After losing his job with the San Francisco Police Department for three years because of his obsessive/compulsive disorder, Monk now is a private investigator consultant. Captain Stottlemeyer, his former boss, reluctantly requests his aid to discover the would-be assassin of mayoral candidate Warren St. Claire.
The police finally got a lead on the would-be assassin, but he manages to escape, in part because of Monk's fear of heights. Sharona then convinces the deputy mayor to let Monk continue his investigation despite the objections from Captain Stottlemeyer.
A panicky woman driver goes off the road thanks to a skid block placed by her husband, former police commissioner Harry Ashcombe. Dolly Flint, a psychic who was arrested three times on bunko charges by Captain Stottlemeyer, wakes up in her car next to the site of the staged accident. She believes that she was led to the site by the dead woman's "aura," but Monk is doubtful. Instead, Monk suspects that Ashcombe is the real culprit behind his wife death.
A judge called 911before her death, and identifies the man who is about to murder her as rich and obscenely fat financier Dale Biederbeck. But Dale the Whale weighs over 800 pounds and could never have made it to the scene of the crime, despite the 911 call and the testimony of a ten-year-old witness. Biederbeck had sued Monk's wife for libel before and this gives Monk the added incentive to find him guilty.
Officer Adam Kirk, an old friend of Stottlemeyer's, steps off a ferris wheel to find the young man he was riding with, dead from a knife in his chest. He is then arrested for murder. Stottlemeyer enlists Monk's help to investigate the case unofficially, even though Monk believes the hair-triggered cop is guilty. Monk then discovers that the bruises on the victim's body were self-inflicted.
While he was about to prepare his dead wife's favorite dinner in her old house to celebrate the anniversary of the day they met, Monk realized he is in the wrong house and got arrested for unlawful entry and then taken to Medford Psychiatric Institute for forty-eight hours of psychiatric observation. His roommate, John Wurster informs him of an unsolved murder four years earlier, while another inmate, Manny, involves him in a quest to discover Santa Claus on the asylum roof. But with Dr. Lancaster's orders not to play detective during his stay at Medford, Monk finds his quest to solve the two cases to be quite hard.
When billionaire software magnate Sidney Teal is shot dead by ex-cop Archie Modine after allegedly turning mugger and another policeman mysteriously flees the scene, Monk is call in to investigate. In meanwhile, Sharona threatens to quit when her paycheck bounces, and Stottlemeyer is hounded by reporters demanding information on "Fraidy Cop." Without Sharona's help, Monk couldn't continue with the investigation. Sharona herself, finds that selling lamps isn't nearly as much fun as working for Adrian and so, comes to the rescue with a new clue involving Teal and Modine.
When a lawyer and his assistant are murdered, a disgruntled client whose burnt file is found in the wastebasket became the main suspect. But when he is also found dead, Stottlemeyer began to suspect his neighbor, who has been feuding with him for two years. Monk, himself is attracted to Monica, the neighbor who bears a slight resemblance to Trudy.
A woman is murdered during the San Francisco marathon and Monk suspects her married lover, Trevor McDowell, even though he has a solid alibi which is he was running in the race during the murder. In the meantime, Monk has the chance to visit his hero, an aging runner from Nigeria whom Sharona briefly suspects may be the murderer's accomplice--a theory Monk refuses even to consider.
Monk's vacation with Sharona and Benjy turns into work when Benjy witnesses a murder. But no body can be found. Benjy can't convince anyone except Monk and the hotel's security chief that he's not lying. Then, Benjy spots the body but it disappears again. With his time at the hotel almost up and the body still has not been found, Monk try to solve the case before it is too late.
A wealthy businessman is apparently killed in an earthquake, but Monk suspects his wife to be the real killer. Monk's condition worsens because of the trauma of the earthquake. He began to talk gibberish and he need to recover soon to be able to communicate his suspicions to the beleaguered captain. Sharona and Benjy are forced to spend the next few days with Sharona's sister, Gail when they were not allowed back into their home because of the earthquakes. Monk, too moved in with them.
