Kurt Russell's Apple TV Sci-Fi Series Is the Perfect Weekend Binge Ahead of Part 2

2 days ago 7

Published Feb 8, 2026, 5:44 PM EST

Billy is a Senior Features Author for Collider. Having written over 300 articles in just over a year, Billy regularly covers the biggest TV shows and films releasing while also analysing some of the most underrated properties that may slip your attention.
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Before that, Billy studied politics at the University of Nottingham, which helped him to bring nuanced and scholarly analysis to the frameworks within which filmmakers and writers have framed their thematic messages.

TV spin-offs of movie franchises are never guaranteed successes. The Marvel Cinematic Universe, for example, has exemplified this with high-quality shows, yet also suffered from anticlimactic releases. Oftentimes, these shows are judged not just on storytelling quality but on whether they actually add anything to the existing universe. With this in mind, Apple TV's Monarch: Legacy of Monsters should be considered one of the best spin-offs of a blockbuster franchise. Not only does it offer a more expansive lens on the MonsterVerse, but it also has great performances and effective execution of both sci-fi and conspiracy thriller genres. For these reasons, before Season 2 releases later this month, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters needs to be your next binge.

What is 'Monarch: Legacy of Monsters' About?

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters weaves together two storylines: one in the 1950s, where a young Lee Shaw (Wyatt Russell), Billy Randa (Anders Holm), and Dr. Keiko Miura (Mari Yamamoto) are hunting for the truth behind the monsters of ancient myths, forming the basis of what would eventually become the government department known as Monarch. The other takes place in 2015, a year after 2014's Godzilla, where Randa's and Miura's grandchildren face the consequences of their ancestors' actions.

There is always a danger when telling two stories in different time periods of audience disconnect, whether because of a lack of storytelling continuity or casting that doesn't quite work. However, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters nails both aspects. While Wyatt Russell plays the young version of Lee, his father, Kurt Russell, plays the character in modern day. Not only does the family resemblance help, but both actors play Lee with a blunt and unapologetic swagger that keeps the period shifts seamless. A similar approach is taken with Randa, who was first introduced through John Goodman's version of the character in Kong: Skull Island, with Holm maintaining that adventurous spirit that made him so enticing.

Since Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is a TV show, the budget is undoubtedly smaller than the MonsterVerse films were given to work with, limiting how much Titan action can be shown. Yet, despite this being a universe centered around giant creatures, the series expertly shifts the audience's perspective to the world and how it has been shaped by the major Titan events that have transpired. When Cate Randa (Anna Sawai) comes to Japan to retrieve some of her late father's belongings, the audience is not told, but shown, how Japan has begun to prepare for another Godzilla attack. From evacuation procedures to posters of Godzilla's silhouette plastered throughout the city, as well as flashbacks of Cate's own traumatic experience of the attacks in San Francisco, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters reflects how destructive these blockbusters truly are.

'Monarch: Legacy of Monsters' Blends Sci-Fi and Conspiracy Thriller

Sci-fi is not only one of the most popular genres in fiction but also an arena where new projects are highly judged and compared to the classics. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters rises to the occasion, however, with chilling practical elements that make up for a lower amount of VFX throughout the show compared to the films. Additionally, the series uses its present-day storyline to introduce a conspiracy thriller element, with Cate uncovering more about her father's secretive life, making Monarch a peripheral and untrustworthy villain rather than the central character it is in the films. Action scenes, like a car flip that allows Cate to escape Monarch's clutches, maintain a tension that keeps the viewer on the edge of their seat and constantly anxious to see what the next scene will reveal.

Overall, very few spin-offs feel as well-executed as Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. It may not feature the same number of monster battles as Godzilla, Skull Island or Godzilla vs. Kong, and the show's budget is evident in its VFX compared to the experience of watching the films. However, its fantastic action scenes, well-built sets, great acting, and fascinating storytelling will keep you pressing play on the next episode, making now the perfect time to binge Monarch: Legacy of Monsters before Season 2 premieres.