I love Monk, but I don't like Natalie. You could make a drinking game out of the number of times I yelled..."You're fired!!" at Natalie during a show. I want Sharona back. She was the best. Someone wanted to know where Bitty Schram was nowadays. She is doing theatre acting back east. She has also done some family friendly TV movies, like "You've got a friend," on Hallmark Channel. She is a good person, Bitty Schram, I wish she'd come back, and Natalie would just go away.

Monk rules.

Bitty wasn't happy with the role/show. She made her decision. Perhaps she'll make a guest appearance one day but I'd stop holding my breath for her returning on a full time basis. Why make the other actors suffer if somebody doesn't want to be there anymore? And that sounds like what went on. Bitty wasn't happy and she sure didn't hide her feelings on the set.

Natalie does an excellent job with the role in my opinion. I think they chose an excellent replacement. I like Sharona and Natalie on an equal level.

Sharona didn't put up with the crap from Monk that Natalie puts up with. That's why I liked her. Natalie puts up with WAY too much from Monk. I love Monk, but he can be a real pain in the ass, and he needs to be told off every once in a while (more like once every episode).

I miss Sharona too...Natalie has no personality...I think that they should have replaced Sharona with Varla Davis played by Niecy Nash in the episode called "Mr. Monk and the Girl Who Cried Wolf"
The episode where she and Sharona was taking a writing class and she (Sharona) thought she was going crazy..Niecy was really hilarious
She did her own thing and didn't take any crap from Monk...But was great at helping him in his time of need
Still I think Natalie needs to get the boot or better yet a LIFE

Monkishly,

Monkateer

The Nurse in between the two assistants was Niecy Nash. She hosts Clean House on the Style network.

In an interview (available here on the USA website) Tony Shalhoub said that he and the writers wanted to take Monk to the next step to getting back on the force by giving him an assistant instead of a nurse. I think that was a very good decision, personally. Besides the fact that I like Natalie better than Sharona, there's the obvious point that Monk didn't have much room to grow with his first assistant. She was bossy and yelled at him a lot.

To bring back Sharona would simply ruin the show in that such a move would turn the show backwards rather than forward.

What I mean by that is, Sharona was of great help to Monk. Getting him out of the house and working again, all with brash attitude. But there comes a time when that kind of treatment just won't work.

I know by what I have read Bitty Scram left the show due to problems she was having with it, but by this, and the introduction of Natalie, the character Monk, I believe, advanced in his struggle with his mental issues.

Natalie with her lighter treatment of Monk, though she can put it to him if she has to, has given him the opportunity to grow, if you will. To move closer to his mental wellness.

To suddenly go back to the brash attitude of Sharona, I believe, could only reverse the steps Monk has made. He would lose all the freedom -- self confidence he has made.

Sharona is outdated now.

Sharona was tough and never put up with Adrian's crap because he was really plagued by his OCD in the beginning. She was his nurse in the beginning, then became his assistant. She needed to be tough on him to kind of break his funk and get back to real life. Now that Adrian is better (he still has some quirks, but don't we all?), Natalie is more his assistant....she assists him. She doesn't have to play nurse because he can handle most things on his own now. He has improved. Having a Sharona-type person now when he has improved so much would almost suffocate him; he would lose all sense of freedom, like the previous poster said.

Sharona had her moments, but I thought she was a little hard on him, but could understand because of the aforementioned things. But I love Natalie - I think she's great and she brings her own unique qualities to the show.

AWWWWWWW.

I am glad for the natalie changed.

Simply put Monk didn't need a nurse he needed an assistant.

Monk's perception of Sharona even though she was labled assitant in his mind she was still his nurse. IMO it was almost mother/son relationship. This kind of limited Monk at times as she was more of the muscle for monk.

Natalie on the other hand in monk's mind is his secteary ala the happy secterary flowers.

He feels he needs to protect her at time and fight the bad guys when it comes to that. so he was able to grow with natalie and doubt he ever would have grown with Sharona.

Plus in general natalie and monk just have way better chemistry.