The famous country singer Willie Nelson becomes the prime suspect when his manager is murdered, but the only witness to the crime, is a blind woman. At first, Stottlemeyer is reluctant to arrest the famous singer on such shaky evidence, but a video tape shows that Willie is indeed guilty. But, Monk thinks otherwise. Because Trudy was a devoted fan of Willie, Monk sets out to prove the singer is innocent.
Monk has to choose between being on his own without Sharona and flying cross-country to New Jersey. He overcomes his fears and boards the plane with Sharona. After annoying every passengers and crews with his first-time-flyer questions, he becomes even more unsettled when he suspects one of the passengers has murdered his wife and the woman accompanying him is an impostor. He then called the captain and persuaded Lt. Disher to search the airport for a body. While Monk was trapped in the toilet, another murder is committed. Monk must solve the case before the murderous couple board their plane for Paris.
When an English teacher was believed to have committed suicide at Trudy's former high school, the assistant principal called Monk in to investigate. He quickly concludes that it wasn't a suicide based on the suicide note left by the victim. He began to suspect the science teacher, Derek Philby to be the real murderer.
A friend of the mayor asked him to investigate the death of his son in Mexico. He then, sent Monk in to investigate. With all his suitcases stolen, Monk found himself having difficulties concentrating on the case. In the meantime, someone is also trying to kill him.
A CEO, Lawrence Hammond and his pretty young wife are murdered at night in a deserted parking lot. While, Stottlemeyer suspects it to be the doing of the CEO's many enemies, Monk believes that the wife was the real the primary target.
Monk is investigating the death of a sarcastic and unpopular ringmaster who was murdered by an acrobat wearing a face mask and a Ninja-like costume. Monk suspects the ringmaster's ex-wife, a trapeze artist billed as "the Queen of the Sky" who is also a sharpshooter but she has a broken foot.
Karen, Captain Stottlemeyer's wife thinks that her documentary subject, the world's oldest man has been murdered. The captain calls Monk in to investigate. After being thrown out of the house by his wife, the captain has no choice but to stay in Monk's place.
Sharona's sister, Gail who is an actress, is suspected of murdering Hal Duncan, another fellow actor. Apparently, he died after Gail stabs him onstage with what she insists is a retractable knife. Monk begins to suspect that Jenna Ryan, Gail's understudy is the real culprit behind the murder.
Monk suspects that the person behind the mail bombing which killed the rich and beautiful Amanda Babbage is the victim's brother, Brian. However he has been in a coma for four months after getting involved in a car chase with the police.
A secretary hired Monk to investigate the murder of her boss, Elliott D'Souza. She suspected that the playboy/publisher Dexter Larsen is real murderer. Monk suddenly tries to withdraw from the case when Larsen threatens him with nude photographs of Sharona.
Captain Stottlemeyer calls in Monk to help him investigate a series of brutal murders. At first, they all suspected Henry Smalls, an insurance agent whose calendars appear in three of the victims' photographs to be the muderer, but then he too became a victim.
Nestor Alverez, Monk's paperboy was murdered on his front doorstep by a newspaper thief. Now, Monk has to put up with all the police in his house as everyone assumes that the murderer is really after him.
Monk's older brother Ambrose, calls him to investigate a case, but both of them have been estranged ever since Ambrose refused to attend Trudy's funeral seven years before. Ambrose suspects that his next-door neighbor, Pat Van Ranken, has murdered his wife.
Monk suspects Brad Terry, the star in the TV series Crime Lab S.F. of murdering his ex-wife so he won't have to share his huge new paychecks with her. However, the actor has a solid alibi. He was with photographers when the victim's screams were heard.
A middle-aged law student Julie Parlo offers to help Monk becomes reinstated as a policeman with the SFPD if he'll help her find her missing grandmother. Stottlemeyer and Disher suspect the former leader of an anti-Vietnam War group from the 1970s to be the kidnapper.
