NOOOOOOO!!!! Sharona Leaves Monk!!!

sharonamonkI’m stunned! I can’t believe it!! It’s HORRIBLE!!!

Actress Bitty Shramm, who plays the long-suffering, tough-as-nails psychiactric nurse Sharona, is leaving Monk!

For those who haven’t yet caught Monk fever, the program stars Tony Shalhoub and is an absolutely hilarious, intelligent, and life-affirming program about a detective who suffers from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. It airs on USA Network and is WELL worth your time.

But now Bitty Shramm–the ideal sidekick and sparring partner for Tony Shalhoub–is leaving the show!

It’ll be like Holmes without Watson!–only Holmes didn’t need Watson to give him handy-wipes to control his germophobia!

GET THE SAD, SAD, SAD STORY.

Whatever is Monk going to do without Sharona???

I just know I’m going to obsess about this.

UPDATE: Welcome Google visitors! More information has been revealed about the Sharona situation since the time this post was written. Basically, Sharona and her son, Benjy, moved back to the East Coast to reunite with her former husband. (This was not shown on screen but was talked about.) Subsequently, Monk hired a new assistant, a former bartender named Natalie Teeger (Traylor Howard), who has a daughter. Thus far, Natalie seems to be doing as good a job at standing up to Monk as Sharona did, but we’ll always have a special place in our hearts for Sharona. Hopefully she’ll guest star in the future.

Author: Jimmy Akin

Jimmy was born in Texas, grew up nominally Protestant, but at age 20 experienced a profound conversion to Christ. Planning on becoming a Protestant seminary professor, he started an intensive study of the Bible. But the more he immersed himself in Scripture the more he found to support the Catholic faith, and in 1992 he entered the Catholic Church. His conversion story, "A Triumph and a Tragedy," is published in Surprised by Truth. Besides being an author, Jimmy is the Senior Apologist at Catholic Answers, a contributing editor to Catholic Answers Magazine, and a weekly guest on "Catholic Answers Live."

67 thoughts on “NOOOOOOO!!!! Sharona Leaves Monk!!!”

  1. I tell you, Jimmy, those Benjamins can do strange things to people. I bet the salary bit is the key. What else has she been doing lately anyway? I’m more disgruntled now than anything. First they try to get us to believe Benji is the same kid when OBVIOUSLY it’s not, now this. At least they’re not going to use a fake Sharona.
    The bartender bit has been done hasn’t it? That’s what Walker Texas Ranger had with CD. If Monk starts doing Kung Fu I won’t know what to think. My wife thinks that the cop who was reinstated (Mr Monk and the employee of the month) will be a recurring character in the future. I just hope they don’t dumb down the show like they tried to in season 2.

  2. Oh no is right! Sharona is half the fun of the Monk Show. It will be interesting to see how this all plays out. Jimmy, thanks for keeping us up to date on this disaster.

  5. There are few shows on tv that are any good and Monk is one of them. Sharona really is an integral part of the whole Monk picture.
    Dang!

  6. Well, this will be the end of Bitty’s career — in my humble opinion, of course. She will return to the anonymity whence she sprung.
    My son and I love Monk so much that last Lent we gave up watching television altogether (yes, all the way from Ash Wednesday through Holy Saturday, including Sundays!), with the single exception of the handful of new Monk episodes that aired during that time.
    On the bright side, perhaps they’ll convince that hilarious actress to step in — the nurse who cared for Monk while Sharona was “ill.”
    ‘thann

  7. As an OCD-sufferer myself, “Monk” is not only entertaining, but very honest and realistic in its portrayal of OCD. I love that show and will miss Sharona. I hope it still works however they plan on handling it.
    BTW, the current Benji is the same actor as in the pilot. Why they changed actors and then changed back, I have no idea.

  9. Tomorrow, 1/21/2005, the new season of “Monk” begins! Now we’ll find out if they’ve “jumped the shark” or not.

  10. is there a way to email the producers of MONK to try to get Sharona (Bitty) back on? And yea, the Benji thing is annoying…please email me back at AverageBoy12@aol.com 😉 *wally*

  12. Not according to what I’ve read. At least from the accounts I’ve seen thus far it looks as if Bitty wanted a raise and the producers didn’t want to give one, so she left when her contract was up.

