Mr. Monk Takes Manhattan
Encyclopedia
"Mr. Monk Takes Manhattan" is the first episode of the third season
of Monk
, and is the 30th episode overall. It was the third season premiere, and served as another installment in the series' ongoing plotline about the murder of Monk's wife.
flies to New York City
, accompanied by Sharona Fleming
, Captain Stottlemeyer
, and Lieutenant Disher, all with the same mission – to find Warrick Tennyson, who Dale said was “involved” in the murder of Monk’s wife, Trudy.
Suddenly, while they are checking in at their hotel, the new Latvia
n ambassador Dmitry Kreslov and his two bodyguards are shot to death in one of the elevators. The shooter runs out of the hotel covering his face, and Monk says he can identify the man – but only by the shape of his left ear. Although Stottlemeyer says they are there to find Tennyson, Captain Walter Cage (Mykelti Williamson
) asks for their help in solving the ambassador’s murder, which could have dire political implications. Stottlemeyer encourages Monk, reminding him that it's important to make a good impression for the NYPD
.
Monk notices some clues: the ambassador’s coat is damp, but his bodyguards’ are dry. When the Ambassador brushed past Monk a few minutes before the murder, Monk remembers his coat was dry. Monk also heard the ambassador say something that sounded like, "she’s now gone meatless."
The four retrace the ambassador's movements that day; his last stop before arriving at the hotel was at a small bar/restaurant near Central Park. At the bar, Disher reveals that he just got a new Rolex
watch that can tell him the times all around the world (When he shows it, it's 5:30 in New York, 3:30 in Denver, 12:17 PM in Los Angeles
, and in Paris
, time has stopped (proof that the watch is malfunctioning). Stottlemeyer and Disher go back to the precinct to find out where Tennyson is hiding.
Monk and Sharona, meanwhile go to Brooklyn
to question Elmer Gratnik, a Latvian exile who might have had a motive. When they find him, he is playing a game of chess
against another Latvian player. Gratnik doesn't know anything about the murder, but his opponent recognizes the ambassador’s words as "Šis nav mans mētelis," which in English translates as “This is not my coat,” in an obscure Latvian dialect (more specifically the Courland dialect around Ventspils
).
Meanwhile, Stottlemeyer is suspicious of Cage’s continued dancing around the subject of Tennyson. He breaks into Cage’s office and examines his records, finding that Tennyson is dying in a hospital and has only a few days left to live. Because he’s being questioned in connection with a federal racketeering case, the District Attorney is not letting anyone else see him. Stottlemeyer confronts Cage, who admits the truth, but says the fact remains, the only way to get access to Tennyson is to solve the ambassador’s murder.
While Monk and Sharona are making their way back to the station, Monk reluctantly rides the New York City Subway
, despite his terror of crowds, germs, and closed spaces. Sharona says she is proud of him, but when they stop at the Hoyt–Schermerhorn Street station to change lines, Monk reels at the sight of a man casually urinating in a corner. He is so horror-stricken that he stumbles back onto another departing train, leaving Sharona behind.
Lost in New York, Monk gradually goes to pieces, as well as losing $20 Dollars in a "find the queen" card game despite winning, as well as the clerk leaving when Monk asks for his gaming license on 49th street. When Sharona, Stottlemeyer, and Disher finally track him down in Times Square
, he has been "converted" by one of the street preachers and is "spreading the word," yelling loudly about the impending Apocalypse
. Sharona comes up to take hold of him, and is severely embarrassed when Monk calls her a "fornicator
" in a loud voice.
However, as Monk regains control of himself, he looks up at one of the big TV screens and sees a man, Steven Leight (Morgan), being interviewed on the news about the recent murder of his wife in an apparent mugging
in Central Park
. Monk insists that Leight is "the guy," whom he recognizes by his ear.
No one can guess why Leight would kill the Latvian ambassador, but Monk cracks the case when Leight, during his interview, casually eats a mint found in a bar near Central Park
, where the ambassador was before returning to the hotel.
When Leight got his coat to leave, he realized what had happened. His wife’s jewelry was still in the pocket of his coat, and he had to get it back. So he ran to the hotel just as it was starting to rain, followed the ambassador into the elevator, and killed all three men, switching the ambassador’s (now wet) coat with his own.
