Monk Season 3

If you are after a comedy that actually makes you laugh out loud, Monk Season 3 is available on and right now. The 1-season run is exactly the right length for what it is doing. An 8/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Tony Shalhoub is the obvious draw, but the whole ensemble earns its laughs. There is no real reason to keep putting it off.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, Monk Season 3 is worth clearing space for. The jokes in Monk Season 3 land because the characters underneath them are worth caring about. Adrian Monk is back, and he’s ready to battle any crime…as long as it doesn’t involve germs, heights or other people. Still hoping to be reinstated in the San Francisco Police Department, Monk continues to use his intelligence, photographic memory and ever-present hand wipes to take on some daunting opponents, including the Mafia, the FBI and a possibly murderous chimpanzee. Tony Shalhoub and Ted Levine lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was aired in 2004. The real test of any comedy is whether it is still funny once you know all the jokes, and Monk Season 3 holds up on rewatch in a way that separates it from one-off curiosities. The hit rate here is high enough that skipping ahead never feels like an option.

Monk Season 3 is the kind of thing you put on in the background and end up fully watching. It does not lean on comparisons to make its case. Short enough to finish in a weekend, substantial enough to feel satisfying. Tony Shalhoub sets the tone, but the supporting cast is where a lot of the best moments come from. A reliable pick for any night you want quality comedy without the homework.