Lee,

Well, my feelings about "Monk" stem from my general feeling that the show has been going downhill since the first season. In dramatic fashion, after Sharona (the actress) was canned, they also decided to mess with Monk's characterization. I mean damn, they didn't even get the same actress to play his wife Trudy in flashbacks!

Besides that, there are things about Monk's characterization that have flown by the wayside. This was made FAR MORE evident in this final season ep in comparison to previous eps. Suffice it to say, when Monk was rolling around on the grass - oblivious - I threw my hands in the air.

That's all I can say without a boatload of spoilers. I'm dodging around a serious plot point that doesn't even make sense when you see how Monk has related to other individuals with the plot point's characteristics.

Thanks, Le Nubian.

That does sound offputting.

I just fell down while walking home. That sucked.

I also totally forgot that I have to go to one of the MFA playwrights' shows, and the only one I can make is at 8 tonight, and I have ZERO interest in going. Ick. Not only that, seating is limited, so I have to go at 7, put my name on the list, kill 45 minutes, and then come back. I had other plans for tonight, that maybe weren't crazy exciting, but they were more fun than that.

I REALLY dislike my playwriting class. It has, consistently, been my most obnoxious, least interesting, and least worthwhile class this semester. By far.

I'm not as badly thrown by the direction of Monk, but I think they are trying to show that Monk is slowly getting better, then backsliding.

As far as casting goes, I've not yet seen a clear article on what happened to the actress who played Sharona. I was under the impression it was a contract dispute. As for the portrayal of Trudy, that can be simply availability.

Actually, the place I find them folling down on is the portrayal of the cops. On the ep were TH's character was introduced, they didn't even *try* to solve the case, first.

Traylor adds a new dimension to the show. The 38 year old actress could very easily be seen as a romantic pairing with Monk. They seem to be showing her being a softening influence on his neroses.

Although 38?! she was playing a recent college grad just a couple of years ago!

Ow, Alibelle. I hope you are okay. Sorry about the sucky class too.

Arrrgh. I fucking suck at analysis. I can describe like a motherfucker, though.

Ow, Alibelle. I hope you are okay. Sorry about the sucky class too.

Thanks, Lee. I'm fine. My hand is a tiny bit scraped, but it's nothing major. Congratulations on finding an apartment! Graham did an awesome analysis job on the one that I saw.

Although 38?! she was playing a recent college grad just a couple of years ago!

Is that the girl from the pizza place show? Two Guys and a Girl? Because if so, wow. I would not have put her in her late 30s.

Daniel,

Monk has been OCD at *least* since he was in high school. What fucking power does Sharon-lite have that she can soften the effects of the OCD? I mean damn.

Sorry if this sounds impatient. I'm not impatient with you, but with the show's writers.

I think the premise of Monk sets up a difficult situation, where the writers constantly have to balance the humor of the show with the innate tragedy of Monk's condition. For a while, they weren't doing too badly. Recently? Ugh. Husband and I figured out the premise of last week's show as soon as we were through the teaser.

If they managed to pull it off, I think they'd have a brilliant show, given the caliber of the actors. Really, what they'd have is House.

Want me to send you the one he did for this apartment, Alibelle? It's a much bigger attachment, but kind of cool.