Monk: Ranking The Main Characters By Intelligence

The popular television show Monk followed a quirky detective who worked with the local police department to solve particularly challenging cases. Many of these bizarre cases required close attention to detail to solve, as well as the ability to think logically and creatively. For this reason, many of the characters were extremely intelligent.

But these characters didn’t only have academic intelligence. When dealing with the eccentric Monk and high-pressure situations, many of these characters also needed strong emotional intelligence. With this in mind, let’s consider which characters on the show are the most intelligent and which ones weren’t so bright.

10 Randy

Though Randy is a beloved fan-favorite character, he is not bright. This character primarily served as the comic relief for the show. He often missed clues directly in front of him and even contaminated crime scenes with his carelessness.

Randy is most remembered for his crazy and outlandish theories. While these theories certainly were creative and entertaining, they weren’t based in any logic or facts. He also wasn’t too great at reading those around him, proving that Randy had both poor logical-mathematical and emotional intelligence.

9 Stottlemeyer

Stottlemeyer is the hot-headed captain of the police department. He is loyal and brave, but he tends to act on instinct. His tendency to boldly charge forward without taking the time to carefully examine the evidence gets him into many challenging situations.

Though he is an effective leader and reliable cop, his ability to think logically is often overpowered by his rage.

8 Dr. Bell

Dr. Bell was introduced in season 7 as Monk’s new therapist. Though fans didn’t get much time with this character, it is clear that Dr. Bell is incredibly bright. Bell was able to break through to Monk and get him to open up, which is difficult for Monk.

Dr. Bell is willing to employ creative tactics to help Monk feel comfortable. Bell is much more patient with Monk than Dr. Kroger was and he planned ahead to make sure that Monk felt comfortable in his office by having his favorite water and wipes available. It is clear that this articulate man is intelligent.

7 Natalie

Natalie begins working as Monk’s assistant after Sharona quits. She is a fast learner which is evidenced through her ability to effectively work as Monk’s assistant despite having no previous experience in a similar job. While working with Monk, she begins to pick up on legal knowledge as well as some other detective skills.

She begins noticing evidence at certain crime scenes and piecing them together to craft her own theories. Natalie is often the first one to support Monk’s theories and helps to obtain evidence by serving as a diversion. This requires her to create elaborate plans, distracting others while Monk searches the scene.

6 Julie

Julie is Natalie’s young daughter who is wise beyond her years. Though this character had fewer appearances on the show than some of the other characters, she imparted wisdom on those around her during each appearance.

Julie is extremely kind to Monk and offers him advice on a few occasions. She never looks down on Monk and recognizes his unique talents and abilities. Julie is innovative and a problem solver. She is shown to be academically intelligent and enjoys science, even participating in the science fair in one episode. It is clear that Julie has both strong emotional and logical-mathematical intelligence.

5 Ambrose

Ambrose is Monk’s older brother. Though he lacks emotional intelligence, his academic knowledge far surpasses anyone on the show. Ambrose has a great command of the English language. In fact, one of the first times the audience meets Ambrose, he is correcting someone about their use of the word “sarcastic” when they meant “sardonic” and explaining the difference between the two.

Ambrose has a large amount of technical knowledge and works as a manual writer. Like Monk, he has an amazing memory and the ability to quickly link information together and solve puzzles.

4 Sharona

Sharona was Monk’s nurse for the first 2 and a half seasons, leaving halfway through the third season of the show. Her no-nonsense attitude and quick-thinking made her extremely effective and she often obtained evidence when Monk was too scared to do so himself.

Sharona regularly outsmarted Monk, manipulating him into doing what she wanted. She demanded respect and had a running gag in which she threatened to quit and asked for a raise (which is ironic considering Bitty Schram left due to a dispute over pay). Sharona is also a registered nurse and her medical knowledge helped her in her work with Monk. Her witty banter and problem-solving skills prove that Sharona is one of the most intelligent characters on the show.

3 Harold

Harold is Monk’s nemesis. Harold is extremely cunning and often devises elaborate schemes in an attempt to prove that he is better than Monk and compete for Dr. Kroger’s attention.

He has an astounding vocabulary and is a successful member of society, refusing to be held back by his many disorders. Harold is even shown to serve on the school board and the city council. He regularly demonstrates his knowledge through his witty remarks and plans.

2 Dr. Kroger

Dr. Kroger is Monk’s therapist for a majority of the show. He is able to get through to Monk in a way that most others can’t. He helped Monk grow greatly through the series, with Monk overcoming many of his fears.

Dr. Kroger also served as Harold’s therapist, proving that this doctor has a great amount of skill and patience. He regularly asserts healthy boundaries between him and Monk and is an extremely effective communicator.

1 Monk

Of course the most intelligent character on the show is the title character, Monk. If anything, Monk’s problem is that he knows too much. His knowledge drives many of his phobias as he is aware of the dangers surrounding him.

Monk is an extremely talented detective. He is regularly called in to consult with the department because his memory and attention to detail allows him to be successful where others have not been. He is highly logical and a great problem solver, both in the field and in his home. Monk creates innovative strategies to deal with his OCD and is often the most intelligent person in the room. Others can’t help but be impressed when they watch Monk work, and fans feel the same way.

About The Author