History Recap / MonkS8E1MrMonksFavoriteShow

* BlandNameProduct: The Silver Globe - which Christine won for Best Supporting Actress in "The Vanishing Girl", a TVMovie about anorexia—for the UsefulNotes/GoldenGlobe. Monk mentions that was the only AwardShow he ever saw (and was bored by Creator/BobHope telling jokes, as well as two accountants from Fineman & Kelly, who tabulated the ballots, telling the rules); her assistant credits it for saving her career.

* DamselOutOfDistress: Even though Natalie calls for Adrian to help her as she grapples with Christine, she managed to disarm Christine so that Christine doesn't shoot her.
* DissonantSerenity: This happens in Adrian's ImagineSpot, due to his unconscious state and still wanting to do TheSummation. The parents tell "Cathy" on the ''Cooper Clan'' show that they've discussed how murder isn't the best solution for solving problems.

* FromTheMouthsOfBabes: During Adrian's ImagineSpot, Child!Christine denies committing the murders when accused, and then says he doesn't have any proof. Her costar says she has to strip in Florida because she has a baby to support, and [[MamasBabyPapasMaybe one of the clan denies the kid is his]].

* HeadTiltinglyKinky: Natalie and Disher have this reaction to whatever the hell was on Page 73 of Christine's book.

* SeriesContinuityError: InUniverse, Monk mentions to Christine that, in ''The Cooper Clan'''s season 3 episode 10, Christine had a peanut allergy, but in a later season 5 she ate brownies only not to have any reaction. She pointed out Dr. Nabors might have given some cure, but he actually pointed it was actually Dr. Norbert who was her doctor, and the latter announced his retirement at the end of the tonsils episode (implied to be before the brownies one). Christine is left exasperated and her assistant has to change topics.

* SubvertedSitcom: The episode has Monk solving the stalking and attempted murder of Christine Rapp, who played Kathy on Monk's favorite sitcom, ''The Cooper Clan''. Monk has a dream about being part of the family on ''The Cooper Clan,'' where he basks in the joy of it before asking the young Kathy if she has anything to tell her parents. Kathy admits to some typical sitcom secrets, like reading her sister's diary and her dog breaking the family vase...but Monk is actually talking to Kathy as if she was Christine, calling her out for cheating to win an award and killing the blackmailing fan who helped her rig the votes. Kathy gets grounded for the murder, and all the other children in the Cooper family begin speaking from the perspective of their adult actors [[FormerChildStar who have all turned to lives of miserable decadence and addiction]]. And the LaughTrack just keeps going, much to Monk's annoyance.

* RunningGag: Page 73 missing, because Natalie ate it. It's referred to throughout the episode.

* {{Irony}}: Monk considers the ''Cooper Clan'' (who weren't a real-live family) to be [[FamilyOfChoice more of a family to him]] than his real family. The irony here is that the actors who played the ''Cooper Clan'' collectively had ''[[UpToEleven more]]'' [[DysfunctionJunction issues]] than Monk's own family.

* YouAreNotAlone: PlayedForLaughs in the end when Natalie tries to cheer Monk up. He feels that without the show, he has virtually no "real" family, only for Natalie to point out he has her and Stottlemeyer and Randy. Still, Monk isn't satisfied, as Natalie isn't 'funny'. This leads to a small gag where she tries to prove otherwise.

* DissonantSerenity: This happens in Adrian's ImagineSpot, due to his unconscious state and still wanting to do the Summation. The parents tell "Cathy" on the ''Cooper Clan'' show that they've discussed how murder isn't the best solution for solving problems.

* {{Irony}}: Monk considers the ''Cooper Clan'' (who weren't a real-live family) to be [[FamilyOfChoice more a family to him]] than his real family. The irony here is, the actors who played the ''Cooper Clan'' collectively had ''[[UpToEleven more]]'' [[DysfunctionJunction issues]] than Monk's own family.

