Monarch: Legacy of Monsters (AppleTV+)

[Devilmaycare]

It's coming on November 17th. Looks like it could be a fun show.

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[Devilmaycare]

Not sold after the first two episodes but not hating it either. So far my main complaint is the same as S1 of Foundation, mixed up timelines. I hope they settle down with that a bit. I don't mind having a couple times lines running throughout the show but I don't care for the time jumps within a timeline.

 

[Adrian]

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[Devilmaycare]

I'm liking this show now after E3. It really settled down on the aspects of the first 2 that I didn't care for felt more focused.

 

[Stout]

I'm enjoying this so far. The only thing unbelievable is John Goodman running.

 

[Devilmaycare]

I'm enjoying this so far. The only thing unbelievable is John Goodman running.

Spoiler: Goodman scene

I still don't get how the spider was pushing the crab around so much too. Just from a mass perspective it should have been harder. It was a fun way to open the show though.

 

[Stout]

Episode 4 was just hot garbage.

 

[Devilmaycare]

Episode 4 was just hot garbage.

Good I wasn't alone in that thought. It was a let down after E3. Way too much plot armor protecting stupid moves. I really don't care about a kid going emo over daddy issues too in a monster show.

 

[Devilmaycare]

This show is a bit frustrating. It could be good if they'd cut all of the flashbacks for the kids and their drama. Focus on the "now" events of both timelines. I want monster and Monarch stuff; not a weak love triangle story.

 

[Stout]

Yeah, it's been a pretty big disappointment overall.

 

[Devilmaycare]

I liked the last episode. From the last scene it looks like they're expecting to get a season 2. I hope happens and they listen to the criticism on the kids to tighten the show up. The show will go to the next level if they do.

Spoiler

I liked the way they handled the Keiko reunions. It was good that they kept it with her being shocked and disillusioned over it instead of trying to make it overly sappy. I was concerned that they'd do the latter with how they'd handled the kid's stories.

I'm also not buying for a second that Lee is dead. I know they'll have him pop up some time in S2.

 

[Stout]

Eh, very much not interested in season 2. Nice cameo, though.

 

[cardncubfan]

The last episode was great imo. Loving the series so far.

 

[oaken1]

On episode 2 or 3 right now. They are currently running from the ice monster in Alaska.
The show is cool
Kurt looks great for his age.
But the girl? Holy shyte, she has me checking my bank numbers to see if I can afford a Japanese mail order bride. Good God that is a beautiful young lady!

I know, don't say it...
My dirty minded old ass is going straight to hell.


It would be so worth it!

 

[Stout]

This show, in part, proves how horrific writing can ruin an actor, and that great actors can't always transcend bad writing. You see it in Jurassic World with Vincent D'Onofrio turned into an idiot (hate those movies). And you see it here with Anna Sawai. I literally had to be told she was the same actress in this as the magnificent actress in Shogun. Even then, I argued that this was impossible. She was horrible in Monarch. But, then, Monarch was a horrible show. Once it was proven to me I was gobsmacked and wondered how it could be. Well, ish writing is all the answer I needed. She couldn't overcome it in Monarch. When given good writing, she flourished. Simple as.

 

[Devilmaycare]

This show, in part, proves how horrific writing can ruin an actor, and that great actors can't always transcend bad writing. You see it in Jurassic World with Vincent D'Onofrio turned into an idiot (hate those movies). And you see it here with Anna Sawai. I literally had to be told she was the same actress in this as the magnificent actress in Shogun. Even then, I argued that this was impossible. She was horrible in Monarch. But, then, Monarch was a horrible show. Once it was proven to me I was gobsmacked and wondered how it could be. Well, ish writing is all the answer I needed. She couldn't overcome it in Monarch. When given good writing, she flourished. Simple as.

I had the same experience with Anna. The shows came out almost back to back and watching both as they aired I was blown away. I couldn't believe that it was the same actress when I looked up who played Mariko. I did not think she had those chops after watching Monarch.

 

[Devilmaycare]

S2 starts this week. I'm still hoping that they retooled a bit by cleaning up the teen drama crap and keep the focus on the monsters. Give Anna something to work with. We saw what she could do in Shogun.

