Monarch: Legacy of Monsters returns to Apple TV this week with Season 2, and the first reviews are now in for the MonsterVerse series.
They're all mostly very positive, and with a handful of verdicts counted on Rotten Tomatoes, the series currently sits at a "Fresh" 77%. We would expect this score to evolve in the coming days, as more critics weigh in with their thoughts.
Season 1 of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is "Certified Fresh" at 87%. Looking at the wider MonsterVerse, you have Godzilla: King of the Monsters (42%), Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (54%), Kong: Skull Island (75%), Godzilla vs. Kong (75%), Godzilla (76%), and the animated Skull Island (84%).
The newly created Titan X is receiving a lot of praise, and it sounds like Monarch is now more in line with splashier, VFX-heavy movies featuring Godzilla and King Kong. Like those, it seems the show stumbles when it comes to characters and storytelling.
"Only when it finally hones in on its new monster does the season manage to tell a surprisingly emotional story that leans into the human-Titan connection at the core of the films," writes AV Club. Adds Collider, "Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 2 mostly satisfies with a story that puts the Titans front and center — exactly where fans want to see them."
JoBlo was similarly impressed, noting, "This season introduces a bunch of MUTOs that are cool to see on screen as showrunner Chris Black has figured out how to balance the cinematic franchise with the television one."
However, SlashFilm was less enthused. "All the manufactured interpersonal conflicts, abrupt character turns, and frustratingly hidden motivations in the world are no substitute for a narrative that never manages to fully come together in a satisfying way," the site concludes.
Region Free's review is even harsher. "Monarch can't help but find ways to disappoint," they state. "It is once more a series that can't decide what kind of story it wants to tell, so it moves forward like an old car pumped full of bad gas."
ScreenAnarchy counters, "At its best when it's just heroes and monsters who are dominating the screen, in magnificent fashion, making the series a sheer blast of joy for monster kids like me."
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 2 will pick up with the fate of Monarch—and the world—hanging in the balance. The dramatic saga reveals buried secrets that reunite our heroes (and villains) on Kong's Skull Island, and a new, mysterious village where a mythical Titan rises from the sea.
The ripple effects of the past make waves in the present day, blurring the bonds between family, friend and foe — all with the threat of a titan event on the horizon. The series will feature Kong, Godzilla and introduce a new Titan: the enigmatic Titan X, now officially on the loose. Titan X isn’t just another monster; it’s a living cataclysm. When its massive bioluminescent form breaks the surface of the ocean, the world seems to hold its breath.
Titan X stands at the centre of Season 2's core mystery as an ancient force emerging from the deep, its purpose uncertain, its power unmatched, and its awe and terror in equal measure.
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters stars Kurt Russell, Wyatt Russell, Anna Sawai, Kiersey Clemons, Ren Watabe, Mari Yamamoto, Joe Tippett, and Anders Holm. Season 2 guest stars include Takehiro Hira, Amber Midthunder, Curtiss Cook, Cliff Curtis, Dominique Tipper, and Camilo Jiménez Varón.
The 10-episode second season of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters will premiere globally on Apple TV on Friday, February 27.