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He's a... bad Santa.
Very bad, bad, Santa.
Bad, bad, bad Santa.

— Monk

"Mr. Monk and the Man Who Shot Santa Claus" is the third Christmas episode of the USA Network drama Monk, aired as the tenth episode of its sixth season.

Synopsis[]

Another Christmas shopping season, which fills Adrian Monk's heart with dread. Natalie Teeger is fighting a Christmas time traffic jam in San Francisco to get Monk to his appointment with Dr. Kroger, while her daughter Julie is sitting in the back seat. Julie notices that they're outside of the MacMillan Museum, which is housing a diamond, named the Star of Bethlehem, and Monk complains about how much he hates missing his sessions, because it takes him three to four more sessions just to get over the stress. He is also grousing about how much he hates Christmas (as Natalie confides to Julie, Trudy died ten years ago that December, or to be more precise, 10 years and 5 days ago). Suddenly, traffic comes to a dead stop when a former parole officer named Michael Kenworthy, dressed in a Santa suit, starts showering toys on the street from a roof, shouting "Merry Christmas." Furious that Kenworthy is disrupting traffic, Monk heads up, alone, and a few minutes later, Natalie and Julie are alarmed to hear two gunshots. They run up to the roof and see Monk, holding a gun, standing over Kenworthy, who has been shooted twice in his right arm.

As Kenworthy is carried on a stretcher to a waiting ambulance, he fingers Monk in the shooting, which infuriates the crowd. Cpt. Stottlemeyer and Lt. Disher place Monk under arrest, however it's actually staged and for protective custmory. The situation is made worse by sensationalist news reporter Brandy Barber and her cameraman who seize on the story, broadcasting Monk as "The Man Who Shooted Santa Claus."

At the police station, Monk give his version of the events to Stottlemeyer, Disher, and Garrett Price, his lawyer. Monk says that he went up to confront Kenworthy about his activities, but was about to give up and head downstairs when all of a sudden, a gun fell out of Kenworthy's pocket. He started asking Kenworthy questions about the weapon, and is attacked by him. During the fight Monk grabbed Kenworthy's gun, and just as Kenworthy was about to swing a pipe at him, Monk shoots him in self-defense.

Monk vs Santa Claus Flashback

Adrian Monk tells the San Francisco Police what really happened when he met a man in a Santa suit before shooting him.

Despite these facts, the misperception of Monk as being a modern Ebenezer Scrooge reaches large numbers of people. Monk quickly figures this out when he and Natalie are suddenly getting harassed everywhere they go. When they go to a store and Monk is fussing over gift wrapping, a crowd surrounds him. Natalie has to grab Monk and they head out via a back way, though Monk ends up knocking over a number of store cardboard cutouts in the process. Monk decides to "take the offensive," and accept Brandy's offer to go on TV and tell his side of the story. Natalie warns him not to, as Brandy will manipulate his words and he will come out looking worse than ever, but he remains confident that "truth is on his side". During the interview, which takes place in a dressed up version of Monk's apartment, Natalie begs Brandy to be merciful, but Brandy - in her sweet, saccharine way - smells blood in the water. After a few innocuous questions, she produces the ivory piece that was dug up from his yard. and compares it to the photo of the gun. Monk denies burying the gun in the park, but admits that he recognizes the gun he shooted Santa with. Then, an exasperated Monk inadvertently fulfills Brandy's wildest fantasies by looking straight into the camera and saying, "I did not shoot Santa Claus. That man was not Santa Claus...there's no such thing as Santa Claus" -- On citywide television, with families and hundreds of small children watching.

Acting on the suspicion that Monk might have stumbled upon something more than a simple toy giveaway, Stottlemeyer and Disher go to Kenworthy's apartment to question him. When asked about what he was doing on the roof when Monk shooted him, Kenworthy just shrugs and claims that he loves Christmas and wanted to give away some toys. Stottlemeyer, however, is not convinced by this story, and notes that they've checked Kenworthy's phone records, and have discovered that he has been regularly contacted for the past few weeks by several of the ex-cons who were under his supervision before he retired. Kenworthy defends them, claiming that he likes simply keeping in touch with them, but Stottlemeyer notes that these "good guys" are as hardened a crew of thieves and grifters as have even been guests of the state prisoners, who have been charged with crimes like grand theft auto, burglary, attempted murder, etc. Kenworthy insists that the Lieutenant has no evidence of his accusations, and he kicks him out. With a predatory smile, Stottlemeyer let's him know in no uncertain terms that he's not entirely convinced of his innocence.

