Raven, I think it's time for another emotionally wrenching episode, like Mrs. Monk, but not using Trudy to bring on the emotional upheavel. Tony is such a good actor I want to see that dramatic, emotional side of him again. Maybe, when he finally meets his dad again it will have that quality.

I'm really starting to warm up to the idea of Julie waiting in the car while Adrian and Natalie run into some type of store. The store is robbed, someone is shot and the robbers use the car Julie is in as the get-away car. Adrian is on the case to solve the murder and finding Julie. A distraught Natalie calls him Adrian as she breaks down thinking about her daughters safety - it's never been done on MONK before and could be worked by our wonderful writers into a powerful, emotional, comedic episode.

Or if (God Forbid!) Adrian got seriously hurt and Natalie had to take care of him, they might grow closer emotionally - enough that they would both feel comfortable with her calling him Adrian. Or under that kind of extreme circumstance, it might just feel more natural for her to call him by his first name.

Monk is better when its funny not emothionally wrenching.

Kees and LisaAnn, your ideas are both great and certainly would be ideal for that new relationship between Adrian and Natalie to begin! Less formal, more friends.
I'm pretty anxious to see the episode with Monk's dad too, that could be the kind I really enjoy, when we see more of what makes Adrian tick. At the same time I feel anxious about it because of how angry Adrian is at him. Will things be worked out in that episode? Or will Adrian be hurt again? I can hardly wait.

Ok. Maybe they will be (in series) together...but you forget something...Tony (Adrian) is older than Traylor (Natalie)...and did you forget what he said in episode Mr. Monk and Mrs. Monk? "You very young"...that what he said...May be she remind him Trudy but which of parts...? hey can be together but they don't have to...

Alex, I would also like to explore exactly what Adrian meant when he said Natalie reminds him alot of Trudy.

That was in the New Shrink episode, right? Or maybe I'm remembering it that way. But my (preffered) interpretation of that based on Adrian's 'session' with Natalie sitting in for Dr. Kroger was that Adrian was starting to depend on Natalie more than he was comfortable with to fulfill at least one of the roles that Trudy used to fill in his life; as his grounding point. She kept his life together, she took care of him. If you'll notice, right after she told him that she was off limits, he switched gears and went immediately to his mother, who, as we saw in Little Monk, apparently went to great lengths to take care of him too; getting him to school, making sure he knew exactly where she would pick him up, exactly what time, and even what she would be wearing. He was saying that it would only be a matter of time before Natalie died, or found another job before she said he couldn't talk about her anymore, and that he would 'be screwed' when that happens, then he jumped to talking about how he was upset when he was twelve and his mom went back to work. He said, "She said it would only be part time, but she was gone almost every night..." In other words, she wasn't there to take care of him, to do all the things he was used to her doing, to talk to, or to just be there because it was what he was used to. Then she died, but that was after he married Trudy.

Trudy was the person he began to rely on, possibly after he had to become less reliant on his mother just to be there, which probably helped him be better able to deal with losing his mom, but then when Trudy died, he didn't have anyone. When Sharona left, he didn't have anyone again, so he expects Natalie to eventually not be there and he won't have anyone. Or so he thinks. He can and has been able to rely on Leland and Dr. Kroger, but in a much more detached way, and to a lessed degree, Randy in the last few years but not as heavily as he does Natalie or did with Sharona, Trudyor his mom.

We equate people taking care of us with them caring about us, and I think that it's possibly more important to him just to have someone to care about him, at least in this way (shopping for the things he is picky about, putting up with his quirks, understanding him, or at least trying to) because he has very low self esteem and idea of his own self worth, and needs almost constant reassurance that someone does care about him, and having someone he can always rely on makes him feel more secure.

