Mr. Monk Bumps His Head

One of the funniest of all Monk episodes. Laurie Metcalf's character and her relationship with Monk is hilarious!

First off, the whole idea of being knocked on the head and developing amnesia is a complete fantasy. There is precedence for it happening, however it's not that simple. Amnesia is a defect caused by brain damage or by drug induced side effects, and of course diseases. In this episode monk get hit on the head and forgets who he is, and winds up in a town where he is taken advantage of by a crazy lady played by Laurie Metcalf. I hate amnesia plots, or at least bad amnesia plots. This one is bad, with it's comedy and it's mystery. Also Monk gets covered with bee's and the jerks around him do nothing. What a bunch of A-Holes. Also I should inform everyone that Amnesia in the real world has a lot of physical after effects such as motor and cognitive which are really life altering and can take years to recover from. When superman gets bumped on the head and developed amnesia why stopping a comet, that was entertaining and fun. This episode of monk, was just a slog to get through and I hate it.

Monk meets a man who says he has information about Trudy's death. The man is willing to say what he knows in return for cash. When Monk smells a scam, the man hits Monk on the head, takes the money anyway along with Monk's wallet, and throws Monk into the back of a truck which then departs, with the driver knowing nothing about what happened. Monk wakes up when the rig arrives in a small town in Wyoming. The driver just thinks Monk is some bum and gives him five dollars to buy a meal. Monk doesn't know he's Monk. He has amnesia, and without his wallet has no way to know who he is.

In this same Wyoming town, a middle-aged woman (Laurie Metcalf) is living Eleanor RIgby's life - nobody even noticed she was gone on a cruise for three months, and people try to have as short a conversation as possible with her. And then she spots Monk, hears about his amnesia, and sees his wedding ring. She convinces him that he is her husband and that they met on the cruise. Monk still remembers to be polite and kind, but he doesn't find her attractive, finds her house to be a mess, and is being forced to do chores such as roof repair that mess with his phobias. He may have amnesia, but those phobias are a part of him and are still there.

And then a waitress in the town disappears suddenly while leaving all her possessions behind, including a beloved pet, and Monk's detective instincts surface even though he doesn't remember being one. Back in San Francisco, Monk's friends and associates are working to find out what happened to him.

I felt sorry for Metcalf's character. She was overbearing, rude, and manipulative, but she was also alone in the world and thought she could grab a little happiness for herself as she was drowning in her loneliness.

'Monk' has always been one of my most watched shows when needing comfort, to relax after a hard day, a good laugh or a way to spend a lazy weekend.

One does have to give "Mr Monk Bumps His Head" credit for being different, when it comes to unique 'Monk' episodes "Mr Monk Bumps His Head" is very high up in the list. It is not one of my favourite episodes of Season 4, it has its faults and doesn't have that special quality to set it apart, and it is not one of my favourite episodes of 'Monk' either. Nonetheless, it is interesting and a worthwhile watch. It does fall downhill somewhat after a very dramatic and shocking opening scene, the first section lags a little and doesn't come to life properly until the mystery kicks in. The ending intrigues but not everything seemed resolved, especially with a clearer explanation as to why Cora pretended to be married to Monk and how the amnesia is dealt with at the end.

Wasn't sure what to make of Cora (although Laurie Metcalf does make a valiant effort with the character). The psychopathic side of the character is chilling, she has some good lines and the interplay between her and Monk is both amusing and creepy, but she was very annoying and somewhat cartoonish at first and her motives and treatment of Monk even for her character were on the extreme side. While Traylor Howard, Jason Gray-Stanford, Ted Levine and Stanley Kamel do very well with what they have and all of them have good moments to shine, all of them are underused with their characters having little to do.

However, the whole thing with Monk's amnesia is done very well (essential considering that it is what dominates the episode and the most memorable thing about it), seeing a few hilarious moments (especially the scenes with the bees and in the bedroom) typical 'Monk' style and also with one feeling sorry for Monk.

The mystery, once it's introduced, plays second fiddle somewhat to the amnesia but is regardless an interesting and fun mystery that engages the viewer, not one of those easily guessable and obvious ones.

As said many times, one of the best things about 'Monk' has always been the acting of Tony Shalhoub in the title role. It was essential for him to work and be the glue of the show, and Shalhoub not only is that but also at his very best he IS the show. Have always loved the balance of the humour, which is often hilarious, and pathos, which is sincere and touching.

It's not just the cast or story though. Another star is the writing, which is also essential to whether the show would be successful or not and succeed it does here. The mix of wry humour, lovable quirkiness and tender easy-to-relate-to drama is delicately done, particularly the last one. The quirks are sympathetically done and never exploited or overdone.

Visually, the episode is shot in a slick and stylish way, and the music is both understated and quirky. While there is a preference for the theme music for Season 1, Randy Newman's "It's a Jungle Out There" has grown on me overtime, found it annoying at first but appreciate its meaning and what it's trying to say much more now. Oh and a good job is done with the different opening credits sequence to accommodate the changes made.

In summation, a different episode and a decent one but not a favourite of mine. 7/10 Bethany Cox

It's like Overboard and Monk had a baby, with Aunt Jackie as Kurt Russell and Monk playing Goldie Hawn. Fun!