 

[Stout]

S2 starts this week. I'm still hoping that they retooled a bit by cleaning up the teen drama crap and keep the focus on the monsters. Give Anna something to work with. We saw what she could do in Shogun.

Jeebus, they haven't even done S2 yet? Wow.

Yeah, we've shown what she can do on a good show. This is not a good show.

 

[Devilmaycare]

Jeebus, they haven't even done S2 yet? Wow.

Yeah, we've shown what she can do on a good show. This is not a good show.

Yeah, it's becoming the typical streaming schedule that I can't stand. It's a bit over 2 years now since S1 finished. Hard to keep any buzz and momentum with these long breaks. Especially with 10 episode seasons. I've love to see some show go more network old school like X-Files and SG-1 where you have yearly, 22-24 episode seasons where some are cheaper, stand alone, story driven episodes. Not every episode has to be a $15m budget episode. Some of my all time favorite TV show episodes, like the SG-1 time loop one, were the cheap episodes.

 

[Covert Rain]

Yeah, it's becoming the typical streaming schedule that I can't stand. It's a bit over 2 years now since S1 finished. Hard to keep any buzz and momentum with these long breaks. Especially with 10 episode seasons. I've love to see some show go more network old school like X-Files and SG-1 where you have yearly, 22-24 episode seasons where some are cheaper, stand alone, story driven episodes. Not every episode has to be a $15m budget episode. Some of my all time favorite TV show episodes, like the SG-1 time loop one, were the cheap episodes.

The streaming schedule and 8-10 episodes seems like a ripoff. I get it, actors and crew don't want to do 22-24 episodes seasons and shoot for 18 hours a day. I get it. Don't blame them. I kind of feel like the sweet spot would be at least 12 but would be nice to get 16-episode seasons.

I read an article a few years ago talking about how the shorter seasons should lead to more budget per episode, higher quality and fewer episodes fillers. Maybe that has happened in some cases but for the most part, seems like they just reduced the overall budget, the quality is the same and I still see 8 episode streaming shows with filler.

 

[Chaplin]

The streaming schedule and 8-10 episodes seems like a ripoff. I get it, actors and crew don't want to do 22-24 episodes seasons and shoot for 18 hours a day. I get it. Don't blame them. I kind of feel like the sweet spot would be at least 12 but would be nice to get 16-episode seasons.

I read an article a few years ago talking about how the shorter seasons should lead to more budget per episode, higher quality and fewer episodes fillers. Maybe that has happened in some cases but for the most part, seems like they just reduced the overall budget, the quality is the same and I still see 8 episode streaming shows with filler.

HBO started the trend with the Sopranos, and with that show along with Deadwood being some of the best of those shorter-season series, everyone started adopting it. Gone are the days of full 22-24 episode seasons. When Lost hit season 5, all of a sudden, that length made things feel stale. Part of the reason why Season 6 adopted that shorter season model. More money on the episodes to let the show go out with a bang. And tv execs are STILL trying to find that lightning in a bottle situation, even with shorter seasons.

High concept shows are simply too expensive to do more than 10 episodes for the most part. And when you have current shows like Stranger Things that has shorter seasons, it's hard to go back unless you're a single-camera sitcom, and even then, it's still rare.

 

[oaken1]

HBO started the trend with the Sopranos, and with that show along with Deadwood being some of the best of those shorter-season series, everyone started adopting it. Gone are the days of full 22-24 episode seasons. When Lost hit season 5, all of a sudden, that length made things feel stale. Part of the reason why Season 6 adopted that shorter season model. More money on the episodes to let the show go out with a bang. And tv execs are STILL trying to find that lightning in a bottle situation, even with shorter seasons.

High concept shows are simply too expensive to do more than 10 episodes for the most part. And when you have current shows like Stranger Things that has shorter seasons, it's hard to go back unless you're a single-camera sitcom, and even then, it's still rare.

They could just work a twice a year release.
Back in the day they fall season ran mid September to Thanksgiving...
Then we got a holiday break...
Then the spring season kicked in....with about a dozen episodes on either side of the holidays.

The actors will do it.
It beats the hell out of not having any work