Major spoilers for Monsters at Work Season 2 lie ahead, so read at your own risk.
Sophomore seasons of shows can be tough to get right, but the team behind Disney+’s Monsters at Work knocked it out of the park. It is, without a doubt, one of the funnest animated series and one of the best shows to watch on D+ right now. Like the beloved Pixar movie, it also packs an emotional punch and pulled off a mind-blowing plot twist during the penultimate episode of Season 2. And yet, for some reason, more people aren’t watching the series, and they really need to.
The first season of Monsters, which was released back in July 2021, picks up immediately after the events of Monster Inc. and follows Tylor Tuskmon, a scare graduate from MU and recent hire at the film's eponymous company, who finds himself displaced by the sudden switch from scare to laugh power. When Season 2 begins, Tylor is a struggling jokester who gets approached by a rival company, Fear Co., to work as a scarer. Tylor struggles with his decision but ultimately makes the jump, only to learn that Fear Co. is up to no good.
Both seasons are excellent, but Season 2 really taps into the magic that was created when fans first met Mike and Sully all those years ago. Not only that, but it upped the stakes with a shocking plot twist that had me shouting at my TV. So let's talk this out.
What Was The Impressive Plot Twist That Monsters At Work Season 2 Pulled Of?
The second season really focuses on Tylor struggling to find his voice on the Laugh Floor at Monsters Inc., while his former department, MIFT, investigates how and why their energy canisters are reading full but are empty. No longer in the department, Tylor is only somewhat involved in the investigation until he takes a job at Fear Co. and discovers that they’re the ones behind the missing energy.
It's pretty obvious from the start that Fear Co. would have a hand in the issue since they've been Monsters Incorporated's rivals and desperate to keep scare energy around. However, the real plot twist involves Fear Co. CEO Johnny Worthington III revealing just how they managed to steal the energy. It turns out that he's had help from formerly exiled monster Randall Boggs.
Somehow, Johnny Worthington III, his college fraternity brother, managed to find Randall and bring him back to the monster world. Eager to get back at Mike and Sully, who are the reason for his banishment, Randall jumps at the opportunity to sabotage the laugh energy case and frame Tylor for it.
The moment Randall made himself visible, I audibly gasped. I don’t think I’ve been that shocked by an animated story since Prince Hans turned on Princess Anna in Frozen. It never even crossed my mind to consider him a suspect since he was banished to the human world at the end of the 2001 Pixar movie. Even though I’m not a fan of Randall, who is one of the best Pixar villains, I was delighted to see him appear and shake things up for the lovable characters on the show.
The Plot Twist Is Just One Reason Why People Should Give This Show A Chance
While the Randall reveal is definitely a major selling point for fans of the movie franchise to check out the show, it’s not the only reason I wish more people were watching. For one, Monsters at Work is the perfect sequel to the movie and really explores life in Monstropolis now that their energy sources have changed.
The series also features the leads of the Monsters Inc. cast -- Billy Crystal and John Goodman -- reprising their roles as Mike Wazowski and James "Sully" P. Sullivan, respectively. It also introduces a whole new group of endearing monsters, voiced by the incredibly talented cast of At Work, like Mindy Kaling's Val Little and MIFT boss Fritz, who is voiced by the iconic Henry Winkler.
Beyond the cast, Monsters at Work also has incredible episodes that will not only make you laugh but also tug on the heartstrings and teach viewers some important lessons along the way. The evolution of Tylor’s friendship with Val is admirable and a reminder that sometimes friendship is the best gift of all. Plus, Tylor’s relationship with the human children he hopes to make laugh is also reminiscent of Sully and Boo’s relationship from the movie.
Additionally, the series is full of Easter eggs linked to the films and even boasts an impressive LGBTQ+ representation as far as Disney and the Monsters universe is concerned. But really, it’s the underdog story and watching Tylor rise to the occasion that should be why everyone adds this workplace comedy to their watchlist if they haven’t already streamed the first two seasons of the show with an an Disney+ subscription.
With Tylor back at Monsters Incorporated and Randall’s escape from custody, it definitely feels like the creators of Monsters at Work are hoping for a third season. Unfortunately, a renewal has not been announced yet and, given that the second season took a year to get the green light, we might be waiting a while. But that’s fine, because it gives people more time to check out the beloved show and hopefully, help root for more seasons.
