The Monk

well, what did I expect in a 10 DVD set of "Specials"?, but I've seen a few others in a 10-pack that were really good. Not this one.

There is a cute scene with a cat that drinks beer, but is uncredited. That has to be worth one rating point? And there are some neat shots of downtown San Francisco, and the marina area, and that gets the second rating point! but not much else to even comment on.

Gus Monk flies back from... somewhere and is asked to help a hot- shot lawyer representing a syndicate hood with secrets. There are a few killings, a cop, an odd widow. I suppose it is just a TV pseudo- thriller.

And, being San Francisco, they (the director/writer etc) put in a totally unbelievable car chase, ending in an unsurvivable crash, but of course, Monk walks away from it and goes on to solve all the mystery.

This attempt to give George Maharis a series starring as Gus Monk, an unlicensed private investigator based loosely in San Francisco, falls flat due to its inordinate predictability and silly clichéd script, served up with the customary sprinkling of "guest stars" (Carl Betz, Janet Leigh) while being hindered by shoddy direction and a most critical factor: Maharis is not much of an actor. Undervalued cinematographer Fleet Southcott creates some interesting moments, and there are capable performances from William Smithers and Rick Jason as unsavoury types, but poor Maharis is the lead and when he is attempting a reaction to important plot elements, may they be dead bodies, or women involved in the goings-on, it is curtains for this effort.

George Maharis gave a brilliant performance as Buz Murdock on "Route 66". For a short period in the 60's, all you could hear about was Maharis (sort of like Don Johnson or David Caruso in later years.) Maharis seemed to have a great future ahead of him. He had charisma and attitude to spare. In interviews, he seemed extremely sensitive and intelligent. When his movie career didn't quite take off, Maharis tried to return to series stardom-always a risky bet.

Blake Edwards had created three great TV detectives: Richard Diamond, Peter Gunn and Mr. Lucky. Blake Edwards' Gus Monk could have been another classic, stylish hero. (Vince Edwards turned the role down due to another commitment, but said he loved the script.) The problem with this pilot wasn't Maharis. He looked incredible and his personality meshed with Monk. Given time and good writing, Maharis could have given the role real depth, as he did with Buz Murdock.

The problem with this pilot was that producer Aaron Spelling just wasn't sharp enough. Maybe Herbert Brodkin ("Coronet Blue", "Shane") or David Susskind ("N.Y.P.D.") could have made it work. Or the great Blake Edwards.

When "The Monk" didn't sell, Spelling came up with another series for Maharis called "The Most Deadly Game", a reworking of "Checkmate". The show was originally going to co-star Inger Stevens and Ralph Bellamy. Yvette Mimieux replaced Inger Stevens when she died. It was another viable premise and a fine cast, but again the execution was not as good as it should have been.

Amazingly the great George Maharis never had another series. One of Hollywood's true unsolved mysteries.