I may be reading to much into this. But in a recent interview with Tony Shalhoub and Bitty Schram there was a very, let's say... interesting exchange.


Moderator Thank you. Now we have a follow-up from the line of Christine Nyholm of TheExaminer.com.

C. Nyholm Hi again. My question is really for both of you. Is there ever any thought of making the relationships more than friendship and turning them romantic — with both Sharona and with Natalie?

T. Shalhoub Any thought on my part or on the writers’ part?

C. Nyholm On the writers.

B. Schram We came close, Tony. There was some – Tony, remember when we had to kind of try to kiss or something and …

T. Shalhoub We were posing as a married couple. Yes.

C. Nyholm I think I remember that one.

B. Schram That was funny.

T. Shalhoub That was good. I don’t want to answer that too directly because some of the upcoming episodes start to speak to that. And I wouldn’t want to reveal anything prematurely.

C. Nyholm Thank you.




So... if I read this right, the upcoming episodes show at least a possibility of a Monk, Natalie romance. I sure hope I'm right about this.

I sure hope you're right!

That was a great interview!
This final season brought back hope, and now after reading what Tony said, I'm really excited!

can i get the original article please....

I did a search and I think this may be where they got it from.

Tony Shalhoub and Bitty Schram interview on Nice Girls TV

Yeah, this is it. Metacomet posted a link in the "New articles" thread.

Thanks for posting the link.

I've been waiting this whole week (which feels like forever) to see how Natalie and Sharona act towards each other...I wonder if it's going to be like the book Mr. Monk and the Two Assistants?

Ah, I see. I hadn't seen that post yet and just read this one first.

Back to the topic.... It IS indeed interesting how TS phrased that...

thanks for the link! i'm on cloud 9!!

Perhaps, however, the question specifically mentioned a relationship between Monk and Natalie, and I think (I'm not positive) that this interview was done after the airing of "Happy Birthday Mr. Monk" Where The Captain and T.K. meet and get to like eachother very much.

Tony and Bitty interview? Like a video interview? Could you post a link for the interview? Please, if you have it.

There's is a link in the articles sthread. I'm not able to post links with my computer.

posing as a married couple....they were talking about from the eppy Mr Monk gets Married

Yes, I understand that they were talking about that episode ...

Again, this could be what Tony is talking about, however I doubt it because 1. The question was regaurding a Monk/Natalie relationship. Not one that Leland is involved in. 2. I believe this interview was done after the airing of "Happy Birthaday Mr. Monk" which, if I'm right about that, there would be no reason for Tony to be covert about the Captain and T.K. because the viewers already know that something is happening there.

That could be very funny if Mank and Natalie were to have some sort of relationship, but I don't get that from his answer. Obviously it could mean that, but it could just as easlity mean that any chance of a relationship is eliminated in upcoming episodes. Oh well, who knows. i can go either way as long as they keep it funny.

I agree. We already know that the Captain and T.K. relationship is something more than just a friendship.. and the question specifically involved Monk, Sharona, and Natalie. I personally think that Tony was talking about Monk and Natalie. But I could be wrong.

That DOES sound like it is talking about M/N. So potential "YAY!!!!!!"
I dunno, but it wouldnt surprise me...I'm excited to see the Monk, Natalie, and Sharona interaction tonight.

He was definitely talking about Monk and Natalie, but he wasn't promising anybody anything. I know it doesn't do any good to tell shippers not to get their hopes up, because they wouldn't be shippers if they didn't, but don't get your hopes up.

Okay...I'll bite...I guess I have missed something somewhere??? What is a shipper?
And while I have never thought about Monk and Natalie being romantically involved if the writers for this series have come up with this as the story line then I believe it will work. I'd love to see them match up but I would be okay even if they don't as long as everyone has some closure ... Monk has been so awkward about everything romantic it would be great to see him relax in that regard and just let things happen....I can't way...and I can wait... Excited and sad...like everyone else...no matter how it all plays out ...when it is finally over ...I know I will feel as though something is missing ...and then realize it's MONK ...Thank goodness for reruns!

T. Shalhoub ]That was good. I don’t want to answer that too directly because some of the upcoming episodes start to speak to that. And I wouldn’t want to reveal anything prematurely

OH MY GOSH!!!!!!!!!!! I THINK I"M GOING TO FAINT!!!!! he has to be talking about Monk and Natalie, because Sharona's on for only one episode! i'm just, so amazed! i thought all this time i was crazy! i just hope i'm not!! i hope they get together!! i hope, i pray!! i'm a big fan as you can see ( :

What is a shipper?

