Monk: Season Six (Blu-ray Review)

• Reviewed by: Tim Salmons
• Review Date: Dec 20, 2024
• Format: Blu-ray Disc
• 

Director

Various

Release Date(s)

2007-2008 (May 7, 2024)

Studio(s)

Mandeville Films/Touchstone Television/USA Cable Entertainment (Kino Lorber Studio Classics)

• Film/Program Grade: B+
• Video Grade: A
• Audio Grade: A-
• Extras Grade: C

Review

Adrian Monk, the obsessive-compulsive, phobic, and lovable police detective, returns for another series of investigations while strengthening the bonds between his friends and colleagues in the sixth season of Monk, which initially aired on the USA Network from July 2007 to February 2008. The show’s popularity was as high as ever as Monk (Tony Shaloub) and the rest of the show’s characters had hit their creative stride, with Monk continuing to deal with his sometimes unbearable OCD, yet always haunted by the tragic death of his late wife, Trudy.

For this season, we see more returning characters, including Marci Maven (Sarah Silverman), Monk’s number one fan and founder of the Monk-o-Philes (which longtime fans of the show have since adapted); Dale the Whale, now portrayed by Ray Porter, whom Monk would have his final encounter with; and Harold Krenshaw (Tim Bagley), Monk’s greatest rival. We would also be seeing the last of two recurring characters: Linda Fusco (Sharon Lawrence), Stottlemeyer’s girlfriend who has a sudden and surprising exit from the show, and Monk’s long-time psychiatrist Dr. Kroger, portrayed by Stanley Kamel who sadly passed away after this season was filmed. Returning as always is Natalie (Traylor Howard), Monk’s longtime and faithful assistant, Captain Stottlemeyer (Ted Levine), his right hand, Lieutenant Randy Disher (Jason Gray-Stanford), and Melora Hardin as Trudy, whom we see occasionally in flashbacks and photos. Guest stars include Alfred Molina, Diedrich Bader, Howie Mandel, Victoria Tennant, Snoop Dogg, Dan Castellaneta, Peter Stormare, Donal Logue, Angela Kinsey, Randle Mell, David Koechner, Larry Miller, Gail O’Grady, John Hawkes, and Scott Glenn.

Monk continued its success, winning multiple awards and eventually becoming the “highest-rated series in cable history” at the time. Today, the show stands as one of the most popular TV series of all time and continues to garner new fans, thanks in no small part to a small but likable cast of characters, chief among them Adrian Monk, played perfectly by Tony Shaloub.

All sixteen episodes of the sixth season of Monk were shot by cinematographer Joe Pennella on Super 35mm film with Panavision cameras and lenses, finished on HDCAM SR videotape, and presented in the aspect ratio of 1.33:1. Kino Lorber Studio Classics brings the show to Blu-ray for the first time using new 4K masters created by NBC/Universal from the original camera negatives, framed at 1.78:1, and presented on dual-layered BD-50 discs. As with previous seasons, the overall look of the show is organic and much sharper than any disc-based presentations that have come before it. Each disc features bitrates that range from 25 to 35Mbps, and every episode is crisp with excellent detail and color, as well as solid levels of grain. The palette offers a nice variety of hues with deep blacks and good contrast. All of the episodes are clean, stable, and true to their film-based source.

Audio is included in English 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio with optional subtitles in English SDH. It’s not a mind-blowing sound experience, but it offers good separation with plenty of push for dialogue, sound effects, and score. It’s more than satisfactory.

The 4-Disc Blu-ray release of Monk: Season Six sits in a blue Amaray case with a double-sided insert, featuring episode titles and their synopses on the opposite side. Everything is housed in a slipcover featuring the same artwork. The following episodes and extras are included on each disc:

DISC ONE

1. Mr. Monk and His Biggest Fan (42:38)
2. Mr. Monk and the Rapper (41:28)
3. Mr. Monk and the Naked Man (41:34)
4. Mr. Monk and the Bad Girlfriend (43:09)

• Video Commentaries:
  • Mr. Monk and His Biggest Fan with Andy Breckman (SD – 3:45)
  • Mr. Monk and the Naked Man with Tom Gammill and Max Pross (SD – 5:14)
  • Mr. Monk and the Bad Girlfriend with Joe Toplyn (SD – 2:49)

DISC TWO

5. Mr. Monk and the Birds and the Bees (42:26)
6. Mr. Monk and the Buried Treasure (43:10)
7. Mr. Monk and the Daredevil (42:26)
8. Mr. Monk and the Wrong Man (41:34)

• Video Commentaries:
  • Mr. Monk and the Birds and the Bees with Peter Wolk (SD – 4:12)
  • Mr. Monk and the Buried Treasure with Jonathan Collier (SD – 1:55)
  • Mr. Monk and the Wrong Man with Salvatore Savo (SD – 2:27)

DISC THREE

9. Mr. Monk Is Up All Night (42:58)
10. Mr. Monk and the Man Who Shot Santa Claus (43:02)
11. Mr. Monk Joins a Cult (43:09)
12. Mr. Monk Goes to the Bank (42:19)

• Audio Commentary for Mr. Monk Is Up All Night with David Hoberman, Randall Zisk, Tony Shalhoub, Ted Levine, and Jason Gray-Stanford
• Video Commentary for Mr. Monk Is Up All Night with David Breckman (SD – 2:32)

DISC FOUR

13. Mr. Monk and the Three Julies (41:27)
14. Mr. Monk Paints His Masterpiece (43:06)
15. Mr. Monk Is on the Run: Part I (45:07)
16. Mr. Monk Is on the Run: Part II (42:23)

• Webisodes:
  • Little Monk and the Missing Bracelet (HD – 4:16)
  • Little Monk and the Business Boys (HD – 3:30)
  • Little Monk and the New Kid (HD – 4:18)
  • Little Monk and the Rubber Ball (HD – 4:13)
  • Little Monk and the Monk Cousin (HD – 4:49)

All of this season’s DVD extras have carried over, offering interviews (or video commentaries) with some of the show’s writers and directors, as well as a full audio commentary for the Mr. Monk Is Up All Night episode. In addition, there are five webisodes of Little Monk, which was a 2009 web series on the USA Network website, presented here in full HD. It’s a spin-off of sorts, showcasing bite-sized adventures of a young Adrian and Ambrose Monk. (The second half of these shows are included on the seventh season Blu-ray release.) As is always the case, every season of Monk on Blu-ray, including Season Six, is a home run for Kino Lorber. Highly Recommended.

- Tim Salmons

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