  14. I can’t believe she’s gone! Everytime I watch Monk now I moan about missing Sharona. She was one of the strongest female characters on TV. I don’t like Natalie, it looks like a blatant attempt to sex up the show and make it look like a conventional action cop show (i.e. having her climb up the dump truck – can’t imagine
    Sharona doing that).

  15. You’ve got to give Natalie a chance. She’s different from Sharona, but not better or worse, kind of like when _M*A*S*H_ switched from Trapper to B.J.
    I also seem to remember Sharona kidnapping a chimp and jumping on the police commissioner’s back to pull off his toupée, so I could see her climbing in the back of a dump truck looking for clues.

  16. In the second episode, Mr. Monk and the Psychic, Sharona did dig around in a dumpster looking for a piece of gravel (which had been in Monk’s hair the whole time) that was essential evidence. Dumpster, dump truck: what’s the difference?

  19. I loved Taylor Howard in “Two guys and a girl” she was cute and perky, but in Monk she is neither and her character is totaly boaring. They should bring back Sharona. All heroes need a sidekick and Monk without Sharona is like a Sunday without the cherry on top.

  20. I want Sharona to come back! She was the best thing besides Monk in the show! Natalie is a blah blonde (boring dumb blonde) with a whining, irritating voice and personality! Monk is not as good of a show without Sharona.

  21. SHARONA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Why doesn’t the producers get monk a woman as sweer and weird as he is to date? I’m sad for him. I love monk.

  24. Monk isn’t the same without Sharona. I can see why it didn’t get nominated for any awards recently. Sharona is ten times better than Natalie.

  25. Hi im from UK, the bbc (t.v channel in england if u don’t know) is airing MONK and we are into the second season only ‘Missing Granny’ is being aired today. Anyway i think monk is one my favourite shows on boring english telly! anyway, just want to praise the americans for thier quality shows they constantly rpoduce, i wish the we could learn something from your shows but hey! anyway i just read sharonas leaves in future episodes. all i can say is NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!! shes is the ying to monks yang! i dont know how the new lady is doing but i hope she doesnt make me miss sharona too much coz i luved sharona.

  27. Without Sharona the balance of the series is so disrupted I’ve stopped watching it… and I watched it religiously. She was like a real person, which is rare for a tv show, and now she’s gone the others don’t look real to me anymore and I feel oddly cheated… Plus since she left, Monk’s character has been really inconsistant and the whole prog has turned too sentimental. As a brit I was enjoying watching it on the bbc every day but… no more. Now what shall I watch while I knit? 🙁

  28. Just watched the first few episodes of Monk without Sharona in them and i have to say i’m disapointed.Monk and Shrona were great together. i actually thought the producers were going to have them married in the end. ah well never mind. suppose it might still happen if she ever comes back but it has been two years so that is probably unlikely but we can always hope. Scotland rocks 😉

  30. a oui j’ai oublier de dire j’adore cette cérie
    elle et tros bien et les geste de mr monk son bizare mon rigolo bon a+

  31. oui et oui encor 1 truc je le regarde tous les
    jours et gen et manquer au qun en féte je suis fan de cette cérie qui et trouner au usa ! ! !

  35. coucou aujourd’hui nous sommme le mardie 25 avril et bien sur a 5heure édemie je vais regarder “monk” a+

  36. I can’t beleive it. The new Sharona, Natalie, is good, but by NO means can take Sharona’s place! It’s not right! Why did they fire her! *sigh*

  37. The show has lost it’s appeal without the chemistry of Sharona and Monk. They were just too perfect a pair together for any viewer to now accept anything less; and anything else is most definitely less. Tony is great, but after watching the interaction between Monk and Sharona, I just have no interest in the show without her. Big mistake to dump her from the show. Will networks ever learn not to mess with success.

