Monk Season 3.5 (now with Natalie, no mo' Sharona) ongoing thread (2 Viewers)

[Brent Hutto]

For what it's worth, we had just watched a few episodes of Monk in the weeks before the change in sidekicks. It was not a show we went out of our way to watch every week but we were enjoying it.

The episodes with Natalie have been must-see television for us. We were so disappointed to find out that Mr. Monk and the Kid was the last new episode for several months because it had become one of our favorite shows. We thought about trying to watch some of the older shows in the meanwhile but the fact is, we find the Sharona character pretty annoying and we'd just as soon wait for more new eps.

But that's just two people's opinion...

 

[Evan M]

I never cared for Sharona much, either... to me, she was just kinda there and Monk was the only interesting character. I very much prefer Natalie, and am actually interested in seeing the insights into her life and all too.

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

I hear ya, Brent and Evan.

Just a freindly FYI, but their are MANY classic episodes from the Sharona seasons that are just must-see essential Monk. My favorite being one called Mr. Monk Goes to Mexico, that one had me howling it was so funny!

"I'm just so thirsty."

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

Oh, I almost forgot, folks, there's an article in the new issue of TV Guide regarding how the fans of the show are feeling about Natalie so far.

Here's the complete article typed directly from the issue...

Checking Up on Monk's New Girl

When Traylor Howard replaced Bitty Schram on Monk, fans had fits. "We knew devotees would be (upset)," says USA Network executive vice president Jeff Wachtel. "But we also knew Traylor could win them over."

Half a season later, that hasn't happened. "I hate her!" one wrote on Monk's message board. "She brings nothing to the show." ranted another. But ratings remain the same for Monk's Schram-less episodes (about 3.4 million viewers), so it looks like Howard's here to stay. Producers tapped her to play Monk's new girl Friday because she and star Tony Shalhoub clicked during her audition. That chemistry may build next season as writers toy with the idea of a Monk-Natalie romance. Until then, Howard will keep fighting to win fans. She says she's already made a few converts. "The guy at the grocery store said 'Are you the new girl? I didn't think I would like you, but I do.'" -Mary Murphy

For what it's worth, folks.

 

[TravisR]

I'm a very casual viewer of Monk (when I see I enjoy it but I miss waaaaaaay more than I see) and I haven't got a problem with her in the episodes I've seen. I think what it comes down to is that some people won't accept any change be it for the better or worse. Ya can't please all the people all the time.

 

[Linda Thompson]

It's actually kinda strange, but I think I've found out that I wasn't as big a Bitty fan as I once thought I was. I loved her on the show, and I was a bit upset when the announcement was made about her leaving. But, now that I've actually seen all the eps with Natalie, I'm finding out that I much prefer the new character, a situation which I never expected to happen.

No offense to either Bitty or her fans (those who still prefer her in the 2nd-banana spot), but, I simply think Natalie is a better fit. She's strong, she's tough and no-non-sense when she needs to be, but she can also be quite tender and caring. She does the "tough love" bit with Adrian when it's called for, and she does it without being as grating, abrasive, or as condescending as Sharona was at times. She's not constantly barbing him about his problems, even when she doesn't fully understand them herself. She just deals with whatever needs to be dealt with at any given time. I guess I just never realized how grating Sharona could be at times, until I had someone else to compare her to.

In retrospect, though, I'm not sure that I could have fully and properly appreciated ANY of these aspects of Natalie, if there wasn't the departed Sharona first, against which to contrast them.

The Monk character has grown by leaps and bounds this half-season. Perhaps that character development can be at least partially explained by his having to face the loss of Sharona...a TREMENDOUS change in the life of someone who hates...and fears...change. So, maybe it will prove to ultimately be as big a bonus for him as I'm seeing it is for me, as a viewer since Day One. In my opinion, Sharona may have been a better fit earlier, but I am honestly finding Natalie to be a much better match for where Monk himself is these days (and, as I noted previously, he quite likely wouldn't be where he is without the loss of Sharona).

Never thought I'd say it about this particular show, but I'm seeing that change can indeed be a good thing.

Here's hoping for much more Natalie in the future! I'm not even opposed to the possibly-proposed romance angle, even though I was dead-set against any such idea between Monk and Sharona. (I always thought Sharona and Disher coulda worked, though...)

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

Great post, Linda! I second all of your points.

And yes indeed, change can be a good thing, in fact, in the case of this show, it's crucial. We all watch Adrian's antics and laugh and it's great, but we need to remember that were watching someone with a psychological illness, and I for one want him to get better because I care about him.

Those that fear change and only watch the show expecting him to always be the same Monk forever, are sadly only getting shallow, one dimensional amusment from the show when it is immensley more satisfying to watch charactors grow beyond what they were in episode one.

This is what I want to see before the end of the series...

1. Adrian solves Trudy's murder.

2. He's able to have a semi-normal life again, and yes, a love life as well.

3. He's offered a place on the police force once again.

Damn, I love this show!

 

[Stephen Ford]

Natalie is so fucking dull. I get bored just looking at her expresionless face.

Not funny at all. Crack a smile once in a while.

I just ignore her when she comes on.

Its not to do with change its just getting rid of Sharona was a change for the worse.

 

[Evan M]

See, I find it the exact opposite.. I DO care about Natalie, whereas I couldn't have cared less about Sharona, outside of her dynamic in the show as Monk's sidekick.

Different strokes for different folks, I guess.

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

But, what would you have the producers do, Stephen, cancel the show because of Bitty leaving? Keeping Bitty on wasn't an option for them, so they had to do SOMETHING, and the audition between Traylor and Tony went very well.

I just don't understand it when you say that she's expressionless, her range of emotion is quite wide, in fact I would say that it's very much on par with any emotional range Bitty ever exhibited during her run on the show.

If she doesn't sometimes show the type of emotional response that Sharona would have, it's because they are two separate individuals that's all. Let me ask this, Stephen, and i'm not trying to sound mean or anything, but why do you even watch the show now if your going to ignor one of it's central charactors?

If she's in 90% of the scenes in any given episode, and considering that she is a constant source of aggravation for you, how can you possibly enjoy yourself while watching it?

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

I found the Season Three DVD set at Target for $19 and have spent the last couple weeks breezing through. Despite the sudden, forced and awkward transition from Sharona to Natalie, I still think it's perhaps the strongest of the show's whole run. The thing that drove me to dig up this old thread was the season finale, "Mr. Monk and the Kid." I expected hilarious hijinks with Monk completely overwhelmed, but they went some place completely different, and far richer. With the exception of one gag that was too hilarious to pass up, Monk proves to be a great guardian since his phobias make him the most hyperaware parent in existence. At the same time, the little boy opens up a part of Monk's soul that has been shelved since Trudy's death. I loved that Natalie got to see what a great parent Monk could be, and was as affected by it as I was. I'm also glad they got Jeff Beal to compose a mournful, dissonant version of his season one theme for the DVD credits, since the instrumental version of "It's a Jungle Out There" simply would not have fit. What a terrific episode; what a terrific show. I don't like that they made Monk more selfish in later seasons.