Former police detective Adrian Monk (Tony Shalhoub), whose photographic memory and amazing ability to piece together tiny clues made him a local legend, has suffered from intensified obsessive-compulsive disorder and a variety of phobias since the unsolved murder of his wife, Trudy, in 1997. Now on psychiatric leave from the San Francisco Police Department and working as a freelance detective/ consultant on difficult cases, Monk hopes to convince his former boss, Captain Leland Stottlemeyer (Ted Levine), to allow him to return to the force. Stottlemeyer, who wavered between admiration for Monk and annoyance at his eccentricities during the first season, is becoming more of a friend to Monk as the series develops, frequently calling him in to help, as much for Monk's benefit as for his own. However, he knows Monk's limitations as well as his strengths and may still harbor doubts about the wisdom of allowing Monk to carry a gun or subdue a perpetrator. Stottlemeyer's second-in-command, Lieutenant Randall Disher (Jason Gray-Stanford), also seems to be developing both admiration and compassion for the man he once labeled "the defective detective." Despite flaws and inadequacies all around, the three are becoming an increasingly effective team, with additional help from Monk's personal assistant. From the double-episode pilot through the first half of season three, Monk was aided by his nurse, Sharona Fleming (Bitty Schram). But in the tenth episode of the third season, Sharona was replaced by a new assistant, Natalie Teeger (Traylor Howard). Like Sharona, a divorcee with a son named Benjy, Natalie is a single parent, a widow with a daughter named Julie (Emmy Clarke). Unlike Sharona, Natalie is not a nurse but a former bartender with a fresh perspective on "Mr. Monk, " as she still addresses her new boss.Former pol ice detect ive Adri an Monk (Tony Shalhoub), whose photo graphic memory and amaz ing abilit y to pie ce together tiny clues mad e him a loc al legend , has suffere d from intens ified ob sessive-comp ulsive d isorder and a variety of pho bias since the unsolved m urder of h is wife, T rudy, in 19 97. Now on p sychiatric leave from the San Franc isco Po lice Departmen t and workin g as a freelance detecti ve/ consultant on difficul t cases, Mo nk hopes to convince his fo rmer boss, Captain Le land Stot tlemeyer ( Ted Levine), to allow hi m to retu rn to the fo rce. Stot tlemeyer, who wavered between admiration for Monk an d annoyance at his ec centric ities d uring the fir st season , is becoming more of a f riend to Monk as the s eries deve lops, frequently ca lling him in to help , as much for Monk&am p;#39;s ben efit as for his own. Howev er, he knows Monk's limitatio ns as well as his st rengths and may st ill harbor doub ts about the wisdom of allowi ng Monk to carry a gun or subdu e a perpetrato r. Stottlemeye r's sec ond-in-c ommand, Lieute nant Randall Di sher (Ja son Gray-Sta nford), al so seems to be d eveloping both admiration a nd compassion for the man he once labe led & quot;the d efective detect ive.& ;quot; D espite flaw s and in adequacies all around, t he thre e are becoming an increasin gly effe ctive te am, with add itional help from Monk&am p;#39;s per sonal assi stant. F rom the double- episode p ilot throug h the fi rst half of season th ree, Monk was aided by his nurs e, Sha rona Fleming (B itty Schram). But in the tenth episode o f the thir d season, S harona was r eplaced by a new assist ant, Natal ie Teeg er (Traylor H oward). Like Sharona, a di vorcee with a son named Be njy, Natalie is a single parent, a wido w with a daughter na med Julie ( Emmy Cla rke). Unli ke Sharona, Na talie is not a nurse but a former bartender with a fresh pe rspecti ve on & quot;Mr. Monk, &q uot; as she sti ll addresses her ne w boss.詳情