Monk portrayed the amusing friendship between OCD detective Adrian Monk (Tony Shalhoub) and his assistant Sharona Fleming (Bitty Schram). Sharona brought Monk to Earth and assisted him in getting around. She taught him all-important life lessons and he in turn helped her get out of various difficult situations. They improved each other, and then all of a sudden Sharona was gone.
Midway through season three in 2004, she made her final appearance in “Mr Monk Takes His Medicine,” an episode that sparked controversy in and of itself. Her disappearance was explained when the show returned the following year as a result of her reconciling with her ex-husband and quitting Monk’s job to be with him. Since this seemed a bit out of character, fans wanted to know the real reason behind her departure.
What happened to Sharona on Monk?
Sharona left the show because of contract issues.
It appears that Schram left the show due to a contract dispute, even though none of the parties involved have ever confirmed this. The supporting stars of Monk renegotiated their contracts during season three, and Schram, Ted Levine, and Jason Gray-Stanford all asked for more money. Schram’s performance on the show earned her a Golden Globe, but it seems that during negotiations, she did not get the raise she was hoping for.
A representative stated, “Monk has chosen to take some of its characters in a different creative direction.” We thank Bitty for her noteworthy contributions and wish her all the best as she moves on from the cast.
Representatives for Schram released the following statement: “Bitty Schram and USA Network have mutually agreed to part ways. She looks forward to seizing the opportunities that lie ahead of her and wishes everyone involved with the show continued success.”
We find out that Sharona has reconnected with Randy (Jason Grey-Stanford) in the Monk series finale, and he is relocating to New Jersey to be with her.
Furthermore, Sharona only makes a flashback appearance in Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie from 2023, but her absence is well-explained. She was missing from the events of the film because, as it turned out, her son Benjy had become a father. So, despite some setbacks, she had a happy ending.
Does Sharona return to Monk?
Schram returned for an episode in Season 8, so whatever animosity there may have been did not stop him.
Star Tony Shalhoub stated at the time, “We could not think of a better way to help wrap up the series than with the return of Bitty’s character.” “Giving Sharona some closure is long overdue.”
