MonsterVerse Moves Ahead with New Season
The MonsterVerse is pressing on. It’s true that it doesn’t churn out content like Marvel or DC, but Legendary Entertainment’s series about Godzilla, Kong, and other colossal creatures has been around for over a decade now. With five films in various stages of development and a sixth set for 2027, the franchise is also branching out into television. One standout is Apple’s live-action series, which explores backstories and connections from the earlier films. Season one was fairly well-produced, but, to be honest, the human characters weren’t the highlights. It’ll be interesting to see how they take center stage in the upcoming second season.
Opening Scene: We pick up right where Season 1 finished, watching Monarch personnel escaping from Kong on Skull Island.
Key Elements: Get ready, because Monarch: Legacy of Monsters unfolds across different time periods, tying into the existing film lore. One plot line dives into the origins of Monarch, a government agency tracking these monsters in the ’50s and ’60s. Here, we have a sort of love triangle involving married scientists Bill Landa (Anders Holm), Keiko Miura (Mari Yamamoto), and soldier Lee Shaw (Wyatt Russell) as they explore largely unknown beasts. The first season also weaves in “present-day” scenes occurring in 2015, post the events of the 2014 Godzilla films.
At the end of the previous season, Keiko’s granddaughter Kate (Anna Sawai) and her hacker friend Cora (Kiersey Clemons) leap from 2015 to 2017, having been momentarily stuck in a time warp between our world and the Hollow Earth. Interestingly, Keiko also emerges from that rift. Their companion is the older version of Lee (Kurt Russell), who had previously encountered the rift. He makes a personal sacrifice to help them escape.
For Keiko, it has felt like mere months since she last saw daylight in 1959. But nearly 60 years have passed on the surface, so her reunion with her now-grown granddaughter is a bit surreal, though she appears unchanged. Lee, having traversed this space multiple times, is approaching a century but looks as youthful as ever. Confusing? A bit, perhaps.
Despite the timeline complexities, they streamline the storytelling somewhat. In Season 2, many previously separated characters are now in the same place. After evading Kong, Keiko, Cora, Kate, her half-brother Ketaro (Ren Watanabe), and their dad Hiroshi (Takehiro Hira) find themselves at a mobile Monarch operation on a ship. Yet, going against Monarch’s orders, they decide to head back to Skull Island, aiming to rescue Lee. Naturally, this puts them back in the crosshairs of the various beasts roaming the island, including Kong. This ties into flashbacks set in 1957, where Lee, Bill, and Keiko are on the trail of a gigantic creature in Chile, establishing the series’ first official titan that will serve as both a key plot device and antagonist going forward.
Do you remember the show? By combining creatures, covert government agencies, and ongoing narratives, Monarch evokes vibes of The X-Files but still retains a uniqueness distinct from typical superhero fare.
Our Thoughts: Transitioning kaiju thrillers to TV is no small feat. There’s a significant budget involved in showcasing massive monster action; after all, you can’t spend tens of millions on every episode. Conversely, if a series about giant monsters goes too long without their appearances, it risks disappointing viewers. There are narrative issues, too. It’s evident that the premiere and finale of Monarch will feature show-stopping creatures, with Kong again being central, much like Godzilla in Season 1. Sometimes, though, the segments between these monster moments can feel like filler.
That said, the Season 2 opener of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is energetic and suspenseful. It’s not a spoiler to mention that there’s still plenty happening in the upcoming episodes, even if Kong can’t be on-screen all the time. While the shifting timelines might feel a bit dizzying, having just a couple of clear narratives makes it easier to follow. The dynamics among characters during their missions harken back to Jurassic Park, enriching the experience by bringing them face-to-face with living creatures without overextending the budget.
Some fans might simply want a monster spectacle in theaters periodically. Yet, there’s no denying that this series is doing a better job than recent installments in the Jurassic World series. It delves deeper than just showcasing giant monsters destroying cities; it attempts to give a more nuanced view of the worlds these beasts inhabit. Thankfully, it avoids excessive humor and treats character arcs with a level of seriousness, though at times it can feel a tad too heavy-handed. Nonetheless, the opening episode successfully reintroduces the characters and familial connections without much need for recap. It strikes a balance between being funny yet serious.
Notable Performance: Mari Yamamoto as Keiko brings a sincerity that elevates her storyline, making it resonate more like classic melodrama than typical TV fare.
Content Warning: While the first episode is straightforward, there are elements of romance woven throughout the season.
Final Moment: Kong roars furiously at Monarch’s helicopter, seemingly locking eyes with Kate, who looks pained.
Star Performer: Takehiro Hira’s Hiroshi takes a more prominent role, infusing the character with depth and a sense of conflict.
Pilot-like Moment: Rather than a specific line, there’s a sequence where Keiko wakes up in Monarch’s medical bay and does the expected movie thing—panicking and fleeing from the doctors, leading to a classic dramatic reveal of her new surroundings.
Our Recommendation: Definitely give it a stream. This isn’t something to dive into without context, but fans of the MonsterVerse should find it enjoyable. It dives deeper into the lore, allowing for more emotional depth than larger budget films. Even those who aren’t particularly into Godzilla or Kong may discover something worth connecting with in this series.
