By Dan Skip Allen

When I first saw “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters in Season 1 I was instantly hooked on the series. It combines great monster stuff with a human dynamic that makes the show so engaging. When I watch a show, I want to be hooked on it because of the story, characters, and some other good elements. The monsters are a key element that keeps me and many others interested in this series. The world traveling, scientific aspects, and other things like the writing and direction play a huge part in the previous success of this series, and now they have to be doubled down on. New ideas and ways of telling stories about Monarch and this world will keep audiences coming back for more. I am so interested to see what comes next.

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 2 picks up where Season 1 left off. The children, Kate (Anna Sawai) and Kentaro (Ren Watabe) of Hiroshi Randa (Takehiro Hira) come to rescue their father and Keiko (Mari Yamamoto) but while doing so Older Lee Shaw (Kurt Russell) got stuck in Access Mondi himself. So they get the help of Monarch to rescue him from the rift, but inadvertently, they let a monster out called Titan X through the rift. This monster causes a lot of issues for Earth but has had a history with this planet going back for many years. Some other monsters eventually show up that people will recognize, but like Season 1, Season 2 is a character study.

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 2 deals with the interpersonal relationships that Season 1 started and continues them in a strong way. Relationships between the Hira character and his children, and Keiko as well. It also deals with how adult kids handle their future with the knowledge they have about the titans and Monarch. The kids are in a new world they didn’t know about before they got involved with their father, Lee Shaw, and Monarch. New discoveries are around every corner, but it’s the character development stuff between all of these people that means the most. The show counts on this to make it as interesting as it is.

This season is bigger in scale than the last season, and that was hard to do. There are many locations that have a major impact on this season and sets like the Monarch ship. The characters go all over the place in the context of the series. Various islands, cities, and countries are part of the story. Along with all of the locations that the show explores, it also deals with the time travel element that made Season 1 so interesting. Flashing back between the older Lee Shaw and Young Lee Shaw (Wayatt Russell) and Bill Randa gives the show an interesting perspective. This was one of the best parts of Season 1. 

Besides all of the human characters that make up the majority of the series, there are also multiple monsters that play a key player in the show. The monster that escapes the rift is the main monster of the show. It has tentacles and goes from place to place, getting its progeny. They are like big bugs that hatch out of the ground.There is a cameo of King Kong as well as the main monster Godzilla. These are the reasons most people want to watch this series, but they aren’t the only reason this series is worth watching. The writing joins the monster stuff with the character development stuff to make a great show.

Where this series succeeds and the movies don’t is the monster on monster battles and creature effects are very good. All the creatures in this second season of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters look great, including Godzilla and King Kong. The visual effects are incredible on all the monsters and creatures in the show. Along with other visual effects elements this show is second to none in this regard. Very few series use this much visual effects to help tell their stories, but with Apple and Legendary’s money, they can make the show look as good as it is supposed to look. Fans will appreciate that in the end.

“Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” Season 2 is as good if not better than Season 1. The show combines elements from the movies and the builds around them to create a terrific, well developed series. The writing, by Chris Black and company, and direction, by Lawrence Trilling, are superb. They gave the show a globetrotting feeling that was epic as the monsters that are in the series. There are time travel elements and other characters’ development things with the entire cast of characters that kept the series fresh and interesting. This is one of the best shows streaming right now. Fans will love what this season brings to the table. It expands on what has come before and adds new aspects for viewers to chew on or talk about with their friends and members. I’ll be thinking of this show long after it’s finished, and who knows? I may watch it again soon. 2026 has gotten off to a great start as far as television/ streaming shows go. This is a fantastic one.

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 2 9/9 Episodes Reviewed and Streaming On AppleTV Plus February 27th

5 stars