Monk
Character: Mandy Bronson
Episode: Mr. Monk and the Leper
Creator: Jonathan Lisco
Writers: Charles Evered (written by) and Andy Breckman (creator)
Air Date: 22 December 2006 (USA)
Genre: Comedy / Crime / Drama / Mystery
Other Stars: Tony Shalhoub, Traylor Howard, Jason Gray-Stanford, Ted Levine
Media
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Plot Outline
Monk becomes involved in a murder plot when a reclusive millionnaire suffering from leprosy hires him to do a job.
Episode Recap (Source: TV.com)
Monk comes in to see a client and is directed to a dark corner. The mysterious man asks him to sit down and they shake hands. The man offers Monk $20,000 for one night’s work and introduces himself as Derek Bronson, of Bronson Technologies. Monk thought he was dead and Bronson explains that seven years ago he was ballooning and it was assumed he was lost at sea. Bronson reveals he landed on a small island on Guam but he got sick. Monk wants to know what he means by “sick” and Bronson leans into the light to reveal he’s a leper. Monk goes running outside where Natalie is waiting. When she can’t unlock the door quickly enough, he starts running home.
Monk is desperately scrubbing his hands and Natalie mentions that Bronson has offered them an additional $5,000 just to meet again. Natalie makes an appointment with a doctor to show that leprosy isn’t that bad. They go to Dr. Polanski’s office and after spotting a picture of Disher with acne on the wall, she and Polanski flirt briefly. Polanski then tries to assure Monk that leprosy isn’t that dangerous a disease. Natalie finally convinces Monk to display a little compassion for Bronson and take the case.
Natalie goes with Monk to the bar but Bronson just wants to meet with Monk. Bronson explains he had an affair on his wife Mandy and kept the letters. In one week he’ll be declared legally dead and the letters will be discovered, destroying his wife. He wants Monk to find the letters and bring them back. Bronson explains that he chose Monk since he’s an honorable man and won’t try to blackmail him.
Natalie and Monk break into the house after Bronson assures them she’ll be gone that night, at her mother’s. After sneaking in, they disable the security code using Bronson’s instructions. They get to the study and get the letters, but Mandy arrives and holds them at gunpoint. She takes the letters and they explain Derek is alive. She demands they take her to him or she’ll have them arrested. They agree and she meets him in a parking lot while Monk and Natalie look on. Mandy says she knew about the affair and forgave him years ago. They embrace but he tells her to forget about him. She suggests he come to the probate hearing and he notices Monk is there and asks him to do him one more favor.
Natalie and Monk meet with Stottlemeyer and Disher where they reveal Monk will testify at the probate hearing. Natalie teases Disher about going to Polanski and he denies it (badly). Elsewhere, Mandy is at an apartment with a man playing the piano. He smiles at her… and she shoots him dead.
Monk and Mandy is at the probate hearing and Monk offers what testimony he can. Mandy’s lawyer has Monk demonstrate his powers of memory… revealing the judge had an affair with his stenographer. The judge accepts that Monk met with Bronson and Mandy retains control of the estate.
Stottlemeyer and Disher are called in to investigate the disappearance of a musician, Steiner. The landlady insists that Steiner is dead rather than missing, and Stottlemeyer finds a make-up kit and bandages, along with a book on skin diseases. Disher finds an appointment book connecting him to Mandy Bronson.
In a parked car, Natalie and Polanski are kissing and she explains that Bronson went back to his leper colony. Polanski reveals that he had leprosy as a child, freaking her out. Monk is at his apartment with Julie when he realizes that the security panel at the house was made in 2003, and “Bronson” couldn’t have known the code. Natalie comes in, desperately trying to clean herself, while Monk tries to explain.
Monk and Natalie go back to the house as Monk reveals that Mandy killed Bronson seven years ago to get his money, then hired someone to reappear as Bronson. They hired Monk since his paranoia wouldn’t let him examine “Bronson” too carefully. They prepare to break in but hear Mandy in the back preparing a hot air balloon and lifting off with Steiner’s corpse.
Disher goes to Polanski’s office and tries to pry his picture off the wall. He pulls it off the wall as Polanski arrives, and overreacts as Polanski explains he was a leper. Polanski also explains that he had checked on Bronson’s story and it didn’t’ pan out. Disher puts together his case with Monk’s and takes Polanski along… in a separate car.
Mandy is inflating the balloon but is interrupted by a phone call. She goes into the house and Monk and Natalie go to the balloon and find Steiner’s weighted corpse. They’re forced to hide in the balloon gondola as Mandy returns and they untie the balloon. Mandy shoots at them, putting a hole in the balloon as it starts to descend. Disher and Polanski arrive and Disher takes Mandy into custody. The balloon goes off the cliff as Mandy falls out, and she realizes that Monk is hanging off the edge. Polanski arrives to offer his hand and Monk has a hard choice to make. Monk has a hard choice to make… but eventually decides to take the doctor’s hand rather than plunge to his death.
Later, Natalie prepares for a date with Dr. Polanski who arrives to meet with her. Monk is there but still avoiding any contact with Polanski. Julie cheerfully shakes the doctor’s hand, giving Monk something to think about.
