Entertainment

The Controversy Around Netflix’s True Crime Series on the Menendez Brothers

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Oct 15, 2024 / 7646 Views

Evan Walker

The second iteration of Netflix’s popular biographical series Monsters — which looks into the infamous case of two sons who’d murdered their parents — is swimming in controversy. Helmed by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan — the nine-episode show is accused of glossing over assault and inaccurate storytelling. The showrunners, however, stand by their project. Here’s everything you need to know.

Trigger warning: The show deals with themes of sexual abuse.

In August 1989, Lyle and Erik Menendez — then 21 and 18 respectively — told the police that they’d found their parents dead upon arrival at their mansion in Beverly Hills. Further investigation revealed their involvement — with the duo later admitting to having shot their family at close range multiple times in self-defence after years of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. The prosecution, meanwhile, argued that the murder was tied to inheritance. However, after a mistrial — the duo was tried together, with evidence of abuse excluded from their case. This led to a conviction — first-degree murder and conspiracy to murder — with life imprisonment and no parole.

The case has led to several debates and theories over the years — piquing the interest of Netflix, which picked it up for the second season of its wildly popular true crime series Monsters. The first edition told the tale of serial killer Dahmer — deemed insensitive by many viewers and critics. The successor, which released on 19 September, followed suit. While it quickly gained popularity, it was immediately flagged as problematic by many industry experts. Most called the portrayal inaccurate and the brothers themselves went on record to call out falsities in most claims Meanwhile, the showrunners maintained that they did justice to the story giving rise to controversy around Monsters.

How did Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan portray the Menendez case?

The Netflix series looks at different perspectives of the case, including that of the parents José and Mary Louise “Kitty” Menendez. The brothers’ claims of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse are explored as well. This, the showrunners stated, was based on extensive research.

The portrayal also alluded to an incestuous relationship between the siblings, with the cast pointing to journalist Dominick Dunne, portrayed by Nathan Lane in the show, for the theory. However, some reports suggest this is untrue. Forbes points out that in a 1995 trial, Lyle had testified to molesting Erik as a child, citing trauma from his father as the cause. In the show, however, the two are seen being physically intimate consensually as adults.

The controversy: Lyle and Erik Menendez lash out at Netflix’s Monsters

Erik’s response to the Netflix’s series.#NetflixMonsters #Netflix #RyanMurphy pic.twitter.com/Xz1waxA2u3

— Tammi Menendez (@TammiMenendez1) September 20, 2024

Eric Menendez took to X through his wife’s account to slam the show. “I believed we had moved beyond the lies and ruinous character portrayals of Lyle, creating a caricature of Lyle rooted in horrible and blatant lies rampant in the show,” he said, according to BBC. “It is with a heavy heart that I say, I believe Ryan Murphy cannot be this naive and inaccurate about the facts of our lives so as to do this without bad intent.”

A statement by the family read, “The character assassination of Erik and Lyle, who are our nephews and cousins, under the guise of a ‘storytelling narrative’, is repulsive.” Social media has also been abuzz with debates, with many viewers claiming to have been disgusted by the incestuous portrayal of brothers.

Creator of Monsters claps back at criticism and controversy in a statement

Meanwhile, Ryan Murphy stood by his work, stating that the project asks pertinent questions. “The show has a Rashomon approach where it talks about countless perspectives, and a perspective is not a lie. A perspective is an opinion, and the show has an obligation to all of those opinions, including the parents, including the lawyers … on and on and on,” he told Netflix. “So I feel excited that the world is talking about these brothers and what they went through.”

He also observed that the approach prompts a reopening of the case. “It’s giving these brothers another trial in the court of public opinion. From what I can tell, it’s really opened up the possibility that this evidence that they claim that they have, maybe that there is going to be a way forward for them,” BBC quotes him saying. He added that the reaction from the brothers was predictable, considering the subject matter.

Cast member Cooper Koch as well as Kim Kardashian, who works with the American correctional system, also paid a visit to the prison where the brothers are held. The former told the media about an emotional meeting with Erik, adding that he did talk about the difficulties of having one’s life laid out in the open for the world to watch.

Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story is streaming on Netflix right now and has nine episodes. It stars Javier Bardem as José Menendez, Chloë Sevigny as Mary Louise “Kitty” Menendez, Nicholas Alexander Chavez as Lyle Menendez, and Cooper Koch as Erik Menendez.

Hero and feature images: Courtesy Netflix

This story first appeared on Lifestyle Asia Hong Kong