Monarch (2022) User Reviews

Snooze-fest

[HelloBlockbuster · 4/10 · 13 September 2022]

If you take Dynasty (new) and Nashville, mash it up and leave the good parts out, I imagine this is what you'd be left with.

It's just incredibly unbelievably cliche. I'm only 10mins in and I'm bored. This isn't typical. Do I keep watching or cut my losses and see if they prove me wrong? Jk, this show won't make it to another season, assuming it doesn't get cancelled mid-season.

It's bad guys. (And that kills me-I love 90s country through and through.)

Maybe DW Moffett will bring some life in? I love that guy! But seriously, not everyone in country music has an accent-in fact, most don't. There's good music played in the background, so that's a plus. Shania Twain, Martina McBride, Tanya Tucker, and Little Big Town make appearances, so there's that.

I wouldn't be surprised if this MONARCH flew away after 1 season (or mid-season)

[matthewdgabriel · 5/10 · 13 September 2022]

The MONARCH premiere was exactly what I had expected it to be - mediocre and forgettable. Despite the star power of veteran Susan Sarandon, country star Trace Adkins, and the always likable and impressively talented Brits Anna Friel (Pushing Diasies) and Joshua Sasse (Galavant), the only glimmer of substance this pilot episode had was a well-done duet of the 1997 hit ballad, "How Do I Live." The introduction of its plots, subplots, and backstories, I could've easily lived without. This question remains: Do I want to continue watching a blasé series far too similar to other fleeting series like PROMISED LAND and FILTHY RICH simply because I like actors Sarandon, Friel, and Sasse -- despite the blatant fact that none of them could carry a Texas accent worth a darn? Moreover, do we really need another NASHVILLE? Hasn't this been done and done over dozens of times? "How do I live" without this series? My apologies to the fine cast, but the answer is...just fine!

Like a trainwreck; can't look away

[sandieweldon · 5/10 · 22 October 2022]

I had such high hopes because I love Susan Sarandon's work. But they decided to kill her character off immediately and then have her be in flashback scenes as a guest star. Gigi walks in and immediately knows Nicky "killed" their mom and storms out of the house instead of finding their dad, with no emotion other than annoyance. I think they auditioned people who could sing country and then picked the ones who had the look that they were going for that could half way deliver a line. This massively famous family just goes to bars and they break out into song like nothing. LOL ok. I did love the scene between Trace Adkins and the actor who plays Ace, when neither wanted to go on stage to sing. That was sweet. But I have to admit I am intrigued to find out who was murdered. My husband makes fun of me for watching the show but at this point, it is entertaining when you accept that it is going to be bad, like a campy film. I do like Gigi's rendition of Born this Way and one of Lizzo's songs. One thing I cannot understand (and maybe this will be explained in later episodes) is Catt being Albie's daughter. Albie was having an affair 40 something years ago, Dotti burns the barn with Catt's mother in it. What I don't get is that if Catt was born before the fire, why does she have burn scars on her back? And if she was born after the fire, meaning she sustained burn injuries in the womb as her mother burned to death, how was there a birth certificate with Rosa and Albie's name on it, especially if the whole point was that no one was supposed to know about the affair or pregnancy (Albie didn't know Rosa was pregnant and didn't know Rosa died) I need to know, I am in too deep LOL.

They lost me when they took their helicopter from Austin to go ice fishing

[ramair350 · 2/10 · 14 September 2022]

I hoped for a show that could top some of the flaws of the show Nashville. And as an Austin resident and kniwing that was the setting, how could this thing miss? In the first five minutes they take a guy ice fishing. To a glacier. On a helicopter. From Austin, TX. Airwolf was more realistic. I am shocked that a writer is too lazy or dumb to know anything about geography, but I guess I shouldn't be. Feels like it was written by a teenager with no real education that was told "you can do anything!" Aside from having value as a teaching item in the "here is what NOT to do as a writer" or maybe "Cliches 101", thus is truly worthless tv that probably will be cancelled after two episodes.

