CONTENT WARNING: This article discusses child sexual abuse.
Just a day after its release, fans have flocked to social media to share their reactions to the new Netflix series, Monsters: The Lyle & Erik Menendez Story.
Landing on the streaming service on Thursday, the true-crime series is based on the namesake sibling duo, who infamously killed their parents, José and Mary Louise Menendez, back in 1989.
The Netflix retelling — a follow-up to the nightmare fuel that was 2022’s first Monster instalment, The Jeffrey Dahmer Story — was created by Ryan Murphy, and has already attracted controversy in the hours since it dropped.
As a quick recap in the vein of all those true-crime podcasts you’ve guilty relished in, the case of Lyle and Erik Menedez garnered international attention with a highly publicised trial, in which the brothers argued that the murders were a matter of self defence.
Both Erik and Lyle shared testimonies in court about the abuse they suffered at the hands of their parents, while the prosecution argued that the brothers were simply seeking the family fortune.
The trial ended with both siblings being sentenced to two consecutive life prison terms, but viewers have now taken umbrage with the Netflix show’s title and the broader depiction of its real-life counterparts.
“Aren’t the brothers suppose[d] to be victims of abuse”, one user wrote on X, “Why are they portraying them like cold blooded murders?”.
Others shared a similar sentiment around the series’ insensitive portrayal of abuse victims, saying Netflix is “trick[ing] you into thinking [Erik and Lyle] are monsters”.
Many were quick to remind viewers of the testimonies the real-life brothers shared about their parents, saying they were “hoping Ryan [Murphy] and the rest of the crew would bring some type of justice to them”.
Elsewhere, users described the characterisation of Erik and Lyle as “disgusting”, adding that the portrayal is “riddled with inaccuracies” and that they “feel like an idiot for being hopeful” about the show’s depiction of the case.
“Why is [Murphy] portraying the Menendez brothers in this light?”, another user questioned, “they’re victims, not cold blooded killers? this man deserves jail time for twisting the narrative.”
One user empathised with the real-life Erik and Lyle, questioning whether “they really deserve this” and asking “have they not been through enough?”.
Other fans were more complementary, particularly of the show’s cast, which is led by Nicholas Alexander Chavez as Lyle and Cooper Koch as Erik, alongside Javier Bardem, Nathan Lane and perpetual Murphy muse, Chloë Sevigny.
The reaction is almost the complete opposite of what we saw with The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, which copped flak for what viewers believed was Netflix’s glamorization of the titular serial killer and the show’s potential to retraumatize the families of his victims.
In any case, Murphy is full steam ahead with the next instalment of the true-crime anthology series, announcing earlier this week that Monster’s third season will be based on serial killer and body snatcher, Ed Gein.
Please, don’t be that person who dresses us as him for Halloween.
Image source: Netflix and X
The post Monsters: The Lyle & Erik Menendez Story Dropped On Netflix Last Night & It’s Already Copping Backlash appeared first on PEDESTRIAN.TV .
