Sharona Fleming (Bitty Schram) was the best character inMonk, and there’s a fascinating fact that proves she could rival even Tony Shalhoub’s Adrian. Sharona served as Adrian’s nurse and personal assistant for the first three seasons ofMonk, and she was responsible for some of thebest episodes ofMonk. She’s a lot ofMonkfans' favorite character, and she even managed to outshine Adrian on more than a few occasions, like oneMonkepisode where Adrian doesn’t solve the murder. In fact, Sharona is the best character inMonk, and one wild statistic only proves that even more.
There were plenty of lovable and memorable characters onMonk, but they don’t capture the same devoted following Sharona had. Adrian was, of course, the main character for a reason, and was hilarious and likable. Likewise, Stottlemeyer (Ted Levine) and Randy Disher (Jason Gray-Stanford) were important parts ofMonk’s formula, and they managed to shine in their own right even though Adrian usually stole their thunder. Sharona, however, managed to become just as beloved as Randy or Adrian, but she did it in a fraction of the time.
Sharona Only Appeared In 38 Out Of 125 Episodes Of Monk
Sharona Was In Less Than A Third Of Monk’s Episodes
Bitty Schram and Sharona leftMonkin season 3, quite famously, which cut her time with the series down to a surprisingly low number.Monkran for 125 episodes over the span of eight seasons, and Sharona was in only 38 of them. That’s barely 30% of all theMonkepisodes, which includes her one-episode return inMonkseason 8. She also didn’t appear inMr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie, though she was mentioned. To put it in perspective, Natalie Teeger (Traylor Howard), who served as Adrian’s new assistant after Sharona’s departure, appeared in 87 episodes ofMonk, 49 more than Sharona.
Despite Her Brief Time On The Show, Sharona Became Part Of Monk’s Essence
Even After A Replacement, 5 Seasons, A Movie, & Almost 20 Years, Sharona Is Still An Important Part Of Monk
Despite appearing in less than a third ofMonk’s total episodes, Sharona was never fully replaced by Natalie, and she’s never been forgotten.In the big picture ofMonk, Sharona should have been viewed as a recurring character in the first few seasons and mostly written off afterward, but she continued to have an effect on the show for nearly two decades. Sharona obviously came back inMonkseason 8, the show devoted quite a bit of time to explainingwhat happened to Sharona after Bitty Schram leftMonk, and she was even mentioned by name in the 2023 movieMr. Monk’s Last Case.
10 Best Movies & TV Shows Starring The Cast Of Monk
Monk’s talented cast is a big reason why the show is still popular today, and many of the actors have starred in other great movies and TV shows.
Even Natalie herself is a sign of how important Sharona was toMonkand the show’s fans.The entire series would have fallen apart if Natalie hadn’t stepped in to fill Sharona’s role as the voice of reason opposite Adrian’s peculiarities. Aside from being a key part ofMonk’s structural integrity, however, Sharona also has such a legacy because she was such a beloved character. Sharona was funny, kind, and more than a little likable, and manyMonkfans were sad when Bitty Schram left the show. Sharona left an indelible mark onMonk, and the show was much better because of her.
