Monk's impending 50th birthday is fraught with peril as Natalie plans a surprise party for the reluctant detective. He also gets his hands on a super-duper vacuum cleaner, which he does everything but marry. Meanwhile, people start dying around him. The two plots mesh quite nicely. Meanwhile, the captain meets a woman who might just prove to be a keeper. This is assuming she doesn't turn out to be a killer (remember his last flame?). I must admit the killer in this episode is telegraphed early on, but it is fun watching him try to outmaneuver the defective detective. We get to see Monk as a little boy in a poignant flashback.
Review of Happy Birthday, Mr. Monk