Captain Stottlemeyer's wife, Karen, is badly injured when her car is struck by a tow truck whose driver has been killed by a sniper. The captain suspects the sleazy union official and his thug to behind the crime, but with Monk around, the real culprit is about to be capture.
Lt. Disher asked for Monk and Sharona's help when his 58-year-old mother married a 37-year-old antique dealer whom he believes to be a con man. Meanwhile, Dalton Padron with his new bride is a marriage counseling clinic for their honeymoon. Sharona and Monk has to pose as husband and wife and join him at the clinic.
A death-row inmate who was waiting to be executed in 45 minutes was murdered. Dale "the Whale" Biederbeck became the main suspect in the inmate's murder. Dale asked Monk to solve the case and he will provide information about Trudy's murder.
Monk, Sharona, Lt. Disher and Stottlemeyer go to New York City to follow the leads concerning Trudy's murder which was given by Dale the Whale. However, three people were killed, including the Latvian ambassador to the United Nations when Monk and the rest were checking into their hotel.
Monk is called in to investigate the death of a music producer who was shot in the back, chest and his head in a room locked from the inside. In the room, the police found the dead man's pet chimpanzee, Darwin holding the murder weapon in his hand.
Monk suspects a '90s radical man named Winston Brenner to be connected to the city-wide blackout which resulted in three deaths. However, Brenner is supposed to have died in 1995.
While Monk was investigating a case involving a female victim whose body was cut up with a chainsaw, he accidentally erases several years' worth of crucial computer files. As a result of that, the commissioner revoked Monk's private practice license. Monk struggled to look for a new job.
A mob godfather, Salvatore Lucarelli, hires Monk to investigate the death of five members of the West Coast Mafia during a shoot out in a barbershop. Agent Colmes of the FBI offers Monk the reinstatement on the police force if he helps him to bring down the mafia gang.
Sharona suspects she is suffering from a mental breakdown when she has several frightening encounters with a blood-soaked man that no one seems to believe exists.
Monk is called in to investigate the death of Edna Coruthers, a model employee at Mega-Mart by the store's security chief, who turns out to be his disgraced ex-partner, Joe Christie. At first, Monk was reluctant to help Christie, however, later he agrees and began to go undercover as a store clerk.
Trudy's father, Dwight Ellison, pays Monk a visit and invites him to spend the week with him and his wife, Marcia. He also asks Monk to help him to investigate Roddy Lankman, the game show host who seems to be involved in a conspiracy to allow one of his contestants, Val Birch, to win every game.
Feeling depressed and helpless after Captain Stottlemeyer is shot by an unknown assailant, Monk decides to try a new medication that eliminates his phobias. But it also makes him unbearably egotistical.
Sharona has remarried her ex-husband and moved to New Jersey, Monk still can't t find a new assistant after three months. Meanwhile, Natalie Teeger who is a widow with an eleven-year-old daughter, kills an intruder in her house in self defense. She is baffled as this is the second time someone broke into her house in the past few days. Captain Stottlemeyer suggests she go to Monk for help.
John Ricca, an author of a controversial and unfavorable biography of martial artist Sonny Chow, is found murdered in his home and all the evidence seems to point to Sonny as the murderer. However, Sonny has been dead for six years. Meanwhile, Monk disagrees with Natalie regarding the reimbursement of her expenses.
Monk witnesses a Chinese mob killing and is forced to take refuge in an FBI safe house out in the forest. After hearing a man screaming, Monk is convinced a murder has taken place nearby - but the agent assigned to protect him isn't so sure.
Monk, Natalie, and Julie are stuck in a traffic jam after a multi-car collision blocks the freeway. Monk got out of the car to investigate and discovers that the man in the overturned Volkswagen that caused the collision was murdered and didn't die from the accident. His body was placed in the car in order to make his death look like an accident.
