By: Chloe Wilson
Humor Editor
Netflix released Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, a docuseries detailing the cases of the Menendez brothers earlier this month, catalyzing a resurgence in the public interest in their cases. The brothers, Lyle and Erik, who murdered their parents Kitty and José Menendez in 1989, have called this new interpretation of their case a “blatant lie.” They claim that this limited series does not show an accurate portrayal of the events and circumstances that led to their parents’ murders. The brothers claimed to kill their parents due to ongoing sexual, physical, and mental abuse. Though the recent series mentions these horrific allegations, it seems that the show’s creator, Ryan Murphy, wanted to tell their story from his biased perspective instead of using information that the brothers have shared about their story.
On social media, the Menendez family described this story-telling as “phobic, gross, anachronistic,” and “riddled with mistruths and outright falsehoods.” Defending his name after all of the criticism he’s received, Murphy explained, “I would say 60 to 65 percent of our show in the scripts, and in the film form, center around the abuse and what they claim happened to them.” Moreover, Murphy stated that he doesn’t think the family “understands” his series and that Erik has “issued a statement without having seen the show.” But even with Erik’s having not seen the show, the information spread through the series is a clear misrepresentation of what allegedly happened to the brothers, and what they shared during their trials.
This series could have been an impactful, moving adaptation of the Menendez brothers case. Instead, Murphy made many mistakes along the way, leading to what some might deem a misinterpreted drama. One aspect watchers all over the world might have noticed is that Murphy repeatedly suggests that the brothers had an incestuous relationship. However, there has never been any evidence proving so, and both brothers have forcefully denied it. Erik’s wife, Tammi posted on X that Lyle was a victim of “caricature” that most viewers could see as being “rooted in blatant lies.” The film was, according to Erik, a “vile and appalling character portrayal of Lyle and me.” It is evident that Ryan Murphy tweaked the brothers’ alleged experiences into something that would look more lurid or more engaging on camera.
If Ryan Murphy’s excuse for the misinformation displayed in this show pertains to his artistic expression, that is problematic at best. Murphy may argue that he dramatized some aspects to pull in viewers, but this comes at a cost. Rejecting the defensive statements that the brothers made during their trials is not artistic expression, it’s defamation. Murphy has also stated that this docuseries is a “Rashomon kind of approach.” He mentions Akira Kurosawa’s famous film which offers different points of view about a sexual assault case. Yet filming scenes that simply just show false accusations that have been made against the brothers, such as their having a romantic relationship, is about neither artistic approach nor multiple points of view; rather, Murphy is enhancing slander for the sole purpose of entertainment. Sensationalizing sexual abuse victims on trial, Ryan Murphy’s series undercuts the importance of this very sensitive issue.
(Sources: IMDb, Vox, People)