All four main characters returned for the fifth season.
Tony Shalhoub returned as former homicide detective
Adrian Monk, with
Traylor Howard returning as Monk's faithful assistant,
Natalie Teeger.
Ted Levine returned as the SFPD captain,
Leland Stottlemeyer, and
Jason Gray-Stanford reprised his role as the lovable but oblivious
Lieutenant Randy Disher.
Stanley Kamel returned as Monk's psychiatrist,
Dr. Charles Kroger.
Emmy Clarke portrayed
Julie Teeger, Natalie's daughter, in a third season.
Melora Hardin continued to portray
Trudy Monk, Monk's deceased wife (whose murder is the series' main story arc), while Lindy Newton played a younger version of the character.
Tim Bagley returned to play
Harold Krenshaw, Monk's main rival, after a one-season absence. The character of Monk's annoying upstairs neighbor,
Kevin Dorfman, was brought back, portrayed by
Jarrad Paul.
Cody McMains starred, for the first time, as Dr. Kroger's son, Troy Kroger. Michael Cavanaugh and
Holland Taylor returned for the final time as Natalie's ultra-rich parents, Bob and Peggy Davenport, and
Sharon Lawrence made her debut on the series as Stottlemeyer's girlfriend,
Linda Fusco. Additionally, several non-recurring guest stars made appearances, including
Brooke Adams (Shalhoub's wife, playing her third different character), Joshua Alba,
Sean Astin,
Catherine Bach,
Graham Beckel,
Paul Blackthorne,
Stephen Bogardus,
Ivar Brogger,
Sarah Brown,
Dan Butler,
Ricardo Chavira,
Gordon Clapp,
Alex Cohen,
Alice Cooper,
David DeLuise,
Charles Durning,
Art Evans,
Tom Everett,
Kevin Farley,
Tamara Feldman,
John Furey,
Deborah Geffner,
Greg Grunberg,
Dan Hedaya,
Brad Hunt,
Jamie Kaler,
Brian Kerwin,
Jennifer Lawrence, James Logan,
Chi McBride,
Brian McNamara, Jacob Miller,
Silas Weir Mitchell,
Sandra Nelson,
Lawrence O'Donnell,
Jim Piddock,
Andy Richter, Bryce Robinson,
Kiernan Shipka, Peter James Smith,
Cynthia Stevenson,
Heather Tom,
Stanley Tucci (in an Emmy award-winning performance),
Reginald VelJohnson,
Steven Weber,
Frederick Weller,
Peter Weller,
Chris Williams,
Danny Woodburn, and
Odette Yustman. ==Episodes==