Jack J- Sherona could porbsbly deal better with Monk because she had so much more experience. Remember, Natalie has only been his assistant for a few months (at the most).

Like most people I prefer Sherona, but I have nothing against Natalie. What made Sherona so great was that she was such a sharp contrast to Monk, in both appearance (conservative vs. "skimpy") and actions (Monk vs outgoing). She stuck out like a sore thumb when she was around him. Natalie "blends in" more, and seems to be trying to be filling a void she isn't big enouh for. Anyway, Monk in still the best thing on TV, so who cares? Lol

do not like the natalie character. I think she makes monk out to be a real (butt) and i don't think he is. He is eccentric and to have an assistant that will be in every episode dragging him down is dumb. BRING BACK BITTY SCHRAM!!!!!!!!!:)

I agree with most of the posts here. I do not like Natalie. I think the writers are trying to bring her up a bit but she seems to be a know it all and is to disrespectful for him. It is more the feeling of having an anoying teenager around than a good assistant. He is a smart man and she treats him like he is an imbecile. Joke with him all you want but don't make him out to be stupid. Sherona could use her own brains, although she didn't always agree with Monk she didn't put him down.

And Sharona got really excited when he figured it out. A good sidekick doesn't have a clue as to the "revelation" phase. Look at Dr. Watson (Sherlock), Captain Hastings (Poirot), or even Archie (Nero Wolfe). They're there for the muscle, and Sharona definately had muscle!! LOL

I love monk and I am 15. But I also have a friend who is 12 and she likes Monk even more than I do, LOL! But so totally like Natalie better than Sharona. At first I wasn't sure if i would like her because we all got attached to Sharona. But I have to admit, I like her better! Natalie is a much more real person than Sharona ever was and she relies more on being cute, than sexy, which is why I like her.

Natalie from the very beginning wanted Monk to know that she wasn't Sharona. I have read criticism about the Cobra episode when Natalie hits Monk with a pillow out of the coffin. I believe it was meant to be a reflex action where she just reached out and hit him with the only thing that was handy. I think Natalie is classy where as Sharona was a little trashy. I loved the Sharona character but I beleive that I will love the Natalie character just as much.

I think the writers also wanted us to know that Natalie was not Sharona and that is why she is so different. In fact, it was a smart move on their part, I think, because Sharona was unique and I think it could have been disastrous for them to put in a Sharona clone character.

One of differences that I enjoy about Natalie is that she doesn't just treat Monk as a child. She doesn't become angry or annoyed as Sharona did. Natalie has a gentle way about her where she realizes that Monk is a fragile person and so she walks him through each episode instead of pushing. She tries o understand him better, whereas Sharona just didn't get him. She knew him, but didn't quite understand him. Natalie seems to have this need to have to understand him and wants to get to know him as a person and not just a boss.....you know? did that make sense?

My thoughts exactly Baby M!

I don't care for Natalie at all, but I love Monk. It seems all the episodes seem to focus on her and not Monk, i.e. the one where her brother was getting married, the Halloween episode and there are others. She's always nagging Monk, to become a private eye, to get his own office, to give up the office he had for Trudy. It 's constant. I won't stop watching the show, though. It's really good.