A shipper is someone who has thought about Monk and Natalie being romantically involved and that someone really loves the idea. For a good example see livelaughlove's post right below/above yours. As you no doubt noticed she completely ignored my advice and has gotten her hopes way, way up.

The term shipper is derived from "relationship". I believe it was first used in reference to the Mulder/Scully relationship on The X-Files.

Others have also attributed it to as a slang of wor"shipper" given the outrageous fanatic like behavior that follows. Someone who thinks a couple would be cute together or should be together aren't always shippers, but passive viewers with a similar opinion. Shippers on the other hand are the ones who talk about it, hope and pray for it to happen, make/watch fanvideos about it, read/write fanfiction about it, etc. In other words, they are obsessed and practically worship the concept.

Also, while I'm still very much hoping greatly (as I personally don't think there's anything wrong with getting one's hopes up to a healthy degree) that Monk/Natalie happens, I'm now almost certain that he was also referencing Randy/Sharona. However, on the bright side, he says episodes in plural. So we still may see Monk/Natalie in the future

So that's how the phrase came to be. I'll admit I've wondered ever since it came into common usage on here.

Don't they already have a relationship kinda?? I mean they see each other constantly. They both care about each other.

And believe me I'm not giving my hopes up. I've already seen what can happen. On CSI(Vegas) I was/am a HUGE Grissom/Catherine shipper. I'm seriously thinking about getting either GCR, Grillows or PureJoy tattooed on my somewhere. But...The writers saw it best (and lost their minds) that Grissom be paired with ugly face Sara.

As you can tell I still have some hard feelings towards it but, It was my first ship ever so other shippers can understand.

See, that's what I think too. I mean, they're so close that it's already like they're practically married anyways. Come on! Even the writers played it as a kind of joke tonight with Monk seemingly feeling like he was cheating on Natalie when she walked in on him and Shaona!

And I don't ever give up my hopes either. I was the same way with several couples that never came to fruition, but to this day I still watch all the episodes and feel that same gut flutter that was there originally. So, yes, I understand

Thanks for understanding and i'm honored to be aboard this ship with you hehe!

Same thing here. I still watch old reruns of CSI and other shows and still fill that flutter. It was in my blood I guess to ship lol!

Likewise It's the "good ship lollipop..." um, never mind. Oh btw, I've been thinking this for a few weeks now and can't remember if I mentioned it, but I LOVE your icon.

Team Teeger ROCKS! Very cute icon!

I understand that we shouldn't get extremely crazy about this because we don't really know what's going to happen. But I agree with MrsNatalieMonk that there's nothing wrong with getting our hopes up to a healthy degree. Actually, it's really hard not to get our hopes up now. Almost every episode this season has been bringing new hints. Tonight's episode wasn't different. So when you add Tony answer to this, this whole idea is getting really interesting.

I've been hoping for a Monk/Natalie romance since the Bank episode in season 6 (which incedintally is also when I really started to like Natalie, up until then I tolerated her).

Now it's full fledged, I think they would be great for eachother. They already are!

That's true

I honestly think that the pairing of Randy and Sharona is a big hint that there will be a Monk and Natalie Romance. Think about it for a second, Leland has T.K. Randy and Sharona have eachother... are they really going to leave Monk and Natalie, arguably the two characters that need somebody most of all, with out love? That would just be cruel.

That's what I think too. Unless they pull a Trudy/Mitch is alive thing (which would make me scream angrily and then chuck something at my t.v. for the absolute absurdity of it), it wouldn't make sense that they be left alone. Furthermore, last night's episode seemed to have several hints. The "you got him to me" line was particularly awesome. Then, of course, I felt like Natalie was holding back something when Sharona admitted to having loved Adrian. She just snapped her head in her direction like..."uh oh...she knows" lol. But that just could have been my interpretation.

That was a very nice scene between Natalie and Sharona, and it revealed alot about how both woman feel about Monk, they both love him but I think they love him differently. I think Sharona loves Monk like you would your best friend. Natalie has a more romantic love for him, which I think is why she didn't come right out and say that she also loves him. The former is much easier to admit than the latter.

Also the scene where Natalie walks in on Sharona wiping him off and Monk acts like Natalie just walked in on him in bed with another woman makes me think he really cares about NAtalie and doesn't want her to get the wrong impression.

I loved the end of the Birthday episode where Monk feeds Natalie the cake!!! Soooooooooooo cute!!! And Natalie got him into a dumpster!!!
GRRRRRRRR they need to solve Trudy's case and just get together already.

i felt she was holding something back too! i thought the "You got him to me" line was very sweet!

