(S07E12) "Be a pirate. It's fun to be a pirate." -- Marge to Monk

For a short time in this episode, you saw a glimpse of what Adrian Monk's life might have been when he was happy and with Trudy. A woman came into his life, not a romantic figure, but one who nurtured Adrian, admired him, gave him confidence in himself and gently eased him out of the shell of phobias and obsessions that dictate so many aspects of his life. The woman, Marge, appeared as the lady next door, and in the gifted hands of actress Gena Rowlands, she showed us another kind of Monk. For that reason alone, this was a superb episode.

Because this show is essentially not about the crimes but mostly about Monk, it was overall an emotional and sad hour. What it showed, ultimately, I'm afraid, is that Adrian is still so damaged by his childhood and Trudy's death that he may never find true peace ever again.