Mr. Monk Goes to a Fashion Show
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| “Mr. Monk Goes to a Fashion Show” | |
|---|---|
| Monk episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 4 Episode 10 |
| Guest stars | Malcolm McDowell |
| Written by | Jonathan Collier |
| Directed by | Randy Zisk |
| Production no. | T-2366 |
| Original airdate | January 13, 2006 |
| Episode chronology | |
| ← Previous | Next → |
| "Mr. Monk and the Secret Santa" | "Mr. Monk Bumps His Head" |
| List of Monk episodes | |
Mr. Monk Goes to a Fashion Show is an episode of the USA Network series Monk.
[edit] Plot synopsis
While shopping for his brand of shirt, Monk notices that the work of his clothing inspector number eight, who is his favorite, has suffered a serious decline in quality. He immediately infers that something is wrong with Number Eight and decides to investigate. Number Eight, who goes by the real name of Maria Ortiz, is distracted from her work because her son Pablo has been convicted in the murder of fashion model Clea Vance, and she swears that he is innocent.
Monk and Natalie go to see Pablo in prison, where they confront Pablo with the strong case against him, including mountains of physical and DNA evidence against him. Monk determines that Pablo cannot read English, and becomes skeptical of Pablo's guilt when he notices that the murderer would have read a sign on an emergency exit near the crime scene and elected not to use it.
Along with Capt. Stottlemeyer and Lt. Disher, Monk goes to the crime lab to review the evidence in the murder. They are greeted by lab technician Howard Gordon, who explains that he did the work himself and that the case against Pablo Ortiz was solid. Gordon also announces that he is retiring after making a sizeable amount of money in real estate.
Monk decides to reinvestigate the case, starting with an interview of Vance's former roommate and fellow model Natasia Zorel, which piques the interest of the Captain and Randy. Together, the four go to meet clothing designer Julian Hodge (Malcolm McDowell), who is preparing for a fashion show later in the week. Hodge says that Zorel is working for him in a photo shoot, and invites them to join him later. Monk talks to Zorel, who says that she said everything in her statement at the time of the murder. Meanwhile, at the shoot, Hodge notices Julie Teeger, Natalie's daughter, and invites her to model for her at his show. Natalie bluntly refuses the offer, but later repents and allows Julie to participate.
Hodge visits Zorel at her apartment that evening, reveals that he bribed her to give a false statement implicating Pablo in the murder of Clea Vance, explains that he cannot take the risk of her revealing this secret, and murders her, making it look like a suicide. When the crime is discovered in the morning, Gordon rules it a suicide, but Monk disagrees, noticing that the glass that she supposedly had been holding had been wiped down and placed in her hand. Stottlemeyer then declares the death a homicide.
Later, Monk and Natalie attend a rehearsal for the fashion show that Julie is going to be in. Hodge stops the show to berate Julie, and Monk notices the way he obsesses over her collar. He remembers from the photo in her case file that the collar on Clea Vance is perfectly straight despite the fact that the rest of her body is contorted. Monk realizes that Hodge is the murderer of both Vance and Zorel, and confronts him with this theory while Natalie pulls a highly upset Julie out of the show.
Monk, Stottlemeyer and Disher call Gordon to the old Clea Vance crime scene. They inform him that they have discovered four strands of hair that were stuck behind a piece of wallpaper on the wall, which they believe belong to the real killer. They ask Gordon to process the DNA off the hair strands, and get back to them as soon as possible.
That evening, Natalie notices that Julie has run away from home, and calls Monk to help find her. They go to the hotel where Hodge's fashion show is being held, supposing that Julie has gone against her mother's wishes. Monk attempts to talk his way past the bouncer, but in the end Natalie pushes through and he follows. Natalie goes up on stage and pulls Julie off, explaining that there are "grown-up things" going on.
After the show, Monk, Stottlemeyer and Disher call Gordon to meet with Hodge. Gordon announces that he has determined that the hairs belong to Pablo Ortiz. Stottlemeyer places Gordon under arrest as an accessory to murder, and explains that the hairs were planted and actually belonged to Monk. Monk sums up the case, explaining that Gordon offered to conceal Hodge's guilt in exchange for a payment. Pablo Ortiz was the easiest scapegoat that they could implicate, and was actually completely innocent. Hodge is arrested and taken into custody with Gordon.
Monk and Natalie then go to the prison where Pablo and Maria Ortiz are finally reunited in the end.
[edit] Trivia
- Weezer's Dope Nose plays during the fashion show montage.
- At the start of the scene where Julian Hodge and Howard Gordon are arrested, Julian speaks while drinking.
