We at Knight Edge Media have been given early access to watch Apple TV+ upcoming Godzilla spin-off series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. The series follows two Japanese siblings who have never met before as they discover the secret government organization, Monarch. The series occurs after Godzilla attacks San Francisco in the 2014 film but before Godzilla: Kings of the Monsters and Godzilla vs. Kong. “G-day,” as the world has come to call Godzilla’s attack, is the turning point of humanity learning that Titans from mythology are real. However, Monarch has been tracking Titans across the globe since the early 1950s.
That is where the series takes its cues from as we switch back and forth between the 50’s and the modern day. The two plots seem to have nothing to do with each other but slowly begin to weave together seamlessly, much like in Hulu’s The Old Man. The mystery and intrigue between how much Monarch knows of the Titans is what drives the plots in both the present and past. While the Titans are present in each episode, you don’t really need to show the Titans at all to remain interested. It’s the mystery of these behemoths that the government is desperately trying to hide is what glues the viewer to the show.
Not to mention, the series did not skimp out on the CGI for the show’s production value. Many are wary that Godzilla may look cheaper than in the films (specifically King of the Monsters), but it is basically perfect on television. I suspect the “less-is-more” approach from director Matt Shakman allows for more money put into the Titan’s limited screen time.
4.5 out of 5.0 stars
Simply put, the series is a perfect spin-off in every sense of the word. The newly introduced human characters are more interesting than every other character in each Monsterverse film. You actually care about their own problems and the mysteries involving Monarch. The series is a cross between The Old Man and Agent Carter, set within the Godzilla universe. Featuring two plot lines in the past and present woven together by this shady government organization. In the end, we ask ourselves, how much does Monarch truly know about the Titans they have yet to reveal to the world?
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters will stream exclusively on Apple+ on November 17th