Monk’s series finale revealed the truth behind Trudy’s death and made her character much better in hindsight. When we are introduced to Adrian inMonk’s first episode, Trudy has been dead for a while. We later learn thatAdrian’s wife was killed in a car explosion, yet he was never able to find out who did it. SeveralMonkepisodessaw Adrian come close to the answer, only him for to learn that there were still pieces of the puzzle missing. After a while, it became clear that Monk was only going to solve Trudy’s case in the finale.
The final episode ofMonkdid not disappoint in that regard – Trudy’s killer was revealed. However, Adrian did not exactly solve the case. Instead, he watched a tape that Trudy had given him shortly before her death where she talked about her past and her relationship with the now judge Ethan Rickover. After watching the tape, everything clicked for Monk – Ethan Rickover was the one who ordered her death.By giving Trudy a surprising backstory,Monkmade Adrian’s deceased wife into an actual characterand not just a memory.
Monk’s Series Finale Finally Gave Trudy Agency And Proper Backstory
We Finally Learned About Trudy’s Past In “Mr. Monk And The End”
One of theissues withMonk’s portrayal of Trudy – which, to be fair, might not have been an issue but rather a creative choice – was to depict Adrian’s wife as the perfect human being who existed to accept him for how he was and make him happy. Every time we saw Trudy in flashbacks, it was through Monk’s eyes. In other words,we never got to learn what Trudy really was like as a person. In many ways, she was just “Monk’s dead wife.”
Trudy was played by Stellina Rusich in seasons 1-2 and by Melora Hardin in seasons 3-8. Hardin also reprised her role as Trudy inMr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie.
“Mr. Monk and the End” was one of the fewMonkepisodes to treat Trudy as a character and not just as the idealized version of Adrian’s wife. Trudy had a complicated past, including a relationship with a college professor she didn’t know was married, and a child that came from this relationship that she believed was dead. Trudy never told Adrian about either of those things, which made her character more complex and nuanced.Learning more about Trudy’s past before she met Adrian gave her character more agency, even though she was dead during the whole show.
Trudy Hiding A Secret From Monk Made Her Character Better In Hindsight
Adrian never once said anything remotely negative about Trudy – in his eyes, she was the most perfect person. This is arguably whyMonkwas never able to solve her case. As pointed out by Sharona in “Mr.Monkand the Candidate,”Trudy’s murder was too personal for Adrian to solvelike a regular case. Monk had the final piece of the puzzle sitting at his home the entire time, yet he was too afraid to open the final gift Trudy had given to him.
Jennifer Lawrence’s Blink-And-You-Miss-It Role In Monk Is Even Better Once You Learn The Story Behind It
Jennifer Lawrence famously appeared in an episode of Monk before she broke big, and the story behind her role on the show makes it even better.
Trudy didn’t do anything wrong, and she had no obligation to tell Adrian about a relationship from before they started dating. Still, the fact that she hid such a big secret from Adrian for a few years was actually a great addition to her character. After years of having Trudy as an idealized memory in Adrian’s mind,Monkfinally portrayed her as a proper character with fears and secrets.
Monk
Cast
Starring Tony Shalhoub as Adrian Monk, Monk follows the titular detective, a private investigator with OCD who helps solve crimes with the San Francisco Police. On the side, he also investigates the death of his wife, who was killed by a car bomb. Bitty Schram, Traylor Howard, Ted Levine, and Jason Gray-Stanford also star.