** Just exactly [[TheUnreveal what]] was in Page 73?

* NothingIsScarier: Page 73 of Christine's book. It's so bad that Natalie eats the page before Monk gets to that part.

* PsychologicalProjection: When Stottlemeyer wonders why the man Christine (seemingly) killed in self-defense would stalk her, Monk (who just learned of her dirty secrets) gives a salty hypothesis that the stalker was a devoted fan and she [[BrokenPedestal disappointed]] his views of her.

* ReallyGetsAround: Christine. She has a long list of men she slept with in her book. Lampshaded by her assistant:

* RunningGag: Page 73 missing, thanks to Natalie eating it. It gets referred to throughout the episode.

* SpannerInTheWorks: Christine would've gotten away with murder and a [[BrokenPedestal disgusted]] Monk would've never given her another thought ''if only'' Natalie hadn't insisted on watching ''The Cooper Clan'' to get him out of his funk. The episode they just so happened to watch is the one that shows Christine's handwriting is the same as her mystery stalker, cluing in Monk that the whole thing was a set up for an even bigger plot.

* ShowWithinAShow: ''The Cooper Clan'', the show where Christine started. In one scene, a bemused Christine is watching the show with Monk,who remembers all the lines like it was yesterday despite the fact he hadn't seen it for 35 years. Another scene has Natalie and Monk watching another episode of the show ([[ChekhovsGun which turned out to be a key piece of evidence]]). Another scene has a InUniverse BreakingTheFourthWall fictional episode with Monk as a jock sporting an [[FunnyAfro afro]].

* SubvertedSitcom: The episode has Monk try to solve the attempted stalking and murder of Christine Rapp, who played Kathy on Monk's favorite cheery sitcom, ''The Cooper Clan.'' Monk has a dream about being part of the family on ''The Cooper Clan,'' where he basks in the joy before asking the young Kathy if she has anything to tell her parents. Kathy admits some typical sitcom secrets, like her dog breaking the family vase and her reading her sister's diary...but Monk's actually talking to Kathy as if she was Christine, calling her out for cheating to win an award and killing the blackmailing fan who had helped her rig the votes. Kathy gets grounded for her murder, and all the other children in the Cooper family begin speaking from the perspective of their adult actors [[FormerChildStar who have all turned to lives of miserable decadence and addiction]]. And the LaughTrack just keeps going, much to Monk's annoyance.
* TapOnTheHead: Christine knocks Adrian out from behind. He then has an ImagineSpot, from where he recovers after Natalie frantically calls for help.

** Natalie later tries to [[LampshadeHanging lampshade]] to Monk the importance of this trope. As she so puts it, if people required that actors from their favorite shows have no issues or baggage before enjoying them, nobody would bother watching them. Monk is not moved, and only bothers watching it with reluctance.
* YouAreNotAlone: PlayedForLaughs in the end when Natalie tries to cheer Monk up. He feels that without the show, he virtually has no "real" family, only for Natalie to point out he has her and Stottlemeyer and Randy. Still, Monk isn't satisfied, as Natalie isn't 'funny'. This leads to a small gag where she tries to prove otherwise.

* BlackmailBackfire: Victor tried to blackmail Christine Rapp over her having rigged the Silver Globe ceremony she won. Take a wild guess how he ended up by the end.
* BlandNameProduct: The Silver Globe - which Christine won for Best Supporting Actress in "The Vanishing Girl", a TVMovie about anorexia - for the UsefulNotes/GoldenGlobe. Monk mentions that was the only AwardShow he ever saw (and was bored by Creator/BobHope telling jokes, as well as two accountants from Fineman & Kelly, who tabulated the ballots, telling the rules); her assistant credits it for saving her career.

* BrokenPedestal: After reading the book, Monk becomes disillusioned in the show and in Christine.
* ChekhovsGun: Episode 4 of ''The Cooper Clan'' was used by Monk to reveal that Christine actually wrote the letters and the words on the mirror to herself as he was able to see her writing on her own cast.