Monk receives a call from a drunken Stottlemeyer, who is in Las Vegas with Disher for a fellow officer's bachelor party. Stottlemeyer suspects that the casino owner has murdered his wife. However, when Monk and Natalie arrive in Vegas the very next day, Stottlemeyer can't remember anything that happened the previous night.
Natalie becomes a candidate in the upcoming school board election due to her daughter's school being closed as a cost-cutting measure. A sniper fires into her campaign headquarters, killing a security guard and left an oddly folded note demanding that Natalie Teege withdraw from the election.
A 22 month old toddler, Tommy Graser, finds a severed finger and gives it to a policeman. Monk is called in to investigate and together with Tommy, they walk through the park, trying to retrace the small child's steps.
Monk has finally found someone who is as great a detective he is. Marty Eels managed to identify one of the killers who murdered a jewelry store owner, Harold Gumbal, by only using the dog poo and the dog as clues. But is the new detective as good as he look...?
Monk's brother Ambrose is alone with Natalie, while Monk has to investigate shooting involving an armored car driver.Meanwhile, a man dressed as Frankenstein's monster steals candy from the children trick-or-treating with Julie. Somehow, these two incidents are related.
Monk is down with the flu and Julie is left with the task of watching him while Natalie decides to investigate the death of a pizza delivery man.
When financial analyst Warren Kemp is attacked by an unknown assailant, he hires Monk to investigate. Kemp suspects the assailant is one of his employees, so Monk has to go undercover as an office worker.
Monk meets a stranger named Larry Zwibell at the wine-country inn where he and Trudy spent their honeymoon. However, the next morning, nobody seems to remember this person. His name is not in the hotel registry and another person is in his assigned room.
Natalie stumbles upon a woman named Trudy, who looks exactly like Monk's late wife, and confides in Stottlemeyer. When another man, Zach Ellinghouse, who was seen with Trudy was murdered, Monk is called in to investigate.
Lt. Disher is ran down by a car and seriously injured while at Natalie's brother's rehearsal dinner. Meanwhile, the wedding photographer has disappeared and Captain Stottlemeyer goes undercover as his replacement and Monk comes along to help the captain.
When a childhood crush comes to Monk with a mysterious murder, Monk tries to win her heart by solving the case.
It is Christmas time in San Francisco, but all is not merry. A cop is dead after drinking a poisoned bottle of wine intended for Captain Stottlemeyer, and while all leads point to a man with a grudge against the Captain, Monk isn't convinced. With Natalie's help, Monk does some of his own detective work, which soon finds him caroling, fighting off crowds at the mall... and even doing some undercover work as a certain jolly, red-suited fellow. Will Monk solve the baffling crime in time to enjoy the holidays?
Monk dives into the world of fashion when he tracks down his favorite shirt inspector to find out why she hasn't been doing her job and discovers that her son is in jail for murdering a model.
After he is attacked and knocked unconscious by a man who claimed to have information on Trudy's death, Monk wakes up with amnesia in a small town. Without a dollar in his pocket, he wanders around town trying to remember who is, until he meets an eccentric woman who claims to be his wife. As Monk tries to adjust to his new life, he learns that a friendly waitress he met in a diner has disappeared. After a little bit of investigation, he is able to determine that she was murdered, but nobody in town will believe him. Meanwhile, back in San Francisco, Natalie, Stottlemeyer and Disher are frantically trying to piece together what happened in an attempt to locate Monk.
When a cop claims to be seeing his wife behind his back, Captain Stottlemeyer loses his temper and punches him in the face. Because of this, he is forced to take an anger management course as a way to learn how to control his temper. When confronted about the situation, his wife is offended that her husband would ever believe such an obvious lie. Even though she denies all the accusations, Captain Stottlemeyer recruits Monk and Natalie to follow his wife around town and see what she's up to. What neither of them realize, is that this entire situation is tied to the mysterious murder case that they're working on.