Midway through the summation, Monk becomes distracted when he recognizes one of the bar’s busboys as "The Urinator" from the subway. Monk barely manages to finish the summation shortly after being reminded. Shortly thereafter, a ballistics
report arrives, confirming that Mrs. Leight and the ambassador were killed with the same gun. Leight is arrested.
Having cracked the case, Monk and Co. are allowed to visit Tennyson (Collison) on his deathbed. Tennyson remembers being hired by a man to build and plant the bomb that killed Trudy. When asked, he says he doesn’t know the name or the description of the man that hired him, since it was dark when they met, and it looks like Tennyson is a dead end. But Tennyson remembers one vital clue: the man in question had six fingers on his right hand
.
Monk asks for a few moments alone with Tennyson. When the others are gone, Tennyson asks for forgiveness, but Monk cannot bring himself to give it. He turns off Tennyson's morphine drip
saying, "This is me, turning off your morphine," ensuring he will spend his last few days in agonizing pain. But a few tense moments later, he says, "This is Trudy, the woman you killed, turning it back on," and does.
The gang prepares to leave New York, having gotten at least one step further in solving Monk’s most important case.
Monk (season 3)
The third season of Monk originally aired in the United States on USA Network from June 18, 2004 to March 4, 2005. It consisted of 16 episodes. Tony Shalhoub, Ted Levine, and Jason Gray-Stanford reprised their roles as the main characters, and Traylor Howard joined the cast. Bitty Schram left...
of Monk
Monk (TV series)
Monk is an American comedy-drama detective mystery television series created by Andy Breckman and starring Tony Shalhoub as the titular character, Adrian Monk. It originally ran from 2002 to 2009 and is primarily a mystery series, although it has dark and comic touches.The series debuted on July...
, and is the 30th episode overall. It was the third season premiere, and served as another installment in the series' ongoing plotline about the murder of Monk's wife.
Plot
After receiving a tip from Dale "The Whale" Biederbeck in the preceding episode, "Mr. Monk Goes to Jail", Adrian MonkAdrian Monk
Adrian Monk is a fictional character portrayed by Tony Shalhoub and the protagonist of the USA Network television series Monk. He is a renowned former homicide detective for the San Francisco Police Department...
flies to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, accompanied by Sharona Fleming
Sharona Fleming
Sharona Fleming is a fictional character in the award-winning series Monk. Sharona is a divorced practical nurse from New Jersey and a single mother with a young son named Benjy. She was played by Bitty Schram. Schram was nominated for a Golden Globe for her performance.-Biography:Sharona's...
, Captain Stottlemeyer
Leland Stottlemeyer
Captain Leland Francis Stottlemeyer is a fictional police officer played by Ted Levine on the American crime drama Monk. He is Captain of the San Francisco Police Department 's Homicide Detail, and a longtime friend of Adrian Monk from their days on the force together where he served as Monk's...
, and Lieutenant Disher, all with the same mission – to find Warrick Tennyson, who Dale said was “involved” in the murder of Monk’s wife, Trudy.
Suddenly, while they are checking in at their hotel, the new Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
n ambassador Dmitry Kreslov and his two bodyguards are shot to death in one of the elevators. The shooter runs out of the hotel covering his face, and Monk says he can identify the man – but only by the shape of his left ear. Although Stottlemeyer says they are there to find Tennyson, Captain Walter Cage (Mykelti Williamson
Mykelti Williamson
Michael T. "Mykelti" Williamson is an American actor best known for his role as Benjamin Buford Blue in the 1994 film Forrest Gump, as Detective Bobby "Fearless" Smith in the critically acclaimed but commercially unsuccessful crime drama Boomtown, and recently for appearing as the head of CTU for...
) asks for their help in solving the ambassador’s murder, which could have dire political implications. Stottlemeyer encourages Monk, reminding him that it's important to make a good impression for the NYPD
New York City Police Department
The New York City Police Department , established in 1845, is currently the largest municipal police force in the United States, with primary responsibilities in law enforcement and investigation within the five boroughs of New York City...
.
Monk notices some clues: the ambassador’s coat is damp, but his bodyguards’ are dry. When the Ambassador brushed past Monk a few minutes before the murder, Monk remembers his coat was dry. Monk also heard the ambassador say something that sounded like, "she’s now gone meatless."
