▁in ▁an ▁aud ition ▁in ▁V ancouver , ▁British ▁Columbia ▁as ▁" the ▁main ▁cop ". ▁Jason ▁Gray - St an ford ▁accepted ▁to ▁work ▁on ▁it ▁when ▁he ▁became ▁aware ▁of ▁Sh al hou b ▁and ▁Paris ot ' s ▁invol vement . ▁He ▁originally ▁aud ition ed ▁for ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁deput y ▁mayor ▁and , ▁as ▁he ▁was ▁not ▁cast , ▁Paris ot ▁invited ▁him ▁to ▁read ▁for ▁D isher . ▁Gray - St an ford ▁agreed ▁as ▁he ▁became ▁excited ▁to ▁try ▁for ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁Lev ine ' s ▁side k ick . ▁The ▁pilot , ▁originally ▁developed ▁as ▁a ▁TV ▁film , ▁was ▁written ▁by ▁Bre ck man ▁and ▁fil med ▁in ▁the ▁fall ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁in ▁V ancouver . ▁Origin ally ▁shot ▁in ▁ 3 5 ▁mm ▁film , ▁it ▁was ▁changed ▁to ▁Super ▁ 1 6 mm ▁for ▁budget ▁reasons ▁when ▁USA ▁acquired ▁it . ▁ ▁Re ception ▁" Mr . ▁Mon k ▁and ▁the ▁C andid ate " ▁was ▁first ▁broadcast ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁on ▁the ▁USA ▁Network ▁at ▁ 9 ▁pm ▁E ST ▁on ▁July ▁ 1 2 , ▁ 2 0 0 2 . ▁According ▁to ▁N iel sen ▁Media ▁Research , ▁the ▁episode ▁was ▁viewed ▁by ▁an ▁estimated ▁number ▁of ▁ 4 . 8 ▁million ▁view ers ▁with ▁a ▁ 3 . 5 ▁household ▁rating . ▁This ▁rating ▁made ▁it ▁the ▁highest ▁r ated ▁program ▁on ▁cable ▁television ▁that ▁night . ▁Although ▁Jud ith ▁S .