TW: Violence and Sexual Abuse
True Crime as a form of entertainment has taken the world by storm, anywhere you look true crime podcasts, documentaries and TV series are trending, and the past few weeks have been no different with the recent release of Ryan Murphy’s Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menéndez Story. Monsters depicts the true story of Lyle and Erik Menéndez (played by Nicholas Chavez and Cooper Koch), two brothers from California who murdered their parents in 1989 after enduring years of abuse. After two trials, they were found guilty and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Monsters offers multiple theories and narratives, but there is no doubt that there is an underlying bias to the series, especially in the portrayal of Lyle in a negative light. Murphy took an already controversial case and gave it a modern platform, unsurprisingly provoking more controversy. Since it’s release, Monsters has been criticised widely, with both supporters of the brothers and the brothers themselves expressing disdain over its biased narrative and inaccuracies.
One of the most common criticisms discussed online is the over-sexualisation on Lyle and Erik. They are
frequently portrayed in a sexual manner, demonstrated through numerous topless and nudity scenes. This is further exaggerated through the audience reaction to the actors, particularly the ‘thirst traps’ of Nicholas Chavez, which have gone viral on TikTok. This sensation has no doubt attributed to the popularity of the series, but simultaneously has contributed to the true meaning being lost. Lyle and Erik were both young men/teenage boys who had been horrifically abused mentally, physically and sexually since childhood. Is making ‘thirst traps’ of an actor portraying a survivor of sexual violence morally correct? Regardless, it is important to note the creators of the series are to blame for creating this narrative of over-sexualisation in the first place. Demonstrated horrifically through the display of a borderline incestuous relationship between the brothers, featuring scenes of them showering together and dancing face-to-face at a party. This misrepresentation of the brothers relationship grows even more disturbing when acknowledging the sexual abuse Lyle and Erik endured at the hands of their father.
The main defence argument was that Lyle and Erik killed their parents as it was their ‘only way out’ of the abuse, and they feared for their lives. However, the prosecution claimed it was made up, arguing the extremely problematic and incorrect notion that men cannot be raped. This complete disregard for male victims of sexual assault only emphasises the importance of accurate portrayal of male survivors of sexual violence in popular media.
As evident by the statistics seen across multiple media platforms, the consumption of true crime content is no doubt a phenomenon. Podcasts, documentaries and miniseries regularly top the charts, as seen by the popularity of Monsters. This is further impacted by the accessibility of true crime content. According to Netflix statistics, Netflix currently has 260.28 million subscribers (2024), with that number steadily increasing each year. Recognising this, as well as the sheer number of true crime content on Netflix, it’s not surprise so many people are tuning into true crime as their preferred genre. However, when considering the context of true crime content, it begs the question ‘is this ethical?’ The same goes for watching a series like Monsters. It is very easy to forget that these are real stories, that have happened to real people. These are horrific situations that have a lasting effect on those involved and have destroyed lives, yet it is seen as socially acceptable to consume this form of content as a way of ‘relaxing’.
Annie Nichol, a writer and activist, has been vocal about the harm that the true crime genre can have on victims and their families, speaking about her own personal experience after the abduction and murder of her sister Polly:
“One might argue that this genre honours victims and those who solved or sought to solve these cases.
However, as a survivor whose tragedy continues to be exploited by the creators of true crime stories, I
know the personal pain of this appropriation, as well as how coverage of these high-profile cases can
contribute to broader injustices”.