I am also a big fan of Sharona. If she had stayed, I think the writer`s would have changed her charactor to reflect the fact that Monk has improved. After all, they did this with Leland and Randy. Randy and Leland used to have a totally different attitude toward Monk. I don`t want to take anything away from Natalie, she is good.

I agree with you! I like Sharona as well. I think there was only so much that the writers could do with her character as well as Monk's and think that eventually as Monk progressed, Sharona would change as well. I also think Natalie does a GREAT job!

I always wondered why Bitty left the show. I thought it was mainly about an increase in pay. Can you tell me more?

My vote is for Sharona

difference between the capt, randy and Sharona was

capt and randy didn't really respect him at first but, later on realized how a great detective he still was. however nature of their characters didn't change. Leland was still the hot head at times but, smart captain and disher was the loyal and goofy sidekick kind of like the skipper and guillgan.

However Sharona no matter was going to baby him and I belive monk would have allowed her to keep babying him. I didn't think they could have wrote to the point where should would have changed.

It was reallly eaiser to actually get another person to be his true assitant. I like Sharona but, I think her leaving was a blessing in disguise.

I really think the writers could have pulled it off. When the show became a big hit I don`t think anyone ever thought about replacing Sharona. They knew they had a #1 show and thought Bitty was in it for the long haul. IMO they were all holding their breath, hoping Natalie would be accepted by the fans. It took me and my family a while to get used to Traylor.

I would have kept watching Monk no matter who replaced Sharona. I am glad they were wrong too. Monk was on very solid ground by the time season 3 rolled around. I guess many of us who watched the show from day one had a deep devotion for Sharona. I think this was only natural for us to like and admire, each cast member.

I completely agree! You put this well. When I first started watching the show, I saw reruns with Sharona and i thought it was a good show, but she was really rather mean to Monk. Natalie can empathize for him since she lost a spouse too. Sharona pittied him too much and was too embarassed by him. She had her moments and as Monk put it she saved him from drowning, but in all Natalie is better for him.

Natalie has certainly won the approval of Monk fans. Traylor was an excellant choice.

They could make the character less protective of monk but, I think it be diffcult. Even if Monk went back to the way he was before trudy's death I just think Sharona would have a hard time not trying to baby him.

I think the natalie swtich was easier but, I do agree that they probaly don't axe bitty unless she wants to go. (even though there be some consdieration on that after season 4)

I second that, I really like Natalie's character and the actress that portray's her.

Wow...

I guess it must suck to be you, then.

This is basically how I see it, that Sharona was what he needed at that point in his life, but now he is better and Natalie is better suited to his needs as an assistant. I can't imagine Natalie's style being very effective in the early seasons, while Sharona was necessary to push him. Now, though I think that Sharona's pushing isn't needed and it might even become detrimental, he might never recognize that he deserved some of the credit for what he can do, what he has accomplished because Natalie is more likely to stand back and let him do what he can, and gently nudge him when he needs it so that it's still obviously his accomplishment. I loved Sharona, and I love Natalie.

That was beautifully!! I completely agree!

Just to add on to this.

Mr. Monk at times used Sharona as a crutch. If someone confronted him she would be there to defend him. Which I think impede his progress. There was a good contrast in another thread I believe in the astrounaut thread..

In an episode Mr Monk goes to go school. I think a gym teacher wanted to fight him and Sharona basically protected him and told him and I am parphrasing don't mess with him or if you got a probelm take it up with me something of that nature. In short she defended him.

However mr monk and astrounat the main bad guy and monk meet in a hallway with natalie in the background and to be honest the guy was saying some mean things like'

"let's talk man to muss"

"You can't beat me becuase you will always flinch"

etc.

Mr. Monk had to deal with the guy by himself becuase natalie in confrontation/fist fight needs monk to protect her not the other way around which forces Monk to confront these situations and grow from them. (which he did later but, won't spoil it for people who haven't seen it yet.)

I think Sharona's pushing and catering got a very scared, fragile and stubborn man which let's not forget as we make shake our head at some of his phobias in his mind especially in the beginning he 100% justifies all of them out of the house and back to work.

In the end Sharona did a good job to the point he just didn't really need her anymore and natalie has filled in nicely as the assistant he needs.