The four retrace the ambassador's movements that day; his last stop before arriving at the hotel was at a small bar/restaurant near Central Park. At the bar, Disher reveals that he just got a new Rolex
Rolex
Rolex SA is a Swiss watchmaking manufacturer of high-quality, luxury wristwatches. Rolex watches are popularly regarded as status symbols and BusinessWeek magazine ranks Rolex No.71 on its 2007 annual list of the 100 most valuable global brands...
watch that can tell him the times all around the world (When he shows it, it's 5:30 in New York, 3:30 in Denver, 12:17 PM in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, and in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, time has stopped (proof that the watch is malfunctioning). Stottlemeyer and Disher go back to the precinct to find out where Tennyson is hiding.
Monk and Sharona, meanwhile go to Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
to question Elmer Gratnik, a Latvian exile who might have had a motive. When they find him, he is playing a game of chess
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
against another Latvian player. Gratnik doesn't know anything about the murder, but his opponent recognizes the ambassador’s words as "Šis nav mans mētelis," which in English translates as “This is not my coat,” in an obscure Latvian dialect (more specifically the Courland dialect around Ventspils
Ventspils
Ventspils is a city in northwestern Latvia in the Courland historical region of Latvia, the sixth largest city in the country. As of 2006, Ventspils had a population of 43,806. Ventspils is situated on the Venta River and the Baltic Sea, and has an ice-free port...
).
Meanwhile, Stottlemeyer is suspicious of Cage’s continued dancing around the subject of Tennyson. He breaks into Cage’s office and examines his records, finding that Tennyson is dying in a hospital and has only a few days left to live. Because he’s being questioned in connection with a federal racketeering case, the District Attorney is not letting anyone else see him. Stottlemeyer confronts Cage, who admits the truth, but says the fact remains, the only way to get access to Tennyson is to solve the ambassador’s murder.
While Monk and Sharona are making their way back to the station, Monk reluctantly rides the New York City Subway
New York City Subway
The New York City Subway is a rapid transit system owned by the City of New York and leased to the New York City Transit Authority, a subsidiary agency of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and also known as MTA New York City Transit...
, despite his terror of crowds, germs, and closed spaces. Sharona says she is proud of him, but when they stop at the Hoyt–Schermerhorn Street station to change lines, Monk reels at the sight of a man casually urinating in a corner. He is so horror-stricken that he stumbles back onto another departing train, leaving Sharona behind.
Lost in New York, Monk gradually goes to pieces, as well as losing $20 Dollars in a "find the queen" card game despite winning, as well as the clerk leaving when Monk asks for his gaming license on 49th street. When Sharona, Stottlemeyer, and Disher finally track him down in Times Square
Times Square
Times Square is a major commercial intersection in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue and stretching from West 42nd to West 47th Streets...
, he has been "converted" by one of the street preachers and is "spreading the word," yelling loudly about the impending Apocalypse
Apocalypse
An Apocalypse is a disclosure of something hidden from the majority of mankind in an era dominated by falsehood and misconception, i.e. the veil to be lifted. The Apocalypse of John is the Book of Revelation, the last book of the New Testament...
. Sharona comes up to take hold of him, and is severely embarrassed when Monk calls her a "fornicator
Fornication
Fornication typically refers to consensual sexual intercourse between two people not married to each other. For many people, the term carries a moral or religious association, but the significance of sexual acts to which the term is applied varies between religions, societies and cultures. The...
" in a loud voice.
However, as Monk regains control of himself, he looks up at one of the big TV screens and sees a man, Steven Leight (Morgan), being interviewed on the news about the recent murder of his wife in an apparent mugging
Robbery
Robbery is the crime of taking or attempting to take something of value by force or threat of force or by putting the victim in fear. At common law, robbery is defined as taking the property of another, with the intent to permanently deprive the person of that property, by means of force or fear....
in Central Park
Central Park
Central Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...
. Monk insists that Leight is "the guy," whom he recognizes by his ear.
No one can guess why Leight would kill the Latvian ambassador, but Monk cracks the case when Leight, during his interview, casually eats a mint found in a bar near Central Park
Central Park
Central Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...
, where the ambassador was before returning to the hotel.
