bicycle

If you tuned in to Today this morning expecting to see Matt Lauer, you were disappointed. But Matt wasn't off on another world wind tour of Asia or South America or the Baja Peninsula.

No, the intrepid NBC host had a serious bike accident which sent him flying over the handlebars. According to co-host Meredith Vieira, Matt was biking at his Long Island home over the weekend when he had a run-in with a deer!

(S07E11) "Come back here. I command you." -- Monk to Natalie

Exactly what is the relationship between Adrian Monk and Natalie Teeger? Boss/employee? Colleagues? Friends? Family? For a nice change of pace, this episode was less about whodunit and why and more, about how Monk and Natalie make whatever it is between them work. It was also a strange show in terms of physical humor, sort of in the A Fish Called Wanda tradition, where pain equals laughs. For me, a little of that goes a long way.

However, the more important business was Monk and Natalie. She really proved her loyalty, integrity and grit. In an odd way, I think we saw qualities in her that Sharona wouldn't have displayed. I think she would have smacked Monk during this adventure, but more on that and the trip to the hospital and a very good guest turn by Bradley Whitford after the jump.

(S06E15) This episode opens with Krusty the Clown's signature bicycle trick in which he rides in a loop and swallows the tiny bike in the end. The kids go crazy for the stunt, but Krusty has other things on his mind, like spending all the money he's making. He tells his assistants to hire Kenny G to play for him in the elevator, to put flowers on Bea Arthur's grave (he doesn't know she's not dead) and to purchase him a new house since his old one is dirty.

His MC Hammer-style of spending money concerns his accountant, who tells Krusty he's broke. The only way for Krusty to make money again is to open a clown college that will train men to pretend to be Krusty and appear at parties and openings the real Krusty wants nothing to do with.

Cut to Homer driving down the highway, excited that it's the first of the month and the new billboards are finally on display. Ever the obedient consumer, Homer obeys every billboard he reads because they each have to do with food. He ignores Krusty's clown college billboard, however, because, "you can't eat that."