  38. Why?! Sharona deserved a raise! Natalie is so blah! Say it ain’t so! Everyone I know that watches Monk is devastated. Sharona even seemed a bit like the cure of Monk’s OCD. I’m obsessive, so someone bring her back! If i watch then, I might actually feel better!! OH,THE AGONY!:-(

  40. We want Sharona back! Natalie acts like and speaks to Monk as though she is the STAR of the show.
    What a huge mistake the executives have made. Just call the woman and pay her. Oh, fire Natalie and that executive that fired Sharona. I am sure it won’t make a difference if either leaves.
    Unlike the anxiety caused by watching Monk act like he is pleased playing opposite Natalie. You can see Monk is just as unhappy and he should have stuck up for Sharona. He is the STAR, right?
    We are not watching Monk until Sharona is back!

  41. I liked Sharona, and I like Natalie. It’s still my favorite show. You need to look at it with an open mind – don’t “obsess” 😉 over the “but she’s not Sharona.”

  42. Are we forgetting that Tony Shalhoub is one of the producers of this show? In fact, I don’t remember even though I’ve seen it so many times on screen, isn’t he the EXECUTIVE producer? Obviously this means that Tony was much more than an innocent bystander who “needed to stick up for Sharona.” He must have been integral to the decision for her to go. I can’t imagine why (the link “Get the Sad, Sad, Story” above is dead). I agree – why did they mess with success? I still watch Monk, but now I have to cling to Disher and Stottlemyer as the “regulars.” (The reinstated cop is a good idea!) Natalie is OK, IMHO, but NOTHING compared to Sharona. And, BTW, I wish that Monk would finally get Trudy’s case solved. For one thing it is a contradiction to Monk’s whole character that he hasn’t solved it. I also consider it now to have become boring and a bit tedious to watch Monk with a ghost. I don’t believe solving the case would hurt the show (any more than it already is!) – in fact, it might create some excitement to looking forward to the newest season premiere. I am a new fan and haven’t seen all the shows yet. Maybe some of this is covered in shows I haven’t seen. Hope so!

  46. Sharona was definately the opposite attraction to the Monk character. I have watched Natalie up through now, and she is nice with not much pizazz. Sharona always got Monk’s butt back in gear, and she is sorely missed by many viewers. It would be nice to see her come back !

  47. Sharona was great, and I was sad to see her go. I wish she could have at least gotten a proper farewell episode. However, I’m pleased with the direction they’ve taken in the wake of Bitty’s departure. Natalie is a great sidekick who balances out Monk, much like Sharona did, but without being too much like her.

  48. Sharona leaving was dissapointing, however, the replacement Natalie, is a well cast new ‘sidekick’. All shows need sprucing up once in a while, and although the charector of Sharona brought laughs I can see that Natalie can do the same (…goes to vagas as a prime example).
    Personaly I believe that this change has stopped the show stagnating, giving it fresh new filler material.
    keep up the good work monk and all those attatched to the show.

  50. I have only just started watching Monk on DVDS, but I feel in love with the Sharona character right away. I would rave about the show and especially how funny Sharona was to my boyfriend and then he dropped the bomb on me….”Don’t get too attached to her, because they replace her…” I couldn’t believe it and have been dreading coming to the episode with no Sharona and the new “bitch” (which she has to be for replacing Sharona) How stupid of the producers to not give the supporting actors a raise and to lose her. What idiots! Since the show was successful the actors should share in that success.

  51. I cried when Sharona left. She is amazing. Monk is cool to, but Sharona was half of Monk. Without Sharona, Monk is boring. WE NEED TO GO ON STRIKE. FOr Bitty, it is worth it.
    Who’s with me?

  52. I cried when Sharona left. She is amazing. Monk is cool to, but Sharona was half of Monk. Without Sharona, Monk is boring. WE NEED TO GO ON STRIKE. FOr Bitty, it is worth it.
    Who’s with me?

