Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story

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Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story
Promotional release poster
Showrunners
Starring
No. of episodes9
Release
Original networkNetflix
Original releaseSeptember 19, 2024 (2024-09-19)
Season chronology

Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story is the second season of the American biographical crime drama anthology television series Monster, created by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan for Netflix. This season centers on the 1989 murders of José (Javier Bardem) and Kitty Menendez (Chloë Sevigny), who were killed by their sons, Lyle (Nicholas Alexander Chavez) and Erik (Cooper Koch).

It is the second season in the Monster anthology series, following Dahmer. Having initially ordered the program in 2020 as a limited series, Netflix announced in 2022 that it had been renewed as an anthology series, with two further editions based on the lives of "other monstrous figures".[1] The second season, which focuses on the Menendez brothers, was announced to be in development on May 1, 2023.

Upon its premiere on September 19, 2024, the season received mixed reviews from critics, who praised the performances, music, and overall production quality but criticized its runtime, inconsistent tone, and the incestuous depiction of the Menendez brothers. Erik Menendez denounced the season for its inaccuracies, particularly the portrayal of Lyle Menendez.[2] Despite the controversies, it achieved global commercial success, debuting as the number-one series on Netflix worldwide. A third season is in development, starring Charlie Hunnam as Ed Gein.[3]

Synopsis

Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story chronicles the case of the real-life brothers convicted in 1996 for the murders of their parents, José and Kitty Menendez. While the prosecution argued they were seeking to inherit their family fortune, the brothers claimed—and remain adamant to this day, as they serve life sentences without the possibility of parole—that their actions stemmed out of fear from a lifetime of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse.[4]

Cast and characters

Main

  • Javier Bardem as José Menendez: Lyle and Erik's father. Born in Cuba, he is a wealthy and powerful businessman in the entertainment industry, serving as an executive at RCA Records and the CEO of Live Entertainment. He is described as an ambitious and controlling father who imposes high expectations on his sons. Lyle and Erik allege that they killed José in self-defense after years of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse.[5] This marks the first series regular role for Bardem, who has primarily worked in major films. Speaking to TheWrap, he admitted that he was initially unfamiliar with the case, but after "digging in and informing [himself]," he said he was alarmed by the extent of the alleged sexual abuse.[6]
  • Chloë Sevigny as Mary Louise "Kitty" Menendez: Lyle and Erik's mother who struggles with mental health issues, including depression, alcoholism, and substance abuse. After the murders, Lyle and Erik claim that Kitty had been complicit in the alleged abuse they suffered from their father. Sevigny connected with a director whose wife was friends with Kitty Menendez, stating, "I’m trying to get in touch with her to hear her personal accounts, which I generally don’t like to do, but there’s so much negative stuff about Kitty that I feel like it could be really beneficial to hear from someone that did know her."[7] In describing Kitty, she expressed doubt about whether Kitty had turned a blind eye to the sexual abuse that Lyle and Erik claim they endured from their father.[7]
  • Cooper Koch as Erik Menendez: the younger Menendez brother, who, along with his older brother Lyle, killed their parents in 1989. He is eventually convicted for first-degree murder and sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.[5] Prior to the season premiere, Koch had a phone call with Erik Menendez, and they later met at Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility for Kim Kardashian's project on prison reform.[8] He emphasized his dedication to the role, stating, "I just really wanted to do as much research and dig really deep into myself to really portray him with integrity and just be as authentic as possible to support him, and also to support his family and all the people who stand with him."[9] Koch voiced his support for the Menendez brothers, stating that he believes the claims of sexual abuse and that the brothers deserve a retrial.[10]
  • Nicholas Alexander Chavez as Lyle Menendez: The older Menendez brother, who, along with his younger brother Erik, killed their parents in 1989. He is eventually convicted for first-degree murder and sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.[5] Chavez revealed that he had no prior knowledge about the case before auditioning for the role.[11] In preparation, he said he "had to do an extensive amount of research" and described Lyle Menendez as a "compelling and complicated character."[11]
  • Ari Graynor as Leslie Abramson: Erik's lead defense attorney. A notable criminal defense lawyer in Los Angeles, she is known for her tenacious and aggressive courtroom style, focusing on presenting graphic evidence with explicit details to support the abuse claims.[5]
  • Nathan Lane as Dominick Dunne: a prominent journalist known for his keen interest in high-profile criminal cases. Writing for Vanity Fair, Dunne becomes a key voice in shaping public perception of the brothers' story.[5]

