Monk is as neurotic as ever in the new trailer for the upcoming TV movie starring Tony Shalhoub as the quirky detective. The private detective with severe OCD and phobias is back in Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie and the first trailer has been released by Peacock.

Monk ran on the USA Network from 2002 to 2009, with eight seasons and 125 episodes. This mystery dramedy series won eight Emmy Awards, including three for Tony Shalhoub as Best Actor in a Comedy Series in 2003, 2005, and 2006.

In Mr. Monk’s Last Case, Andy Breckman, the mastermind behind the original series, weaves his creative magic once again. The analytical genius finds himself entangled in a final case that hits close to home. It involves none other than his stepdaughter. As if that’s not enough, he’s also navigating the challenges of living with his quirks in a post-pandemic world.

Monk dealing with COVID is something Breckman has wrestled with the past few years. “During the lockdown, everyone was asking me, and I’m sure they were asking Tony, ‘Gosh, I wonder how Monk would fare?’ Or, ‘Maybe Monk would thrive because he was suddenly in his element living in a bubble,’” Breckman told Entertainment Weekly. “Everyone was asking about Monk and concerned about Monk and curious about Monk during the lockdown.”

The ‘Monk’ Movie Deals with the Character Grappling with the Pandemic’s Impact

The film emphasizes the pandemic’s impact. There series explained that Monk’s mental health issues were the result of his wife’s death. In 2009, Monk ended with the detective finding answers about his wife’s death.

It was a glimmer of hope to ease his overwhelming grief. However, any progress Monk had made was disrupted by the pandemic. “The movie finds Monk in a pretty dark place. He’s back in a hole that he has to try to dig out of emotionally,” Breckman added.

Traylor Howard, Gray-Stanford, Melora Hardin, Hector Elizondo, and Ted Levine reunite with Shalhoub for Mr. Monk’s Last Case. And the cast gains some fresh faces – Caitlin McGee as Molly Evans and James Purefoy as Rick Eden.

On Wednesday, Breckman, together with executive producer David Hoberman and director/producer Randy Zisk, issued a statement regarding their comeback to the realm of Monk.

“We’re so delighted to have made a movie version of Monk, and we are thrilled that every one of our stars were so enthusiastic about coming back,” they wrote. “But in coming back, we wanted to do a film that was worthy of our legacy. Mr. Monk’s Last Case is a story that is powerful, emotional, funny, heartwarming, and has something to say about the human condition.” The TV movie is set to drop on Peacock on December 8th.