  53. I also was saddened with Sharona’s exit from the show. Natalie’s character is boring and dull. There is no chemistry like there was with Sharona. I also agree with some of the posted comments that I thought they would even marry Monk with Sharona. I would write to the producers to ask for Sharona’s return, althought all of this has to do with money and I don’t think it will make a difference. Nielsen TV Ratings are not real anyway – how do I know – I worked for Nielsen and I know it’s all not as it is supposed to be. TV networks use Nielsen ratings as if they were the bible – they are not. If they bring Sharona back, I am positive the show will soar again. We miss you!!

  54. Well, I THOUGHT I’d HAVE to hate Sharona’s replacement, but fortunately my stubbornness for once didn’t blind me to the fact that Natalie is ALSO a wonderful character, and a very good counterpart for Mr. Monk.
    Honestly, there’s a bit much venom on here for the switch of a fictional character, and that Jan 1, 2006 anon post needs to be deleted by Jimmy, badly.

  56. What have they done? why, why did they take Sharona away from us? Monk is never going to be the same again. Sharona was like one of us. A parent with faults but human and careing. Natalie is boring! she is too perfect too cute, blah, hell my husband misses Sharona and I do too.
    Give us bak the real thing!!

  58. Can’t we all email the producers or at least send them this link and it can act as sort of a petition for Sharona? I LOVE HER! She is sooo much better than Natalie! The show has not been the same since she left, and never will be. PLEASE BRING SHARONA BACK!

  59. Natalie has got to go. She’s a dim blub. She has no spunk. Who does her hair? And why does she call Adrian Mr. Monk? Please, please, please bring Sharona back. She and Monk were perfect together.

  60. I miss Sharona. I miss her sassy and pushy character. Give her the raise. Natalie’s character is okay. Nothing against Natalie; she’s a very forgiving and warm individual. Monk does appear to be getting better in Natalie’s care. Bring Sharona back and let Natalie stay as well. Wow, then everyone will be satisfied!

  61. The sitcom should be called Monk and Sharona, cause the show ain’t the same without her. I don’t feel so enthused to watch it anymore. I flick channels now. I miss Sharona. Big mistake by the producers. BIG MISTAKE. The new nurse, whatever her name is, can never replace Sharona. The show is over. My friends all agree. We watch other programs now. The show is over. I say we boycott the show until they bring Sharona back. Give her a damn raise or whatever she wants. She deserves it and so do her fans. Ma ma ma maaaaaaa Sharona. Farewell Sharona. Farewell Monk.

  62. Sharona was as good a character as Monk. The show needed her. She worked well against Randy’s quirkiness, too. She liked to make sarcastic comments to Randy. Monk didn’t get Sharona which was perfect for Monk’s character. She’s moved on folks. Get over it. We’ll always love her. 🙁

  63. I just linked to this site and although this topic is VERY old now i wanted to leave my 2 cents! I think Sharona was VERY harsh and pushy towards Mr.Monk!! I really disliked the way she was w/him, like when they were in Mexico all she cared about was herself! The charactor was always after men!! I actually quite watching Monk because she really rubbed me the wrong way she was just sooo pushy and seemed uncaring at times. When i found out she was gone it was mid way through the season and when i watched i LOVED the show again!! I have not missed one since! I like the way Natalie is a widow as well. They have this major thing in common and she is sooo kind and understanding of his quirks! And Taylor Howard is a GREAT actress!!! I wonder if the writers did’nt want to make his sidekick more understanding of him and a little softer and the only to change the charactor so drasticaiy was to change actors? I think w/Sharona it was getting to be the Sharona show she always took over she was totally overbareing the charactor was soooo gruff!!! I LOVE Natalie and i for one LOVE the change!!!!!

  66. I am new to watching the show. I can’t wait to get the DVD’s. Sharona and Monk were such a good combination. I also liked the way Monk was with Sharonas son Benjy. He does not seem to have any tie with Natalies son. I really hope and wish that Sharona would come back and they would bring in Natalie to guest star. Maybe Natalie could be one of those detectives in the background who never talk, like a “filler person”. From the looks of these postings Sharona wins.

  67. I also tought the show is doomed without Sharona,but it is not,Natalie is good and Monk and his solving skills is still the same,and that is what i like about Monk most,so yeah it was still better with Sharona,but i watch it without her too and love the show!!!!

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