It’s time to tidy up for another season with the marvelous Tony Shalhoub in all 16 fifth-season episodes of Monk, television’s freshest and funniest series. Gumshoe Adrian Monk would never actually have gum on his well-polished shoes: in addition to intellect and instinct, he also has obsessive-compulsive disorder. Though his eccentric traits bewilder his colleagues Natalie Teeger, Captain Stottlemeyer and Lieutenant Disher, Monk’s attention to detail keeps crime—and grime—off the streets. Follow the clues to Season Five of Monk, the quirky and original show TV Guide hails as “alternatively hilarious and touching,” featuring guest stars Brooke Adams, Sean Astin, Alice Cooper, Charles Durning, Dan Hedaya, Jennifer Lawrence, Sharon Lawrence, Chi McBride, Andy Richter, Stanley Tucci, Reginald VelJohnson, Steven Weber, Peter Weller and many more.
Get even more obsessed with TV’s funniest and quirkiest detective, Monk, with all 16 episodes of the smash-hit sixth season on Blu-ray! The terrific Tony Shalhoub reprises his award-winning role as the brilliant but phobia-laden detective Adrian Monk, who never lets his obsessive-compulsive disorder stop him from solving a crime in the most ingenious way imaginable! Dropping the clues this season are a roster of red-hot guest stars including Dan Castellaneta, Snoop Dogg, Scott Glenn, John Hawkes, Angela Kinsey, David Koechner, Sharon Lawrence, Howie Mandel, Larry Miller, Alfred Molina, Sarah Silverman, Peter Stormare and many more. Take a tip from an insider: you’ll be “committed” to this compulsively watchable detective series!
Note: Seasons Five and Six of Monk are sold individually. The grouping of these releases together is only for the purposes of this review.
For thoughts on Monk: The Complete Fifth and Sixth Seasons, please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required:
Video Quality
Monk does not let up on Blu-Ray with a terrific digital AVC encoded 1080p transfer sourced from a 4K restoration in a 1.78:1 aspect ratio. Kino Classics provides both of these seasons four discs to present 16 episodes, allowing the appropriate amount of room to avoid compression artifacts and other unwanted nuisances. This series looks exceptional in HD as the source has been lovingly restored without DNR or other serious digital anomalies. The original film grain stays intact and resolves ideally without succumbing to noise or clumping.
Colors are robustly saturated to provide each scene a chance to reach its full potential, and any hint of print damage has been banished with this master. Black levels are formidable with crush not developing as an issue. Each season remains stable throughout its run with episodes maintaining a thorough level of consistency. Clarity and detail are first-rate, and skin tones are natural with subtle facial features easily observable in closeup. Elements of the production design are deftly textured and defined in a way that reveals so much previously overlooked nuance. This new presentation from Kino Classics is incredible, and it is a big step up from the older DVD sets.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray disc comes with a fetching audio upgrade in the form of a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that favorably showcases the series. Dialogue comes through crisp and clear as it intermingles with competing elements. Atmospheric sounds are rendered without issue alongside everything else. The low-end support adds some subtle texture to moments that benefit from it. There do not seem to be any serious instances of age-related wear and tear. The score complements each case with an effective handling of the emotions. The audio quality itself presents with top-notch fidelity which allows every element to come through clearly. Kino Classics has treated the audio with the level of care it deserves.
Special Features
Season Five
- Mr. Monk and the Leper (Black & White and Color Option)
- Audio Commentary (B&W): Tony Shalhoub, Jason Gray-Stanford, Ted Levine, Traylor Howard, Sarah Brown, Executive Producer David Hoberman, Writer/Executive Producer Andy Breckman and Director/Executive Producer Randall Zisk
- Intro with Tony Shalhoub (B&W): A 37-second intro from the star who sets up the black-and-white viewing experience.
- Intro with Ted Levine and Jason Gray-Stanford (Color): A 58-second intro from the two performers who advocate for the color viewing experience.
- Webisodes: There are four brief outings with the titular character that were made for fans to view online. They are worth checking out, especially considering the brief time commitment.
- Mr. Monk and Dr. Kroger (1:56)
- Mr. Monk and the Computer (2:00)
- Mr. Monk and the Blood Test (2:07)
- Mr. Monk Goes to the Gym (1:43)
Season Six
- Audio Commentaries
- Mr. Monk Is Up All Night: Tony Shalhoub, Ted Levine, Jason Gray-Stanford, Executive Producer David Hoberman and Director/Executive Producer Randall Zisk
- Video Commentaries: This is somewhat of a misnomer as this does not run the entirety of the episode like a normal commentary track. This is just a brief interview with some of the creative figures who discuss the episode at hand briefly.
- Mr. Monk and His Biggest Fan (3:45): Writer/Executive Producer Andy Breckman
- Mr. Monk and the Naked Man (5:14): Writers Tom Gammill and Max Pross
- Mr. Monk and the Bad Girlfriend (2:49): Writer Joe Toplyn
- Mr. Monk and the Birds and the Bees (4:12): Writer Peter Wolk
- Mr. Monk and the Buried Treasure (1:55): Writer/Co-Executive Producer Jonathan Collier
- Mr. Monk and the Wrong Man (2:27): Writer Sal Savo
- Mr. Monk Is Up All Night (2:32): Writer David Breckman
- Webisodes: There are five brief outings with the titular character that were made for fans to view online. They are worth checking out, especially considering the brief time commitment.
- Little Monk and the Missing Bracelet (4:16)
- Little Monk and the Business Boys (3:30)
- Little Monk and the New Kid (4:18)
- Little Monk and the Rubber Ball (4:13)
- Little Monk and the Monk Cousin (4:49)
Final Thoughts
Monk proves to be an enduring comfort in its fifth and sixth seasons as we enter the latter half of the show’s tenure. The show might not retain the magic of its earlier seasons, but there is still a great deal of fun to be had with these characters and the unique cases they get involved in. Not to mention, the guest stars keep delivering with hilarious and surprising turns. There are some dramatic swings on occasion, but these seasons are more about maintaining consistency for a mystery favorite. Kino Classics has delivered two Blu-Ray collections with stellar A/V quality and great legacy special features. If you are a fan of the series, these releases are exactly what you want. Highly Recommended
Monk: The Complete Fifth Season is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.
Monk: The Complete Sixth Season is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Kino Classics has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
