive method actor has been cast to play...Adrian Monk in a new movie.

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Fan Episode Reviews (20)

mr monk and the actor

7.5

By thefanof, Jun 01, 2010

Okay, Stanley Tucci's Adrian Monk impression was dead on. They definitely brought in the best possible actor for this role (although the guy they had play Stottlemeyer sounded exactly like him as well) and it made for some great television.

The storyline here was interesting, and we saw one of those rare instances where Monk actually gets into a fight, so that was a positive. With this show off the air you really see how great it was, and how much I hope a show with a lead that is unique like this comes along.

Another great episode here. Definitely worth watching.moreless
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Is it 5th time lucky for Monk?

8.5

By oceanic6, Dec 30, 2009

It's lights, camera and action when Monk is being tailed by actor Dave Ruskin who is playing him in an upcoming movie and begins to get a little too involved in Monk's life and his investigation of a double murder.

It's clear from the previous season that the once brilliantly written and intriguing mysteries have faded into very simple cases aimed at acheiving the most laughs from the audience and this season opener welcomes this change by offering a mystery that requires no thought at all to blow open. The real centre of attention is the unusual Monk/Ruskin saga which escalates from a light - hearted affair to a disturbing fixation the could mean the death of either of them, or at least identity theft.

While it's run is superb for the most part, it stumbles near the end, when a very out-of-character and overly long suspense/action scene is chucked in. The great acting and direction within this sequence almost forgives its futility but not quite. At first we think Stanley Tucci is just going to cruise on a portrayal of a typical actor but when he starts showing the pathological side of Dave Ruskin who is obsessed with perfecting his depiction of Monk, Tucci is outstanding and his Emmy is the bare minimum of what he deserved. At the beginning i had my doubts about Natalie who just seemed wrong for the role and never clicked with Monk but as the 5th season starts, she has well and truly grown into the role with her and Monk now sharing a bond that we never saw with whats - her - name. Dishermeyer (a combination of Disher and Stottlemeyer) have remained stagnant in the way they amuse and are acted but will not disappoint fans. Tony Shalhoub for once has to compete for the limelight against the scene - stealing Tucci but his performance as Monk is at its understated best and it looks to be more gold on his mantle if he keeps it up even though Baldwin's chances are a tough to get around. Mr Monk and the Actor is a great way to start the season and shows that Monk is still going strong.moreless
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Season 5 starts with a bang

10

By ferriswheel01, Jan 20, 2008

I love being british but there a some times where I hate it because I have only just seen this episode of Monk and The americans are further in front. It was worth the wait though. I have not seen a brand new episode of Monk in a long time. Adrian as always was his usual self but having Stanley Tucci on playing Monk in a movie was like watching Monk in a mirror towards the end. I found it spectacular to watch and can only hope that every episode from now on will have the same humour as this one.moreless
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Emmy nomination. (Spoiler)

9.7

By maryannatwork, Sep 09, 2007

Stanley Tucci was nominated for an Emmy for this episode in the Guest Actor, Comedy Series category. The BBC news web site says he won. The winners are not listed on the official Emmy web site, though. I guess they have to wait until the prime time show is aired. Anyway, this episode was deeply disturbing for me. I love Mr. Monk so much, and being obsessive compulsive myself, I was upset to see that all the progress he had made in therapy was negated by his experience with the actor in this episode. I like Natale better than Sharona, but that's another matter.moreless
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Pretty good show

9.5

By green_arrow92, Nov 11, 2006

I just saw this episode last night and I hate to say it but it was the first episode that I have ever seen of this show. I really like this show now I have a TV show to watch on friday nights again. There was some stuff I didn't get like does everything have to be perfect with him, I mean the thing with him eating the eggs, the other guy that is playing him in a movie made him eggs and he said, he made them with the yolk exactly in the middle just the way I like it, with a ruler. I thought the guy that was suppost to be playing him in the movie really looked alot like him. I thought this was a great episode and hopefully I watch many more from this show. Later...moreless
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Cast & Crew: STARS

