FOX
The dark side of country music is emerging. The new FOX drama Monarch follows the first country music family in an epic tale of lies and betrayal. The matriarch and patriarch of this family, the Romans, are Dottie (played by Susan Sarandon) and Albie (played by country music star Trace Adkins). Together the duo created a dynasty, but now it’s on shaky ground. Their daughter, Nicky (Anna Friel), is ready to do anything to protect her family’s musical reign and lead her own growing career.
“Everyone has secrets. Everyone has agendas, ”explained Adkins. Having been in the industry for 25 years – his anniversary album was released earlier this year – Adkins has been at the forefront of country music. His character is described as the “Texas truth-teller,” but even that appears to be a lie. “He has as many secrets as anyone, but that’s just the nickname he describes himself as that old-fashioned OG truth-teller in his music. And so, it’s just kind of a handle that he went through, but don’t take it at face value.
So how much does the show echo the world of country music? Well, according to Adkins, it’s closer than you might think. “They have people looking on this show who have a pretty good idea of how things work and what the belly actually looks like. So sometimes it’s surprising how close they really are. “
Monarch > First Sunday January 30; airs Tuesdays from February 1 on FOX
