In 2022, Netflix and showrunner Ryan Murphy released Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story to mixed reviews and a tremendous amount of controversy.
While the series received acclaim from some critics for its performances (Evan Peters won a Golden Globe, and Niecy Nash received an Emmy for her performance) and its unflinching portrayal of Dahmer’s grisly crimes, others felt that the show went too far in humanizing the monster at its core.
Now, Murphy is preparing to court controversy again, this time with the story of Erik and Lyle Menendez.
The Menendez brothers are far more sympathetic figures than Dahmer, but the fact remains that they committed two brutal murders, which the show will likely depict in graphic detail.
Their murder trial became a national sensation when it was broadcast on Court TV in 1993, but our younger readers might be hearing the Menendez name for the first time.
So here’s a rundown of what you can expect from a show that’s sure to generate a lot of hot takes on social media.
Monsters: The Erik and Lyle Menendez Story Plot (and Spoilers!)
On August 20, 1989, Jose and Kitty Menendez were standing in the den of their Beverly Hills mansion when their sons, Lyle and Erik, entered the room with shotguns.
The brothers shot their father six times and their mother ten times, killing both parents.
Erik and Lyle waited for the cops to arrive and explained that the killings had taken place while they were at a local movie theater seeing the film Batman.
Not only were the brothers not arrested, cops didn’t even test them for gunshot residue in order to determine if they’d recently fired a weapon.
In the months that followed, Erik and Lyle lived the high life on their late parents’ dime, spending $700,000 on extravagant luxury items.
It wasn’t until December of 1992 that police arrested the brothers on murder charges.
The ensuing trial became a national sensation, as attorneys alleged that Lyle and Erik suffered such sevre abuse at the hands of their parents that they had no choice but to take extreme actions.
And now, Ryan Murphy is planning to reopen the case.
The showrunner has been keeping most of the plot details to themselves, but you can bet that, as with Dahmer, the Menendez saga will focus on the brothers’ crimes, trial, and subsequent lives behind bars.
The brothers have been appealing their case for over 30 years, and recent developments have given them renewed hope for freedom and could add some interesting new layers to this series.
Monsters: The Erik and Lyle Menendez Story Cast
Relative unknowns Cooper Koch and Nicholas Alexander Chavez have been cast in the roles of Lyle and Erik.
They’re joined by some well-known veterans, including Javier Bardem as Jose Menendez and Murphy favorite Chloe Sevigny as Kitty Menendez.
Nathan Lane will play famed journalist Dominick Dunne, who covered the Menendez trial for Vanity Fair.
Ari Graynor will play Leslie Abramson the attorney who headed the brothers’ defense team.
Dallas Roberts will play Dr. Jerome Oziel, the eccentric therapist whom Erik starts seeing after the murder of his parents.
And American Horror Story regular Leslie Grossman will play Judalon Smyth, a former patient and love interest of Oziel’s, who finds herself caught up in the Menendez case.
Needless to say, Murphy and company didn’t cut any corners in the casting department.
Monsters: The Erik and Lyle Menendez Story Episodes
At this point, no episode order has been revealed, but it’s likely that the Menendez saga will be told over ten installments, as the Dahmer story was.
The brothers committed far fewer crimes than Dahmer, but the backstory of their family and the decades of imprisonment and appeal should make for a compelling ten-hour tale.
Monsters: The Erik and Lyle Menendez Story Trailer
At this point, Netflix has not released an official trailer for Monsters: The Erik and Lyle Menendez story, but the streamer has released a teaser focusing on the 911 call the brothers made after murdering their parents:
Yeah, it sounds like this show will not be for the faint of heart, but that will come as no surprise for fans of Murphy’s earlier crime sagas (or his American Horror Story anthology, for that matter).
Monsters: Erik and Lyle Menendez Release Date
Sadly, Netflix has yet to release any specifics with regard to the release date for Monsters.
The streaming giant has confirmed only that the series will be available sometime in 2024.
It’s believed that the entire season will be released on the same day, but that has not yet been confirmed.
Where to Watch Monsters: The Erik and Lyle Menendez Story
As you might have guessed by now, Monsters: The Erik and Lyle Menendez Story will be available exclusively on Netflix.
Will continue to update this post as new information becomes available, so keep watching this space for everything you need to know about this highly anticipated new series.
What do you think, true crime addicts? Are you as excited for the Menendez story as you were for Dahmer?
Hit the comments section below to share your thoughts!
Tyler Johnson is an Associate Editor for TV Fanatic and the other Mediavine O&O sites. In his spare time, he enjoys reading, cooking, and, of course, watching TV. You can Follow him on X and email him here at TV Fanatic.