While there is no doubt that Monk was a genius, many of his cases would have gone unsolved without the help of his brilliant assistants, Sharona Fleming and Natalie Teeger. Both Sharona and Natalie came to be a part of Monk's life and the intricacy with which he solves his cases. It is hard to imagine Monk without the two assistants because they were such a huge part of the show.

Despite their similar vocation, Sharona and Natalie had several differences, even within their job description. When Bitty Schram's Sharona left Monk, Traylor Howard's Natalie was able to shine in her new role as Monk's assistant because she could help Monk differently. As Monk learned to grow around his grief, following the murder of Trudy Monk, the two women were both there for him but in their own ways. Their differences made each character the perfect companion to Monk's brilliant skills.