LOL, this is so bad-I watch it to make fun of it!

[thehighlandhomestead · 1/10 · 28 September 2022]

Ok, this show wants to be a "country" Empire, but it starts when Empire was really bad in the last few seasons.

Even the characters try and be the same.

We have 3 kids One gay(of course she marries up and looks like that is ending well).

One uber-hot business exec(who btw did a homoerotic scene with the artist he was trying to sign a record deal with but I guess he is straight? You whiffed on that). (Trace and Susan didn't produce that FYI)

One with baggage and an annoying husband(like why is he British?) Oh and she is omniscient!

Don't worry foreshadowing is showing us there may be an extra child......

TIME HOPPING: JUST STOP, PLEASE. I assume writers are so bad that they write the story and then in middle are like "I want to add this, let's just time hop instead of develop a backstory!" You can do a backstory but stop telling me 3 months ago!

Also it seems anyone can just drive up to their house, I mean no security or what? Oh and they are like the country music superstar family but shockingly they are in Texas and not Nashville?

The Dad has anger problems and it seems like nobody cares.

And it seems there has been a murder and the body is buried like 15 deep in a hole in the woods but just think in minutes the body has been taken from this amazing grave(anyone ever tried to dig in Central dry Texas?) and now we are moving on to the next melodrama! Just think only 3 episodes in!

Can't wait to see how bad it gets next week.

Dribble

[ladecana · 2/10 · 12 September 2022]

After a big build up, this program turned out to be a complete disappointment. Ridiculous premise, horrible acting. I could hardly get past the first episode. I am a country music fan and found this to be a boring parody with unconvincing scenes and characters that fail to draw you in. If you don't believe me, watch the first episode for yourself! My question is how did such big name entertainers like Susan Sarandon and Trace Adkins get roped into this project? They try to create drama by bringing in some side stories but these fail to take off or bring any depth to the story. Maybe it picks up after the next episode, but I doubt I'll be turning in.

Bad attempt at trying to be Nashville

[cowboylove-77444 · 1/10 · 21 September 2022]

I don't know how this show got picked up. The storyline is awful and the acting is even worse. Nothing but a bunch of remake popular songs from the 90's and early 2000's acting like it was their songs. You'd think they could of at least hired some songwriters to write some original songs.

I can't believe Susan Sarandon agreed to do this. Always been a big fan of Trace Adkins, needs to stick to music. The rest of the cast is like watching a bad high school performance put on film.

I will say the house they filmed in is beautiful, but you can't expect the house to carry a show. I really was hoping this show would have been a hit.

This Ain't Us with a sad countrysoundtrack.

[michaelmain-62884 · 2/10 · 12 September 2022]

Attempted "This Is Us" ripoff with timeline bouncing, three siblings (heck, let's make one overweight), mix character development based on researching "Dallas" reruns,a healthy dose of contrived attempts at stereotypical accents and "big hair for everyone!"...the season with a few saccharine songs, and salinated ballots sung well...and you end up with this.

This is crap.

While there are actors whose films I avoid because of their outspokenness, it's not really their politics that dictate my reaction...it's that they're idiots. While I disagree with much of Susan Sarandon's viewpoints, she seems to be contemplative and sincere. I like her as an actress.

However she couldn't save this crap with a roadmap, a flashlight, a shotgun and a safe word.

AWFUL show, no stars

[pagbwi · 21 September 2022]

Bad casting, atrocious writing. Never so disappointed in a show that I was actually anticipating. So disrespectful to Judd family and her fans to have the Monarch matriarch commit suicide. Unforgivable and sickening.

Are there no American actors who can sing? Why the Brits with fake accents? What is the point of having great actors when they are woefully miscast?

This is an awful mash-up of This Is Us, Nashville and Dynasty; with ALL the good parts removed!

