Nobody panic. I’ve seen the first five episodes of Apple TV+‘s upcoming MonsterVerse series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. The series is set to debut on Apple TV with two episodes on Friday, November 17th. Apple TV kindly gave us the first half of the series, and as a huge Godzilla and MonsterVerse fan, I was so incredibly excited. Now, this is only half of the full season so I don’t have the full picture yet, but today I wanted to go through my early impressions. How is the show so far? Is it good? How does it add to the MonsterVerse mythology? Those sorts of questions. Of course, I won’t be going through any of the juicy details, but I hope this early sneak peak can provide some context and get fellow Godzilla fans excited.
I think the most important thing to state is that this is NOT a show about Godzilla. Yes, he does appear but he very much holds dominion over the big screen, that’s where you’ll find him at his best. This series takes place after Godzilla and the MUTOs devastate San Francisco, so the Godzilla we see is from that time AND around the time of his discovery which is shown in archive footage in 2014’s Godzilla. The series jumps between two different periods. One focuses on Monarch’s establishment, while the other focuses on the world dealing with the consequences of Godzilla and the Titans’ existence.
At its core, this show centres on the secrets harbored by Monarch. To begin with, we’re presented with an authentic version of Monarch that hopes to study and identify these Titans. Looking back at the films, that’s actually the narrative we’re given as well. Monarch are the heroes of this story. They keep the Titans contained, they rally with Godzilla and Kong when they need help, and they keep the world safe. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters presents us with a different narrative; a shadier one. Corrupted by power and the involvement of higher authorities, Monarch transforms into a shadow organisation. Riddled with secrets and completely determined to keep the outside world ignorant, Monarch begins to reveal its darker side.
The focus is less on the Titans themselves, and more on Monarch as an institution of power. We’re given parallels that really highlight the negative development of Monarch. It was originally founded through passion and a scientific curiosity to explore the unknown, but has since transformed into a business consumed by ideals of power and control. The main cast set in 2014 are really used to push that to the foreground. Monarch have done a lot of good, but they’re not sin-free.
In terms of the human cast, Kurt and Wyatt Russell really shine as Lee Shaw. He’s a complex character that has a complicated past with Monarch and these first five episodes do an outstanding job of planting certain seeds. It’s always a tad scary with things like this because it’s clear they’re building up to something, and I just hope the payoff lands because they’ve done an excellent job at constructing this incredibly charming yet mischievous and mysterious character. There’s definitely something there, and I can’t quite work out what it is yet.
The rest of the cast are also fantastic, there are a few moments expecially at the beginning where they come across very bland and two-dimensional, but as they show develops so do they. Each character gets their own episode which allows them to flourish. Not only does it give the actors a chance to show their metal, but it’s also a chance for the audience to truly appreciate and understand the characters. Why should we care about their journey? With these episodes you get to understand their motives, their experience dealing with Godzilla, and their connection to Monarch.
Now, that’s not to say that this show is completely void of any Titans. There are Titans, and while I adore the iconic monsters from the Toho universe, it is so refreshing to see what the MonsterVerse can cook up. The designs are terrific and there’s definitely an escalation. Who knows what we’ll see as the show nears its end. However, as a huge fan of the classic monsters introduced in King of the Monsters, I would absolutely love to see more Easter Eggs and references to the Titans that will be appearing to really close the gap between the movies. But hey, there are still 5 episodes left.
Fans are really going to love Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. The world-building and exploration is absolutely exquiste with some delicious surprises and awesome shots that honour Godzilla and his legacy. The special effects are brilliant, and the ways in which this show ties itself to the first film and what it establishes is genius. This series has been constructed with care and detail, my only hope is that it remains consistent and delivers on the intrigue and scale that it has been teasing.
Check out the official teaser below:
Hailing from Legendary Television, the series is executive produced by Black, Fraction and Shakman alongside Joby Harold (Obi-Wan Kenobi, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts) and Tory Tunnell (Spinning Out, Underground) from Safehouse Pictures, Matt Shakman (Wandavision), Andy Goddard (Carnival Row, Downton Abbey), Brad Van Arragon (Yellowjackets, Carnival Row), and Andrew Colville (Severance, Star Trek: Discovery).
Are you ready to learn the truth behind Monarch? The first two episodes will be premiering on Apple TV on November 17th. For more Godzilla and MonsterVerse goodness, click here.
