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 police detective Adrian M onk (Tony Shalh oub), whose ph otograph ic memory and amazing a bility to piece together ti ny clues made him a l ocal legend, has suf fered from in tensifie d obsessive -compulsi ve disorde r and a variety of ph obias since the uns olved murde r of his wife, Trud y, in 1997 . Now on psyc hiatric leave from the San F rancisco Police Departm ent and working as a freelanc e detectiv e/ consult ant on d ifficult cases, Monk hope s to convi nce his form er boss, Capta in Leland Stot tlemeyer (Ted Levin e), to allow him to return to the force. Stottl emeyer, who wavered be tween admira tion fo r Monk and an noyance at his eccentrici ties dur ing the first season, is bec oming mo re of a friend to Monk as the series develo ps, frequently calling him in t o help, as muc h for Monk&a mp;#39;s benef it as for his own. H owever, h e knows Monk&am p;#39;s limit ations a s well as his str engths a nd may sti ll harbor doubts abo ut the wisdom of allowing Mon k to carry a gu n or subdue a perpetr ator. Stottl emeyer& #39;s second-in -comman d, Lie utenant Ra ndall Disher (J ason Gray-Stanf ord), also see ms to be developing bo th admirat ion and comp assion for the man he once labeled "th e defective d etectiv e." Despite fl aws and inad equacies all a round, the three ar e becoming an increas ingly eff ective team, with addition al help fro m Monk' s persona l assistant. F rom the d ouble-episode pilot th rough the first half of se ason three, Monk was ai ded by his nur se, Sharona Fleming (Bitty Sch ram). But in the tenth episode of the third sea son, Sharona was replac ed by a new assistan t, Natalie Te eger (Tray lor Howard). Like Sharon a, a di vorcee with a son n amed Benjy , Natali e is a single parent, a widow with a da ughter named Juli e (Emmy Clarke). Unlike Sharona , Natali e is not a nur se but a fo rmer bart ender w ith a fresh perspective on "M r. Monk, & amp;quot; as she still addresses he r new boss .詳情