By Michelle V
I seldom have the time to devote even an hour for new-spun offerings from cable channels, much less two, but the double-delight of watching two great sets of acting chops in Tony Shalhoub and Ted Levine in the new USA channel pilot for "Monk" was simply a joy.
Tony Shalhoub is the title "Adrian Monk"; -- a shell-shocked survivor of his wifes' murder 4 years prior to the time we meet him at his therapists' office. His former career as a police detective has been sidelined due to his obsessive-compulsive behavior since that event, and the guy is sometimes lost between his brilliance as a crime-solver and the OCD that cripples his abilities --- many times to hilarious comic effect. He fears germs, heights, spaces and milk!
His old-time skills come into play when he's grudgingly asked by his old watch-commander (Ted Levine), to join an investigation into an apparent political assassination, turning hoops all over the place for the viewer. Bitty Schram also contributes immensely as the trodden-upon assistant to our poor, fear-ridden detective.
Set in San Francisco, the most beautiful of cities, we are given that town as a surrogate character that fits most nicely into the dynamics of the rest of the cast, and direction couldn't've been more superb; -- despite the 8+ minutes of commercial breaks inserted at least ten times.
Tony and Ted met and hit a tremendous mark, to flavor and nuance every weird turn.
Give this one a rah-rah -- it is worth your time.