I've been a bit of a champion for Monk before on this site. It's no Columbo but it sure beats all those crime procedural shows around now...C.S.I, Criminal Minds, Cold Case, Without a Trace, Numbers,..ad nauseum.
I like Monk's powers of observation (like Columbo), his phobias (like Columbo's but raised to the n-th degree), and the relationship with his wife, (like Columbo's but she's dead).

Reminds me of another fav show of mine... Jonathan Creek.

Mark D.- Couldn't agree with you more!!It seems like the newest crime/mystery shows have to have graphic depictions or else generation xyz won't watch. Must be the lack of an attention span.