TV Notes: Creator's disorder informs 'Monk'

Real life inspired the antics of Adrian Monk, the funny obsessive-compulsive TV detective whose show has soared in the ratings.

"I couldn't walk on the cracks in sidewalks when I was a kid," said "Monk" executive producer and co-creator David Hoberman.

Like Monk, Hoberman has suffered from obsessive-compulsive disorder, and he said he bases much of Monk's odd behavior on what he used to do.

While making viewers laugh, "Monk," the highest-rated drama in the history of cable networks, has won mail-in praise from viewers with obsessive-compulsive disorder and organizations that support them, Hoberman said.

"Monk is someone who has a serious illness. I think we're respectful of it," he said. "We laugh at him, but we're also respectful of him. Monk is quite brilliant at being a detective."

In that sense, Monk inspires others who have obsessive-compulsive disorder, Hoberman said. "Many people out there have this problem to a large or small degree. They see Monk catch the bad guys and be a hero. And if Monk can get through the day, anyone can."

"Monk" begins its third season at 10 p.m. Friday on USA Network with Monk (Tony Shalhoub) going to New York City with Sharona Fleming (Bitty Schram), his nurse and assistant; police Capt. Leland Stottlemeyer (Ted Levine); and Lt. Disher (Jason Gray-Stanford). They try to track down a witness with information about the murder of Monk's wife, Trudy. The pain from that loss made his condition worse; resolution of the case could help him find some healing.

"Monk," which normally shoots in Los Angeles, was filmed in the Big Apple for the episode.

"Trudy's death and his desire to find who killed her is something we try to keep alive without burdening the show with it," Hoberman said. "We felt that the beginning of the third season was time for an episode like this."

Hoberman said Shalhoub, known for playing quirky characters in TV shows such as "Wings" and movies such as "Galaxy Quest," does a lot of improvisation on the show. "He'll walk into a room and know what to fixate on."

In an upcoming episode, Monk will encounter medicine that can help him but learns that taking it would interfere with his brilliance as a detective.

(Dave Mason, Scripps Howard News Service)

Fixing 'Joey' already

NBC and Warner Bros. TV have pulled the sexy next-door neighbor character from "Friends" spinoff "Joey" after the writers discovered they had made her a married woman, which made the flirting scenes with Joey Tribiani seem icky.

It had been speculated ever since NBC showed the entire pilot episode to advertisers in May that, despite thespian Ashley Scott's considerable talent in rolling her eyes and keeping up low-rider pants, the Sexy Neighbor Girl role would be recast. And, according to trade paper reports, the show's creators are taking that opportunity to rethink the role and may make her single.

And, because great minds think alike, when all the broadcast networks had unveiled their new prime-time lineups last month, it was discovered that both WB and Fox had scheduled soaps produced by "Charlie's Angels" director McG at 8 p.m. Thursdays in hopes of attracting that large subset of young former "Friends" fans who do not understand that "Joey" is a "Friends" spinoff.

WB said it was giving the time slot to "The Mountain," about a prodigal son who returns to his family's really expensive mountain home when his grandfather dies and leaves him the ski resort.

Then Fox revealed it was moving "The O.C." there.

(Lisa de Moraes, The Washington Post)

Reality auditions

Upcoming reality show auditions in Pittsburgh include:

"Survivor 10": 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today at Wholey's restaurant, Penn Avenue in the Strip.

"Domestic Diva": 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. June 23, Bridgeville Appliances, 532 Washington Ave., Bridgeville.

"America's Next Top Model": 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. June 26, The Mall at Robinson.

(Rob Owen, Post-Gazette TV editor)

TBN switches channels

Trinity Broadcasting Network, a nationally distributed Christian network, had been airing locally on low-power Channel 65 until late May. It has since moved to Channel 47.

(R.O.)

Channel surfing

"elimiDATE" (12 a.m. weekdays, WPGH) will return to Pittsburgh to shoot six more episodes July 7 to 16. ... Pittsburgh plastic surgeon Dr. Dennis Hurwitz will be featured on Discovery Health Channel's "Plastic Surgery: Before & After" at 9 p.m. tomorrow and 10 p.m. Saturday.

(R.O.)