I loved Natalie's course of action in PI - which was to let someone punch Monk in the gut. Way to go Natalie.

I have been watching reruns of Monk, where Sharona and Natalie episodes are somewhat mixed together. I think the show was better with the Sharona character. But I agree with the posters that Sharona may have run her course as far as growth in the show is concerned. Sharona was a crusty nurse from NJ, and was a distinct contrast with the OCDC Monk in SF. So there was more tension between the characters. Natalie, on the other hand, is a rebellious child of a wealthy NoCal family, who appears to appreciate Monk for his lack of concern, or even awareness of anything other than "doing the job he does best." It was an interesting change, and probably needed to happen.

It is not possible, of course to go back. And if the writers tried, it would be a mistake. I suspect they secretly like the fact that we are even having this discussion.

The difference I see, however, is more fundamental. After watching all these reruns, in my opinion Bitty Schram is a much better actress than Traylor Howard. Traylor has improved greatly from the first season, but she still has a lot of room to grow.

But back to the characters, it appeared to me that Sharona was tempting Monk's obsessive attention to Trudy. Natalie, puts up with it.

At this point, there is no way it would work to bring Sharona back, and get rid of Natalie. I do think that Bitty, being the good actress she is, could have softend up her part. She could have evolved into anything the writer`s wanted her to be. As Monk got better, Sharona could have become less and less harsh with him. I think any good actor, can be molded to fit the part needed. The Capt. and Randy changed, why not Sharona? It`s all up to the writer`s. As always I say I like both ladies, but was partial to Sharona.

I agree. Any good actor or actress can change as their part changes.

I think this is one way to say it.


This is a endless debate, I have noticed. I dunno know, which one is a better actress, Bitty or Taylor.They have a different temperament, they are just different kind. I don´t doubt about, that Bitty would not be capable to act differently Sharona, though Sharona had a certain temperament, and I can´t imagine, that it would change much. A person could change, but temperament usually don´t change much. The question is how much Sharona´s temperament or personality could have changed, that it could have fitted to Monk´s deveploment.

First I didn´t like Sharona very much. I thought, she was too much like a caricature, that she has written so, that she is a opposite to Monk. But then I got used to her, and learned to like her. When Natalie came to the show, I felt her colourless. But I noticed then how a good personality she has and how she treated mr Monk like an adult. I think, that she has made good to Adrian. Adrian is more open, more independent now. For Sharona Monk was sometimes like a Rain Man - a talented freak. Maybe this is not a good way say it, but this is the impression.

I prefer more Natalie, I can´t help it. She has her own ways to push Monk forward, more subtle than Sharona´s. Sharona liked very much mr Monk and was concerned about him, I don´t doubt that. And Monk wasn´t allways very fair towards her (like in the Cirkus), he can be a demanding person and really selfish. IMO Sharona´s style was a bit harsh, but maybe it is what Monk needed when he was in really bad condition. Sharona and Natalie play different roles in Monk´s life, as it has already said before. They have their own personal ways to do it. Probable Natalie wouldn´t be so effective at the beginning, when Monk wasn´t capable to do anything. They haven´t showed it, and it is not necessery.
I enjoy the episodes, where Sharona is, many of them are classics. But I don´t miss her back, her time was then and Natalie´s is now.




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While I like to see Sharona back I don't expect to see her in person on the show. They mentioned the character on Mr. Monk On The Run but don't see her scheduled for the 100th episode.

Their way of giving us Sharona again was in the book Mr. Monk And The Two Assistants.

Also in the book it mentions Julie is 12 and she has to be 16+ since she now drives a car.

We could have had Benjy/Julie romance.

Here is a question for all of you to answer. Would the series still be on, entering it's 7th season if Sharona was still around to coddle and hold Adrian back; keep him lost in that never/neverland of OCD and phobic behaviors?

