List of Monk episodes
The following is a complete episode list for the criminal dramedy television series "Monk". It premiered on the USA Network on July 12, 2002 in the United States and ended with a two-part series finale on November 27 and December 4, 2009. The complete series has a total of 125 episodes, including three 2-part episodes and four Christmas specials.
The first four of these webisodes were also released on the Season 5 DVD.USA Network ordered ten episodes that would deal with the Monk brothers' childhood. The first premiered on August 21, 2009. The series starred Aaron Linker as Little Monk, Chris Lizardi as Little Ambrose and Bella Thorne as Wendy, one of the Monks' classmates. The series was directed by Randall Zisk, with Hy Conrad, Andy Breckman, Kevin Albright, and Justin Brenneman serving as writers. Aaron Linker also appeared in the parent show as Little Monk in a flashback. The episodes are available only on the "Best of Monk" DVD.
Mr. Monk and the Three Pies
"Mr. Monk and the Three Pies" was co-written by Tom Scharpling and Daniel Dratch, and directed by Randall Zisk. The episode guest starred John Turturro as Ambrose Monk. Shalhoub and Turturro, "longtime friends", according to "USA Today", had graduated from Yale School of Drama. They had previously worked on the 1991 film "Barton Fink" and in a 1998 off-Broadway production of the play "Waiting for Godot". Shalhoub also lived with the Turturros while working on an East Coast project. As one of the executive producers of "Monk" by time, Shalhoub personally contacted Turturro. Turturro was also encouraged to the take the role by his family; he declared, "My whole family likes the show. My (13-year-old) son likes the show." After they sent off the episode's script to him and his acceptance, Turturro, who Shalhoub thought "liked the sound of the character," worked with the series "for about four or five days", as Shalhoub cannot precisely remember.