Among the backdrop of upbeat 80s music, high color saturation and distinct fashion, director Ryan Murphy and producer Ian Brennen of the new show, “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story” turn a traumatic story of abuse into a fabricated piece of slanderous entertainment. Hitting the charts as the most-watched series on Netflix for the second week, with 153.8 million hours viewed from Sept. 23 to Sept. 29, the series has gained a significant platform. Yet, portraying these events as truth when they are unsubstantiated or plainly wrong, perpetuates falsehoods potentially damaging those involved. Unfortunately, this series is one of many docuseries that glamorize tragic stories for entertainment value, feeding into the ongoing societal trend of blurring the lines between fact and fiction. By not accurately representing a story and taking creative liberties for entertainment and profit, directors and producers misrepresent and destroy the lives of those who have already endured hardship and tragedy.
The Menendez series represents an infamous court case in which brothers Lyle (21) and Erik (18) Menendez shot and killed their parents in their Beverly Hills mansion on Aug. 20, 1989. The brothers were thereafter sentenced to life in prison despite claims of killing for self-defense purposes and a lifetime of psychological, physical and sexual abuse.
However, in the series, Murphy and Brennen portray the brothers negatively, which lacks factual evidence. Lyle Menendez is characterized as a sociopath who is eager to inherit his father’s estate. Yet, neither brother was named in the family’s will during the case. Additionally, Erik is erroneously depicted as being gay, which reinforces the popular misconceptions during the trial that the brothers had to be gay to be abused, a belief that creates further falsehoods around male sexual abuse. The show also subtly features the two brothers in an incestuous relationship, even though there is no evidence to support this narrative.
Such distortions of the truth are rooted in Murphy and Brennen’s desire to create sensationalism to garner more views. In an interview with Netflix Tudum, Murphy explains their intent to obscure the truth and how he wants the audience to perceive their interpretation.
“We ask you as the audience to make the decision about what really happened because we’re just going off research, theories and court testimony,” Murphy said.
Based upon speculation, this platform should not be used for viewers to assess the case. By basing a televised show on a speculative theory, the producers promote the idea that the truth can be twisted and manipulated for shock value. Additionally, by villainizing and creating a salacious image of the two brothers, the series undermines the tragedy survivors of abuse have endured as well as the support and empathy of an audience.
Some believe that spotlighting true crime stories can increase society’s understanding of criminal motives. These stories can be used as a warning, serving to educate people about alarming situations and behaviors that occur in our society. Viewers can also gain a deeper understanding of dangerous situations that could be prevented. Moreover, these stories can potentially shed new light on past crimes. For example, with the increase in popularity of the “Monsters” series, many young supporters are arguing for the Menendez brothers’ retrial and freedom.
While there has been a new wave of support for the brothers due to the popularity of the show, many of these new advocates aren’t fully aware of what or who they are supporting. On a TikTok video with 663.6 thousand likes highlighting the aggressive personality of Lyle Menendez in the show through the script’s excessive swearing, a viewer left a comment stating, “As of now, we all swear like Lyle in a show of support.” Many fans are falsely led to interpret the series’ portrayal of the brothers as reality, even though the brothers’ tendency to swear is based upon the script writer’s imagination.
It is important to recognize that younger generations are increasingly susceptible to fabrication and falsehood of fact, as Generation Z has frequently been referred to as the “anxious generation.” This phenomenon is due to an overexposure of dubious facts and misleading theories perpetuated by social and biased reporting. Impressionable minds are fed multiple perspectives and interpretations with little if any, factual evidence. The truth in today’s world has become as elusive as the apparent motivation of a killer, in this case, the impulse that drove the brothers to kill their parents. While docuseries may be entertaining, we must reevaluate their role in spreading misinformation and damaging real people who have suffered tragedy. Fiction disguised as fact has become commonplace in today’s media, especially with the upcoming election, and we must all learn to critically scrutinize and question the stories and the sources that inform us.
