Ryan Shoots First: Monarch: Legacy of Monsters (S1 Ep3) “Secrets and Lies”
This show is just really cool. Last week’s premiere of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters was met with some pretty rave reviews despite many claiming Apple+ does a pretty terrible job of letting people know they have a hit show on their hands. Still, people found Ted Lasso so maybe they are just relying on that. Netflix used to not do a ton of ads as well and they’ve had plenty of hits. For now, though Monarch is a fun exploring of a world they have built in the background for years.
Late in the premiere, we are finally introduced to Kurt Russell’s version of Shaw in a post-G-Day world. His best friend’s kid, who he considers a son, has his kids come to dig him out of a closely monitored Monarch retirement home/prison and he is back to his globe-trotting adventuring ways. I mentioned last week but the show paces and times its flashbacks so well. Just when we hit a downbeat in one area we bounce. The show doesn’t leave us on too many cliffhangers but each time it switches my brain reengages and is usually anticipating what will happen next. It doesn’t feel disjointed and usually, the break even though may be unrelated, doesn’t feel harsh or jolting. They even really make good use of the Russell family’s dual roles for some cool transitions. Seeing father and son play the same character decades apart is such a fin element as you can see where there are similarities but clearly, the events of his life and old age have changed Kurt’s depiction over the years. Less harsh, maybe a bit more brazen. His colleagues rubbed off on him over their years working together. Slowly dissolving the militaristic exterior till he’s a full-on liability as an old man.
Good shows find audiences and Apple seems to be committed to their projects. For All Mankind is getting ready for its third season and no one watches that. So I don’t doubt word of mouth will spread and people will find the show but for now, it is a well-crafted treat with style and substance. And yes dash in a bit of frickin’ Godzilla could never hurt.
Observations
- Good ole push button starts
- Escape from the Retirement Home
- Love these transitions with father and son
- Ouch with that Neanderthal comment
- Never trust the military especially in the late 40’s
- Man I hope those digital files are secure
- Ahhh the ocean natures cover up
- Never doubt Snake Plissken
- I do want one of those little Toyota flat bed Asian trucks
- Pretty cool seeing that nuclear test that is a historical event and the first movie notes was a coverup when they tried to kill it.
- Here he comes!
- Man that’s such a good monster design
- Yep that’ll piss him off.
- Genius
- I thought that was a pretty good landing
- Feels like Kurt Russell was an action Star did nothing for like 20 years and now is old action star.
- Oh dang that was something else that did it.
- Haha Shaw knows that look
- His name is Cold Snap