Recurring

Guest

Episodes

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date
111"Blame It on the Rain"Carl FranklinRyan Murphy & Ian BrennanSeptember 19, 2024 (2024-09-19)
In 1989, Lyle and Erik Menendez are taken into custody by the FBI temporarily following the murder of their parents, José and Kitty Menendez, in their Beverly Hills mansion, which they initially blame on the mob. Haunted by nightmares of his parents dying, Erik visits Dr. Jerome Oziel and confesses that he and his brother were the ones who killed his parents and why they chose to do so: his father, José, was controlling and physically abusive while his mother, Kitty, was suicidal and addicted to drugs. Following the confession, Dr. Oziel calls Lyle into his office while calling his mistress, Judalon, to witness the confession. At the office, Lyle denies that they killed his parents and leaves with Erik.
122"Spree"Carl FranklinIan Brennan & David McMillanSeptember 19, 2024 (2024-09-19)
After killing their parents, Lyle and Erik spend part of the night outside in order to create an alibi. Upon returning, the brothers call the police to report the murder, but the police suspect something is amiss. Some time later, the brothers begin to spend a lot of money on luxury products, although they think that their father disinherited them and that they must find the will before it is read. After the opening of the safe where they thought the will was, one of the family's house staff discovers it and gives it to Lyle, and they realize that their father left them everything. Two months later, the police send a friend of Erik's to elicit a confession without success. Dr. Oziel continues with the brothers in therapy and offers them to be his business partner. After Oziel throws Judalon out of his house, in a fit of rage, she goes to the police station after learning everything about the Menendez case.
133"Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?"Paris BarclayIan Brennan & David McMillanSeptember 19, 2024 (2024-09-19)
After Judalon reveals to the police about Dr. Oziel's Menendez case tapes, the police go to Oziel's house to confiscate them, where they hear the brothers' confession. Lyle and Erik are then arrested by the police and sent to jail to await trial. The brothers have a hard time adjusting to their new life in jail, although Erik befriends an inmate. The brothers are in denial of the seriousness of the incident and its possible consequences until their lawyer, Robert Shapiro, reveals to them that they face the death penalty. After hearing the information, Erik considers telling the truth about his parents, but Lyle refuses. The guards discover a plan by Lyle to escape with Erik and transfer him to a different cell. After firing Shapiro, the family hires Leslie Abramson as Erik's lawyer. At the behest of Leslie, Erik tells Dr. William Vicary that he was sexually abused by Lyle, which was what José did to him.
144"Kill Or Be Killed"Paris BarclayIan Brennan & David McMillanSeptember 19, 2024 (2024-09-19)
Leslie visits Lyle to get his side of the story, though he refuses to portray his father as a monster, saying that he wanted the best for him despite being so very harsh on him. As Lyle talks, he mentions that he was losing his hair due to the pressure his father had on him to be the best, and that their father saved the brothers from being arrested for burglary. Eventually, Lyle begins to talk about how his father abused him, going from bad to worse, while his mother did nothing to stop him. To normalize what was happening to him, he began abusing Erik. Lyle managed to get his father to stop abusing him, though he went on to abuse Erik. After this, Lyle confronted his father and told Leslie that José planned to kill them. Dominick Dunne, an enemy of Leslie, argues that the brothers are truly evil and do not deserve forgiveness.
155"The Hurt Man"Michael UppendahlIan BrennanSeptember 19, 2024 (2024-09-19)
During Leslie's visit to Erik, Erik tells her how his parents suddenly locked him up and how his father abused him. In his opinion, his father only loved Lyle. When José began to abuse him, he felt that it was the only time in which his father really loved him, although, like his brother Lyle, the abuse began from massages to rape, which according to his father was to make him strong, although for him it was torture. His mother was aware of all this and began checking his penis to see if he had contracted AIDS, since he was secretly having sexual relations with a man because of his experiences with his father. Finally, Erik tells Leslie that he has been a broken man ever since.
166"Don't Dream It's Over"Max WinklerRyan Murphy & Ian BrennanSeptember 19, 2024 (2024-09-19)
In "Don't Dream It's Over," the focus shifts to the unraveling of the brothers' confessions. The police, having obtained Dr. Oziel's tapes, hear the brothers confessing to the murders of their parents. Lyle and Erik are subsequently arrested and begin to confront the gravity of their situation as they adjust to life in jail. This episode further delves into their psychological state and the growing tension leading up to their trial.
177"Showtime"Michael UppendahlDavid McMillan & Reilly Smith & Todd KubrakSeptember 19, 2024 (2024-09-19)
The trial of Lyle and Erik begins in earnest. The episode delves into the courtroom drama as both the prosecution and defense present their cases. The brothers' legal team works to portray them as victims of severe abuse, while the prosecution argues that the murders were motivated by greed. Tensions rise as the trial becomes a media sensation, revealing deeper family secrets and the emotional toll on everyone involved.
188"Seismic Shifts"Ian BrennanIan BrennanSeptember 19, 2024 (2024-09-19)
The trial faces an unexpected disruption when a powerful earthquake hits, causing chaos both in the courtroom and in the brothers' lives. This natural disaster becomes a metaphor for the upheaval in their case as new, shocking testimonies emerge. The episode weaves the tension of the trial with the literal shaking of the earth, emphasizing the instability and unpredictability of both the legal battle and the brothers' future.
199"Hang Men"Michael UppendahlDavid McMillan & Reilly Smith & Todd Kubrak & Ian BrennanSeptember 19, 2024 (2024-09-19)
The trial reaches its climax as both sides deliver their final arguments. The tension in the courtroom is palpable as the jury deliberates the brothers' fate. Outside the courtroom, the media frenzy intensifies, and the brothers grapple with the looming possibility of a death sentence. The episode explores the emotional and psychological toll on Lyle and Erik, as well as the impact on their remaining family members as the trial nears its conclusion.