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Jason Gray-Stanford	Lt. Randall Disher
Ted Levine	Captain Leland Stottlemeyer
Tony Shalhoub	Adrian Monk
Traylor Howard	Natalie Teeger

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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

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Stanley Tucci	David Ruskin	Guest Star
Greg Grunberg	Jack Leverett	Guest Star
Susan Ward	Michelle Cullman	Guest Star
Stanley Kamel	Dr. Charles Kroger	Recurring Role

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (5)
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- While rehearsing "The Killer Astronaut" the height of the victim is given as 5'7," when in "Mr. Monk and the Astronaut" the height was 5'5".
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- When Natalie meets Monk before they enter the crime scene, she is holding a large travel cup of coffee. Once Natalie enters the crime scene the travel cup of coffee she is holding is smaller.
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- The killer takes the gun from the pawn shop and hides it outside. Disher says it has been wiped clean, even though Monk finds a speck of glitter on it. Why would the killer have done that when his prints are all over the cash register?
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- Adrian says that Trudy "said she was going out to run an errand for Ambrose", but actually in the episode "Mr. Monk and the Three Pies" Ambrose reveals for the first time that Trudy was running an errand for him (as he explains that he didn't call Adrian since Trudy died because he felt guilty). Adrian didn't know about this before. So unless Adrian previously forgot that Trudy actually told him about it, this statement is incorrect.
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- When Ruskin-as-Monk is moving around the statues and blue bottles on the table during the rehersal, they change position depending on which view the camera is from when Ruskin is touching them. Ruskin ends up arranging them 1-2-1-2, but in the last shot they're 1-1-2-2.
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QUOTES (5)
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- Monk: (about Ruskin's visit) And then he made us food, fried eggs, with the yolk exactly in the center, I mean, exactly, he used the ruler, just the way I like it. (sighs) It was confusing... but delicious. But confusing. But delicious.
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- Dr. Kroger: And they canceled the movie?
  Monk: (Ruskin) said he wanted to play a character who wasn't so dark and depressing. He's in England playing Hamlet.
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- Monk: Natalie, they're making a movie about me. Now this is something that I might... actually... come close to... almost enjoying.
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- Stottlemeyer: (seeing actors portraying him and Randy kiss) That never happened.
  Disher: Not even once.
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- Monk: Anyway, I washed my hands 100 times since yesterday.
  David Ruskin: Really? Exactly 100?
  Monk: It's a great number.
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NOTES (9)
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- Beginning with this episode, the series now aired Friday at 9:00 p.m.
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- Captain Stottlemeyer points out a person who he refers to as a television producer named Hoberman. David Hoberman is one of the executive producers of Monk.
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- Stanley Tucci won the 2007 Emmy Award for "Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series" for this episode.
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- Original International Air Dates:
  Greece: October 28, 2007 on Star
  Australia: June 23, 2008 on TEN HD
  Finland: November 22, 2008 on YLE TV1
  Slovakia: February 1, 2010 on Markiza
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- Stanley Tucci who plays Ruskin in this episode, played Tony Shalhoub's brother in the 1996 film Big Night (which Tucci co-wrote, co-produced and co-directed). In that movie, the two also end up in an emotionally charged fight at the end, ultimately making up.
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- Trivia: Adrian Monk's personal sidearm was a revolver; presumably the Smith & Wesson Model 19.
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- A reference is made to one of the "Monk" movie producers where the producer is called Conrad. This is a tribute to Hy Conrad, real-life producer on the show.
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- Stanley Tucci is billed as Special Guest Star.
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- NBC Universal aired this episode, along with the premiere episode of USA Network's new series "Psych", in both cable Free On Demand and broadband service, on June 30, a week prior to their broadcast airings.
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ALLUSIONS (1)
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- Monk: (Ruskin) said he wanted to play a character who wasn't so dark and depressing. He's in England playing Hamlet. Hamlet is the troubled protagonist of Shakespeare's famous play whose obsessions with avenging his father's death and claiming the throne lead to his tragic death.
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