AdrianMonk’s two assistants, Sharona Fleming (Bitty Schram) and Natalie Teeger (Traylor Howard) served vastly different narrative purposes in the show. Even so, which of the two was Monk’s best assistant has been a matter of controversy ever sinceSharona’s actor Bitty Schram left. The loss of her character could easily have tanked the show.The decision not to recast Sharona savedMonk, but Natalie entering the series as her replacement was hotly debated. What is not up for debate, however, is thateach of these two unique characters served an important role in Mr. Monk’s life.
Both Sharona and Natalie cared deeply for their boss, the troubled former detective Adrian Monk (Tony Shalhoub). They each regularly expressed pride over his progress, and consistently did what they thought to be best for him – but that is where their similarities end. For the most part,comparing Sharona and Natalie is like comparing apples to oranges. New Jersey-born Sharona is sassy and no-nonsense, whereas California-native Natalie is gentle and accommodating. Despite their differences, there are plenty of reasons to call either Sharona or Natalie Mr. Monk’s best assistant.
10Sharona Treated Monk
She Was His Nurse Before His Assistant
As a medical professional, Nurse Sharona Fleming was exactly what Adrian Monk needed after the devastating loss of his wife, Trudy. Adrian’s friend and colleague Captain Leland Stottlemeyer (Ted Levine) sent Sharona, knowing thatMonk needed a full-time nurse to help manage Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). His condition had been severely worsened by the trauma ofTrudy Monk’s murder. Monk’s grief had caused a nervous breakdown, butSharona helped him to work through this dark timeand slowly begin to re-enter society.
Sharona’s handling of his OCD was an integral albeit flawed part ofMonk’s therapy, pushing him to challenge himself. She expected him to try new things and re-learn how to interact with the world. Sharona did not allow Adrian to retreat into himself or to be coddled, and in the long run, this helped him to manage his condition, asnot all of his phobias and obsessive compulsions could be reasonably accommodatedby the outside world. Sharona was kind when it counted, as seen in “Mr. Monk and the Candidate” when she gently guided Adrian out of a height-induced panic.
9Natalie Accommodated Monk
She Was His Assistant, Not His Psychiatrist
Natalie understood that Monk was dealing with yet another painful loss after Sharona left; though she may not have known it at the time, Adrian had a deep abandonment wound from his father leaving their family when he was 8 years old, and this wound resurfaced often in the show.While Natalie was initially harsh towards Adrian, she eventually grew to understand himand began to treat him more gently than Sharona.
Natalie accommodated Monk to help him feel safe and comfortable in the outside world, sometimes treating him like a child. This is evident in the elevator scene from “Mr. Monk And Sharona,” in which Natalie argues with Sharona that Mr. Monk should be allowed to take the stairs rather than the elevator. She tells Sharona she doesn’t want Monk to be uncomfortable, but Sharona says,“Sometimes he has to be uncomfortable, otherwise he’ll never learn.”When Natalie argues,“I’m not his psychiatrist, I’m his assistant,”Sharona replies,“Then why don’t you try assisting him instead of pandering to him?”
8Sharona Didn’t Tolerate Mistreatment
She Set Important Boundaries With Mr. Monk
Sharona held Adrian accountable and did not tolerate bad behavior or mistreatment.She regularly calls him out for rude, hurtful behavior, such as in season 2 episode 4, “Mr. Monk Goes to the Circus,” where Monk mocks Sharona for having a fear of elephants. When she admits to her phobia, Monk tells her to “suck it up.”Sharona becomes enraged by his insensitivity, calling him“the most selfish, insensitive man” she had ever met, which in turn upsets Adrian.
Monk 2: Is It Happening? Everything We Know About The Mr. Monk’s Last Case Sequel
Tony Shalhoub’s beloved detective returned in Mr. Monk’s Last Cast: A Monk Movie to great fanfare, but will there ever be a Monk 2?
While she seemed harsh at times, ultimately,Sharona was re-socializing Monk, helping him to gain compassion and learn how to engage with others. The limits Sharona set for Monk were important, as Adrian had become self-centered and frequently lashed out because of his grief and the extreme anxiety his OCD created – something that can frequently manifest as irritability and poor boundaries.
7Natalie Understood Monk Lashing Out
She Knew It Wasn’t Personal
Natalie, on the other hand,had compassion for the motivations behind Mr. Monk’s sometimes poor treatment of herand felt it was important to treat him as an employer rather than an equal (or in Sharona’s case, as a patient). As such, she tolerated the majority of Monk’s antics and sometimes allowed him to crush her boundaries, particularly in the way he spoke to her while under stress and in his expectation for her to be available to him 24/7.
Natalie’s poor boundaries may have been from a lack of self-respect, or could even have stemmed from her upbringing. As a widowed military wife from a rich family, Natalie likely had little experience in setting boundaries or advocating for herself, whereas Sharona’s New Jersey origins and life as a divorced mom had taught her to be tough and self-sufficient.Natalie’s softer approach to Monk became problematicin episodes such as “Mr. Monk is On Wheels,” in which Adrian spitefully makes her life miserable after she accidentally shoots him in the leg.
6Sharona Was Monk’s Nurse And Advocate
She Stood Up For Adrian
Whether or not it always came through as kindness, Sharona cared deeply for Mr. Monk, and one thing she never did was allow anyone to mess with him. She did not hesitate to get in other people’s faces on Adrian’s behalf or advocate for the needs created by his condition, often downplaying management of his phobias to others as no big deal.Sharona not only acted as his nurse but also advocated for Mr. Monk, even going so far as to berate some of Monk’s superiors such as his friend, Captain Leland Stottlemeyer.
