The second season of Ryan Murphy’s Monsters series was released on Netflix on September 19 and focused on the Menéndez brothers, who were convicted for the murders of their parents in 1989. The show featured a star-studded cast, but received backlash due to inaccuracies in the portrayal of Lyle and Erik Menéndez’s case. The brothers accused their parents of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse that led to the murders. However, Erik criticized the production for portraying him inaccurately, claiming that the show depicted him as a caricature rooted in lies.
Despite the backlash, Ryan Murphy defended Monsters, stating that the show offered multiple perspectives on the case and gave the brothers their day in court to discuss the alleged abuse. While viewers debate the accuracy of certain details in the show, there were scenes that were based on real events. For example, Lyle playing a sentimental song at his parents’ funeral and his struggles with baldness due to stress caused by his father’s alleged abuse were depicted in the show.
Erik and Lyle were arrested after their therapist recorded their conversations about the murders, leading to their trials in 1990. The case resulted in mistrial initially, but a retrial in 1995 saw both brothers being found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to life without parole in 1996. The show depicts scenes from both trials and highlights the brothers’ defense of being abused by their parents as a motive for the murders.
The Menéndez brothers had connections with O.J. Simpson, as their father helped secure an endorsement deal for him in the 1970s. Erik and Lyle spoke with Simpson about his legal strategy, with Lyle advising him to plead guilty. The show also depicted Lyle being catfished in prison by an undercover journalist, which affected his trial. The brothers were eventually separated but reunited in 2018 after decades of serving their sentences in different prisons.
One of the key pieces of evidence against Erik in the murder trial was a play he wrote with a friend about a man killing his wealthy parents for inheritance, which the prosecution used to argue premeditation. The show delves into this aspect humorously. Monsters also explores writer Dominick Dunne’s personal connection to the case, as he covered the Menéndez trial after his daughter was murdered years earlier. The show highlights the impact that the case had on Dunne’s life and career.
A pivotal moment in the show involves a juror experiencing a heart attack during deliberations about sentencing Erik and Lyle. The juror’s replacement ultimately led to the brothers receiving a life without parole sentence instead of facing the death penalty. This sequence was based on a real juror’s experience during the second Menéndez murder trial and sheds light on the emotional impact the case had on those involved in the legal proceedings.
