I have a slew of “new to me” shows I want to watch and all I have been viewing the past few nights (besides the wonderful and, oftentimes, silly Grace and Frankie) is Monk, my ultimate comfort, sometimes even healing, tv show.

Monk is such a special show for me because of the character himself (so poignantly played by Tony Shalhoub). Not everyone, both within the show and with viewers, has patience with him. Monk can be quite trying at times with his obsessions and often serious manner. 

Even so, his underlying feelings of loneliness and of being at odds with the world is as touching and painful as his undying love for his wife, whose loss he’s never quite accepted.

The show isn’t perfect (the cast could be more diverse and there is a definite male-centric heft to “Monk”) but its routine and overall coziness still keeps me on repeat somehow.

If you are a “Monk” fan, too, I highly recommend the novels based on the show, original mysteries apart from any of the program plots…