Mr. Monk Goes to the Carnival
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| “Mr. Monk Takes a Vacation” | |
|---|---|
| Monk episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 1 Episode 4 |
| Guest stars | Stephen McHattie Alan Van Sprang |
| Written by | Siobhan Byrne O'Connor |
| Directed by | Randall Zisk |
| Production no. | T-1104 |
| Original airdate | August 2, 2002 |
| Episode chronology | |
| ← Previous | Next → |
| "Mr. Monk Meets Dale the Whale" | "Mr. Monk Goes to the Asylum" |
| List of Monk episodes | |
"Mr. Monk Goes to the Carnival" was an episode of the TV series Monk.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
[edit] Kirk's assignment
This episode begins with SFPD officer Adam Kirk in an undercover assignment for Leland at a carnival. Kirk has to question a guy in a potential drug deal who convinces Kirk to take a ride with him on the Ferris wheel. The sounds of someone struggling can be heard, which prompts onlookers to investigate the scene, with Kirk leaving the ride and the operator announcing that the guy has been murdered, leaving Kirk in a bind since the Internal Affairs Department has dealt with the ill-tempered Kirk before. Kirk has been put on indefinite suspension until everything is cleared up.
[edit] A favor
As a personal favor, Leland seeks Monk's help to solve the murder, which comes at a convenient time when Adrian is up for reinstatement. Familiar with Kirk as he personally testified against Kirk involving a potential police corruption case, Monk is initially reluctant. But with Sharona's insistence, and with Leland's guarantee that he will put in a good word for Monk at the Police Commission Board, he decides to take the case. As Monk begins to put the pieces together, Leland meets the Police Commission Board regarding Monk's reinstatement, which puts Leland on the spot as to whether he thinks it might be a good idea or not for Monk to come back to the police force. Leland leaves the meeting and reluctantly breaks the news to Adrian and Sharona that he ultimately felt Monk just wasn't ready to hold down a gun or protect his partner yet. A deeply upset Adrian silently storms off, and Sharona calls Leland a backstabber.
[edit] Stokes
Not to let up on the case, Monk places the man murdered in the beginning to a man currently in prison, a murderer named Leonard Stokes whom Kirk personally put in prison for his heinous crimes. Monk realizes the murder victim was a fellow prisoner with Stokes, who convinced him to help frame Kirk by making Kirk look like a short-tempered cop who beat the man badly. But a third party was involved: Stokes' girlfriend, who was the Ferris wheel operator the night of the murder, and the one who personally drove the knife into the man's chest as Kirk's back was turned away from the spectacle. Commissioning Leland and company back to the carnival, Sharona and Adrian try to test the Ferris wheel theory, which has an angry Stokes in pursuit of both of them. Adrian must come to Sharona's rescue as Stokes climbs after her on the Ferris wheel. This is only further complicated when the handle driving the Ferris wheel is broken. But fortunately, Leland and company show up just in time to arrest Stokes, who has also murdered his girlfriend to cover up his tracks.
As he's officially reinstated to join the force by Leland, Kirk thanks Monk for a job well done. With the ugly situation behind them, Leland orders Monk to keep working at his reinstatement.
