Good news and bad news for fans of USA’s Monk TV show. The network has renewed it for an eight season but has also announced that there won’t be a ninth year of dysfunctional sleuthing.
Monk tells the tale of Adrian Monk (Tony Shalhoub), a brilliant San Francisco detective who, after the death of his wife in a car bombing, has a nervous breakdown. After being a recluse for three years, Monk returns to the force, barely able to control his obsessive-compulsive disorder. Monk’s many phobias make it difficult for him to function but, because he’s hyper-aware of the world around him, he’s an incredibly observant sleuth.
Though they’re often irritated by his disorder, Captain Leland Stottlemeyer (Ted Levine) and Lieutenant Randall “Randy” Disher (Jason Gray-Stanford) utilize Monk’s abilities when cases get tough. Monk is helped by assistant Sharona Fleming (Bitty Schram) and later by Natalie Teeger (Traylor Howard).
The TV show debuted on July 12, 2002 on the USA network. The show began as a modest success and grew its audience to an average of 6.1 million viewers in season six. This year’s episodes have been averaging five million viewers, 40% of which are from the desirable 18-49 demographic. The numbers are even more impressive when you consider that the series airs on Friday nights, a little-watched night of television.
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USA has renewed the series for an eighth season of 16 episodes but those will end the series. With the show’s viewership still growing, why finish it now? The decision to end the series is said to be a mutual one between all parties involved. Though they maintain that they want to end Monk while the show is still on top creatively, the reason for the cancellation comes down to dollars and cents. As the seasons have progressed, production costs have increased and the network likely finds it hard to justify episodes’ high pricetags.
USA’s Executive VP of Original Programming, Jeff Wachtel, assures that viewers won’t be disappointed by the final episodes. In a statement, he said, “Our fans have been extremely dedicated, and season eight should prove to be a very satisfying reward.” It’s rumored that the final episodes will bring the character full circle, centering around the killer of Monk’s beloved wife.
A special holiday episode of Monk is slated for November 28th and season seven episodes will continue in January 2009. Monk’s last 16 episodes are scheduled to begin airing sometime next summer. Stay tuned! 
what a waste of talent & show to close. my husband is very much like him, with having to do things JUST right or he can’t relax. i think it’s a great show with a lot of good moments, also brings home waht folks with this “condition” goes through should be more of it. theresemarie
I don’t have cable due to the ecomony , but I ‘ve been watching the reruns on my local fox 28, on saturday afternoons, and no matter where i am I always watch it every week. I plan my Saturday’s around the show. sorry, i didn’t start out watching it from the beginning, but one day i called my teenage son who lives with his father, and he said he was watching the show, and i said that’s a dumb show, he said if you took the time to watch it all of it, you would love it. so i… Read more »
Does any one that are decision makers even read this site, if they do please do not cancel Monk, if it is all business to you, 5 Million viewers is 5 million, what number does it have to be for them to keep it.
Why!? Why!? Why!? Everyone I know enjoys this show! Tony Shaloub’s portrayal of a OCD patient has my approval and the approval of many other OCD patients. He’s got the gestures and tone of voice down to a science. The show’s fabulous and the characters are great! The acting is superb and believable. With all the ”reality” shows on the air, it’s refreshing to see a program that deals with a real affliction, in both a humorous and serious manner, with wonderful storylines, as well. Please think again about its cancellation. Whichever way it goes, though, I wish the entire… Read more »
If Tony Shaloub is ready to move on I have to respect that; however, if the network believes “it comes down to dollars and cents”, then it needs to find new accountants with creative financing ‘cents’ [sense] and it will find a way to keep this incredible show on air. I won’t be redundant by repeating all of the yea sayers above, BUT, it truly is a creative, informative and family oriented program that would be criminal to cancel. Mr. Monk and Natalie make a great team [hilarious; and Natalie teaches us patience for sure!!] and Stottlemeyer and Disher display… Read more »
I agree with the previous posters. This is one of the very few shows that is void of sexual innuendos and clean enough for kids to watch. We enjoy it so much that we always look forward to Fridays and the Monk marathons on New Years Days! Family Guy, Two and a Half men, not to mention all of the crime shows, are inapprpriate for young children to watch yet these are the shows that thrive instead of something as wonderful and fun as Monk. Just terrible!
what?!! NO!!!! my entire family of four sits down and watches monk together every week and we have every season on dvd!!!! this makes me so mad/sad!!!
So your canceling MONK , and leaving on Law and Order oh yeah by the way its on every channel. I hate Law and Order, and I love MONK. Please leave this show on the air and take off Law and Order
I found monk to be avery good show and i love .
But befor It come to a in please let monk found the killer
of his wife so he can rest he
He have to need some rest after eight years of looking for the killer
MONK SUCKS! Thank goodness they are taking it off!!! Woo hoo now there is space for good TV..
OH! NO! Don’t cancel MONK. This is my favorite show. Tony Shaloub is so awesome. I thouroughly enjoy the rest of the cast also.
MONK IS OUR FAVORITE SHOW. TONY IS A GREAT ACTOR AND THE REST OF THE CAST ARE TERRIFIC TOO.
THE STORIES ARE SO ORIGINAL !
I HOPE THEY WILL DECIDE TO KEEP THE SERIES.
can”t another smart network pick up Monk? This is the best show on television and it is just not fair to see it end at season eight. If anything it should end on after a perfect season ten. There is so much chemistry to the show. I have studied Radio/TV and journalism, and this show is good for so many reasons: quality actors/actresses; good script writing, and just overall amazing productions. Plus it has helped our obsessive compulsive community see how one terrific person deals with a very real problem: unresolved conflict. Along the way other civic, personal and varied… Read more »
Just when something worth watching comes along it gets canceled. This is a wonderful and creative show with great characters. When basic viewership is down it seems ludicris to cancel something with a avid following. This program has intelligence-by all means let’s get something new that’s not to replace it.
Endind the program? are they nuts???
one of the best series i ever watched. Tony Shaloub is great…it is a pity!!!