Anna Friel’s drama branded an “often-ridiculous mess” has been added to UK streamer

Anna Friel and Susan Sarandon’s show Monarch has just found a UK streaming home in Prime Video.

This show chronicles the story of a family renowned in country music, headed by Dottie Cantrell Roman, affectionately called the ‘Queen of Country Music’, and her husband Albie Roman, famously known as the ‘Texas Truth-Teller’. They are both legendary figures in the industry.

In this role, Friel portrays Nicky Roman, a budding vocalist, who is simultaneously seeking her unique identity and safeguarding the family’s heritage.

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Initiated by Melissa London Hilfers, the brief series made its debut in 2022 but unfortunately only lasted for a single season before being canceled.

Viewers in the UK can now watch the whole of season one, comprised of 11 episodes, on Prime Video.

The TV show Monarch features Beth Ditto portraying Nicky’s younger sister Georgina ‘Gigi’ Taylor-Roman, while Joshua Sasse plays their brother Luke, who is not only a sibling but also the CEO of their family’s record label, Monarch Records.

As a devoted viewer, I’m thrilled to mention that, like her mother Susan Sarandon, Eva Amurri is part of this captivating cast. Her role is that of the younger Dottie in flashback scenes.

When it first aired, the program garnered a blend of positive and negative opinions. To be specific, Entertainment Weekly labeled it as a frequently amusing chaos that remains engaging to watch.

In a review published in September 2022, it states that the series titled “Monarch” showcases sibling conflicts, extortion, infidelity, and an abundance of wigs. The writer humorously adds “so many wigs!” The series is described as being quite absurd, yet despite its often-laughable nature, the reviewer expresses their intention to watch every episode.

In a similar vein, Variety and The Hollywood Reporter have drawn parallels between the show and another popular music-centric family drama, Empire. However, they found Monarch trailing behind the rhythmic storyline of Empire.

In the words of Variety’s review, the show resembles the strategies of Empire, yet it consistently maintains a cautious distance. The Hollywood Reporter, on the other hand, described it as performing a mediocre cover version.

On the contrary, according to The Independent, the show was quite amusing. They referred to it as a “secretly enjoyable TV series disguised in high-end attire, boasting a talented cast capable of singing.

In the United Kingdom, you can stream the first season of Monarch on Amazon Prime Video. Meanwhile, in the U.S., the series can be rented or bought from various digital streaming platforms.

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2025-04-07 15:19

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