SPOILERS are ahead for Mr. Monk’s Last Case, now streaming with a Peacock subscription.
Like so many, USA’s Monk was part of my weekly routine while it ran on cable from 2002 to 2009. Me and my family would tune into the detective comedy together on evenings and always get a kick out of the TV show’s weekly mysteries blended with its talented ensemble that felt like real people we were getting to know over eight seasons. Given its been nearly 15 years since Monk’s final season, I was surprised to see Mr. Monk’s Last Case among 2023’s TV premiere dates. But now that I’ve experienced the streaming movie, I need to talk about how much I appreciate how it built upon Monk’s storyline.
While I have fond memories about Monk, I’m not sure I would have thought to revisit the series without the release of this movie. Now that I’ve seen Mr. Monk’s Last Case, I’ve already started the series from the beginning and have an even deeper fondness for the character’s existence on television. Let’s talk about why the new movie is the finale I didn’t know I needed.
How The Original Monk Finale Left Things
After a successful eight-season run on the USA network, Monk aired its two-part finale in the fall of 2009 with “Mr. Monk and the End.” The episodes capped off the series with Adrian Monk finally solving the case of his late wife’s death. Along the way, the case points him to unveiling a secret that Trudy actually had a child before they were together, who is alive. At the end of the final episode, Adrian Monk meets Trudy’s daughter, Molly, who is a 26-year-old movie review-writer. They quickly become inseparable and Monk is able to find happiness as her new father figure. But at the same time, she also convinces him to continue doing his detective work because it’s such a “gift.”
I revisited the Monk finale after watching Mr. Monk’s Last Case, and it really is a well-done ending to the series. Throughout the show, Adrian Monk is in pain over the loss of his wife, and the fact that he gets to solve her case and find someone to love in the process is such a sweet way for the series to conclude. Now I want to talk about how the 2023 movie heightened the finale for me even more.
Why Mr. Monk’s Last Case Elevates The Original Finale For Me
Mr. Monk’s Last Case picks up many years later after Adrian Monk and Molly have been like family for a long time. Molly is getting ready to get married when her fiancé is suddenly murdered and Monk must solve the case of his death. At the same time, it’s revealed that Monk has been carefully planning his own suicide to reunite with Trudy. Yes, the movie takes a bit of a dark turn for Monk after such a heartfelt finale, but there’s something really special about the creators, Tony Shalhoub and the core case coming together to check back in with his story in particular.
As the original finale points to during Monk’s meeting with his therapist, Héctor Elizondo’s Dr. Neven Bell, catching Trudy’s killer wasn’t necessarily the closure he needed. When push came to shove, it was opening himself up to love again with Molly as a result of the case being closed. Mr. Monk’s Last Case shows that Monk is still actively dealing with his anxiety disorder, and it actually got worse during the pandemic. While he has had a support system, life is ever changing, and one event like meeting Molly was never going to “fix” him or be a definite happy ending. I love that the movie not only imagined where Monk would be years after the finale, but got honest about where his mental health may have shifted over the years.
As a lot of people with mental health hurdles can relate to, there’s no one simple fix to “getting better.” It’s a lifelong journey to manage one’s disorders, and it’s certainly not a linear path. Without Mr. Monk’s Last Case, the character would not have had a chance to explore that truth.
The Powerful Ending Of Mr. Monk’s Last Case
I also want to talk about the careful way Mr. Monk’s Last Case ended things for Adrian this time around, because I found it to be really powerful. Throughout the movie, Monk is focusing on the negatives revolving his life, in between Trudy not being with him and feeling like he hasn’t made a difference in the world despite a lifetime of detective work. But then he meets the ghost of Molly’s fiancé, who thanks him for bringing him peace by bringing justice to his killer. Then, many other victims turn up to thank him as well for the work that he did.
Even though Monk couldn’t see the positive impact he’s made, it’s only because he wasn’t focusing on it. Once he realized it, the ripples of good he has brought to the world is overwhelming, and it goes to show that it’s not that his work didn’t matter, he just hadn’t seen how before. That’s a much more powerful message than the initial ending in my book.
Will Mr. Monk’s Last Case Really Be The End?
While Mr. Monk’s Last Case is the finale I never knew I needed, the movie certainly revived my interest in the series. When CinemaBlend spoke to Shalhoub, he even pointed out hoping he could have reunited with John Turturro’s Ambrose, which would be fun to see. Plus, of the many famous actor guest stars, I can’t help but think about Stanley Tucci returning to play the actor trying to emulate Monk for a second go of a biopic for the detective would be a blast. Plus, Shalhoub said this to The Wrap about his thoughts:
If people have a strong appetite for more, and whether the network wants to do it. It’s certainly not up to me, but, maybe, yeah — maybe there is more to mine out of it.
Monk’s creator Andy Breckman also brought some hope about the continuation of Monk. In his words to Dexerto:
We kinda did leave the door a little bit open at the end of this film. That was a conscious decision on my part. I do have an idea I’m excited about for continuing the journey. But that’s not up to me, that’s up to you and our fans. I hope there’s more to come.
Plus, it was recently reported that USA might be returning to scripted shows. Could there be a revival? No matter what, I’m so happy Mr. Monk’s Last Case was made to build upon the story in an even more thoughtful way and remind me how special Monk is.
