Mr. Monk and the Red Herring

"Mr. Monk and the Red Herring" is the tenth episode of the third season of Monk, and is the 39th episode overall. It introduces the character of Natalie Teeger (Traylor Howard), who replaces Sharona Fleming (Bitty Schram) as Adrian Monk's assistant. It also introduces Natalie's daughter, Julie Teeger.

Plot

Late at night, an intruder breaks into a suburban house through the window. He accidentally makes a noise, awakening Natalie Teeger, the homeowner. She goes downstairs to investigate, and is grabbed from behind by the intruder. As they struggle, she grabs a pair of scissors and stabs him in the chest.

Meanwhile, Adrian Monk is in session with Dr. Kroger. He admits that although it has been three months, he is having a hard time adjusting since Sharona Fleming left him unexpectedly. He interviews a series of candidates for her replacement, none of which meet his exacting standards.

Meanwhile, Captain Stottlemeyer and Lieutenant Disher are taking Natalie's statement about the burglary. She is not being charged with any crime, since she acted in self-defense, but she is at a loss to explain why the man broke into the house, there is nothing valuable in it. She then mentions that she had another intruder earlier in the week - a man came to her house, claiming to be a water meter inspector, but she caught him snooping in the living room. Noting that there is no obvious explanation to what the intruders are looking for, Stottlemeyer and Disher decide that Monk...
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