When it comes to Apple TV Plus, you can find a variety of high-quality original shows and movies on the platform that are well worth getting invested in. From the thrilling psychological series Severance to the out-of-this-world (literally) For All Mankind, Apple TV Plus is a streaming service that prizes unique stories that'll stick with you long after watching. One intriguing new show, however, is one that follows a bit of an unsurprising theme: Godzilla.
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is the sixth installment and second TV show as a whole that belongs to Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros.' MonsterVerse. One of our top picks for what to watch this weekend, it has already amassed an impressive 93% score on Rotten Tomatoes, and there are only two episodes available to the public right now. As it turns out, reviewers have been absolutely loving it ahead of its official debut.
It looks like this drama spanning 10 episodes already has serious legs — big, stomping, terrifying monster legs, and it's not even finished airing yet. With its exploration of Godzilla and other kaiju, it looks like it's going to be another home run for Apple TV Plus. Should you give it a chance? Here's what you should know before you try out this critically acclaimed series.
What is Monarch: Legacy of Monsters about?
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is set in a world where humanity now knows the painful truth — not only do enormous monsters like Godzilla exist, but they just leveled San Francisco, so it's common knowledge now.
Cate Randa (Anna Sawai) is one of the few survivors of the attack, otherwise known as "G-Day." She travels to Tokyo to help unravel a family mystery that's more than a little mind-bending. Her father Hiroshi Randa (Takehiro Hira) is presumed dead following a plane crash.
When she arrives at his apartment in Tokyo, however, she finds that Hiroshi had another wife and that she has a half-brother by the name of Kentaro (Ren Watabe). With both siblings blindsided by this fact, they must learn to trust each other after they discover a mysterious satchel tied to a conspiracy dating back to the 2017 film Kong: Skull Island.
Between two different timelines, Cate and Kentaro uncover the shadowy Monarch organization, a military group dedicated to monitoring the monsters of the world, including Godzilla. With the help of Kentaro's girlfriend May (Kiersey Clemons), the pair work with a variety of new acquaintances to understand Monarch's true purpose.
They also try to piece together what's really happening with the monster population of Earth, all while making connections to the Godzilla films and series of the past. Oh, and John Goodman and Kurt Russell are along for the ride.
What the critics are saying
Critics from outlets like The New York Times, The Hollywood Reporter, TheWrap, and The San Francisco Chronicle have agreed that the elements like the series' "nostalgic charm" and "human drama" make for a great viewing experience. have agreed that the elements like the series' "nostalgic charm" and "human drama" make for a great viewing experience.
The Hollywood Reporter's Angie Han praised the "touching shared performance from father-son duo Kurt and Wyatt Russell," calling it "compelling." The New York Times' Mike Hale appreciated its "impressive visual effects" that called back to an older era of "adventure filmmaking."
TheWrap's Matthew Creith called the series "a worthy endeavor" that will "hopefully" keep the MonsterVerse in business.
The San Francisco Chronicle's Zaki Hasan added the show is a "worthy experiment" based on the first eight episodes up for review.
Has Monarch: Legacy of Monsters been renewed for a second season?
Unfortunately, it's a bit too early to tell whether or not there will be a second season of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. Given that the show has just been released to the public and will be airing for the next two months, it's likely going to be some time before Apple TV Plus makes a decision on Monarch season 2.
However, content featuring Godzilla and other big monsters that are part of the MonsterVerse has seen success over the years. If the rest of the series can hold steady as the strong contender that critics have seen it as already, there's a very good chance that there will be an additional season to look forward to — of course, that's if it makes sense to continue the story. It's unknown how things will shake out over the course of 10 episodes.
For right now, we can only speculate that there will likely be another set of episodes to check out. There have been no official announcements regarding what's next Monarch: Legacy of Monsters.