That night, Alice DuBois an employee at the MacMillan Museum is walking home from work and passes Kenworthy, who is out on the street posing as a sidewalk Santa with a coin deposit box, and ringing a bell. As DuBois is entering her building, Thorne, one of Kenworthy's knife-wielding ex-cons attacks her. She fends off Thorne by attacking him with pepper spray. Kenworthy, seeing his ex-con attacking the victim, seems to be coming to the rescue. Dubois thanks Kenworthy and tells him what the man tried to do, but he turns on her, bludgeoning the luckless old lady to death with his bell. At the scene of the crime, Stottlemeyer, Disher, Monk, and Teeger investigate the scene, but a crowd notices Monk and harasses him and the rest of the SFPD. Stottlemeyer confronts the crowd and chases Monk and Teeger out of the way. Still examining the crime, Monk notices debris such as broken candy canes, cigarette butts, and that Ms. DuBois was struck by somebody who was left handed and used a large brass bell. He is still convinced that all the evidence proves that Kenworthy as the killer, but Natalie assumes he's merely obsessively fixating on him.

In a session with Dr. Kroger, Monk talks about how Christmas has always been one of the most miserable times of his life, the exception being his years with Trudy. She loved Christmas, and always made Monk see the positive side of it, whereas his childhood Christmases were always bleak. When Dr. Kroger picks a random year from Monk's childhood (1964), Monk relates: their mother was sick, his brother Ambrose locked himself in the basement until the holiday was over, and his father gave him a single walkie-talkie as a gift - saying that Adrian only needed one, since he had no friends he needed to talk to. But mulling over this morose detail leads Adrian to remember something about the shooting, and he solves the case. He heads out of the office via the front door despite Dr. Kroger's warning not to do so, to be mobbed by another crowd, this time of traumatized children who are now patients of Kroger, thanks to Monk's ill-fated news interview.

Monk and Natalie return to the roof where the shooting took place. He explains that when he was remembering the single walkie-talkie, he suddenly remembered that when Lieutenant Disher was running an inventory of the items in Kenworthy's toy bag after the shooting, he logged in a single walkie-talkie. Natalie initially thinks it may have been a lookout, but Monk realizes it was a diversion because lookouts tend to be more subtle. He also notices that he spoiled Kenworthy's originally intended crime, which was to steal the diamond, and that the attempted crime is about to happen again. Just then Brandy Barber is doing a news report on the museum exhibit revolving around the diamond. During the report, Kenworthy and his gang steal the diamond right out in the open. As the thieves hand Kenworthy the diamond, Monk spots him and demands that the police are called. He chases Kenworthy through the streets of San Francisco, with Ms. Barber and her cameraman close behind. In front of a group of children singing Christmas carols near a Christmas display in a park, Kenworthy tries to steal a motorcycle, but Monk stops him. Both fight it out in front of the children who continue to sing as if nothing is happening, until Kenworthy pulls out a knife and threatens to kill him for thwarting his earlier burglary plot. Fortunatley, Monk clobbers him with a huge plastic candy cane. Kenworthy and his gang are arrested on the spot and Brandy Barber suddenly changes her tune painting Monk as "the man who saved Christmas." Natalie and Julie spend Christmas Eve at his apartment, and coax him to smile for a group photograph with them.

Cast[]

Actor/actress Role
Tony Shalhoub Adrian Monk
Traylor Howard Natalie Teeger
Jason Gray-Stanford Lt. Disher
Ted Levine Cpt. Stottlemeyer
Randle Mell Michael Kenworthy
Gina Philips Brandy Barber
Emmy Clarke Julie Teeger
Dorothy Constantine Alice Dubois
Aaron Behr Jerry/Cameraman
Larry Miller Garrett Price
Stanley Kamel Dr. Kroger
Brittany Shaw Salesgirl
David Grieco Thorn
Isabella Acres Other Child
Jeff Bowser Carl
Jeff Clarke Sound Man
Kayley Stallings Little Girl
Michael Zurich Producer
Nicole Rubio
Rusty Burns
Angry Mothers
Sarah Colonna Irate Mother
Sean Blodgett Dr. Z
Skyler James Tearful Boy
Stephen Williams Man in Crowd
Thomas J. O'Leary Menswear Clerk
Tina Kapousis Woman in Crowd
Todd Kimsey Hack

