Mr. Monk Goes to the Carnival

Season 1

Episode 5: Mr. Monk Goes to the Carnival

Stottlemeyer's former partner Adam Kirk is accused of murdering informant John Gitomer at a local carnival. Kirk has a reputation for police brutality and the murder took place on a ferris wheel on which only he had access to the victim. Is Kirk a cold blooded killer or is there another explanation. Only one man can solve this mystery. But Monk's up for reinstatement and he needs Stottlemeyer to testify on his behalf. Will the pressure be too much for the defective detective?

"He's the Guy":

Once again there's a mastermind behind the scheme who didn't commit the act himself. This time it's Leonard Stokes who needed to prevent Lieutenant Kirk leading to his imprisonment. The victim Gitomer was also involved in the scheme, beating himself up to help frame Kirk, unfortunately he wasn't told the whole plan. Kitty Malone, the ferris wheel operator, was the one who dealt the killer blow before she meets an unpleasant end herself at the hands of Stokes.

"Here's What Happened":

Convincing Gitomer to trick Kirk into meeting him on the ferris wheel and then creating a scene before exposing his bruises  to make it look like Kirk had beaten him. Gitomer believed he was helping Stokes by making Kirk look like a hot tempered violent cop completely unaware that he was the patsy in this devilish scheme. As the ferris wheel stopped Kitty rushed into to check on Gitomer as far as everyone else was concerned however in reality she was delivering the death blow by plowing a knife into his chest making Kirk look like a killer.

In Short:

This is the first in a long line of episodes featuring Monk attempting to be reinstated to the police force and like most ends in heart break for the obsessive compulsive detective. Ted Levine is given plenty to work with as Stottlemeyer as he is forced into revealing he doesn't think Monk is ready to return to the force. The murder is another so simple it's genius affairs and Monk's heartbreak at seeing Kirk restored to the force when he feels he should be is quite heartbreaking.