Over the years, we have seen many heroic characters grace the screens with their righteous deeds and, every hero has his/her Achilles Heel, but this particular hero in question has a very weird list of weaknesses. This man is suffering from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and has a number of phobias. From the fear of heights to the fear of dentists, Adrian Monk’s list of 312 phobias (and growing) is probably the biggest insight in to this eccentric detective’s life. But that doesn’t present the complete picture of this flawed genius.

The story of Monk takes off from the most unfortunate accident in his life, when his wife Trudy gets killed by a car bomb. Adrian fails to handle this news, and suffers a nervous breakdown.

Once among the sharpest minds in the Police Department, Trudy’s death leaves Monk a gibbering wreck. Soon, Monk is suspended from the Police and he becomes a recluse, refusing to leave his house for a period of more than 3 years.

With the help of his nurse, Sharona Fleming, Monk is able to get out of his home and starts working as a consultant for a private detective agency. However, the situation is not without its complications! He won’t touch anything because he fears germs, wouldn’t even examine evidence because it freaks him out. Another eccentric trait displayed by Adrian Monk is his obsession with symmetry and his efforts to balance everything.

Adrian Monk has to be among the quirkiest and most lovingly portrayed character in the history of television. The supporting characters are top notch as well. From Sharona Fleming, Captain Stottlemeyer- Captain of the Homicide and Robbery Division, to Natalie Teager; all characters have been flawlessly executed over the course of eight seasons.

Season 1 sees the slow, painful recovery of Adrian Monk aided by his nurse. Monk is on a corrective course, but the memories of Trudy’s death haunt him constantly. Since her death, his Obsessive Compulsive Disorder becomes even more severe. However, it’s his acute observational and detection abilities that make him an indispensable tool to solve befuddling cases. The flaws only make this genius more human, and what a human being he is!