Who approved this show for viewing? Did the producers just need a tax write off? Were the producers, showrunner and directors blackmailed or tortured and forced to create this monstrosity? Whose writing those awful scripts? Are the writers on drugs or hallucinogens? Do they know anything about country music, country singers or the South?

Is it too much to ask to have a program about music, people and our country without it turning into a violent, disgusting mess? We need a break from the constant crime, tragedy, violence and cruelties of the modern world. Personally, I want to be entertained not horrified.

The Englanders must've had some stale crumpets

[PardonTheTruth · 7/10 · 12 September 2022]

It's more than a little hard to believe that the grammatically challenged, America-hating individual who wrote that astounding screed ("Redneck Downton Abbey") watched the same show I did.

Her amusing use of non-existent words like "untolerant" and "connotions" tell us the reviewer has not had an excessive amount of formal education.

I'm not much of a country music fan but I did enjoy the solid acting and excellent use of local color. I would recommend a bit more in the way of character development - perhaps at the expense of some of the musical numbers. There is certainly room for improvement in several areas but the show does appear to have potential.

The extraneous reference to "Jan 6 2021" (punctuation apparently optional) indicates the writer is one of those shrill partisans working tirelessly to divide our beloved country rather than to unite or - at the very least - to do no harm.

Pathetic, a waste of valuable time

[notemanmusic · 1/10 · 13 September 2022]

How could an obviously expensive show this bad be green-lighted? So bad, one might think it is a bad joke. Embarrassing. Can't believe Sarandon agreed to be a part of it; not a good project to go out on. The writing is bad, the acting is bad, the singing is bad (but for the source music). The family scenario/set-up is bad. Not to mention the fact that Sarandon is fifteen years older that Trace Adkins and everyone knows that! Hollywood clearly thinks the public is a dumb as rocks. One loathes this family five minutes into the first episode; any mother who asks what the Sarandon character asks of her daughter is evil.

Fun soap opera

[rachelkeatonbooks · 8/10 · 11 December 2022]

There's a lot of comparison to Nashville and Dallas (for some reason), but I wasn't a big fan of either of those shows regardless of the fact Nashville had great music. There have been quite a few complaints about the accents not being authentic, and how a lot of the main characters aren't American. None of that bothers me since I'm not American, so it's not even an issue for me. Monarchy is an over-the-top family drama with lots of fun music (the main reason I watch it). Not sure it will warrant a second season, but whatever. I think if you don't take this seriously and watch it as more of a fun comedy with music, then it could be a fun ride :)

Give it a try

[belovedtazi-363-346051 · 7/10 · 6 October 2022]

Not sure why this series is getting such a bad rep. I like it, found it entertaining. Certainly not like Yellowstone or 1883 so far as popularity or script content but it is good. It's sort of a Dynasty type show, cut throat family values. If you like country music give this show a try. I don't think you will be disappointed. Besides, it has Susan Sarandon in it! I'm not familiar with the other actors but I feel they did a pretty good job. The show has a diverse group of people acting keeping in line with real America. Not sure about Bill Maher's gushing...does anyone really watch his show these days? Anything with Bill Maher is not worth watching anymore.

You'll immediately appreciate Nashville 100% more after watching this.

[tammyalexius · 2/10 · 4 October 2022]

I was so excited for this show. I love Susan Sarandon, and I love Trace Atkins. But not even they could save the disaster of the storyline.

This takes place in Austin, yet the accents and stereotypes are terrible. And helicoptering to a glacier for ice fishing??? Where?

The family is not believable, nor is the premise that there would be so many people in the family with the talent to make it, but weren't allowed. A true dynasty would have been them all making it.

The music is where this really goes off the rails. Almost all of the songs sung in the first two episodes are songs by other artists. They do nothing to establish why she's the queen of country, and the music that got her there. The guest stars like Martina McBride and Shania Twain aren't singing either, so what you're left with is a bunch of 90s country that isn't sung as well as the originals. There is zero originality, zero songwriting talent to be seen. Do yourself a favor. Turn Monarch off and go binge Nashville. While it has flaws, the talent showcased in both singing and songwriting is incredible.