Production

Monster was initially ordered as a limited series based on the serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer. On November 7, 2022, Netflix announced that it had been renewed as an anthology series based on famous convicted killers.[15][16] On May 1, 2023, it was confirmed the second season, titled Monsters, would focus on Lyle and Erik Menendez, brothers convicted for the 1989 murders of their parents in Beverly Hills, California.[17] In June 2023, Cooper Koch and Nicholas Alexander Chavez were cast as Erik and Lyle Menendez, respectively.[18] In January 2024, Javier Bardem and Chloë Sevigny joined the cast as José and Kitty, respectively, with Nathan Lane being cast as Dominick Dunne.[19][20] In February, Ari Graynor joined as Leslie Abramson.[21] Leslie Grossman was added that same month as Judalon Smyth.[22]

Production for the season was initially set for September 2023, but was postponed due to the 2023 Hollywood labor disputes.[23] Principal photography took place from March to July 2024 in Los Angeles.[24] Julia and Thomas Newman composed the original score.[25] The official soundtrack album was released on various streaming platforms on September 13, 2024, prior to the release of the season.[26]

Release

Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story was released on Netflix on September 19, 2024.[27][28]

Reception

Audience viewership

The season debuted at the number-one spot on Netflix worldwide, garnering 12.3 million views (or 97.5 million hours viewed) within just four days of its release.[29] On its second week, it remained the most-watched series on the platform after earning 19.5 million views (or 153.8 million hours viewed).[30]

Critical response

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 44% of 25 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 4.9/10.[31] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 47 out of 100 based on eleven critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[32]

Aramide Tinubu from Variety called the season "overlong and exhausting". Tinubu praised the first half of the season, citing the fifth episode, “The Hurt Man”, as a "standout". Tinubu then stated that after the fifth episode, the season "falls into the deep end". Tinubu praised the acting, calling them "outstanding performances", but overall called the narrative of the season "futile and bizarre".[33] Writing for The Hindu, Pallavi Keswani describes the series as "a sensational mess, so occupied with the ornamentation of facts that it loses the plot halfway through."[34]

Daniel Feinberg from The Hollywood Reporter called the season "unjustifiably long", but praised "The Hurt Man" for its "precise" writing and Cooper Koch's performance. Feinberg also praised Javier Bardem's performance, calling him "terrifying in a performance that's wildly outsized but offers enough subtlety to position his howling patriarch as both a chilling villain and as a victim himself".[35]

