The newest episode of "Monk" is titled 'Mr. Monk Is Someone Else,' and it shows how desperately Monk wishes he could be someone else. Even if that someone is a killer for hire from the mob! The episode guest stars Kelly Carlson from "Nip/Tuck," so fans of that show might be amused to see she's basically playing a saner Kimber.

The show starts with Monk apparently being hit by a bus and dying, which would normally cause panic but it's a little early for Monk to die on this show. They still have plenty of episodes left in the last season! Then we're in Monk's house as he gets manipulated by the fridge moving guy to give him more money, but Monk is too wimpy to fight back. This becomes important later, obviously.

The guy who looked just like Monk was Frankie DePalma, and the FBI wants Monk to pretend to be him to find out why he was in LA. Monk isn't certain about it at first, but they point out that they'll just hire a new hitter and someone will die because of Monk's hesitation. Excellent guilt trip by the FBI! He starts to learn all about Frankie and is very nervous to 'be someone else,' because that understandably will be hard with his OCD problems. Can Monk pull it off?

No, he doesn't. He immediately gets shot and the show is over. Kidding! Anyway, Monk settles into Frankie's hotel room and meets Frankie's sexy girlfriend Lola (Kelly Carlson). She's the one that set up the deal, but she takes Monk's coldness to her as a sign that Frankie is mad at her. The hit is from mobster Jimmy Barlowe, and the target's name is Stanley Greenblatt, a very old man. Monk meets with the gangsters and seems to pass inspection, except Jimmy's sidekick Lenny has his own suspicions.

Now that they know the target Monk wants out, but the FBI asks him to stay in because they don't know why Greenblatt is targeted. Soon it is Monk himself that becomes the trouble in the con, because he starts getting really invested in the character and being a bad boy. He sees his arch-nemesis Harold and pushes him around, causing Stottlemeyer and the others to pull him out of the con. Monk gets angry and swears he'll find out the truth. He goes to Lola for info, but Lenny comes in and demands they do the kill now. Monk goes with him to Greenblatt's house and they find him already dead ... from natural causes.

Image © NBC Universal, Inc.

So Greenblatt is dead and they don't have Jimmy on any charges. While apologizing to Stottlemeyer, who reassures Monk very kindly that he is tougher than he knows, he realizes what is going on. Greenblatt's son is supposed to be dead but Monk saw a birthday card from him at the old man's house. He's the one Jimmy really wants! Monk is right and goes back undercover as Frankie to stop Lenny from killing Alvin Greenblatt, facing him down without fear and winning the day. Yay for Monk.

The episode ends with a cute scene of Monk trying to face down the fridge worker, and Natalie secretly coming up behind him to really scare the bully off. She lets Monk think it was about him though. Aw. It's nice to see Monk getting a backbone, because he is the greatest detective in the world and deserves more confidence. You can do it Mr. Monk!

"Monk" is on USA Friday nights at 9 PM EST.


Story by Chelsea Doyle
Starpulse contributing writer

Follow Chelsea on twitter at http://twitter.com/mustbethursday.