I can't believe that Bill Maher gushed over this.

[jonathancanucklevine · 1/10 · 18 September 2022]

Because for the most part I have no use for modern C+W, I wouldn't have given this a second look if not for Trace Adkins' appearance on Real Time and Maher falling all over himself with praise. But to be honest, we barely made it through the opening credits before it was clear that it was going to be a sanitized, cookie-cutter, Hallmark-worthy torture session whose every moment made me want to watch the Righteous Gemstones instead. Maybe I shouldn't even be writing this; there's probably some unstated rule about how much of something you actually have to see before dismissing it as junk and putting on something else.

We know that Susan Sarandon still has it - she rocked Ray Donovan. So unless the age ceiling for Hollywood actresses that we keep hearing about has suddenly come down on her hard, I can't for the life of me figure out why she'd sign on to this turkey. Or maybe the producers, desperate to attach the name of an actual "serious actor" (rather than just an array of Nashville twangers), made her an offer she couldn't refuse.

In the end, it doesn't matter why. It has been seen and cannot be unseen. And if it goes on to earn praise from country music fans, it will, as a point of reference, tell you much more about them than about Monarch.

Even the C&W fans hate it

[mrfrane · 3/10 · 28 September 2022]

I guess Nashville has been off long enough that someone thought this show was ready to pick up the slack. It's possible the writers missed a few cliches but I would need to watch it again and take notes in order to be certain. And I'm not going to do that. Ever. I actually enjoy some of the actors and I experience a mix of sorrow and contempt for them signing on to this incredibly bad program. And I feel like a dolt for watching even the pilot.

Apparently I haven't written enough to justify having my opinion recorded at IMDB. So I'm going to type a few (45) more words until I meet their mythical minimum (Oh joy!).

Poor writing and acting doom this show

[dstump-00707 · 1/10 · 8 December 2022]

This show is a "Nashville" wanna be. Sadly, it's not even close. Cover versions of songs sung by mostly so so singers don't help. But the biggest problem is the terrible script writing and a plot that has more holes than Swiss cheese. Anna Friel is a good actress. Trace Atkins is just not a good actor. He's a decent baritone singer who should stick to singing. Beth Ditto is a former rock singer. I can't say she should go back to her band because I didn't find them to be very good either. I don't know if this show will be renewed for another season or not. My vote is no - but it doesn't matter. There won't be another season for me anyway. They'd need to get rid of some of the cast and all of the writers in order for this show to be even mildly interesting and engaging.

Watch Commercials instead of this crap

[Patti-100 · 1/10 · 13 October 2022]

Bad wigs Bad hair color Hairplug guy looked fresh off infomercial shoot Wardrobe nobody's coveting Song Covers over the top and insulting to original Acting amateur Guezzz they forced coverage of every demographic, ethnicity, and class. Like the writer had a checklist and was marking them off one by one.

I need a flaming gay guy, an obese person, a lesbian, a drunk, black, Indian, Native American, Asian, hobo, .... Why?

I did like the cars and trucks.

4-episodes and I have to admit I'm embarrassed I thought it would get better.

Watch an hour of commercials they're more entertaining then this show.

Monarchy anarchy

[karlevans-75682 · 1/10 · 22 September 2022]

I wanted so much to like this series being a massive country music fan I thought trace adkins Susan sarandon Anna Friel wow they are going to smash it.

So after watching episode two I've decided I can't watch anymore of this Ill conceived ill researched garbage!

The king and queen of country music( adkins and sarandon) make up the Roman family aswell as siblings two daughters and one son all with major issues.

So OK I was expecting "Nashville" which wasn't giving it a fair go but good lord I miss Connie brittons Rayna James who absolutely wipes the floor with sarandons queen of country! Absolutely laughable, adkins should stick to his day job, Anna Friel wow girl you do scouse much better than your crappy southern drawl, and one last thing, sorry, the continuity and the song miming (no original songs by the way) along with convoluted story lines bah I give up!!

