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The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story – Monster

Play trailer 2:30 Poster for The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story – Monster Sep 2024 Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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45% Tomatometer 31 Reviews 58% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
Ed Gein, a seemingly harmless Wisconsin recluse in the 1950s, commits horrific crimes that shock the nation.
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Monster — The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story

Monster — The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story

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Critics Consensus

Well-acted but off-puttingly sordid, Monsters leaves viewers feeling guilty without enough pleasure to compensate.

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Critics Reviews

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Inkoo Kang The New Yorker The astoundingly prolific showrunner melds his modes as provocateur and clumsy social-justice warrior, with mixed results. Oct 8, 2024 Full Review Craig Mathieson The Age (Australia) The second season of Ryan Murphy’s biographical crime anthology literally doesn’t know when to stop. If you want to credit this to ambition, then there are rewards... but if you lean towards lurid excess, Monsters certainly incriminates itself. Rated: 2.5/5 Sep 27, 2024 Full Review Dan Einav Financial Times Monsters proves itself capable of confronting a complex case with sensitivity — which makes its increasing sensationalism and salaciousness all the more frustrating. Rated: 3/5 Sep 27, 2024 Full Review Nicolás Medina Montevideo Portal / Latido Beat The series ends up leaving a bittersweet taste: powerful at its best moments, but unable to sustain its initial promise. [Full review in Spanish] Rated: 4/10 Feb 7, 2025 Full Review John Paul King Washington Blade While it may not be the right show for every taste, it’s not “trash TV” either. It’s a bold and challenging work from one of our most prolific and dedicated queer showmen... Oct 29, 2024 Full Review Hannah Brown Jerusalem Post While the Menendez brothers’ story is undeniably interesting, I found the characters were all people I didn’t want to spend time with, whether or not there was a miscarriage of justice. Oct 11, 2024 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Audience Member This season forms a perfect pair with Dahmer, the first season. The genre is Reverse-Dahmer/Black Comedy. It serves to chill out and recalibrate the viewer's perspective, which was subjected to an intensely complicated ethical filter while trying to socially understand Dahmer's crimes in Season 1. It’s as if, in mockery of the viewers who sought human pathos in Dahmer, this season displays their theater of self-pity on the legal judgment stand. The subject matter—two spoiled rich kids brutally killing their parents for an inheritance and failing to frame it as a mafia hit—is initially simple and almost cliché. Yet, the brilliant producers succeeded in extracting profound insights from an incident that might otherwise have been dismissed as having "nothing more to unpack." The drama juxtaposes the brothers who physically killed their parents with the systemic monsters—like their defense attorneys—who socially killed them. These monsters thrive within a system influenced by the myth of the self-made man, authoritarian parenting, affluent environments, and social phenomena like echo chambers and confirmation bias (PizzaGate). What remains particularly memorable is the final scene, "What is going on with them? - I don't know. - Who the ffkk knows? Just let them be." which satirically highlights the profound affective disconnect between the parents and their children. The wealth and privilege that created their insulated bubble not only detached the brothers from societal morality but also severed the most basic emotional ties with their immediate family. This affective disconnect, the show suggests, was the true breeding ground for their terrible tragedy. This season provides such sharp, era-defining insight that I would recommend it to all parents, siblings, and Trumpists. It's a truly excellent work that deserves a "Nobel Trump Prize." Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 11/10/25 Full Review Anthony Y. Don’t know why some people disliked it thought it was very good the plot and everything Rated 4 out of 5 stars 11/05/25 Full Review Lauren P. Loved this series too. Ryan Murphy does it again!! Talk about a true storyteller! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/02/25 Full Review Rene B I’m sorry but this MONSTER show from Ryan Murphy is just horrid. The Menendez Story was just as bad as the Ed Gein Story. It’s almost like Ryan Murphy doesn’t even try on his projects anymore. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 10/29/25 Full Review Gabriel P Ótima temporada, apesar de achar que ela poderia ter 1 ou 2 episódios a menos. Para mim, não supera a brutalidade da 1ª temporada, mesmo sendo mais explícita. O principal ponto baixo da temporada é sexualização extrema dos dois protagonistas. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 10/20/25 Full Review Harry K Very comedic for absolutely no reason and I love it, also the acting is pretty much perfect all in all a must see masterpeice. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/11/25 Full Review Read all reviews
Monster — The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story

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Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Sep 19, 2024 Blame It on the Rain Plagued by dark thoughts after the murders, Erik opens up to his therapist and shares disturbing details that put the doctor in a difficult position. Details Episode 2 Aired Sep 19, 2024 Spree After throwing suspicion elsewhere during police questioning, Lyle and Erik go on a wild spending spree while waiting for Jose's will to be read. Details Episode 3 Aired Sep 19, 2024 Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? The brothers navigate life behind bars after police receive a tip-off about the tapes; a new defense attorney prompts Erik to talk about the past. Details Episode 4 Aired Sep 19, 2024 Kill or Be Killed Lyle shares painful memories of trying to live up to his father's expectations, detailing the timeline and impact of Jose's abuse and its effect on Erik. Details Episode 5 Aired Sep 19, 2024 The Hurt Man During an emotional conversation with Leslie, Erik gives a harrowing account of the sexual abuse and torture he experienced throughout his childhood. Details Episode 6 Aired Sep 19, 2024 Don't Dream It's Over The trajectory of Jose and Kitty's relationship, from their courtship through their fracturing marriage, plays out against family therapy sessions. Details Episode 7 Aired Sep 19, 2024 Showtime Lyle and Erik struggle to shape their defense before the trial; Menendez mania hits, from cheering crowds to fan mail and courtroom TV cameras. Details Episode 8 Aired Sep 19, 2024 Seismic Shifts A captivating witness alters courtroom dynamics, and Erik's testimony causes a sibling rift; the Menendez pop-culture moment begins to fade. Details Episode 9 Aired Sep 19, 2024 Hang Men At a second trial, the prosecution aims to prove that Erik and Lyle are cold-blooded killers; after the verdict, the brothers face a new reality. Details
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Season Info

Creator
Ryan Murphy, Ian Brennan
Network
Netflix
Rating
TV-MA
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date
Sep 19, 2024
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