One thing Natalie has that Sharona didn't... She's cute. :heart.gif:

In fact, I made up a poem:

Roses are red,
Violets are purple;
I like Nat'lie better
Than Maple Syrple. (with apologies to Roger Miller)

In fact, I made up another poem:

How do I love Natalie?
Let me count the ways:

one, two three four five
six seven eight nine ten eleven
twelve thirteen fourteen... (with apologies to Elizabeth Barrett Browning)

In fact, I made up still another poem:

I brought my love a red red rose:
She shoved that flower up my nose;
And as I token that I should court 'er,
She gave me a fresh restraining order. (with apologies to the folks who just snorted hot coffee out their noses).

Now quit whining about Sharona, or else I'll make up more poems.

Who says Sharona's not cute? She's just cute in an agressive way....

Oh, trust me. Natalie's got cute she hasn't even used yet. Yowza!

She totally hypnotized NeatFreak, made him think that I was his uncle, and drew him over to the Dark Side, all by her knowledge of the Force of Cuteness. She even changed his name to Darth Foxtrot. Just ask him... :nod:

Sorry to quote myself. This is my answer to Kees. Yes, the series would still be here.

No sorry needed, it's a honest response. I've seen Bitty in other roles, she is a good actress, Sharona was a great character. I've just wondered if she would have changed, would they have softened her down enough and if they did would the watching audience have accepted the change. Somehow I don't think Sharona fans would find her as interesting if she had become more Natalie-ish.

I think they could have pulled it off. Sharona would have softened up Sharona style. There were many times that Sharona was kind and sweet to Monk. And at that time no one had ever heard of Natalie.

I would never say Sharona was "mean" to Monk. They had a unique relationship in that Sharona brought Monk out of a a very difficult time in his life. They had known each other for years when we were introduced to them. I'd say Sharona loved Monk and Monk loved Sharona (not in the romantic sense, but like family).

When Natalie was introduced, I considered that she was sometimes "mean" to Monk, and that was she was written like Sharona, and something that Sharona would say that the audience would laugh of (like telling Monk to "sit" and "stay" like a dog, I found offensive, because I didn't know Natalie well enough and thought she was treating Monk like a dog. As Natalie got her own personality, and I got to know that, I find that she loves and respects Monk as well, but I would still never expect her to talk to Monk in the way that I could accept Sharona talking to him.

I never thought it was a question of whether Bitty could change her character but more a question of whether her fans would still have liked her character. She was kind and sweet with Adrian at times. It seems most people who have posted here have liked her cockiness and that tiny hint of scarcasm she would use, her Jersey Girl attitude. If they changed that would Sharona fans still find her funny or just too sweet. It was that way when Adrian started showing signs of getting better, several people here didn't like the idea of Adrian getting even a tiny bit healthier like he did in season 4, they have expressed they want the old Adrian back. So the question would be: would Sharona fans want the old Sharona back.

That is a good question to ponder.

You want Sharona back??
Dont we all!!

The husband says, "You know I like Natalie!" The wife says, "Sharona, we miss you. You were fantastic. You helped make Monk a masterpiece tv series. You went out on top, girl!"

I feel the same. I dislike almost everything about Natalie, except the way she dresses. Her voice makes me turn the volume down, it is so high and nasal, as if she were pinching her nose while speaking. And those constant repetitions! In every episode she will go "wait wait wait wait wait wait!" or "no no no no no no no!" or "alright alright alright alright!" Can't she just say it once? She's such a bundle of nerves, agitated as a child, never letting Monk think quietly. Sharona was much more calm and pleasant to watch. But I'm afraid it is too late in the show to bring her back. It would not make any sense having her divorce her husband again. I guess we will have to put up with insufferable Natalie until the end of the series.

Let's face it! Sharona and Natalie together....tag teaming Monk together would be PERFECT!! I mean think about it! Natalie is easy going and Sharona is bossy as can be.....the two together........drama made in heaven! Sharona was needed because Monk was Adrian to her........Natalie is needed because Monk is Mr. Monk............the two bashing heads for dominance in his life would be the best TV bar none! I know if they did it EVERYONE would watch the one episode they "try" it. Come on! Everyone on this forum knows that they'd turn in to see that episode! Tell me I'm wrong!

At times I thought Sharona was grating, but at least she had a personality. Natalie is dull dull dull.

Natalie is about as dull as a newly honed axe blade, Sharona had no character unless you count her smart quips.