* DamselOutOfDistress: Even though Natalie is calling for Adrian to help her as she grapples with Christine, she managed to disarm the latter so that Christine doesn't shoot her.
* DissonantSerenity: This happens in Adrian's ImagineSpot, due to him being knocked out and still wanting to do the Summation. The parents tell "Cathy" on the ''Cooper Clan'' show that they've discussed how murder isn't the best solution for solving problems.
* DramaticIrony: Unaware of Christine's dirty secrets, Monk spends at least half the episode worshiping her and being a fanboy around her. It's only once Natalie and Stottlemeyer urge him to read Christine's tell-all book that he finally learns the truth about her.
* ForgedLetter: Monk figures out that Christine wrote the threatening letters and the mirror message, since one ''Cooper Clan'' episode featured her writing signatures on her own cast.
* FormerChildStar: Exaggerated to a great extreme with Christine. Her television costars also suffered; one is working as a stripper to support her baby, without any child support, and another became a meth addict. The one who's considered a possible stalker is the most adjusted, all things considered. Christine to ensure her fame rigged a voting award, and murdered the accountant who helped her. He had tried to blackmail her after she had written and published the book.
* FrameUp: Christine frames her supposed stalker for the car bomb and the threatening letters. She then shoots him and claims it was self defense.
* FromTheMouthsOfBabes: During Adrian's ImagineSpot, Child!Christine denies committing the murders when he accuses her, and then says he doesn't have any proof. Her costar says she has to strip in Florida because she has a baby to support, and [[MamasBabyPapasMaybe one of the clan denies it being his kid]].

* ImagineSpot: After Christine knocks him out, Monk has one where he does The Summation as a member of the ''Cooper Clan''. In that InUniverse BreakingTheFourthWall fictional episode, he's a [[LovableJock jock]] sporting an [[FunnyAfro afro]].

-->'''Christine:''' ''(To Monk.)'' Oooh, shy. I like that in a man. ''(Leaves to her bedroom.)''
-->'''Christine's assistant:''' She likes ''anything'' in a man.

* HeadTiltinglyKinky: Natalie and Disher have this reaction whatever the hell was on Page 73 of Christine's book.

* DramaticIrony: Unaware of Christine's dirty secrets, Monk spends at least half the episode worshiping her and being a fanboy around her. It's only once Natalie and Stottelmeyer urge him to read Christine's tell-all book that he finally learns the truth about her.

* PsychologicalProjection: When Stottelmeyer wonders why the man Christine (seemingly) killed in self-defense would stalk her, Monk (who just learned of her dirty secrets) gives a salty hypothesis that the stalker was a devoted fan and she [[BrokenPedestal disappointed]] his views of her.

* ShowWithinAShow: ''The Cooper Clan'', the show where Christine started. In one scene, a bemused Christine is watching the show with Monk, and he hadn't seen it for 35 years yet remembered all the lines like it was yesterday. Another scene has Natalie and Monk watching another episode of the show ([[ChekhovsGun which turned out to be a key piece of evidence]]). Another scene has a InUniverse BreakingTheFourthWall fictional episode with Monk as a jock sporting an [[FunnyAfro afro]].
* ShoutOut: ''The Cooper Clan'' is a cheery, innocent family sitcom in the style of ''Series/TheBradyBunch'', down to the title. What really clinches it, however, is when Christine complains about Monk's avatar, saying, "Adrian, Adrian, Adrian!", a nod to the famous "Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!" moment.
* SubvertedSitcom: The episode has Monk try to solve the attempted stalking and murder of Christine Rapp, who played Kathy on Monk's favorite cheery sitcom, ''The Cooper Clan.'' Monk has a dream about being part of the family on ''The Cooper Clan,'' where he basks in the joy before asking the young Kathy if she has anything to tell her parents. Kathy admits some typical sitcom secrets, like her dog breaking the family vase and her reading her sister's diary...but Monk's actually talking to Kathy as if she was Christine, calling her out for [[spoiler:cheating to win an award and killing the blackmailing fan who had helped her rig the votes]]. Kathy gets grounded for her [[spoiler:murder]], and all the other children in the Cooper family begin speaking from the perspective of their adult actors [[FormerChildStar who have all turned to lives of miserable decadence and addiction]]. And the LaughTrack just keeps going, much to Monk's annoyance.

