In 1989, José and Kitty Menendez were killed by their two sons, Lyle and Erik. This case has been revisited by showrunner Ryan Murphy in Netflix’s latest biographical crime anthology, ‘Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story’. The title itself exposes a predisposition that the brothers were evil and vile men, akin to notable serial killers like Jeffery Dahmer or Ted Bundy. However, one could argue the real ‘monsters’ here are actually the men responsible for greenlighting the series.
It is impossible to discuss the Menendez case without acknowledgement that it is such a nuanced situation. To this day, the discourse ranges from the brothers being labelled both ‘cold-blooded brats’ to ‘innocent victims’ or, as lies with the majority, somewhere in between. While there is no doubt they were victims of deeply abusive parents, the legitimacy to their claim that murdering their parents was their only escape should be considered. The severity of the crime is difficult to neglect, the brothers were murderers and they were also proven liars on many counts. Yet, there is struggle when drawing the line between which crimes can be ‘justified’ and which ones cannot, due to how complex these situations can be and the moral relativism that consequently follows. With all of these factors, is it really that fair and simple to label the brothers as villains?
To give credit to creator Ryan Murphy, there is an attempt to show the different nuances that make up this tragic story. The show presents different plausible perspectives from each family member as well as the brothers’ lawyer and therapist. Since this is entertainment rather than a documentary, it allows audiences to decide who are the true ‘monsters’ in the narrative. After all, there is no true story because no one knows the objective truth except for the brothers.
What should not be praised is Murphy’s lack of historical accuracy to crucial facts about the case. There are instances of Erik and Lyle being sexualized both individually and together in certain moments throughout the show. Not only does this push an inaccurate queer and incestuous narrative on the brothers, despite them both being straight men with wives, it outright disrespects the true suffering of these two real individuals. Prioritising entertainment over factual integrity in this context could potentially discourage other male survivors from coming forward, fearing they will be met with disbelief and ridicule. With the exception of Cooper Koch, the actor portraying Erik, the creatives behind the show have been dismissive towards speaking to the response from the real-life brothers regarding the show. The real Erik Menendez has condemned Netflix for its misleading portrayal of him and his brother and there being “blatant lies rampant in the show.”
It is important to remember that this is ultimately a television drama series, not a documentary. Its theatrical nature is bound to dramatise the details of the Menendez family. However, this is no excuse to wrongfully create misleading and fictional narratives at the expense of exploiting real tragedies. Thus, once again, viewers are open to question who are the true ‘monsters’.
Edited by Zara Ahmed.
