(S08E12) Well, after the past couple of shows -- especially Monk's reunion with Sharona -- I was imagining that the final season of Monk was sprinting to the finish line, delivering some final hours that would be up there with the best ever for the series.

Then Adrian went camping. This might be one of the weakest Monks of all time. The funniest thing was the title, which was where the inspiration began and -- sadly -- ended. Nothing worked. Monk and children? No. Monk in the woods? No. Monk and the grizzly bear? Do you even have to wonder? More after the jump.

Sissy Spacek is set to star in Pictures of Hollis Woods, a Hallmark Hall of Fame TV movie based on the book by Patricia Reilly Giff. The movie tells the story of Hollis Woods (Jodelle Ferland), an artistic twelve year old girl who is adopted by an art teacher, Josie (Spacek), who cares for Hollis. Josie's trouble with remembering things gets worse and worse until Hollis is faced with the task of caring for her. Alfre Woodward plays the social worker assigned to the young girl, who is taken from foster home to foster home before ending up with Josie.

Ann Peacock (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe) wrote the screenplay. Tony Bill (Untamed Heart, Flyboys) will direct. The movie has been greenlit, though no premiere date was mentioned.

Spacek was last seen on television, I believe, in the TV movie Last Call, about the final days of writer F. Scott Fitzgerald.

I wouldn't call myself a huge fan of Smokey Robinson, but whenever "The Tracks of My Tears" comes on the radio, I have to belt it out right along with Mr. Robinson. Hey, it's a great song, what can I say? If you dig Smokey and you're also a fan of Days of Our Lives, be sure to tune in to the November 14 and 15 episodes. The plot will involve Smokey playing himself and finding Marlena Black (played by Deidre Hall) lost in the woods while on vacation in his cabin. Later her love John finds her and Smokey performs a song for them. He sings "On Top of Old Smokey" to try and coerce the couple into a threesome. Okay, the song is actually "I Love Your Face," off his new album. I like my version better, though.