A pithy blonde who manages to come off as sweet and sarcastic simultaneously, Howard started out in commercials before becoming a familiar small-screen face. She made her sitcom debut as a grad student torn between two lovers on Boston Common and although it was short-lived, she wasn't out of work for long. As the titular "girl" in Two Guys and a Girl, she enjoyed a four-season stint on a moderately popular series that showcased her comic timing. While she made occasional big-screen appearances in grade-D projects (Dirty Work, Son of the Mask), TV remained her medium and in 2005 she enjoyed her highest-profile gig to date as a dysfunctional detective's girl Friday on the hit crimedy Monk.