These were all probably things he was thinking about a lot more in this episode because of his fear that he was about to lose Dr. Kroger and he relies so heavily on him as a part of his emotional support system, it was bringing up memories of other people he'd lost, making him afraid of losing those he had left, ect... And probably it's intended as hints toward future episodes when he might have to cope temporarily without Natalie (maybe while Traylor is on maternity leave or shorter shooting schedules), and he starts to think about reconnecting with his father. His dad may have left them when Adrian was young but now that Adrian's had to deal with the near loss of someone whose acted in a role similar to that that a father normally would (guidance, advise, helping him rebuild his self image and his ideas of himself as a man) he's probably started thinking about how he needs to try to forgive his father and at least make the effort to connect with him again. But that's one possible take on it, I'm sure there are others that would be every bit as valid. By saying that Natalie was reminding him of Trudy, it's certainly not a big stretch for a fan who wanted to see a possible romance between them to take that as an indication that it might eventually happen. I just personally don't want that to happen, and I sort of think it would be a bad idea for him to be reminded of his dead wife by a person he was romantically involved with, but then that's just me.

*g* Wow, I would love to hear Natalie call Monk Adrian...but I somehow doubt it will happen anytime soon...

I dunno, I know Sharona called him Adrain, but now if you notice how Natalie has continued to call Monk, Mr. Monk...and each of the episodes titles is

"Mr Monk and the..." etc, kinda like they're memoirs, which if you know the mysteries of Sherlock Holmes are written in Watson's pov, and those mysteries is what Monk is based on...

So it could be said such episodes are memoirs, nu? The books, I hear they're in Natalie's pov too right? And she is parallel to Watson...

Am I making any sense? *g* in either case, I do hope she starts calling him Adrian.

You are making sense. At least to me.

Personally, I like that she calls him Mr. Monk, as compared to how she called her previous boss by his first name because to me it seems to say that she sees him as someone more worthy of her respect, that he has earned her respect, while Clem, who was sort of sleazy, had not. Also because I am not a big fan of the idea of a possible romance there and as long as she's calling him Mr. Monk, I don't have to worry that is where it's headed. Or at least that's what I tell myself. But mostly it because of the fact that it seems to indicate to me that she respects him greatly.

I think that another possible reason for the writers' choice to have her call him Mr. Monk is the fact that it's like a subtle, but constant reminder that Adrian is very, very detached from the world and to maintain the feeling of general disocciation to generate sympathy for the character. Very few people now call him by his first name, and aside from being adressed as 'Mr., Mrs., Ms., DR...' being viewed as a sign of respect from the general population, there is the fact that we are generally not addressed by our family, friends, and people we are closest to that way. Usually, people who are close to us and we have deeper emotional attachments to call us by nicknames, or our first names. While Natalie may see it as a sign of respect, it might also be serving to maintain the feeling of isolation that sort of defines Adrian, but I'm sure that is not her intention. It is probably the writers' intention, though, to always sort of remind us of his almost complete alienation and isolation even though he lives in a large city and is surrounded by people.

That makes alot of sense, and I'm not interested in a romance between Natalie & Monk, I personally think it would be out of character. Yes Monk depends on Natalie, but I just see them as friends. I suppose I just miss the "Adrian" because I thought it really signified Sharona's and Monk's friendship.

But from your points...I see how being called Mr. Monk works out...some very deep stuff right there. Thank you

I wouldn't want Monk and Natalie to have a romance either. I just would like them to have a little less of a formal relationship and get closer as friends. (And I would like her to call him Adrian!)

Really excellent points Liv, I understand a little better the psychology behind the "Mr".

I want to say again that I also do not want a romance between Adrian and Natalie. When I mention them becoming closer I mean in a friends way, only.

Perhaps your answer is "the answer" to why Natalie calls him Mr. Monk. She respects him and treats him the way an assistant would, the same way she guides her daughter into doing what is right and thinking why doing something else is wrong.

I like the Mr. Monk and as for a romantic encounter well that will happen- when pigs fly! And the last thing Monk needs is a nagging Natalie wife.
PS- Note that this is a business trend. In the past every one was a Mr or Miss or Mrs- Now if you work for someone you are called by your first name and the Master or Mistress gets the Mr or Ms title and that it is just wrong

It looks like "Adrian" is winning! Now we'll just have to wait and see what happens!

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i like Mr. monk for the time being.

I loved the way Sharona would say Adrian with her Jersy accent!