I am a Natalie/Monk supporter but merely for its entertainment value I wonder what would the series be like if Sharona had not gone there was no Natalie? Would we have a Season 7, would Monk be farther along on his road to recovery (whatever that means) or worse, would the topics for discussion - shipping, non-shipping, etc be the same or would there be differences.

Kawasakifan

It's an interesting question to ponder...Hmmm...

First of all, I think he would be in the same place in his road to recovery. It's no secret that his recovery is not based on his treatment, his nurse, or his psychiatrist. It is dependent on the writers, and the network, and how long they want to keep this thing going. He cannot recover until they are ready to pack it up and go home.

Secondly, I think there would be a shipping/non-shipping debate. There will always be a shipping/non-shipping debate. I think it was Liv who suggested that shippers would see an attraction between two rocks. And even though I'm a shipper, her humorous characterization was probably pretty close to the truth.

However, I wonder if after 6 years of being together without being together, if that might not have gotten old, especially for the die-hard shippers. Let's face it. Shipping is a lot like...um...foreplay. (Did I just say that?) The right amount makes life more interesting. Too much of it with nothing else ends in frustration for everybody concerned. In that way, the fact they a substitution was made in season 3 may have actually extended the life of the show. We started over.

I really think the writers did encourage Monk/Sharona shipping. The episodes that convinced me of this were Goes to the Circus, Get's Married, and Cries Wolf. When Sharona departed, the episodes that introduced Natalie contained a lot of shipping fodder. I'm not sure how well that was received at that time, since they seemed to back off from that. But I think Natalie's growing acceptance caused it to re-emerge. Now I think they're at the point where they need to do something to advance it, or risk the shippers walking off in frustration.

But one thing would be different if Sharona hadn't left. We wouldn't have all those perpetual "Natalie vs. Sharona" threads.

I completely agree with everything you said.

I think the show would be just as good as ever. Monk and Sharona did have some very tender moments. There would be a lot of Sharona/Monk shippers. Yes, I believe there would be a season 7, 8, 9, 10, and who knows. I am a big Sharona fan, but I think Natalie does a great job. I like her very much, as I have stated before.

Personally, I do think that Sharona was a better actress for Monk's assistant. She was funnier in my opinion and acted the role as it should be. She made being the most neuratic man's assistant believable and realistic. Ironically, after she left the show she hasn't done anything else. Has anyone seen her since?

On the other hand, Natalie is obviously much better looking. Though Sharona took better care of Monk, Natalie makes the show take a new turn. Seeing new faces in TV series usually makes it last longer.

I absolutely loved Sharona too, she wasn't as physically perfect as Natalie but she was extremely charismatic and the camera loved her. In answer to has anyone seen Bitty Shram lately-there is a picture posted on the German Monk fan site MONKISM under bilder von Ted (listed under "Looking for a thread on another board" subject on this board) in Ted photos showing Bitty Shram and Ted Levine at what looks like the opening of The Hills Have Eyes premiere or publicity shoot. The date under the photo is September 3rd 2006. They both look very happy together. She looks very pretty . I didn't know they were dating. Looks like the shippers missed this one. I wish them luck and happiness. I don't know how to down load this photo because my son is still teaching me how to use a computer so when he finally gets around to teaching me I'll post it.

Thanks for the info. How funny, my kids are still teaching me how to use the computer.

Much would be different. In the newer episode, Monk and the kid, it would have been so different. Would Sharona take the boy for Monk?
I support Sharona. She gave good value.

I know this will not be popular, but I wonder if the show would not be stagnant if Sharona were still Monk's assistant. That's just me, but the show seemed to get more energy from Natalie and in my opinion is better with her in the show. I like Sharona, but I think you have to have some changes in the cast in a long running show.

Too much foreplay ends in irritation, as well ...

The Shipping aside (cuz I'm not a fan of 'shipping' in any TV show that I watch and enjoy), I think if Bitty had not left the show, the show would not be much different than it is now. Really. Except we'd still have Benjy and Gail ... and Lee Goldberg would've gotten migraine headaches if he wrote the MONK novels from Sharona's point of view ...

That's funny. I was just thinking about that. I think it would be hysterical to read a Monk mystery from Sharona's point of view and in Sharona's voice.

Hey Mr. Goldberg, have you ever considered a prequel? I'd buy a copy!

Assuming its not a kid actor that's added.

We would have more Benji and Gail stories. I was looking for Gail to try and kick it to Randy.

honestly one of two things would of happen..

either they flat out would have had to eliminate the character or she would have had to been changed a great deal.

simply put at this stage monk really doesn't need so much a full blown nurse. there really is no way to get around the fact Sharona is a nurse first..then an assitant. It felt like she baby sat monk instead of being just his assitant.

natalie on the otherhand let's monk be more of a man. Yes she takes cares of him too but, not as much as Sharona did. Plus in short I think the change was better. Sharona was a tad bit too tough for my taste to be with monk. At times it felt like she was the muscle all the time and he was just kind of there to solve the cases. Plus when Monk got pissed sometimes it was interesting to see natalie's reactions like covering her ears (mr monk goes home) when he is clearing out the father room mad or holding her chest in shock (mr monk gets a new shrink) when he yells at kroger. Where i don't think Sharona would have let him do all that.

I think we're overlooking one real world item. She wanted more of the show from what I understood and they refused - which is why she ended up departing. So what we would have seen was more of Sharona taking a more active role and being more 'partnered' with Monk detective-wise than she was before.

And, ultimately, I think that kind of thinking could only go so far towards making the series a success.

In real life, of course she would have picked up the detective skills. And even come to have a detective status of her own through her association with Adrian.

But that wasnt good for the show.

Just as Monk will find a setback every time he makes a great stride in his treatment - to keep the show running, Sharona or Natalie should have to bow to Adrian's greater skill as a detective - to keep the show unified in the successful formula they've found.

The only thing I think we did miss out on is seeing Monk save Trevor's butt from a frame up somewhere along the line. As it would have happened eventually. And maybe after that, Monk and Trevor on a case together - perhaps motivated by greed and Trevor - like in the competition episode with all the other PIs.

On another note, pretty well off topic, as far as shipping goes - Nothing is impossible. Monk was canceled once and no one on staff could do a thing about it. But the fans wouldn't take it and guess what? Season seven people. Television gives people what they want. Monk is smart enough to deliver it in small, well timed, very subtle doses.

... And did you see those two rocks? THAT WAS HOT!!!

Food for thought,

-M

Wow... A maybe Marcy Mavin would have been less of a nut and more of a threat, hunh? Interesting progression there.

You saw that too, huh? I was worried it was my imagination. They are sooooo cute together.