Controversy

The season received backlash for implying an incestuous relationship between the Menendez brothers.[36][37] Writing for The Hollywood Reporter, Kevin Dolak specified some of the scenes with incest innuendos: "In the second episode, this includes the brothers briefly kissing after Lyle has placed his hands on Erik's neck; later in the same sequence, Lyle is seen cutting in on Erik while he's dancing with a woman at a party in their room at the Hotel Bel-Air, then wiping cocaine from his nose and sticking his thumb in his brother's mouth. Later, in an episode seven sequence that is pretty clearly telegraphed as a moment of fantasy, mother Kitty Menendez ascends a staircase to find her sons showering together."[38] Nicole Vassell from Glamour describes the incestuous portrayal as "a jarring addition to a story that is already tough to stomach."[39] Viewers have also accused it of sensationalizing the brothers' abuse and turning it into a "fictitious relationship."[40]

Trial expert and journalist Robert Rand, author of The Menendez Murders, labeled the incest allegations as "fantasy" and pointed out that there was no credible evidence to support such claims.[41] He explained that while some rumors circulated during the trial, they were baseless, and the series distorted the brothers' relationship for dramatic effect. Lyle Menendez also testified at his trial that he never had a sexual relationship with his brother.[38] In response, Murphy defended the incestuous depiction as an "obligation for storytellers", stating, "What the show is doing is presenting the points of view and theories from so many people who were involved in the case. Dominick Dunne wrote several articles talking about that theory."[42]

Response from Erik Menendez

On September 20, 2024, Erik Menendez released a statement through his wife's X account, stating:

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. I can only believe they were done so on purpose. 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.

It is sad for me to know that Netflix’s dishonest portrayal of the tragedies surrounding our crime have taken the painful truths several steps backward – back through time to an era when the prosecution built a narrative on a belief system that males were not sexually abused, and that males experienced rape trauma differently than women. Those awful lies have been disputed and exposed by countless brave victims over the last two decades who have broken through their personal shame and bravely spoken out. So now Murphy shapes his horrible narrative through vile and appalling character portrayals of Lyle and of me and disheartening slander.

Is the truth not enough? Let the truth stand as the truth. How demoralizing to know that one man with power can undermine decades of progress in shedding light on childhood trauma. Violence is never an answer, never a solution, and is always tragic. As such, I hope it is never forgotten that violence against a child creates a hundred horrendous and silent crime scenes darkly shadowed behind glitter and glamor and rarely exposed until tragedy penetrates everyone involved. To all those who have reached out and supported me, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Addressing Menendez's response, series co-creator Ryan Murphy explained, "There were four people involved in that— two of them are dead, and two of them are alive with their point of view. But what about the parents? We had an obligation as storytellers to also try and put in their perspective based on our research, which we did."[43] In a different interview, he mentioned that he has no interest in meeting the Menendez brothers, but expressed his belief that a new trial could be possible.[44] Nathan Lane, who portrays Dominick Dunne, added, "[Menendez] hasn't seen the show. He's just criticizing it and condemning it without ever having seen it, so one has to take that with a grain of salt."[9] Meanwhile, Nicholas Alexander Chavez, who plays Lyle Menendez, responded to Erik with "sympathy and empathy," but clarified that "the show aims to fill out a lot more details than just the courtroom scenes."[45]

Reflecting on Erik Menendez's criticism, Cooper Koch, who portrays him, said, "It definitely affected me and it made me feel things. [...] I understand how difficult it would be to have the worst part of your life be televised for millions of people to see. It's so exposing. I understand how he feels and I stand by him."[9] Koch revealed that he had spoken with Menendez about his concerns during their meeting at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility, where he also had the opportunity to meet Lyle and over 30 other inmates as part of a prison reform meeting led by Kim Kardashian.[10]

Response from the Menendez family

On September 25, 2024, Lyle and Erik Menendez's family and relatives released a statement regarding the series, describing it as “a phobic, gross, anachronistic, serial episodic nightmare." They added, "Our family has been victimized by this grotesque shockadrama. [...] Perhaps, after all, Monsters is all about Ryan Murphy.”[46] In defense, Murphy stated that Monsters is "the best thing that's happened to [the Menendez brothers] in 30 years."[44]