Monk and Natalie are investigating a diamond heist. The only thing that makes this case different than the others they've investigated, is the fact that reward money is being offered to whoever solves the case. Becuase of this, Monk and Natalie have to deal with many distractions caused by others who want to solve the case themselves.
When a woman is found dead in her home, all signs point to suicide. However, Captain Stottlemeyer has reason to believe otherwise and calls in for Monk's opinion. Monk agrees that this was definitely a murder, and after a little investigating, he believes the killer to be an astronaut. The only problem with Monk's lead suspect is that he wasn't even on the planet at the time of the murder; he was out in space. Monk, still certain that he's the guy, must figure out how to prove to everyone that it was in fact him, despite his airtight alibi.
While under sedation in the dentist's chair, Disher is certain that he saw the dentist and his assistant murder a man. However, he has trouble getting people to believe him, as they all think that he probably imagined it. He then pays a visit to Monk and asks him to look into it for him. Despite his huge fear of dentists, Monk agrees to investigate Disher's claims and after some digging, he realizes that the dentist might actually be tied to a crime that took place earlier.
Mr. Monk is upset to learn that he has been called for jury duty. Although he tries to get out of it, he doesn't succeed and winds up being Juror #11 on a robbery trial. Upon listening to the facts and the evidence, all the jurors unanimously vote "guilty." All the jurors, that is, except for Monk. He feels that the evidence doesn't add up, and its up to him to convince the jurors to reconsider. However, he soon learns that he has bigger problems to deal with when a dead body is found in the courthouse dumpster.
Monk is extremely flattered when Hollywood star David Ruskin is chosen to play him in a movie. However, the actor begins to take this role a little too seriously, and not only does he begin taking on Monk's mannerisms, but soon begins to believe that he's actually Monk. Meanwhile, Monk has other things on his plate, investigating two different murder cases, which he soon learns may be related to each other.
When the San Francisco sanitation workers go on a garbage strike, it leaves the entire city littered with garbage. Mr. Monk is appalled by the situation and wants nothing more than to have his city cleaned. When the union boss is suddenly founded dead, with his death being ruled a suicide, Mr. Monk begins to investigate. With reason to believe that his death was a homicide, Mr. Monk must get to the bottom of the suspicious case if he ever wants to live in a clean city again.
When Julie's basketball coach is found dead in the shower, seemingly electrocuted by accident, the authorities accept the easy explanation. However, Julie and her teammates think otherwise and hire Monk to find out what really happened. Meanwhile, Natalie acts as replacement coach to Julie's team, and recruits a hesitant Monk to be her assistant. Monk, who has never won anything in his life, wants nothing more than the team to win, so that he can get his first trophy.
Monk is at the local firehouse getting his smoke alarms examined, but an intruder murders a firefighter and blinds Monk when he throws a solvent onto his face. At first Monk has trouble coping with the fact that he's lost his eyesight, but soon realizes how much happier he is now that he isn't able to see all the filth surrounding him.
Monk is practically forced to open up his own private detective agency across town, because of Natalie and her persistent ways. Their first case is a woman who wants the culprit who hit her car found. At first, Monk isn't very enthusiastic about this lackluster case, but after some probing, he soon realizes that it's tied to another murder case that the police are looking into.
Monk is excited about his 25-year college reunion, where he has fond memories of meeting Trudy. But when a nurse is found dead, and all signs point to the killer being someone in attendance at the reunion, Monk's trip down memory lane turns into a murder investigation.
Monk's overworked therapist retires after the murder of his cleaning lady, which puts the defective detective in a tight spot. When he can't bear to find a replacement shrink, he works hard to solve the crime.
Monk and Natalie look for Stottlemeyer's truant son at a rock concert, but they end up with a murder investigation on their hands when a roadie is found dead in a portable toilet.
While celebrating Christmas with Natalie, Monk receives quite a surprise when his estranged truck-driver father, Jack, whom Monk hasn't seen in 39 years, comes to town. When Monk decides to accompany his dad on a cross-country route, they soon find out that a partner in Jack's company is missing and that Jack's truck may hold some interesting clues.