* ImagineSpot: After Christine knocks him out, Monk has one where he does The Summation as a member of the ''Cooper Clan''. In that InUniverse BreakingTheFourthWall fictional episode, he's a [[TheJock jock]] sporting an [[FunnyAfro afro]].

* ShesAllGrownUp: Monk has this reaction on seeing how Christine is no longer a child actor on a sitcom.

* SeriesContinuityError: InUniverse, Monk mentions to Christine that, in ''The Cooper Clan'''s season 3 episode 10, Christine had a peanut allergy, but in a later season 5 she ate brownies only not to have any reaction. She pointed out Dr. Nabors might have given some cure, but he actually pointed it was actally Dr. Norbert who was her doctor, and the latter announced his retirement at the end of the tonsils episode (implied to be before the brownies one). Christine is left exasperated and her assistant has to change topics.
* ShowWithinAShow: ''The Cooper Clan'', the show where Christine started. In one scene, a bemused Christine is watching the show with Monk, and he hadn't seen it for 35 years yet remembered all the lines like it was yesterday. Another scene has Natalie and Monk watching another episode of the show ([[ChekhovsGun which turned out to be a key piece of evidence]]). Another scene has a InUniverse BreakingTheFourthWall fictional episode with Monk as a [[TheJock jock]] sporting an [[FunnyAfro afro]].

* WartsAndAll: Christine tries to invoke this trope, that perhaps Monk can find it in his heart to forgive his favorite (grown) child star. Given Monk has never been one to let it down for any [[BrokenPedestal fallen hero]] (and Christine's issues are ''[[JustifiedTrope pretty severe]]''), it doesn't work out that way.
** Natalie later tries to [[LampshadeHanging lampshade]] to Monk the importance of this trope. As she so puts it, if people obsessed over shows and movies having actors with no real issues or baggage, nobody would bother watching them. Monk is not moved, and only bothers watching it with reluctance.
* YouAreNotAlone: PlayedForLaughs in the end when Natalie tries to cheer Monk up. He feels that without the show, he virtually has no "real" family, only for Natalie to point out he has her and Stottelmeyer and Randy. Still, Monk isn't satisfied, as Natalie isn't 'funny'. This leads to a small gag where she tries to prove otherwise.

* AdultFear:
** One of the grown ''Cooper Clan'' actors is stripping in Florida to support her baby, and [[MamasBabyPapasMaybe she claims one of her costars is the father who hasn't paid any child support]].
** For another one the [=TV=] series was his last job and he's now addicted to meth.

* SeriesContinuityError: InUniverse, Monk mentions to Christine that, in ''The Cooper Clan'''s season 3 episode 10, Christine had a peanut allergy, but in a later season 5 [[TheOneWith bake sale episode]] she ate brownies only not to have any reaction. She pointed out Dr. Nabors might have given some cure, but he actually pointed it was actally Dr. Norbert who was her doctor, and the latter announced his retirement at the end of the [[TheOneWith tongsils episode]] (implied to be before the brownies one). Christine is left exasperated and her assistant has to change topics.

* NoodleIncident: One of the men Christine admits to having slept with is Creator/BobDenver. For reasons never explained, he has an asterisk by his name.

* PunnyName: The "stalker" of Christine Rapp is a man named Victor Timlinson. Vic Timlinson. '''Vic Tim'''. Y'get it?
* ReallyGetsAround: Christine. She has a long list of men she slept with in her book. {{Lampshaded}} by her assistant: