5 Best TV Shows Like Monarch: Legacy Of Monsters
Apple TV is steadily becoming known for science fiction, with shows like "Silo" and "Severance" showing how well they can both adapt existing stories and create new ones. "Monarch: Legacy of Monsters" follows in that same vein, continuing the story of the ongoing Monsterverse about the Titans leaving Hollow Earth and exploring our Earth.
The series dives deeper into the origin of the Monarch organization while brother Kentaro (Ren Watabe) and sister Cate (Anna Sawai) try to figure out what happened to their missing father. With two seasons so far, the show has received praise for its cast performances and focus on humans over Titans, resulting in an average of 86% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes.
For fans itching for more shows like "Monarch: Legacy of Monsters," look no further. Between giant monsters, family journeys, and mysterious islands, there's plenty to watch that embodies similar human stories, while also featuring all manners of beasts that are equally impressive and destructive.
Tremors
- Cast: Victor Browne, Gladise Jimenez, Marcia Strassman
- Creators: S. S. Wilson, Brent Maddock, Nancy Roberts
- Number of Episodes: 13
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 86% (Popcornmeter)
- Where to Watch: Currently unavailable
Based on the movies of the same name, the "Tremors" series centers on a fictional Nevada small town, as it figures out life with a new resident: a gigantic sandworm known as the Graboid. The residents must decide whether to let the Graboid live near them or not, reflect on the danger it poses, and protect it from outside forces.
While an organization dedicated to the Titans isn't quite the same as an entire town banding together in wary support for a Graboid, it's a similar situation. Monarch is necessary because humans are living among the Titans and that's not something they can change — "Tremors" is that on a much smaller scale.
There's more of a horror element to "Tremors," compared to the sci-fi feel of "Monarch." The scares come from not knowing exactly how the Graboid came to be. Knowing that the Titans were in Hollow Earth makes them less scary, helping almost humanize the monsters. Meanwhile, "Tremors" leaves us wondering, making the threat more mysterious and unsettling.
Attack on Titan
- Cast: Yuki Kaji, Yui Ishikawa, Marina Inoue
- Developers: Yasuko Kobayashi, Hiroshi Seko
- Number of Episodes: 94
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%
- Where to Watch: CrunchyRoll, Disney+, Hulu
An anime about people fighting monsters also called Titans? "Attack on Titan" follows Eren Yeager (Yuki Kaji), a teen boy determined to fight the Titans after one kills his mother. He gets closer to his goal when he joins the Survey Corps, a militant group dedicated to fighting the monsters.
The Titans in "Attack on Titan" are certainly of a different nature, more human than animal and seemingly focused on causing harm, compared to the Titans in "Monarch: Legacy of Monsters." Though they have their differences, both are monster shows featuring interesting creature designs, with the scariest of the humanoids in "Attack on Titan" feeling uncomfortably real.
The core of each sees people react to situations regarding their family and the monsters. While Eren's mother is seemingly dead after being eaten by a Titan, Kentaro and Cate want to locate their father after he's presumed dead. "Monarch" enthusiasts will enjoy seeing someone else fight for their family in a monstrous world.
Lost
- Cast: Naveen Andrews, Emilie de Ravin, Matthew Fox
- Creators: Jeffrey Lieber, J. J. Abrams, Damon Lindelof
- Number of Episodes: 121
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 86%
- Where to Watch: Disney+, Hulu
"Lost" is the iconic series co-created by J. J. Abrams about a group of people stranded on an island. After the airplane crashes on their flight from Sydney, Australia to Los Angeles, California, the group finds themselves on land again, but this isn't a typical tropical island. There's a strange mist stalking the forest, animals not native to that environment, and evidence that they aren't alone.
With six seasons to binge, "Lost" is perfect for "Monarch: Legacy of Monsters" fans because of the show's mystery. Multiple timelines chronicle the development of Monarch in the Apple TV series, whereas in "Lost," the castaways learn more about the DHARMA Initiative the longer they're on the island. Both organizations are focused on strange phenomena, whether it's the Titans or the island itself, adding to the sense of intrigue.
"Monarch: Legacy of Monsters" is certainly about monsters, but it's also about organization's impact on everyone involved. Similarly, "Lost" uses flashbacks to show why everyone was in Sydney, their individual intentions in Los Angeles, and the emotional turmoil the trip takes.
Fringe
- Cast: Anna Torv, Joshua Jackson, John Noble
- Creators: J. J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci
- Number of Episodes: 100
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 91%
- Where to Watch: Disney+, Hulu, Pluto TV
The FBI has a new division to investigate things happening in an alternate dimension in "Fringe." Agent Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv) and scientist Walter Bishop (John Noble) work together on the Fringe Division, looking into strange occurrences rooted in something outside of traditional science or understanding.
"Fringe" is for "Monarch: Legacy of Monsters" lovers seeking a series about a different kind of otherworldly form. Like Monarch, the Fringe Department studies the uncommon. However, because "Fringe" isn't rooted in monsters, it can focus on other phenomenon. Across its run, "Fringe" explored everything from unknown diseases and teleportation to human experiments that grow increasingly concerning.
Both shows ultimately involve investigations, especially in the earlier timelines of "Monarch: Legacy of Monsters." Much of the occurrences link back to the Titans and Hollow Earth, but in "Fringe," it's more complex because of the many parties trying to use the parallel universe and its properties to their advantage.
Skull Island
- Cast: Nicolas Cantu, Mae Whitman, Darren Barnet
- Developer: Brian Duffield
- Number of Episodes: 8
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 82%
- Where to Watch: Netflix
In the animated Netflix series "Skull Island, a boat crashes onto an unknown island, where the survivors encounter strange animals, like large crabs, a Kraken, and even the mighty ape Kong. While the trip was initially intended as a search for cryptids, the population of Skull Island wasn't exactly what they had in mind.
The animated series follows fellow Monsterverse titan Kong while further exploring the universe. With only eight episodes, "Skull Island" has a fast pace as the group travels all over the island, trying to find a way home. Every effort fails, only antagonizing the creatures and fueling division among the unit.
"Monarch: Legacy of Monsters" follows children looking for their father after his presumed death, but "Skull Island" takes that one step further by putting the kids and parents on the journey together. It's a fun next watch for fans of the Apple TV series, especially if Kong is your favorite Titan.