Monk has been hired by a millionaire to recover some papers from his estate, but soon he found himself in the middle of a murder plot.
Monk is positively giddy when he makes a new friend, but Natalie and the others are convinced that the overly amiable guy isn't what he seems.
When a wealthy couple are killed, Monk poses as a butler at their sprawling abode to investigate. He ends up working for their son, a filthy rich brat who has had a longtime crush on Natalie. Along the way, Monk discovers he's afraid of frogs and that his "meticulous" nature serves him well as a manservant.
A shock jock's wife is killed while the man is on the air, but that doesn't stop Monk from suspecting the radio personality of murder.
Lt. Disher inherits a farm from an uncle who committed suicide, so he decides to quit the force and life a quiet life in the country. But when Disher finds out his uncle was murdered and didn't take his own life, Monk heads to the farm to help him investigate.
A serial killer strikes in San Francisco, attracting a federal agent with advanced forensic technology, but Monk feels his detective skills are better suited to the task of finding the murderer.
Monk goes to the ER for a nosebleed and stumbles upon a murdered doctor. Left on his own to investigate when Natalie goes on a date, Monk ends up in danger when the killer becomes aware of his sleuthing.
Monk is asked to help his obsessive fan, Marci Maven, after her dog is accused of mauling a neighbor to death despite the fact that the animal died days earlier. Monk refuses to take the case, but is forced to investigate after Marci “wins” Monk in a charity auction.
Monk works to clear a famous rap star accused of murder.
Monk gets an eyeful when he investigates a murder at a nudist beach.
Monk suspects the captain's girlfriend, Linda, of murder
Monk works to prove that a sports agent is a murderer all while helping Julie, Natalie's daughter with her romantic problems.
Monk is tricked into helping Dr. Kroger's son Troy and his friends follow a map found in a dead man's car. The kids think it will lead them to stolen cash, but they dig up trouble instead.
Monk has a hard time dealing with the revelation that a renowned daredevil's secret identity is that of his archrival, Harold Krenshaw.
Monk tries to help a man start over after DNA evidence clears him of a crime Monk sent him to prison for years ago.
Monk sees a woman on the streets, a woman he doesn't remember, but her memory keeps him awake for three days straight. Unable to sleep, he goes out walking and sees a murder... a murder where the body disappears and all the evidence has vanished.
The press maligns Monk after he shoots a man who was tossing toys from a rooftop, dressed as Santa Claus. The bad publicity interferes with his investigation into what Kris Kringle was really doing.
Monk is unwittingly influenced by a cult's charismatic leader while running an investigation.
When Monk has a treasured possession stolen from his own safe deposit box, he makes his own case top priority.
Natalie gets involved when Monk investigates a string of murders where the victims all have the same first name, Julie, just like her daughter has.
Monk seems to have found a new niche when his artwork becomes a hit.
Monk, accused of shooting to death a man who was connected to Trudy's murder, escapes from jail and is now on the run. Natalie and Stottlemeyer are put in an awkward position when Monk seeks their help in clearing his name.
The conclusion of the two-part season finale as Monk, presumed dead, tries to clear his name after being falsely accused of murder. Meanwhile, a memorial service is prepared by Natalie in Monk's honor.
When a noisy neighbor forces Monk to move, he ends up in a new house with an overeager handyman.
Monk pits his wits against a grandmaster chess player with murder on his mind.
Natalie becomes a Lotto Girl for the California lottery, but when she becomes embroiled in a scandal Monk comes to her aid.
While investigating a murder, Monk is forced to consider giving up his dream of being reinstated to the police... and takes a job as a boxer's cornerman.
Monk is put in an uncomfortable position when a friend of Natalie's ex-husband asks him to help solve the apparent suicide of a friend.