See also[]

External links[]

Universal Studios
Movies Silent Night, Lonely Night1941Merry Christmas, Mr. LawrenceThe Munsters' Scary Little ChristmasHow the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)Love ActuallyThe HolidayThe Best Man HolidayKrampusAlmost ChristmasThe Grinch (2018)Last ChristmasBlack Christmas (2019)
Direct-to-video films The Life and Adventures of Santa ClausBarbie in a Christmas CarolCurious George: A Very Monkey ChristmasBarbie: A Perfect ChristmasBeethoven's Christmas AdventureAll I Want for Christmas is YouMy Adventures with Santa
Live-action television episodes "The Day They Captured Santa Claus" • "'Twas the Fight Before Christmas…" • "Christmas Presence" • "Home for the Holidays" • "Yule Laff" • "Christmas Brains" • "Seoul Mates" • "A Christmas Secret" • "Christmas Party" • "Mr. Monk and the Secret Santa" • "A Benihana Christmas" • "Mr. Monk Meets His Dad" • "Moroccan Christmas" • "Mr. Monk and the Man Who Shot Santa Claus" • "Ludachristmas" • "Christmas Special" • "Secret Santa (30 Rock) • "Christmas Attack Zone" • "Secret Santa" (The Office) • "Classy Christmas" • "Christmas Wishes" • "Josh and Mindy's Christmas Party" • "Mr. Monk and the Miracle"
Animated specials and episodes "Dickens of a Christmas" • A Wish For Wings That Work • "For Whom the Jingle Bell Tolls" • "A Christmas Peril" • "Ms. Banshee's Holiday Hits" • "Fright Before Christmas" • "A Very Woody Christmas" • "It's a Chilly Christmas After All" • "Yule Get Yours" • "The Twelve Lies of Christmas" • How Murray Saved Christmas • "ChristMess Eve" • 5 More Sleeps ‘til Christmas
The Walt Disney Company
Animated shorts
Empty SocksMickey's OrphansSanta's WorkshopMickey's Good DeedThe Night Before ChristmasBroken ToysToy TinkersPluto's Christmas TreeThe Small OneMickey's Christmas Carol • "Jingle Bells, Something Smells" • "The Nutcracker" • "Mickey's Mixed Nuts" • "Mickey's Christmas Chaos" • Operation: Secret Santa • "Oh, Christmas Tree!" • Olaf's Frozen Adventure • "The Lights Before Christmas" • "Tinsle Tussle" • Mickey's Christmas Tales
Movies
Animated Christmas JollitiesThe Nightmare Before ChristmasBeauty and the Beast: The Enchanted ChristmasMickey's Once Upon a ChristmasWinnie the Pooh: Seasons of GivingMickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of MouseRecess Christmas: Miracle on Third StreetA Very Merry Pooh YearMickey's Twice Upon a Christmas . Disney Princess: A Christmas of EnchantmentMy Friends Tigger & Pooh: Super Sleuth Christmas MovieA Christmas CarolMarvel Super Hero Adventures: Frost Fight!
Live-action Babes in ToylandOne Magic ChristmasThe Christmas StarErnest Saves ChristmasA Mom For ChristmasIn the Nick of TimeThe Muppet Christmas CarolThe RefThe Santa ClauseThe Preacher's WifeThe Christmas TreeI'll Be Home For ChristmasThe Ultimate Christmas Present 'Twas the NightThe Santa Clause 2The Santa Clause 3: The Escape ClauseSanta BuddiesThe Search for Santa PawsGood Luck Charlie, It's Christmas!Santa Paws 2: The Santa PupsThe Nutcracker and the Four RealmsNoelleGodmotheredMarley
Television specials and episodes
Animated
Television specials "A Present for Donald" • "From All of Us to All of You" • A Disney Christmas GiftA Disney Channel ChristmasWinnie the Pooh and Christmas TooA Goof Troop ChristmasPhineas and Ferb Christmas Vacation!Prep & LandingMickey's Christmas SpecialPrep & Landing: Naughty vs. NiceToy Story That Time ForgotDuck the HallsLEGO Star Wars: Holiday SpecialMickey and Minnie Wish Upon a ChristmasMickey Saves ChristmasShortsmas with Big City Greens
