Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire.—Gustav Mahler

Friday, January 13, 2006

A Little Monk Grousing

I wasn't satisfied with the conclusion of Monk tonight. The writers successfully established that the lab tech was guilty of fiddling with results, but did not reach the same level of certainty with regard to the fashion designer being the murderer.

It was possible that only labels had been changed, but the lab tech could have engaged in more elaborate fraud and disposed of any evidence tying the fashion designer to the original crime. The loop remains open and I don't like it.

Otherwise a pretty good episode. I'll annoy the Karnickian by stating for the record that I still miss Bitty Schramm.

4 comments:

S. T. Karnick said...

Traylor Howard is so much better than Bitty Schram it's silly. Come on, Hunter, see what is obvious!

I agree with your disappointment about Monk not establishing logical certainty as to exactly who was the murderer. Naturally the lab tech would make a deal to testify against the killer, but that sort of thing is for CSI and LAW AND ORDER, not MONK.

However, the character stuff and jokes were superb. Malcolm McDowell was brilliant, as always. I give it 3.5/4.0.

Hunter Baker said...

Traylor Howard is wallpaper compared to Bitty. Where is the fabulous storyline where Bitty hooks up with a different loser guy every other week? Where is Bitty's ability to draw Adrian out a little?

Traylor is an ultra-bore. Unconventionally easy on the eyes, but boring.

I do like Malcolm McDowell. He won me over with A Clockwork Orange years ago. He wasn't bad as Mr. Roarke in the Fantasy Island remake, either.

Tom Van Dyke said...

Traylor Howard's part isn't a character, it's a device. Monk lost an entire dimension, both with her zetzing of Monk as well as the gentle sexual tension with the geeky lieutenant, with Bitty's departure.

S. T. Karnick said...

Wrong. Bitty Schram attracted too much attention to herself and took away from both Monk and the mysteries. Traylor Howard gives herself up for the team, and deserves much credit for that. Schram was very good, but Howard is better.