Yep, you read me right. USA has signed Monk on for its eighth and final season next summer, during which - finally - we’ll learn who killed Trudy.

I have to be honest: I stopped watching Monk when Sharona left. This might seem silly now that Natalie’s run has surpassed Sharona’s in length, but I don’t think I will ever get over the loss of the sassy New Jersey nurse. She was perfect for Monk, and I’m not implying that they should have hooked up, although I would have been totally into that.

Sharona’s departure was abrupt; actress Bitty Schram demanded more money than the show thought she was worth, which turned into a massive contract dispute that led to her replacement. Though I came in with an open mind, I was never able to get used to Natalie. At least she wasn’t a Sharona clone, I guess. But I wanted her so badly to be funny or interesting. Nothing doing.

I have caught the occasional episode lately. Even after giving Monk and Natalie time to build their chemistry, it’s not the same. They haven’t even reached the level and Monk and Sharona were at from the first second they appeared on screen together. It’s rare to find that perfect chemistry, and the show went from something really enjoyable to something mediocre.

Of course, that’s just my opinion. Obviously, people are still watching - everyone except me has gotten over it. Maybe I get too attached to sidekicks in general; I had the same problem with House when the old team left.

In any case, Monk’s final season will consist of sixteen episodes, and we have confirmation that the mystery of his wife’s death, which was the catalyst for the premise of the show, will finally be resolved. Executive VP of USA’s programming Jeff Wachtel says “we want to build a spectacular conclusioun for this wonderful show.” It almost makes me want to start watching again.

(Will Sharona come back for the finale? No. Of course not. She didn’t come back for the 100th episode, when they had literally EVERYONE from Monk’s past. There’s still bad blood there. Oh Sharona. Why did you leave us?)

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