Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is here! Dive into Monarch’s mysterious origin and legacy with this new series. Episode Three is available to stream exclusively on Apple TV now, with new episodes airing every Friday up until January 12th, 2024.
Synopsis
Shaw leads the team on a dangerous mission to Alaska in search of Hiroshi. Keiko, Lee, and Billy present their findings to General Puckett.
Review
Things really take off in this third episode. The first episode focused a lot on establishing the world and its rules post San Francisco, while episode two dived into Monarch’s early establishment and evolution. Episode three is a perfect mixture that beautifully balances the past and present, binding and connecting them into an awesome and immensely interesting concoction.
Keiko, Lee, and Billy’s arc hones in on the first ever appearance of Godzilla and what it means in the grand scheme of things. As a huge fan of the MonsterVerse franchise, it was great to see the achieved footage that introduced the Titan to the world in Gareth Edwards’ film. It was a really nice touch and it makes for a more unified experience whereby the franchise feels more connected. The fact that it was Billy who shot the footage really elevates his character as well. He goes from a crazy obsessor to arguably one of the most influential figures in Monarch’s history. However, there is so much more happening under the surface besides that very cool revelation.
This is the episode that ignites the catalyst that eventually leads to Monarch’s shift. The trio set out to learn about these Titans, but what this episode explores is this aggressive tug of war political game against higher powers. What started off as an innocent and revolutionary idea to study the unknown for the betterment of humanity, gradually poisons into something quite sad. Ideals concerning curiosity and discovery are traded for domination and power. While the aftermath of the nuclear test that “killed Godzilla” is predictable, it was fascinating to see how Monarch attained a respectable amount of authority. Unfortunately, the cost was quite high, but in just three episodes we’ve learned just how determined Keiko, Bill and Lee are… So, it’s not over for them yet, not by a long shot.
Jumping forward to the modern day setting, and things are ramping up. Threads are slowly being untangled, yet there are still so many mysteries floating around, too many to count. The proper introduction of Lee Shaw changes the course of the series in the best way possible. Lee’s enigmatic energy and charisma, brilliantly and effortlessly executed by Kurt Russell, becomes incredibly infectious, and the surrounding cast gradually lower their own boundaries, especially Cate and May. They’re still on guard, but there’s a much lighter tone and the cast feels less disjointed despite harboring their own secrets and agendas.
The group make a huge leap forward in their search thanks to Lee Shaw, who clearly has his own thing going on, and this really sparks the globetrotting journey that was teased in the trailers. We’re exploring uncharted territory and diving deeper into the sciences that eventually helps Monarch attain a more intimate understanding of the Titans. Which ultimately leads us to our next new Titan. We met our flying friend, the Ion Dragon, at the wreckage of Billy’s ship, and this week’s episode revealed the Frost Vark. Once again, there will always be a bit of biasness towards the more traditional Kaiju, but the new creatures of the MonsterVerse are uniquely designed and brilliantly introduced. They don’t have the same presence as Godzilla, even with his cameo appearances, but they are still utter scene stealers.
Episode three has everything you could possibly want, there’s even a chance that it has set the bar too high for the rest of the series. With fantastic visual effects, a fresh and fun dynamic between both sets of characters, and a brilliant exploration and expansion of the world, this episode is just an absolute feast.
Verdict
As of right now, this is the best episode so far. This third episode perfectly encapsulates everything that makes this series great. The narrative set in the past is just utterly gripping. It brilliantly reveals how the seeds of corruption begin to sprout inside Monarch, while also giving us that big Godzilla moment that we’ve all been waiting for. Now that Shaw (Kurt Russell) has joined the modern day team, things have just escalated in regards to the story and this heightened enjoyment. He brings out the best in the cast and has chaotically forced this whole series in a new and exciting direction.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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 three episodes are available on Apple TV right now! Episode 4 will air on December 1st. For more Godzilla and MonsterVerse goodness, click here.