Television episodes Disney Television Animation "Jolly Molly Christmas" • "It's a Wonderful Leaf" • "Miracle at the 34th Precinct" • "Doug's Secret Christmas" • "A Christmas Cruella" • "Yes, Mikey, Santa Does Shave" • "Don't Be Elfish" • "A Kosher Christmas" • "A Dog for All Seasons" • "The Worst Holiday Ever" • "Holiday Time" • "Cheery Theerlap, Lloyd" • "The Blight Before Christmas" • "Pete's Christmas Caper" • "Clarabelle's Christmas List" • "Happy Holidays, Mr. Gruff!" • "A Very Possible Christmas" • "Topper" • "On Whiskers, On Lola, On Cheryl and Meryl" • "Hairy Christmas" • "A Giftmas Story" • "Season's Beatings" • "Dick Daring's All-Star Holiday Stunt Spectacular 5" • "Stitch and Santa" • "A Phineas and Ferb Family Christmas" • "A Cousin Kyle Christmas" • "Merry Fishmas, Milo" • "The Gift" • "Gingersnaps and Grumpy Snaps" / "Jollybells" • "Future-Worm and the 54 Days of Snordfest" • "Stump Day" / "Holiday Spellcial" • "A Christmas Peril" • "Tree Lighting" • "A Merry Mocap Musical" • "Last Christmas!" • "The Present" • "Green Christmas" • "How Santa Stole Christmas!" • "Froggy Little Christmas" • "Saving Christmas" • "Virtually Christmas" • "White Christmess" • "We Wish You a Merry Chaos-Mas"
Playhouse Disney /
Disney Junior
"The Wishing Tree" • "Little Dog Lost" • "A Circus Town Christmas" • "Twinkle's Wish" • "The Christmas Wish " • "A Very Handy Holiday" • "The Wind-Up Toy Prince" • "Mickey Saves Santa" • "The Night Before Zipsmas / A Gift For Zooter" • "Flicker Saves Christmas" • "The Ayalas' Christmas Extravaganza" • "The Living Holiday Lights" • "It's a Winter Never Land!" • "A Very McStuffins Christmas" • "Holiday in Enchancia" • "Captain Scrooge" • "Winter's Gift" • "Toby's Christmas Critter" / "A Very Tricky Christmas" • " Navidad" • "The Mystic Isles: A Very Mystic Wassailia" • "Timon and Pumbaa's Christmas" • "Happy Hot Diggity Dog Holiday!" • "Happy Holiday Helpers" • "A Very Pug Christmas" • "The Latke Kerfuffle" • "A Very Muppet Babies Christmas" • "Summer's Super Fabulous Holiday Surprise" • "A Santa for Bob" • The Doc McStuffins Christmas Special • "Nanpire and Grandpop the Greats" • "Snow Place Like Home" • "Nancy and the Nice List" • "A Gargoyle Carol" • "The Lights Before Christmas" • "Elves for a Day/The Dreidel Dilemma" • "Festival of Lights" • "Tinsle Tussle" • "Santa Baby" • "The Fright Before Christmas" • "Merry Chickmas" • "It's a Wonderful Elf-bot" / "A Merry Litter Christmas" • "The Gingerbread Palace" • "A Christmas Mission in Toyland / Nine Lights Tonight" • "The Christmas Car-Sled Race" • "The Gingerbread Palace" • "Jingle Bog Rock" • "Wrap Party Pups" / "Fixing Santa's Sleigh" • "Jingle Birds" • "Blizzard Buds" • "Pupstruction Saves Christmas" • "Merry Mousemas" • "Santa’s Crash Landing"
Touchstone / ABC Signature "How the Super Stole Christmas" • "A Very Special Clone High Snowflake Day Special"
Marvel Animation (post-2009) "Nightmare on Christmas" • "It's a Wonderful Smash" • "Jingle Bell Rock" • "The Moon Knight Before Christmas" • "A Very Spidey Christmas" • "Halted Holiday" / "Merry Spidey Christmas"
Lucasfilm, Ltd. LEGO Star Wars: Holiday Special • "Life Day"
Hyperion Films "Who Stole Santa? • "Christmas in Oz" • "Seven Days of Kwanzaa"
Live-action
Television specials The Walt Disney Christmas ShowChristmas at Pooh CornerA Magic Kingdom Yuletide SpecialThe Disney Christmas SpecialMickey's NutcrackerDisney's Christmas Fantasy on IceA Muppets Christmas: Letters to SantaGood Luck Jessie: NYC ChristmasJessie's Aloha Holidays with Parker & JoeyDisney Channel Fa-La-La-Lidays Celebrates a Radio Disney Family HolidayDisney Holiday Magic QuestDisney Channel's Epic Holiday ShowdownDisney Channel Holiday House Party" • The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special