Monk is smitten with an attractive Zemenian woman who works at a refugee center. When she's accused of murder, he agrees to help her... despite the fact she confessed to the crime.
Monk's hundredth case, involving a serial killer, is covered by a TV news magazine, but while watching it he realizes that a second unknown killer was responsible for one of the murders.
Monk undergoes hypnotic therapy and regresses to his childhood.
When three homeless men hire Monk on Christmas, Monk finds a clue that takes him to a monastery to find a miracle.
After his half brother escapes from prison, he asks the help of Monk to find the person who framed him for murder.
While investigating the theft of a bicycle, Monk is shot and Natalie soon finds her boss more demanding then ever.
While investigating a murder at a museum, Monk befriends a neighbor lady but begins to suspect her when he wonders why anyone would want to be his friend.
Thanks to Bob Costas, Monk has tickets to a big playoff game and invites Stottlemeyer along, but soon becomes embroiled in a murder investigation.
The bully that picked on Monk as a boy has grown up and needs the detective to follow his wife and determine if she's having an affair. Monk is more than happy to follow the woman and hopes to prove his old nemesis right.
When a friend of Monk's is killed, Monk believes that a magician is responsible and a battle of wits and sleight-of-hand ensue.
When the parking garage where Monk's wife was killed is set for demolition, Monk intervenes but soon finds himself investigating the disappearance of a city official key to preserving the site.
Movie actress Christine Rapp hires Monk to protect her against a killer who is targeting her because of the tell-all book she wrote. Monk is eager to be with her since she was the child star in his favorite boyhood TV show, The Cooper Clan. However, he soon realizes that Christine isn't the innocent girl of the TV show... and that everything isn't what she claims.
Monk meets a visiting African widower who's determined to find the hit-and-run-driver who killed his wife near Monk's apartment. Monk begins to identify with the man and confuses his wife with Trudy.
While traveling, Monk and Natalie becomes involved with the death of a woman... who died in the desert after Monk sees a UFO.
When a hitman is run over by a bus, the FBI realize that he's an exact twin for Adrian Monk and ask the detective to learn who the killer was going after... by impersonating him.
Monk and the police have a killer right where they want him... until the case goes to court and a hotshot lawyer demolishes the prosecution.
When a critic pans Julie's community theater performance, Natalie thinks he's responsible for the death of a young woman who fell from the balcony of a nearby hotel.
Three San Franciscans die and it's discovered that postmarked voodoo dolls were sent to them several days before their deaths. Each doll predicted the victim's death. Monk and the police try to solve the crimes, only to discover that Natalie has received a voodoo doll predicting her death.
When Monk's HMO cuts him off, he is forced to join Dr. Bell's group sessions, where someone seems to be killing the patients.
While Monk investigates the mysterious death of an office building's maintenance man, Natalie tries to plan a surprise party for Monk's 50th birthday despite his refusal to cooperate.
Sharona comes to San Francisco to collect a settlement from a country club after her uncle accidentally fell to his death. However, Monk realizes that her uncle was murdered and begins an investigation, only to find himself caught in the middle when Natalie and Sharona argue over him.
When an artist disappears, Monk is called in to investigate. He adopts the woman's dog and grows closer to it, as he realizes that its mistress was murdered.
When one of three panel members refuses to reinstate Monk as a police detective, Adrian arranges to go on a camping trip with the man's son in the hopes he can schmooze his way back onto the force. Unfortunately, two armored car robbers have their money hidden near their camp.
Stottlemeyer proposes to the love of his life, but someone sets out to ruin his wedding.
Monk finally wins his reinstatement to the police force as a detective, but soon discovers that it's not all he might wish for.
When a killer connected to the mysterious "Judge" who ordered Trudy Monk's death murders a doctor at a midwife clinic, Monk is called in to solve the case. The Judge gets nervous and orders Monk's death by slow poison.
As he is dying of poison, Monk finds Trudy's last tape telling him what happened, and he must decide whether to seek revenge for his wife's murder.