That's exactly what I thought! Who needs love more than Monk and Natalie?



I've just re-watched this episode and I strongly agree. Natalie's expression was very deep. That whole scene was very moving.

That would be cruel. And Trudy and Mitch are not coming back from the dead, so....GET EM TOGETHER!!!!

Mitch or Trudy coming back would make no sense at all and would be absolutley horrible for the story in my opinion.

I agree. I think that we can be pretty sure that Trudy isn't coming back (they can't repeat Mr. and Mrs. Monk) and I hope that Mitch isn't coming back either.

And if Mitch has been alive all this time, which I doubt, he would probably be somewhat offended once he hears the stories of the Leper, Natalie dating his friend the Submarine Guy, etc...even through Natalie loved him she's been able to move on unlike Monk who needs to find Trudy's killer bc he feels guilty. Natalie doesn't really even talk about Mitch much except in comparison to Monk when talking to Julie. It would just be too random to put them "back" together since we've never even seen them on the show together and aren't invested in it at all. Yeah, I just can't picture that happening.

You make a very good point.

Between the two couples, Monk & Trudy and Natalie & Mitch, we've obviously seen more of Monk and Trudy. I think if they were going to have someone still alive, it would be Trudy, but I highly doubt that will happen. That would be terribly disturbing for Monk, as we saw hints of in the episode with the impostor Trudy (sorry, can't remember the name). Plus, the commercials and interviews talk about the solving of Trudy's murder. I don't want to speak on the behalf of others, but I honestly think some people would be upset if Trudy were still alive. I would. I mean, Monk has suffered years and years, and then she's not really dead? Some would say that's happy, but I think it would make Monk feel totally disoriented. As he said in that episode (the name of which I cannot remember), "If it's true then nothing's true."

"Mr. Monk and Mrs. Monk".

Thank you!

Me too. The question was: "Is there ever any thought of making the relationships more than friendship and turning them romantic — with both Sharona and with Natalie?"

In his reply, Tony could easily have been referring to the Randy storyline, as Sharona and Monk seem unlikely to pair up now, without some kind of surprise love triangle just before the end, and Monk isn't that kind of show.

Why the opposing forces as to whether Monk and Natalie get together or not...Here's the post that I enter on the topic of those opposed to a Natalie and Monk love connection....I am thinking that we should agree to disagree and wait to see what happens...I have gone back and forth myself...find it difficult to visualize Monk and Natalie together...but then that may have more to do with the roles that they are currently operating under at this time...What I want is for the cahracters to be happy...and will be okay with however that happiness presents itself. The last couple episodes I have seen some changes in their relationship...that could indicate a possible different relationship on the horizon...but what that difference may be is yet to be seen...

There is no exact formula out there for why people do or don't fall in love. I have seen people in real life hook up that I just didn't think that they belonged together but who married and remained totally committed to each other ...and I have seen people who I thought were so totally made for each other marry only to divorce in a short time. If real life is so unpredictable how can the writers of Monk be expected to come up with the scenario each person wants or expects. Call me crazy but I can now see this relationship going either way...and would be okay with it going either way. There are "insane" women as some have called a woman who would hook up with a Monk-like person. those who are able to look past the oddities to see the soul...Okay, I know it sounds hokey...but MONK would also have to be able to accept Natalie ...and her ways...not to be a preacher here but love and life in general is all about give and take...making adjustments... being able to look forward. Monk has said several times that he doesn't think he will be able to move on or change until after Trudy's murder is solved... everyone says that he was "quirky" before Trudy's death but that he was not like he is now... and he has gradually gotten better and better...Who's to say one way or the other for sure...perhaps when Natalie and Monk step out of their roles of caretaker and patient....they will decide to always be there for each other as great friends...or if by stepping out of those roles they come to the realization that there is more between the two of them than they were willing to see or even breach when they were boss and employee. As for me I am able to accept it...get it...go with it either way ...the Monk writers are great...and unpredictable ...just like life...

Thanks I got it here:

http://www.fanpop.com/spots/monk/images/221881/title/natalie

I love this website its really cool you can find some really good icons.

I really don't think that Trudy or Mitch will be alive in the end. That would be extremely irritating and hard to explain. Additionally, so many years could change a person's character and life completely. Would they be the same, would they have the same feelings towards their (former) partners? And if so, how could they have endured the long separation?
No, I would absolutely dislike such an outcome.

What Tony said in that interview is highly interesting but also hard to interprete. Did he refer to Sharona? Or did he refer to Monk? Perhaps to the both of them (with separate romancy plots). Nicely put. So we won't lose hope until the show's come to its last second.