Monk is in better shape than normal lately. Much to Natalie's shock, however, she sees a woman in a diner who looks to be a dead ringer for Monk's late wife Trudy...
This episode includes examples of the following tropes:
- Accidental Murder: In her struggle with Zach Ellinghouse, "Trudy" accidentally sends him falling chest first onto his bill spike.
- Dead Person Impersonation: A woman impersonates Trudy.
- Died in Your Arms Tonight: Monk cradles the woman pretending to be Trudy as she dies from the gunshot wound.
- Everyone Has Standards: The woman who disguised as Trudy isn't comfortable with the things she's done whilst in the guise of a dead woman. For one, she accidentally killed the elderly father of Trudy's late friend. For another, she witnesses secondhand how her machinations have rendered poor Monk a neurotic mess. She even asks Bollinger if she can end the charade simply because she's uncomfortable with it.
- Gut Feeling: Monk does not know if the woman called Trudy is his beloved wife. He goes back to her grave, and is assured that she's still gone. Why? Because visiting her tomb is as painful as ever.
- Hope Spot: The first half of the episode features Monk having made leaps and bounds in healing, functioning higher than ever, to the point where Stottlemeyer gladly recommended him for reinstatement. Then the events of the episode hit him, and he ends the story worse than ever. It isn't until the last season that he's shown to be as well as here.
- Kick the Dog: As unintentional as it was, it was cruel of Bollinger to put up the actress to pretending to be Trudy, knowing Monk is still trying to heal from her death.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Downplayed. On one hand, Monk was bound to learn about the fake Trudy sooner or later, therefore leading to his regression. On the other hand, Randy getting it in his head that he's "the man" and taking it into his own hands to assign Monk a case involving her (although he didn't know) only sped up the process.
- Outliving One's Offspring: "Trudy" meets with Zach Ellinghouse, whose daughter Janice is dead.
- Status Quo Is God: Monk is back to his old self after the harrowing events of the episode.
- Tears of Joy: Dr. Kroger weeps a few over Monk's progress during their session near the start of the episode.
- Yank the Dog's Chain: Monk's issues are reignited when he witnesses the woman disguised as Trudy die from a bullet wound before his eyes, making him feel like he's lost his wife all over again.