References

  1. ^ Blistein, Jon (September 4, 2024). "The Menendez Brothers Take Family Drama to New Extremes in Monsters Trailer". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
  2. ^ Woerner, Meredith (September 21, 2024). "Erik Menendez Blasts Netflix Series 'Monsters': 'Ryan Murphy Cannot Be This Naive and Inaccurate'". Variety. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  3. ^ Otterson, Joe (September 17, 2024). "'Monster' Season 3 Sets Charlie Hunnam to Star as Ed Gein". Variety. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  4. ^ Netflix (September 4, 2024). MONSTERS: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story | Official Trailer #1 | Netflix. Retrieved September 6, 2024 – via YouTube.
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  6. ^ Knolle, Sharon (September 18, 2024). "'Monsters' Star Javier Bardem Was Dying to Work With Ryan Murphy After Watching 'Dahmer'". TheWrap. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
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  9. ^ a b c Earl, William; Murphy, J. Kim (September 25, 2024). "'Monsters' Cast Responds to Erik Menendez Slamming the Series: 'You Should Probably See It Before You Speak Out Again'". Variety. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  10. ^ a b Malkin, Marc; Betancourt, Emiliana (September 26, 2024). "Erik Menendez Actor Cooper Koch Hugged the Real Menendez Bros. During Prison Visit with Kim Kardashian, Says They Deserve a Retrial and Are 'Upstanding Individuals'". Variety. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  11. ^ a b "'Monsters' star hadn't heard of Menéndez brothers until audition". EW.com. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
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  31. ^ "The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story – Monsters". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
  32. ^ "Monster (2022): Season 2". Metacritic. Retrieved September 23, 2024.
  33. ^ Tinubu, Aramide (September 19, 2024). "Netflix's Menendez Brothers Series 'Monsters' Has Powerful Performances That Can't Stop the Story From Falling Off a Cliff: TV Review". Variety. Retrieved September 20, 2024.
  34. ^ Keswani, Pallavi (September 23, 2024). "'Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story' series review: Javier Bardem, Chloë Sevigny star in callous, confused storytelling mess". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
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  36. ^ Grebenyuk, Yana (September 21, 2024). "Inside Monsters' Erik, Lyle Menendez Inaccuracies: Incest Claims, More". Us Weekly. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
  37. ^ Chaney, Jen (September 20, 2024). "Did Ryan Murphy's Monsters Need to Be So Sexy?". Vulture. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
  38. ^ a b Dolak, Kevin (September 23, 2024). "Incest Innuendo in 'Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story' Is Pure Fiction, Says Trial Expert". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  39. ^ Vassell, Nicole (September 20, 2024). "The Menendez brothers incest plot in Monsters shows true crime has gone too far". Glamour UK. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
  40. ^ "Netflix's Monsters Slammed For "Implying" Incest Between Erik And Lyle Menendez". Capital. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
  41. ^ "Lyle and Erik Menendez Trial Expert Says Incest Storyline in Ryan Murphy's 'Monsters' Series Is 'a Fantasy'". Peoplemag. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
  42. ^ Kheraj, Alim (September 24, 2024). "Ryan Murphy defends 'incestuous' Menendez brothers series: 'We had an obligation as storytellers'". Attitude. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
  43. ^ Ryan Murphy Addresses Criticism of 'Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story' (Exclusive) - E! Online. Retrieved September 24, 2024 – via www.eonline.com.
  44. ^ a b Malkin, Marc (September 26, 2024). "Ryan Murphy Has 'No Interest' in Meeting the Menendez Bros. and Believes New Trial Is Possible: 'Monsters' Is the 'Best Thing That's Happened to Them in 30 Years'". Variety. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  45. ^ Morrow, Brendan. "'Monsters' star Nicholas Alexander Chavez responds after Erik Menendez slams Netflix series". USA TODAY. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  46. ^ Menendez, Tammi (September 25, 2024). "This is the official response from Joan VanderMolen (Erik's Aunt) and the Menendez Family to the Netflix Series "Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story" and to Ryan Murphy".