Ep 3. Mr. Monk and the Blackout

In the third episode of Monk season 3, titled "Mr. Monk and the Blackout," the eponymous detective faces a new challenge as a city-wide blackout plunges San Francisco into darkness. The episode begins with the power outage, which occurs just as Monk is about to visit his therapist, Dr. Kroger. Despite his fear of the dark, Monk decides to brave the streets and make his way to Dr. Kroger's office. Along the way, he witnesses a suspicious-looking man fleeing from the scene of a robbery.

Back at the police station, Captain Stottlemeyer and Lieutenant Disher investigate a string of burglaries that occurred during the blackout. Meanwhile, Monk becomes obsessed with finding the man he saw leaving the scene of the crime. Despite his limited vision in the dark, he manages to track down the suspect, a former car thief named J.T. Fleming. However, when Monk confronts him, J.T. claims to be innocent, and Monk starts to wonder whether he might be telling the truth.

As the investigation continues, Monk is forced to confront his own fears and anxieties, including his fear of the dark and his obsessive-compulsive disorder. Dr. Kroger tries to help him through these challenges, but Monk is reluctant to open up to him. Meanwhile, Captain Stottlemeyer and Lieutenant Disher use their detective skills to piece together the clues and unravel the mystery of the blackout burglaries.

As the episode reaches its climax, Monk and J.T. find themselves trapped in an elevator during another blackout. Forced to work together to escape, they start to bond over their shared experiences. In the end, Monk discovers the true culprit behind the burglaries, and J.T. is exonerated. By facing his fears and working with someone he initially distrusted, Monk learns an important lesson about the value of teamwork and the power of human connection.

Overall, "Mr. Monk and the Blackout" is a tense and suspenseful episode that showcases the best of the show's writing and acting. Featuring strong performances from Tony Shalhoub as Monk, Ted Levine as Captain Stottlemeyer, and Jason Gray-Stanford as Lieutenant Disher, it is a standout installment in the series that is sure to keep viewers on the edge of their seats. Whether you're a fan of crime dramas, detective shows, or just good storytelling, you won't want to miss this unforgettable episode of Monk.