# Final Season of Monk on USA **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 4, 2009, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-season-of-monk-on-usa/505308 "2009-08-04T17:16:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ProfessorX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@ProfessorX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ProfessorX)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2009, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-season-of-monk-on-usa/505308/1 "2009-08-04T17:16:27Z")
The 8th and final season of Monk starts this Friday at 9pm. Anyone else a fan of this series? I’ve always found it entertaining, and while I find it sad that it’s ending, I’m pretty excited to finally solve Trudy’s murder. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2009, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-season-of-monk-on-usa/505308/2 "2009-08-04T17:19:21Z")
It’s a bittersweet event. Although, everyone need to remember that this is just the start of the summer season. The real finale won’t come until winter. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2009, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-season-of-monk-on-usa/505308/3 "2009-08-04T19:52:51Z")
I’m waiting for Natalie to meet Sharona. Bitty Schram is confirmed as a guest star. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2009, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-season-of-monk-on-usa/505308/4 "2009-08-04T20:30:14Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > It’s a bittersweet event. Although, everyone need to remember that this is just the start of the summer season. The real finale won’t come until winter. You sure about that? I was under the impression that the final season began with last winter’s half, and that it was wrapping up this summer. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2009, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-season-of-monk-on-usa/505308/5 "2009-08-04T20:37:20Z")
[Here we go…](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Monk_episodes#Season_8:_2009)The eighth and final season begins on 8/7/09, and the two-part series finale will be shown on 11/27 and 12/4/09. Pressure is on, writers – better make a satisfying conclusion out of whatever the reasoning was behind Trudy’s death! ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2009, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-season-of-monk-on-usa/505308/6 "2009-08-04T21:00:25Z")
I hope that Trudy wasn’t killed on orders of Dale the Whale- too obvious. I wish they’d bring back Sharona as a semi-regular. I wonder if her husband is going to be murdered. Just once before it ends I’d love to hear Shtottlemeyer (Ted Levine) say “YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT PAIN IS!” or maybe get Randy to use hand sanitizer after a fight with two prostitutes to “put that lotion on your skin or else I’ll get the ho’s again!”, but I’m guessing that’s up there with asking Ned Beatty to squeal like a pig. And maybe the Randy Disher Project will have a breakout hit (and a murder of course). I’d like to see Leland get a love interest who wasn’t a murderer. Monk too but that’s not very likely unless Trudy has an identical twin out there. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2009, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-season-of-monk-on-usa/505308/7 "2009-08-04T21:36:33Z")
Let’s just cut to the big finish… Leland: “Hey Randy…would you fuck me? I’d fuck me. I’d fuck me so hard…” ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2009, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-season-of-monk-on-usa/505308/8 "2009-08-04T22:23:07Z")
> [@Hal\_Briston](#): > > Let’s just cut to the big finish… > > Leland: “Hey Randy…would you fuck me? I’d fuck me. I’d fuck me so hard…” The funny part is imagine Randy’s facial expression at hearing that. Followed by a “well… okay, I guess” go with it. ---
**Author:** ![nivlac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3bc359/32.png) [@nivlac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nivlac)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-season-of-monk-on-usa/505308/9 "2009-08-07T17:51:18Z")
It starts tonight! I look forward to this final season to see how they resolve the open plot line of Trudy’s murder and to see Bitty Schram reprise her Sharona role. While the show has gone downhill a bit in terms of interesting plots in the last few seasons (after all, how much can they milk the OCD bit over seven seasons?), it’s still superior to most shows on the air. And it’s hard to get tired of watching the brilliant Tony Shalhoub. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-season-of-monk-on-usa/505308/10 "2009-08-07T18:06:48Z")
I’m guessing the fact that they were going to tear down the parking garage where Trudy died in the final episode of last season won’t be insignificant. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-season-of-monk-on-usa/505308/11 "2009-08-07T18:33:18Z")
Will Randy wind up with Natalie? ---
**Author:** ![ProfessorX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@ProfessorX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ProfessorX)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-season-of-monk-on-usa/505308/12 "2009-08-07T18:41:48Z")
As far as scheduling goes, for the final season, they’re going to be showing all the episodes at once, instead of taking a break halfway through the season, like they normally do. So tonight is the beginning of the 8th season of Monk, and it will run continuously through the fall, until the series ends. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-season-of-monk-on-usa/505308/13 "2009-08-07T18:42:04Z")
> [@JThunder](#): > > Will Randy wind up with Natalie? I doubt it but I think her mild contempt for him is kinda cute. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-season-of-monk-on-usa/505308/14 "2009-08-07T19:22:46Z")
> [@JThunder](#): > > Will Randy wind up with Natalie? Sharona was the one he had a torch for. ---
**Author:** ![mshar253](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@mshar253](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mshar253)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-season-of-monk-on-usa/505308/15 "2009-08-07T19:38:27Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > Sharona was the one he had a torch for. Maybe he will do them both. That’s what I’d do. 🆒 Yeah, I’m definitely looking forward to tonight. This is a really fun show. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-season-of-monk-on-usa/505308/16 "2009-08-07T20:03:42Z")
I’ve said all along that Monk himself was, in some way, responsible for Trudy’s death . . . creating selective amnesia. That’s why he can’t solve the case. If I’m right, I hope it remains unsolved. I’m gonna miss that show. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-season-of-monk-on-usa/505308/17 "2009-08-07T20:23:08Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > Bitty Schram is confirmed as a guest star. Cool. Sharona was far more interesting than Natalie to me. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-season-of-monk-on-usa/505308/18 "2009-08-07T20:23:31Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > I’ve said all along that Monk himself was, in some way, responsible for Trudy’s death . . . creating selective amnesia. That’s why he can’t solve the case. If I’m right, I hope it remains unsolved. > > I’m gonna miss that show. I think Monk and Trudy were the same person, ala Norman Bates and his mother. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-season-of-monk-on-usa/505308/19 "2009-08-07T20:29:58Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Cool. Sharona was far more interesting than Natalie to me. 🙂 I liked the dynamic between her and Monk a lot better (starting with the fact she called him Adrian). She took a lot less crap off of him- of course being a single mother\* with a deadbeat dad ex and no safety net made it infeasible, which is also why I never understood why they couldn’t do better than “she remarried her ex”; I’d have made up a mystery guy she married after a whirlwind or said she went to take care of her mom or whatever. Monk also seemed to progress further when she was on the show. He actually seemed to _re_gress a bit under Natalie, though that may just be changing writers or whatever- but he was doing things in the last season he wasn’t doing under Sharona, such as freaking out at the thought of flying (he flew with Sharona) or talking on cell phones as if he were being beamed up by the Enterprise (he used Sharona’s several times [and I even thought he _owned_ one but may be wrong on this). I like the show but the episodes have gotten progressively sillier so I’m glad they’re going now while there’s some quality left. I hated that they killed off his annoying upstairs neighbor- I always enjoyed his guest spots; I’m surprised they never killed off the other OCD patient. I’d like to see Leland get back together with his wife I think. Saves a romance having to be written in but lets him end up a bit less depressed. And Ambrose should take over his dad’s 18 wheeler. \*Natalie’s a single mom but as a military widow would have a pension/Social Security, etc., plus a stinking rich family if there’s ever a real emergency. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2009, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-season-of-monk-on-usa/505308/20 "2009-08-07T20:38:05Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > Sharona was the one he had a torch for. I know, but she’s not part of the cast anymore, and it would be in character for him to pine away for Ms. Teeger. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/final-season-of-monk-on-usa/505308.md?page=2)