This ain't butterflies

[fastdenny · 28 September 2022]

We watched all 3 of the current episodes of this awfully dreadful drama. I must be a glutton for punishment to have even thought I would've made it this far. Going to the dentist and having molars pulled without sedation would be less painful than watching this drivel. Stabbing my self in the eyes would feel better. It has all the clichés of a bad soap opera. How can these people even be related to one another? Even if it is television, we kind of expected better from Fox to have put their brand name behind this... and then to call it " The seasons best drama"... or something to that nature... speaking of nature, epusode 3 is almost over, and I think I just threw up in my mouth.

Texas Based Tele-Novella gone WRONG

[gbyzp · 6/10 · 11 September 2023]

It is unsurprising that this show did not get a second season. Like others who have reviewed this, I wanted to like this show.

This show is like the country music equivalent of The Righteous Gemstones, the Roman's are a family of hypocrites, liars, and connivers.

The show gets knotted up in its many outrageous plot twists. Daddy is an ex-con turned famous country singer, momma killed his mistress, brother is sleeping with his sisters lesbian wife, they all cover up the murder of the other sisters abusive and cheating husband. Oh, and there are many more twists.

It is a shame because there were times when the show felt like it had a good story to tell but then it got lost in the over-the-top plot twists.

You won't miss anything if you pass on this.

Fox please end the torture!

[rhondamaus · 1/10 · 5 October 2022]

Trace and Susan, RUN! This show is a train wreck. Sloppy, unintelligent writing and absolutely horrible acting. Not a single musician actually plays an instrument, all the songs are badly dubbed cover songs. This show is a 'throw a boot at the wall and a USB drive pops out of the sole' kind of pablum that will make you drink any kind of bad whisky until mama Roman comes back from the dead. Both Nashville and Yellowstone suffer from some of the same challenges, but they both have redeeming qualities and many patches of goodness to keep you interested in the characters. I could care less if all of these loathsome British characters die off immediately. Literally nothing to see here. Cancel this show please.

Absolutely Love

[loghomemomma · 10/10 · 7 December 2022]

I can't understand the low ratings! This is a great show. And Amazing talent!

The stars all do their own singing and performing. Amazing guest stars. Stunning filming locations.

Wonderful storylines, everything from family drama to entertainment industry drama. They did pack a ton in the first season. But I think it is setting up the second season for a terrific run.

I think the characters and actors were great! They new songs introduced were wonderful!

It really did entertain and make me want more!

I sure hope everyone watches all the way through!

Thanks bunches Fox for a terrific series! Looking forward to season 2!

It's getting worse!

[Blhhas2 · 1/10 · 3 October 2022]

Episode 3 is even worse than the first two. I really wanted to like this show. I have enjoyed hearing some of the old country songs that they have sung, but that is about it. Now in episode 3, two characters are breaking into song instead of speaking to each other. I think this flop is a case of telling not showing. They tell us repeatedly that the mother and father had a perfect marriage, but Susan Sarandon is dead in episode 1. We never see it. Their family is the first family of country music, but we only know that because of the opulent and stupid things they do. Trace Adkins can act, but this show gives him lines like ,"I'm a bad man." It just makes him look like a bad actor. I really, really wanted to like this which is why I gave it 3 episodes. I'm done.

Awful

[catladynewport · 1/10 · 23 September 2022]

I've never submitted a review before but I felt compelled to tell the world how awful this is. Terrible acting from talented people who should have known better. At least Susan Sarandon had the good sense to die in the first episode. I can only assume the show was cast during 2020 when every actor was panicking about never working again and they were saying yes to any old drivel with a pay check. I normally love this kind of show too and would consider myself fairly close to the demographic they'd be aiming for. And as a Brit, we always support Anna Friel in anything. Huge disappointment. At least season 5 of Yellowstone starts soon.