Mr. Monk and the Critic

Monk and Natalie have gone to the theater to see Natalie's daughter, Julie, in a presentation of community theater. They both notice the local critic John Hannigan in a balcony seat. Natalie thinks that's odd since Hannigan usually doesn't review community theater.

After the show, they notice police activity down the block. A woman has either jumped or been pushed to her death from her hotel room. Monk does some investigating of the scene and determines that she was probably pushed. From the setting of the room they determine she was waiting for a boyfriend. Then the review for Julie's play comes out and the reviewer calls Julie forgettable. Natalie decides to confront the reviewer about the review, and based on a couple of minor similarities to what the police said about the suspect, Natalie reaches the conclusion that Hannigan is the killer.

Monk is a bit inconsistent in this one, because he completely dismisses Natalie's hunch, just figuring she thinks this is a bad guy based on the fact that he didn't like her daughter's performance. He's had hunches he's doggedly followed based on less. But Monk is right when he says that if Hannigan is the killer, then he would have had to leave the play in the middle of the performance, and that they both looked up at different times and saw Hannigan's silhouette in the balcony. Complications ensue.

The funniest bit in the episode is Monk reluctantly learning that the men's room at the theater is like an oasis of cleanliness and decorum, complete with a friendly attendant. Monk mentions he is tempted to become a patron just so he can use this bathroom.