Does anybody care about "Monk" any more? Should I?

New episodes are airing but nobody here seems to care enough to post
anything. Me, I've only watched the first two this season[1], with
the third one on a tape somewhere. I missed my multiple shots at
taping the fourth, but I see that USA's running a mini-marathon next
Sunday so I can get eps four through six then[2].

My question to anyone out there is, should I bother? Based on the
three already-aired eps that I haven't seen yet, is there any hope
for the show or is it just more of the same old same old?

mchary...

The show is still worth watching compared to the alternative of watching
nothing at all, but it's not as good without Sharona.

1: The season so far, including one upcoming ep:
7 Jul 06 Mr. Monk and the Actor
14 Jul 06 Mr. Monk and the Garbage Strike
21 Jul 06 Mr. Monk and the Big Game
28 Jul 06 Mr. Monk Can't See a Thing
4 Aug 06 Mr. Monk, Private Eye
11 Aug 06 Mr. Monk and the Class Reunion

2: They're doing a nine-hour block from noon to 9pm, beginning with
three from earlier seasons ("Goes to the Carnival," "and the
Missing Granny" and "and the Employee of the Month," all with
Sharona, yay!) and then, bizarrely, running the first six from
the current season *in reverse order*. Go figure.