Season two of Ryan Murphy’s “Monsters” anthology was released on September 19, 2024, following the story of Erik and Lyle Menendez. The Menendez brothers famously killed their parents in Beverly Hills, California, on August 20, 1989, but during their trial, the world finally learned the horrifying truth about the secrets of the Menendez family. Prosecutors claimed that the reason behind the Menendez brothers’ crime was an effort to inherit their father’s wealth as a famous record label executive.
In court, the brothers explained that their actions fell under an exception of self-defense, opening up about the years of abuse they had faced at the hands of their father and without their mother’s objection. The brothers were sentenced to life without parole despite the large amount of support by members of their own family in their unfathomable choice. Many public figures have voiced their encouragement of a successful appeal, including media mogul Kim Kardashian and “Monsters” actor, Cooper Koch, who played Erik in the 2024 series.
The Menendez brothers have been incarcerated since 1996, and the retelling of their story was most recently through a Netflix series, with the previous season following Jeffrey Dahmer, a notorious cannibalistic killer. The connection between these two seasons has the ability to be hurtful to the brothers, placing them alongside such a sadistic person like Dahmer. While both of these cases led to conviction, the motives clearly differ.
The trial of the brothers was broadcasted internationally, but few people had sympathy for the trauma the brothers faced. Large publications would make fun of their tearful testimonies, including a resurfaced “Saturday Night Live” sketch, which has resurfaced on social media following the repopularization of the case. Various broadcasts widely spread their theories of the brothers, creating many rumors that villainized the brothers beyond their actions of self-defense. The new series has offered new perspectives, but without the approval of Erik and Lyle Menendez, both of whom have been very active in sharing their stories from their correction facility in San Diego County, through interviews and appeals.
History teacher and Mock Trial coach Jonathan Tomczak said, “I think anytime we use an entertainment format to discuss or show people and issues that really exist and are still alive, we have to be very careful”.
The Menendez brothers are no strangers to controversy, but in this case, the criticism has no involvement in their actions. Ryan Murphy, the creator of the Monsters series, played a large role in the storytelling in the show, leading him to some judgment from the public. His previous works were notably “Glee” and “American Horror Story,” making this serious subject a new undertaking in the realm of true crime series.
Murphy has been called out for his direction and writing, with claims of him using the Menendez brothers’ story for financial and social success. The Menendez family released a statement that explained their perspective of the new show, explaining that the Netflix retelling shared harmful rhetoric about the brothers and glamourized their abuse in sickening ways.
The show heavily focused on the extravagance of the brothers’ lives both before and after their parents death, which was far from the true events. While the brothers famously had a shopping spree, it has since been labeled an act of freedom from the constrictions of the Menendez parents.
When telling such an impactful story, pressure falls on the creators of the content to be accurate, as well as mindful of the effects on the victims’ and perpetrators’ families. Out of respect for the families who suffer as a result, true crime should be portrayed accurately and with consent of those it could hurt, such as those involved in the primary investigations, those who testified, and the parties involved.
