Why is a show that first aired in 2002 resurfacing? Because it is now on Netflix and available to audiences beyond the United States and all generations. Monk is a light-hearted police comedy-drama series about a brilliant detective who assists the police with solving its most complex cases while battling obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Detective Monk, played by Tony Shalhoub, is a genius, if a little naïve about the world. After he was unable to solve his wife’s murder case, he was fired from his job yet his brilliant mind could not be kept from the police. He unofficially helps the department with serious cases with the help of his assistant Natalie, a single mum who also keeps Monk out of trouble and is one of the few people who has learnt Monk’s peculiar preferences and obsessions.

Though each episode features a crime and a mystery waiting to be solved, what I enjoyed about the series is that it is less dark, twisted and gory than the crime shows produced these days. It has a sweet balance of action, suspense and justice. With gloomy news nearly always in the headlines today and the wars dooming over life, Monk is a pleasant escape where the bad guys get what they deserve and good always wins.

Maybe this is why I enjoy watching it and I am not the only one. The series was highly popular when it was first released over 20 years ago winning 8 Primetime Emmys, another 22 wins and a total of 47 nominations!