While Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie wasn’t perfect, it did manage to do one important thing better than almost any other modern film. Mr. Monk’s Last Case was an appreciated return to the character of Adrian Monk (Tony Shalhoub) over a decade after the ending of Monk, but it had its fair share of problems. For example, Mr. Monk’s Last Case rehashed the same formula the show featured and it recast yet another Monk character. That being said, it did offer a new view of Adrian’s mental health problems, and it cemented itself as a worthwhile sequel to Monk.

The best part of Mr. Monk’s Last Case, however, wasn’t how it continued Adrian’s story. In fact, Mr. Monk’s Last Case wasn’t even as good as some of the best episodes of Monk. What really made the Monk movie special didn’t just make it a good Monk revival, it made it one of the best examples of a niche genre ever made. That was how Mr. Monk’s Last Case handled the COVID-19 pandemic, and it knocked that particular aspect out of the park, especially in comparison to its compeтιтion.

Mr. Monk’s Last Case Was One Of The Best COVID-19 Movies I’ve Ever Seen

The Monk Movie Handled COVID With Nuance, Sensitivity, & Grace, Which Is A Lot More Than Other Films Have Going For Them

The one area that really set Mr. Monk’s Last Case apart from the show and made it shine on its own was the COVID-19 pandemic. Unlike many other COVID movies, like The Bubble or Kimi, Mr. Monk’s Last Case handled the pandemic with grace, sensitivity, and a lot of wit. COVID wasn’t some cheap prop for Monk to use as a punchline. It was a real, devastating event that had dramatic consequences for Adrian’s mental health. After all, Mr. Monk’s Last Case was much darker than the show, and it certainly didn’t dance around the abject horror of the pandemic or the lingering effects of lockdown.

Even when Mr. Monk’s Last Case did use lockdown as a joke, it didn’t come across as cheap laughs at the expense of a horrendous calamity. For example, Mr. Monk’s Last Case made some jokes about how everyone was a germaphobe and had “become” Adrian, but those jokes were more about Adrian the character than they were about COVID. Adrian even mentioned that being so concerned about diseases is a living nightmare, so even the movie’s lighter moments were tinged with this serious take on the pandemic. The result was a surprisingly nuanced and sensitive reckoning with the “new normal” that other COVID movies simply don’t feature.

The Monk Movie 2 Needs To Find Another Way To Update Adrian For The Modern Day

The Monk Movie’s Handling Of COVID Was The Best Part Of The Film, But Monk 2 Needs Something New

The way Mr. Monk’s Last Case handled COVID-19 was one of the best parts of the film, but it won’t work for the long-rumored Monk Movie 2. It’s clear that Monk 2 needs something to make Adrian relevant to current events. However, for better or worse, the pandemic is becoming a more distant memory every day, and COVID just isn’t as relevant now as it was in 2023. Monk 2 needs to focus on a different part of modern life and all the ways the world has changed since Monk ended to give the sequel a chance to offer another mature and unique take on current events.

To be completely honest, I don’t know exactly what topic Monk 2 could use to replace its commentary on COVID-19. Perhaps it could see Adrian interact with anti-vaxxers or struggle with his relationship to an increasingly controversial police force. Whatever topic Monk 2 chooses, I want to see the sequel find a way to adapt Adrian’s well-established character traits to the modern day and offer just as much social commentary as it does humor. If it can do that, then the sequel to Mr. Monk’s Last Case could be just as good as the original.