I’ve always loved the now-classic show Monk, in which the incomparable, soulful Tony Shalhoub plays a man severely disabled by OCD as well as what I and my therapist believe is clearly high-functioning autism/Asperger’s. It’s surprising that so few people make note of this aspect of his personality, but some traits that are dead giveaways are his difficulty getting jokes, or taking teasing in light heart (everything has a very literal meaning for him and for the autism spectrum mind), and particularly his sensitivities to sound, light, touch. He notably does not like to be touched or hugged; he is overwhelmed by the noises of New York City when he goes there in “Mr. Monk Takes Manhattan”; he moves when his neighbor’s piano playing drives him crazy; and on many other occasions loses sleep and concentration because of a noise that bothers no one else. It is this acute sensitivity that enables him to solve crimes so well, but it makes him very difficult to live with, or even in the same building, or neighborhood with.
Mr. Monk is very gullible, due to how literally he takes things that he is told. He is easily tricked or manipulated, especially by people pretending to be his friend (See “Mr. Monk Makes a Friend”). Because he has very little experience with true friendship, he has an overwhelming wish for it, as well as very naive expectations regarding the sincerity and motivations of other people. According to Temple Grandin, this is very common among the autism spectrum population, due to both radically unfiltered speech and naively trusting natures. Sometimes we want so badly to share our thoughts and experiences with others that we cannot comprehend why this openness is perceived as a weakness, or why others may be more reserved. A lack of awareness of social coding when it comes to “polite” conversation is commonplace, as well as an inability to switch codes between the personal and the public. The tendency to disclose secrets due to a lack of filter will often lead to gossip and misunderstanding; and the inability to tell when others are lying will in some extreme cases, in dating type situations, even lead to rape or molestation because intentions were veiled until the last minute. In Monk’s situation, he was almost killed by Andy Richter’s character Hal, who preyed on his weakness in order to get what he wanted, seeing Monk as little more than a child-savant, an idiot because of his social awkwardness and need for acceptance.
So, Monk is gullible. He takes ideas very literally AND he craves yet never seems to find understanding, friendship, and structure in his life. It isn’t surprising to anyone then, in “Mr. Monk Joins A Cult”, that when Monk goes undercover in a cult to solve a murder, he is soon enchanted by the seductive ecstasies of ritual and song, the promise of a loving and permanent family/community bond, and a simple lifestyle ordered by regular routines and rules. The cult compound or ranch is the perfect place to zone out, where routines are regular, sounds are quietly pleasant, and people are kind. Furthermore, the leader/ “Father” promises to solve all of Monk’s psychological problems.
Needless to say, this episode holds a humorous mirror up to my own recent experiences with religion.
The really great thing about this show is its lack of hipness and irony, or accordance with any kind of contemporary TV trends. It’s not gritty, ironic, realistic, sexy… It is simply very humane, sincere, and wholesome. I think it is a show about love, at a basic level. This show has soul. It touches people without trying too hard. It is innocent of pretension. In this way, the TV show itself sort of has Asperger’s, I think! It is very genuine and straightforward, without the self-consciousness of many trendier shows. The dead people practically look like they’ve been squirted with catsup!
I love also its generically confusing nature: it is equally mystery, drama, and comedy, and manages to do all three perfectly. The funniest moments exist side by side with the deepest sadness, or the richest expressions of friendship. I love how clear it is who are the good and the bad guys; it seems to be the last hold-out for this type of classic fantasy-storytelling where the villains are absolutely despicable and the detectives are heroic, albeit it with flaws. It also does the very difficult job of portraying mental illness/cognitive difference/disability without retreating into pure pathos or crassly deliberate caricature.
More on Monk as my thoughts evolve…
aspieswimmer 
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