Mr. Monks Revival Movie Confirmed 1 Harsh Truth About The Detective Show

Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie revisited Adrian and his friends 14 years after the events of season 8 and confirmed one harsh truth about the detective show. One of the most charming TV procedurals of the 2000s, Monk ran for eight seasons from 2002 to 2009. During the pandemic, Tony Shalhoub and the cast of Monk reunited for a web episode that showed how Adrian was dealing with the quarantine. Mr. Monk’s Last Case expanded upon that concept in what was the first Monk feature film.

It's not uncommon for TV shows to come back as movies. Psych, another fan-favorite detective show from USA Network, has had three films already. Although a Mr. Monk’s Last Case sequel hasn’t been confirmed, the movie was well-received and delivered a nostalgic reunion. However, one important character was missing – Sharona.

Sharona’s Absence Was Felt In Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie

The Monk Reunion Wasn’t Complete Without Sharona

One of the biggest talking points leading up to the Monk movie was whether Bitty Schram was going to reprise her role as Sharona Fleming. However, even before a full trailer was released, it was confirmed that Sharona was not going to be in the movie. The confirmation that Schram wasn’t returning for the film was disappointing considering that Mr. Monk’s Last Case was se to be the Monk reunion fans had been waiting for over a decade. All of the other key Monk characters returned for Mr. Monk’s Last Case, making Sharona’s absence even worse.

Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie worked just fine without Sharona, but it was difficult not to notice her absence. The movie did make an effort to explain why Sharona wasn’t there, even though she and Randy were now married. When the characters are meeting at the airport ahead of the wedding, Randy mentions that Sharona is back home taking care of her grandchild. While it was fun to know that Sharona’s son, whom we met in the original show, is now a father, not having her as part of the story was disappointing.

Sharona’s Absence Still Being Felt Proves Monk Never Truly Replaced Her

Natalie Was A Great Character, But Sharona Was Missed

Sharona was only a recurrent character in three of Monk’s eight seasons, and yet she became a fan favorite whose absence continued to be felt for years to come. Monk continued for five seasons after Sharona was written off, during which the show delivered some of its best episodes. Sharona’s absence also allowed for the introduction of Natalie, who built a legacy of her own and added a new dynamic to the show. That said, it’s clear that Monk never truly replaced Sharona given how much her absence was felt during the movie.

Sharona had a very different approach to being Monk’s assistant compared to Natalie. From referring to her boss as “Adrian” instead of “Mr. Monk” to her no-nonsense approach to Randy, Sharona was a chaotic character. Her personality was the opposite of what one would imagine Adrian would like to have close to him all the time, and yet they made a perfect team. Adrian and Sharona were family for three seasons, which is why it was so difficult for the show to replace her. At least Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie confirmed that Sharona and Randy remained together.