Content Warning: This article contains talk of sexual assault, molestation and incest.
Although it might surprise you, true crime has remained one of the most popular topics in the mediaā€”just second to weather.
In recent years, it has skyrocketed and specific true crime stories have become the source of many movies and TV shows. Ranging from theft to murder, streaming services like Netflix and Hulu are filled to the brim with true crime content.
Some past examples include “The Night Stalker,” a documentary following a serial killer in the ’80s and “Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile,” a film about Ted Bundy’s life starring Zac Efron and Lily Collins.
In 2022, Netflix released its first season of a true crime-based show called “Monsters” about Jeffrey Dahmer ā€” another notorious serial killer ā€” starring Evan Peters and produced by Ryan Murphy. Murphy is an Emmy-award-winning producer and director known for creating famous TV shows such as “Scream Queens,” “American Horror Story” and “Glee.”
The show was wildly popular and had extremely high streaming numbers, but began to pick up some criticism regarding the graphic content and exploitation of the victims.
Many viewers felt that the series was unnecessary, as it gives a serial killer a narrative platform, as well as making the victims’ families relive their past trauma.
That being said, the first season of “Monsters” had more positive feedback than negative, especially since Evan Peters’ performance was critically acclaimed and very realistic.
However, the second season of “Monsters” is much more controversial.
Released this past September, “Monsters: The Erik and Lyle Menendez Story” has been prominent in media articles and news websites for weeks. The show centers on the 1989 murders of JosĆ© and Kitty Menendez, played by Javier Bardem and Chlƶe Sevigny, who were shot and killed by their sons Erik and Lyle ā€” played by Cooper Koch and Nicholas Chavez.
To give context, Erik and Lyle Menendez killed their parents in 1989 and were sentenced to life in prison.
They were only 18 and 21 years old when the crime was committed. This became an infamous case that was highly publicized and known nationwide due to the extenuating circumstance that the brothers were molested and sexually assaulted by their father for many years, right up until when the murders took place.
Although the brothers gave compelling testimonies (which you can find on the internet), it was not enough for them to escape a guilty verdict.
It has also been said that certain pieces of critical evidence, such as another family member knowing about the sexual assault, were not included in the trial.
Many people feel that they were wrongfully sentenced and denied an appeal, and “Monsters” has started another renaissance of fans who believe them and want them to be free.
While the TV show does many things correctly, like Erik and Lyle’s testimonies, the positives are outweighed by the overwhelming dramatization of the boys’ behaviors and details of their story.
For example, Erik and Lyle are shown to have an incestual relationship throughout the show, which according to Erik himself, did not occur. They both slammed the show through a post on X, calling it a “blatant lie.”
They were also depicted as having obnoxious and egotistical personalities after the murder, such as ordering absurd amounts of expensive food and partaking in heavy drug usage in a hotel; exemplifying very little remorse or emotions.
However, many of these aspects have no real evidence that they occurred in real life, and in many interviews, the brothers have stated how emotionally damaged they were after the fact.
In Erik’s statement on X, he continued to say that the series contained “vile and appalling character portrayals of Lyle and me,” and encouraged viewers to stop watching.
In response to this, Murphy claims that he did his best to show all perspectives of the story.
While it is true that this case is nuanced and contains multiple perspectives, the dramatization and legitimate lies that were portrayed in the show do not stick to the facts. There have already been numerous documentaries and movies about their story.
So what good is it to create another false narrative purely for entertainment?
The topics of sexual assault, incest and emotional abuse should not be treated lightly as it affects millions of people every day.
Having said all of this, Murphy did do one thing right when he created this series.
People were so appalled by the depictions of Erik and Lyle that there has been a recent uproar online about the brothers’ freedom. Many people have taken to social media to post in support of the brothers, stating that they should finally have another trial that could free them.
More than anything, they can finally feel the support of thousands of viewers that believe their story.
This traction and a tremendous amount of support have caused real-life change.
According to Forbes, Los Angeles District Attorney George GascĆ³n has said his office will review their case. In addition to this, the brothers are awaiting a habeas corpus petition filed last year for a new evidentiary hearing.
This could be the start of their journey to freedom.