Detective Adrian Monk used to have a minor case of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Then, the murder of his wife and his inability to solve the case exacerbated his condition to the point where he finds it impossible to function in society without assistance. He hires Sharona Fleming, a nurse and single mother, as his personal assistant, as well as his Watson for when he investigates cases the police can't solve to pay the bills. After three seasons Sharona got tired of the frustrating job and remarried her husband. Monk's new assistant is Natalie Teeger, whose loss of her own partner allows her a deeper bond with him than Sharona could ever have.

The show was originally to be made for ABC (the American one) with Michael Richards starring. When he pulled out, so did ABC. However, when the show was successful on the USA network, ABC agreed to carry second-run episodes (much in the same way that USA carries second-run episodes of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (1999)). This only lasted for a year.

[repeated line]


Adrian Monk:
It's a gift... and a curse.

Written and Performed by Randy Newman
(all season 2-? episodes)