‘Monk’ Turns 20: Where’s the Cast Now?

Two decades ago, on July 12, 2002, TV audiences first got acquainted with Adrian Monk, the phobia-prone, obsessive-compulsive private detective at the heart of the USA police comedy Monk.

And with its series finale eight seasons later, Monk set the record for the most-watched episode of an hour-long drama on basic cable, holding that honor until The Walking Dead shambled along. And actor Tony Shalhoub added three Emmys to his trophy shelf along the way for his portrayal of the quirky P.I.

Monk’s longevity is a testament to the writers and cast, who sustained the show after fan-favorite actor Bitty Schram’s abrupt exit midway through Season 3. (Schram, who returned for one episode in the final season of Monk, reportedly left the show amid a contract dispute as she and other supporting cast members renegotiated their pacts.)

So in stepped actor Traylor Portman, who took over as Monk’s new assistant and ingratiated herself with wary fans. “I will always be grateful to Traylor because she came in when the show was in crisis and saved our baby,” Monk executive producer Andy Breckman told The Wall Street Journal in 2009. “We had to make a hurried replacement, and not every show survives that. I was scared to death.”

With Monk turning 20 years old on July 12, here are updates on its cast members.