Tony Shalhoub stars as the illustrious Adrian Monk... and obsessive compulsive detective. Monk suffers from a psychological disorder that has already cost him his position as a legendary homicide detective on the San Francisco police force.

Due to the tragic unsolved murder of his wife, Monk has developed an abnormal fear of germs, heights, crowds and virtually everything else, which provides an unusual challenge to solving crimes... not to mention his day-to-day existence.

Bitty Schram ("A League Of Their Own") co-stars as Monk's nurse and "Girl Friday," Sharona, who ends up becoming an unlikely "Dr. Watson" to his "Sherlock Holmes." Ted Levine ("Heat," "Moby Dick") plays Captain Stottlemeyer, "Monk's" former Captain - a highly decorated detective who will never be as good as the illustrious "Monk" ... and it drives him crazy.

Breckman, Hoeman and Rob Thompson ("Northern Exposure") share executive producing credits for the series. David Stern ("The Simpsons," "The Wonder Years") is co-executive producer, and Tony Shalhoub and Fern Field are producers.