Here's What Happened
Leight killed his wife in Central Park, then took her jewelry to make it look like a routine robbery. Afterwards, he went to the bar and had a drink to steady his nerves before calling the police. When the ambassador left the bar, he received Leight’s overcoat by mistake from the bar’s cloakroom.When Leight got his coat to leave, he realized what had happened. His wife’s jewelry was still in the pocket of his coat, and he had to get it back. So he ran to the hotel just as it was starting to rain, followed the ambassador into the elevator, and killed all three men, switching the ambassador’s (now wet) coat with his own.
Midway through the summation, Monk becomes distracted when he recognizes one of the bar’s busboys as "The Urinator" from the subway. Monk barely manages to finish the summation shortly after being reminded. Shortly thereafter, a ballistics
Ballistics
Ballistics is the science of mechanics that deals with the flight, behavior, and effects of projectiles, especially bullets, gravity bombs, rockets, or the like; the science or art of designing and accelerating projectiles so as to achieve a desired performance.A ballistic body is a body which is...
report arrives, confirming that Mrs. Leight and the ambassador were killed with the same gun. Leight is arrested.
Having cracked the case, Monk and Co. are allowed to visit Tennyson (Collison) on his deathbed. Tennyson remembers being hired by a man to build and plant the bomb that killed Trudy. When asked, he says he doesn’t know the name or the description of the man that hired him, since it was dark when they met, and it looks like Tennyson is a dead end. But Tennyson remembers one vital clue: the man in question had six fingers on his right hand
Polydactyly
Polydactyly or polydactylism , also known as hyperdactyly, is a congenital physical anomaly in humans, dogs, and cats having supernumerary fingers or toes....
.
Monk asks for a few moments alone with Tennyson. When the others are gone, Tennyson asks for forgiveness, but Monk cannot bring himself to give it. He turns off Tennyson's morphine drip
Morphine
Morphine is a potent opiate analgesic medication and is considered to be the prototypical opioid. It was first isolated in 1804 by Friedrich Sertürner, first distributed by same in 1817, and first commercially sold by Merck in 1827, which at the time was a single small chemists' shop. It was more...
saying, "This is me, turning off your morphine," ensuring he will spend his last few days in agonizing pain. But a few tense moments later, he says, "This is Trudy, the woman you killed, turning it back on," and does.
The gang prepares to leave New York, having gotten at least one step further in solving Monk’s most important case.
Continuity
- One season later, in "Mr. Monk Bumps His Head," Monk receives a trace from someone who claims to have found photo id on the six-fingered man and to meet at a gas station. However, the source later fights Monk and gives him amnesia after Monk discerns the photo's lack of validity. Three seasons later, in "Mr. Monk Is On The Run," Monk comes face to face with the six-fingered man, who admits that Tennyson built the bomb, but he detonated it. Dale "The Whale"'s reasons for sharing part of the truth with Monk also become clear.
Trivia
- Adrian MonkAdrian MonkAdrian Monk is a fictional character portrayed by Tony Shalhoub and the protagonist of the USA Network television series Monk. He is a renowned former homicide detective for the San Francisco Police Department...
's age is said to be 45. - Stottlemeyer becomes annoyed with an NYPD officer for using the word "Frisco," a typical reaction of many San FranciscansSan Francisco, CaliforniaSan Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
and Northern CaliforniaNorthern CaliforniaNorthern California is the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. The San Francisco Bay Area , and Sacramento as well as its metropolitan area are the main population centers...
ns despite the word's increasing popularity in hip-hop. - Latvian site miljons.com featured this episode as a joke for its incorrect depiction of Latvia, noting that there is no way the key sentence in the episode could sound as anything in actual Latvian dialect.
- Ted LevineTed LevineFrank Theodore "Ted" Levine is an American actor. He is known for his roles as Buffalo Bill in The Silence of the Lambs and Captain Leland Stottlemeyer in the television series Monk.-Early life and career:...
and Mykelti WilliamsonMykelti WilliamsonMichael T. "Mykelti" Williamson is an American actor best known for his role as Benjamin Buford Blue in the 1994 film Forrest Gump, as Detective Bobby "Fearless" Smith in the critically acclaimed but commercially unsuccessful crime drama Boomtown, and recently for appearing as the head of CTU for...
(Captain Cage) played fellow cops in Michael Mann's 1995 film Heat.