Andy Breckman (‘Mr. Monk’s Last Case’ writer) on desire to ‘honor the series’ with new film, optimism about a sequel [Exclusive Video Interview]

“It’s like we were an Olympic athlete that stuck the landing after a very elaborate and challenging series of gymnastic moves,” reflects Andy Breckman on the series finale of “Monk” that he wrote back in 2009. The idea to reopen the series with a movie continuation 15 years later was therefore a bit daunting, as the writer and executive producer admits, “That definitely was on everybody’s mind. We wanted to honor the series and we wanted to not come back unless we had a real reason to come back, unless we could justify it.” Watch our exclusive video interview above.

The Peacock film “Mr. Monk’s Last Case” does indeed justify its existence by raising the stakes of the original series, especially by including a plot in which the beloved detective Adrian Monk (Tony Shalhoub) contemplates taking his own life. “If you go back to the series, Monk more than a few times in the series has joked that he can’t wait to shuffle off this mortal coil,” remembers Breckman. Though such a dark idea might seem at odds with the often comedic tone of the show, the writer took inspiration from “classic comedies that begins with the character feeling suicidal,” including “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “The Odd Couple.” He thus felt reassured that “you can have a character in a dark place and still have a mystery and still have light moments.”

WATCH our exclusive video interview with Tony Shalhoub, ‘Mr. Monk’s Last Case’

The new “Monk” film centers on Monk’s late wife’s daughter Molly and the murder of her fiancé. As he did on the original series, Breckman began writing with the crime. The mystery that Monk has to solve is how a bungee jumper who had measured and cut his own cord could have been murdered while jumping. “That had been in my closet for a number of years,” admits the writer on this seemingly impossible case. He shares his “little recipe” for writing this and the many mysteries on “Monk,” elaborating, “I begin with the crime and then I make it personal… and then I go back and I add the comedy.”

While “Mr. Monk’s Last Case” has all of the show’s trademark wit and humor, it also has many incredibly emotional scenes, including one in which Monk and his therapist Dr. Bell (Hector Elizondo) break down in tears while discussing Monk’s lack of will to live. “Dr. Bell has always been the voice of the fan, the viewers, worrying about Monk and trying to steer Monk off the ledge,” says Breckman, who shares that the therapist also speaks for him as the writer and a fan of the show. Elizondo came out of retirement to appear in the movie, and the executive producer exclaims, “My God, it was great to see those two guys on the screen together again. You can’t fake that kind of love.”

WATCH our exclusive video interview with Elliott Eisman, ‘Mr. Monk’s Last Case’ editor

Many cast members from “Monk” returned for the film, including Melora Hardin as the detective’s late wife Trudy. On the importance that Trudy played in the show, Breckman says, “When I’m asked what ‘Monk’ the series was about, my answer is always, it’s about loss, that’s the key to the character. He’s incomplete without his late wife.” Trudy thus has a major role in the movie, too. At the beginning of “Last Case,” Monk “can’t wait to rejoin his wife, and then when the case comes up, part of him represented by Trudy is relieved he’s going to be busy and distracted,” explains the writer. He adds that Monk could only be “candid and open” about his suicidal thoughts with Trudy.

Although the Peacock movie is called “Mr. Monk’s Last Case,” Breckman has been working on ideas for a sequel since the film was in production in Toronto. The film shot during the recent writers’ strike, so he was on set in his capacity as producer and had “a lot of free time.” By the end of production, he thus had an idea for a sequel film that he’s “very excited about.” The writer reveals that he pitched this idea to star and executive producer Shalhoub “a month ago” and, with his sign-off, he then “took it to Peacock and they also responded very positively to it.” “I’m optimistic,” he remarks.

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