I can remember my first day of school at age five. I was petrified and remember walking into this huge bus with a vast array of riders from 4 different schools. I even recall the older students listening to The Four Seasons on their portable transistor radios singing their hit song Sherry. In this episode of MONK starring (Tony Shaloub) gets an assignment from an old classmate from his middle school days. This wasn't any old classmate, this was Sherry Judd (Donna Bullock), his first middle school crush. Sherry shows up at Monk's apartment. His assistant/helper Natalie Teeger (Traylor Howard) answers the door and Monk stunned and panic-stricken reacts by saying he can't help her because of events from his past. But Natalie tells Monk that out of all the private Detectives in this town she picks you. To Sherry's amazement, she compliments Adrianne on how great he looks. Adrianne in turn gets that old feeling back from those lost days of yesteryear. Sherry tells Adrianne about the murder that took place in her home the previous evening when burglars broke inside and killed her housekeeper and then vandalize her Grandmother's portrait. Monk and Natalie go to the crime scene where the motives don't make sense. They are interrupted by Sherry's ex-husband who writes her an alimony check on the spot. To understand Super sleuth private detective Adrianne Monk's unusual, bazaar behavior, Besides the normal issues of lacking self-confidence with women, he also suffers from (OCD) Obsessive-compulsive disorder. Despite his frailties, quirkiness, Monk is a full-fledged germaphobe with an endless pack of Sani wipes provided by his assistant Natalie, Despite all those difficult phobias, Monk views the world with more clarity, he is a genius when it comes to solving crimes. This episode flashes back to his middle school experience. Young and stocky with curly hair, Young, Adrienne (Grant Rosenmeyer) is controlled, constrained by his cold forbidding mother played to perfection by Rose Abdoo. Just looking at her you get the shivers. She is only in one scene, but it's worth a look. No hugs. Just firm handshake. In this episode, you see the makings of the foundation that formed the Monk of today. Young Monk and Young Sherry (Katelyn Pippy) are working together. Collect money for a school dance in a form of a bake sale. The school bully harasses Young Monk and Sherry which manifests into accusations of stolen funds against Sherry. This prompts young Monk on the case as the junior Sherlock Holmes. The story switches from past to present in an orderly fashion. History repeats itself here in this cleverly written story of past and current criminal cases. When as they say, as much as everything changes, some things never change. Young Grant captures the mannerism so naturally. Maybe they should have a spin-off series of Young Monk episodes. This story also shows second chances in life but to find out the outcome you must watch this memorable episode.
Review of Mr. Monk and Little Monk
