A cast of Mr. Monk's Last Case featured many familiar characters. Along with Tony Shalhoub reprising his role as Adrian Monk, other returning actors and characters included Ted Levine as Leland Stottlemeyer, Traylor Howard as Natalie Teeger, Jason Gray-Stanford as Randy Disher, Melora Hardin as Trudy Monk, and Héctor Elizondo as Dr. Neven Bell.

ending of Mr. Monk's Last Case did set up avenues for the story to continue, and a continuation should include one of the show's most important characters.

If Mr. Monk's Last Case 2 Happens, It Needs To Bring Back Sharona

Sharona Was A Main Character In Monk's Early Seasons

Sharona Fleming (Bitty Schram) should come back for a sequel to Mr. Monk's Last Case. As Monk's nurse and assistant in seasons 1 and 2 and half of season 3, Sharona played a vital role in the detective's life. Bitty Schram left Monk in season 3, with the official reason being "a different creative direction," but contract disputes were reportedly involved as well. Schram did return for the season 8 episode, "Mr. Monk and Sharona," which saw her temporarily reuniting with her former employer and meeting Natalie for the first time.

Given the extensive history that Monk and Sharona share, it would make sense for her to return if the detective's story is going to continue after Mr. Monk's Last Case. She understood him arguably better than anyone and was the person who did the most to help him navigate life in the early years after Trudy's death. There is still plenty to explore with Monk and Sharona's relationship, especially after Monk's mental health struggles in the movie. Sharona is also married to Randy, and their relationship is worth further exploring as well in a movie sequel.

Why Sharona Was Not In Mr. Monk's Last Case: A Monk Movie

She Only Appeared In A Flashback From The Original Show

According to Monk creator Andy Breckman, who wrote the movie as well, Sharona was not in Mr. Monk's Last Case because the creative team "had to be selective" with only a 90-minute runtime. Despite being approximately twice the length of a standard Monk episode, there were still limitations on the number of established characters who could appear in the story. The movie needed to show what had happened to Monk after the original show ended and how the Covid-19 pandemic impacted him, while also setting up the new story and characters integral to his next case.

The Covid-19 pandemic caused Monk to regress in many aspects of his life.

Even though Schram did not reprise the role for the movie, she did appear via flashback during the beginning of Mr. Monk's Last Case, and she was mentioned by Randy. The story opened with a flashback to the episode "Mr. Monk and the Candidate," which featured Sharona. Randy also mentioned that Sharona was not able to attend Molly and Griffin's wedding because she stayed in New Jersey to look after her grandchild. The flashback ensured she still had a presence in the movie and Randy's line explained her absence, but a sequel could do far more for her character.

It Would Be Weird To Have Another Monk Movie Without Sharona

Her Absence Wouldn't Work This Time

Mr. Monk's Last Case was able to work without Sharona, but it would feel strange for the sequel to omit her as well. She has too much history with Monk, Randy, and Stottlemeyer, and her absence would feel particularly glaring considering her marriage to Randy. It would be disappointing to have her not included again while the rest of the show's core characters continue to receive more focus and to see their stories continue.

There could also be more to explore with Sharona and Natalie, as the two of them grew to respect each other by the end of the "Mr. Monk and Sharona" episode. It would be satisfying to see their dynamic continuing to develop and possibly even working together to help Monk. Sharona was integral to the early seasons of Monk, and she should also be integral to the titular character's future if Mr. Monk's Last Case: A Monk Movie gets a sequel.