Bitty Schram did not return forMr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie, although Sharona was included in a flashback from the first episode.
In “Mr. Monk Goes to the Carnival,” Sharona angrilyconfronts Captain Leland Stottlemeyer when he fails to recommend Adrian for reinstatementin the police force. Upon discovering this betrayal, Sharona calls out Leland for not helping Adrian get his old job back, even though Monk was arguably not ready for it.“At least your friend Adam Kirk has the decency to stab people in the front.”This was one of many ofSharona’s best quotes.
5Natalie Was Monk’s Assistant And Friend
She Made Adrian Her Family
Natalie was more of a friend to Monk than an advocate, though she did treat him with professional respect as her employer. (Throughout the show, Natalie never reaches a first-name basis with her boss, opting to call him “Mr. Monk” rather than Sharona’s often-chiding “Adrian!”)She was affectionate and sometimes motherly towards Monk and regularly included him in family time with her young daughter, Julie Teeger (Emmy Clarke). She even threw Mr. Monk a surprise 50th birthday party with all of his colleagues.
Natalie grew as the series continued, but was more awkward and girlish than the capable, highly protective Sharona. As such, she was less of an advocate and more of a comforting friend to Monk. Natalie did not stick up for Adrian as frequently, and this could have been a good thing. Without Sharona there to defend him,Adrian needed to learn to advocate for himself, and this may have helped him to grow in the long run.
4Sharona Dug Monk Out Of His Grief
Sharona Was There For Monk’s Darkest Moments
Sharona was Monk’s psychiatric nurse before she was his assistant, and came into his life at a time when he desperately needed help. She was there as Adrian dug his way out of a nervous breakdown and trauma-induced agoraphobia.Her support helped Monk to regain much-needed normalcyafter Trudy’s murder.
In “Mr. Monk Gets Married,” Sharona reminds Adrian,“Before I was your assistant, I was your nurse. That means I’m still your nurse.”This line made it evident that Sharona had not forgotten the dark period in which Adrian first met her. The level of growth he experienced under her care is evident in the pilot episode, in which Stottlemeyer comments on the improvement in Monk’s agoraphobia, expressing he’s glad he has been getting out more. Sharona praises his progress to Leland and Randy and frequently affirms Adrian throughout the show for how much he has grown.
3Natalie Helped Monk To Maintain
Natalie Brought Joy And Optimism Into Monk’s Life
Natalie helped to maintain the progress that Mr. Monk had made with his condition even after he lost Sharona. However, Natalie’s sometimes coddling approach arguably caused an eventual regression in Mr. Monk’s condition, as seen in his poor treatment of her in “Mr. Monk is On Wheels,” when he was particularly unkind to Natalie after she accidentally shot him.Monk used an accident as an excuse to guilt and bully Natalie extensively, and his unreasonable expectations made her life miserable until Stottlemeyer intervened to call Monk into check.
Mr. Monk’s Last Caserevealed that Natalie is no longer Monk’s assistant and works as a real state agent.
In the final few seasons, Mr. Monk becomes somewhat complacent in managing his disorder. However, he maintains roughly the same level of functioning he had while under Sharona’s care – if not the same level of socially acceptable behavior. Regardless of any potential regression,Natalie brought a great deal of joy, optimism, and affection into Mr. Monk’s life, and it was much needed. He also bonded heavily with her young daughter, Julie, and became a part of their family life.
2Sharona Was Street-Smart And Capable
She Even Solved A Case By Herself
Sharona was more than capable of standing on her own two feet and regularly assisted in investigating cases, sometimes even without Monk’s presence.She solved a case by herself early onin season 1 episode 5, “Mr. Monk Goes to the Asylum.” In this episode, Sharona did her own sleuthing while Adrian was committed at a psychiatric institution.
Sharona’s street smarts and tough, capable personality made her an asset to Adrian in many instances. She was regularly able to contend with difficult people who stood in the way of Monk’s investigations, using her ability to intimidate or even her feminine charms to further their agenda. Whether flirting, winning a beer-chugging contest, or publicly ripping off the Commissioner’s hairpiece,Sharona never hesitated to get her hands dirty if it meant helping Adriansolve a case.
1Natalie Was Mr. Monk’s Biggest Fan
She Cheered Him On More Than Anyone
Natalie acted as Mr. Monk’s biggest hypewoman, andshe frequently called him“the greatest detective in the world.”She brags about Adrian to those around her and displays constant awe and respect for his investigative talents, regularly praising his accomplishments and affirming his remarkable abilities. One of her most regularly used catchphrases in the show is,“I’m so proud of you, Mr. Monk!”Natalie supports and encourages Monk through many difficult moments, including when he finally discovers Trudy’s killer in the series finale.
It is obvious from Adrian’s tearful reaction to Sharona’s chastisement in “Mr. Monk Goes to the Circus” that he hates disappointing those he cares about, and the show regularly references Adrian having low self-esteem and difficulty believing that people like or care about him. Though Natalie is initially critical of the troubled former detective, asMonkprogresses, she grows to understand him better and becomes far gentler and more encouraging in her approach. After everything he had been through,Adrian desperately needed the encouragement and support that Natalie so reliably provided.
Monk
Cast
Starring Tony Shalhoub as Adrian Monk, Monk follows the titular detective, a private investigator with OCD who helps solve crimes with the San Francisco Police. On the side, he also investigates the death of his wife, who was killed by a car bomb. Bitty Schram, Traylor Howard, Ted Levine, and Jason Gray-Stanford also star.
