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tarotgalEnd of an Era. I just watched the last ever episode of Monk and I can't stop crying.
It was a wonderful episode. It really did do everything I hoped it would do. Even if it was predictable for once, it was a really good predictable. I teared up a few times and I shed a few tears during that hug. But it wasn't until the end where he checks the stove and Natalie makes the comment about not wanting to get all the way downtown and not know if you turned the stove off or not that I LOST it. Totally bawling. I just re-watched the first ever episode of Monk on Sunday during the marathon and that was the very first thing in the whole series. So it was perfect. And I'm so glad I *got* that bit. But even if I hadn't started crying then, the montage would have set me off. I'm so happy for the characters but so sad to see them go!
I can still remember the pilot episode of Monk. I was sitting at the table in my old house, eating a late breakfast, and I found it starting on TV. My grandfather was visiting (the last visit I ever had with him before he died) and he wanted to know what I was watching. So I explained the concept (the show was only, like, 5 minutes in so all I knew were the commercials). And pretty soon my sister joined us in watching it. My parents probably saw some of it as well (can't remember how much). But from then on, it was like *our* show. My grandfather wasn't all that passionate about new things, especially after my grandmother died, so it was wonderful to see him get excited about something new. My family would watch shows occasionally, but it's hard to find something we all like. And even then usually it was something like Seinfeld while we were eating dinner, not first aired shows. But this... my grandfather in California watched it. And then everyone on my mother's side of the family-- Oregon, Texas, California, Virginia (I can't remember if the Canadians watched regularly; they don't watch a lot of TV as it is). It was like this common bond, this fun thing to talk to each other about and know that the others were watching.
My grandfather died the day before a new season of Monk was supposed to start, so he never knew Natalie. I remember my mom saying that he was shocked they had gotten rid of Sharona and wasn't sure he was going to like that switch; guess he never had to worry about the adjustment. My sister and my mom and her family were out in California to say goodbye to him and so, the day after he died, they sat together in his house and watched that episode sort of in his honor, and I watched it over here in Virginia with my dad. It made us all feel like we were together, you know?
But beyond that, it was just an exceptional show. There was just enough in every episode to let you figure it out... yet I was still unable to solve, like, 75% of the cases. I remember the race episode in season 1 (I think it was S1); that was the first one I ever solved completely, down to the last detail. I felt SO proud of myself. I used to take notes during episodes and then sit during that commercial break and try to figure it out (the notes sometimes helped, but not enough to keep doing them like a dork, LOL).
The characters were really what made the show special, though. Monk was of course an amazing character, but the whole cast was superb. And I grew very quickly to adore Natalie. But they all have places in my heart. When the actor who played Dr. Kroger died, I cried and I couldn't imagine how they could replace him, but Hector stepped in and did an excellent job. So many fun memories. And the way the last episode ended was just so perfect. I'm really happy with it. I just wish it didn't have to end!
It was a wonderful episode. It really did do everything I hoped it would do. Even if it was predictable for once, it was a really good predictable. I teared up a few times and I shed a few tears during that hug. But it wasn't until the end where he checks the stove and Natalie makes the comment about not wanting to get all the way downtown and not know if you turned the stove off or not that I LOST it. Totally bawling. I just re-watched the first ever episode of Monk on Sunday during the marathon and that was the very first thing in the whole series. So it was perfect. And I'm so glad I *got* that bit. But even if I hadn't started crying then, the montage would have set me off. I'm so happy for the characters but so sad to see them go!
I can still remember the pilot episode of Monk. I was sitting at the table in my old house, eating a late breakfast, and I found it starting on TV. My grandfather was visiting (the last visit I ever had with him before he died) and he wanted to know what I was watching. So I explained the concept (the show was only, like, 5 minutes in so all I knew were the commercials). And pretty soon my sister joined us in watching it. My parents probably saw some of it as well (can't remember how much). But from then on, it was like *our* show. My grandfather wasn't all that passionate about new things, especially after my grandmother died, so it was wonderful to see him get excited about something new. My family would watch shows occasionally, but it's hard to find something we all like. And even then usually it was something like Seinfeld while we were eating dinner, not first aired shows. But this... my grandfather in California watched it. And then everyone on my mother's side of the family-- Oregon, Texas, California, Virginia (I can't remember if the Canadians watched regularly; they don't watch a lot of TV as it is). It was like this common bond, this fun thing to talk to each other about and know that the others were watching.
My grandfather died the day before a new season of Monk was supposed to start, so he never knew Natalie. I remember my mom saying that he was shocked they had gotten rid of Sharona and wasn't sure he was going to like that switch; guess he never had to worry about the adjustment. My sister and my mom and her family were out in California to say goodbye to him and so, the day after he died, they sat together in his house and watched that episode sort of in his honor, and I watched it over here in Virginia with my dad. It made us all feel like we were together, you know?
But beyond that, it was just an exceptional show. There was just enough in every episode to let you figure it out... yet I was still unable to solve, like, 75% of the cases. I remember the race episode in season 1 (I think it was S1); that was the first one I ever solved completely, down to the last detail. I felt SO proud of myself. I used to take notes during episodes and then sit during that commercial break and try to figure it out (the notes sometimes helped, but not enough to keep doing them like a dork, LOL).
The characters were really what made the show special, though. Monk was of course an amazing character, but the whole cast was superb. And I grew very quickly to adore Natalie. But they all have places in my heart. When the actor who played Dr. Kroger died, I cried and I couldn't imagine how they could replace him, but Hector stepped in and did an excellent job. So many fun memories. And the way the last episode ended was just so perfect. I'm really happy with it. I just wish it didn't have to end!