Television episodes Walt Disney Television "Christmas at the Circus" • "Christmas in Wonderland" • "Refrigerator Day" • "A Roman Holiday" • "Fountain" • "Happy Holidays" • "Heck of a Hanukkah" • "Xtreme Xmas" • "Escape Claus" • "Christmas at the Tipton" • "Christmas Break" • "Killing Me Softly With His Height" • "Present Problem" • "Happy Ha-Ha Holidays" • "A So Random! Holiday Special" • "A London Carol" • "Bro Ho Ho" • "So Random! Episode 18" • "Pair of Santas" • "sANTa's Little Helpers" • "Christmas Story" • "Jingle It Up" • "A Little Elf Esteem" • "A Duncan Christmas" • "Bark! The Herald Angels Sing" • "Merry Merry It Up" • "Oh, Christmas Nuts!" • "Big Dreams & Big Apples" • "Nanny in Miami" • "Fa La La La-A-Rooney" • "Mix-Ups & Mistletoes" • "Twas the Mission Before Christmas" • "silANT night" • "Twas the Fight Before Christmas" • "Girl Meets Home for the Holidays" • "Stan Steals Christmas" • "Merry Miss Sis" • "Secret Santa" • "Twas the Fight Before Christmas" • "The Girls of Christmas Past" • "Santas & Surprises" • "Joy-to-a-Rooney" • "Single All the Way" • "Cali Christmas-A-Rooney" • "Girl Meets a Christmas Maya" • "How the Griff Stole Christmas" • "Holly Holly Not So Jolly" • "The Christmas Curse" • "Agh, Humbug" • "Stuck at Christmas" • "A Killer Robot Christmas" • "Would You Wrather Get a Moose Angry?" • "Holiday Video Sketchtacular " • "Bah Humbugged " • "Merry Christmas Mr. Gooch " • "It's Christmas, Gabby Duran " • "Would You Wrather Lose Your Presents? " • "Summer Winter Wonderland " • "How the Syd Stole Christmas" • "Mad About Yuletide" • "Jolly Holidance" • "The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year" • "Holiday" • "How the Villains Stole Christmas" • "A Very Villain Christmas" • "Friends in Snow Places"
Touchstone / ABC Signature "It's a Marginal Life" • "Yule Better Watch Out" • "I'm Scheming of a White Christmas" • "Santa's Little Helper" • "'Twas the Blight Before Christmas" • "Some Like It Hot Rod" • "'Twas the Night Before Chaos" • "'Twas the Flight Before Christmas" • "Easy Street" • "Bright Christmas" • "A Very Topanga Christmas" • "Home for the Holidays" • "An According to Jiminy Christmas" • "Spirit" • "One Office Party Too Many" • "The Christmas Party" • "Secret Santa" • "Silent Night, Opening Night" • "Stalking Santa" • "Aru-Bah Humbug" • "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" • "The Gift of Maggie" • "Christmas Time" • "Light the Lights" • "The Miracle Song" • "Fake Plastic Snow" • "The Nutcracker" • "Two for the Money" • "Holidaze" • "Boom Crunch" • "Cold Turkey"
Albums
30 Favorite Songs of Christmas with Chimes and ChorusA Family ChristmasDisney's Merry Christmas CarolsMickey's Christmas Around the WorldAriel's Christmas Under the SeaA Pooh ChristmasThe Twelve Days of ChristmasDisney's Christmas CollectionDisney's Christmas Collection IIDisney's Family Christmas CollectionDisney's Snowy Christmas . Disney Santa Sing-AlongDisney's Princess Christmas AlbumDisney's Merry Little ChristmasA Green and Red ChristmasDisney's Holiday Celebration 2007Disney Channel HolidayDisney Holiday Magic 2009Disney Winter Wonderland 2010Phineas and Ferb Holiday FavoritesMickey's Magical Holiday 2011Disney Channel Holiday PlaylistHolidays UnwrappedA Very Merry Disney ChristmasDisney Junior Holiday HitsICON: Disney HolidayDisney Junior Holiday Hits 2Disney Christmas Magic
Other
Disney Parks Christmas Day ParadeThe Magic of Christmas at DisneylandThe Magic of Christmas at Walt Disney WorldFa-La-La-Lidays25 Days of ChristmasThe Santa Clauses
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