Ryan Murphy, the co-creator of Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, has responded sharply to criticism from the Menendez brothers, who have condemned the series for misrepresenting their lives.
Since its release last month, the Netflix series has held the number-one spot on the streaming platform’s charts.
Monsters Season 2 has put the spotlight back on the gruesome murders of Jose and Kitty Menendez.
In 1996, the Menendez brothers were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
However, as previously reported on Monsters and Critics, new evidence may free the brothers.
The brothers made the self-defense argument in court and have maintained this stance for several decades.
Ryan Murphy calls Menendez brothers ‘reprehensible and disgusting’
Murphy, known for his true-crime dramas, dismissed the brothers’ complaints, calling their victim narrative “reprehensible and disgusting.”
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, he added that the show successfully captured the complexity of the Menendez case, which gained international attention after its release on Netflix.
Erik and Lyle Menendez, convicted for the 1989 murders of their parents, have consistently maintained that their actions were a response to years of physical and sexual abuse by their father, Jose Menendez.
However, Murphy appears unfazed by the criticism, remarking that he is pleased with how audiences engage with the series.
He acknowledged that the show’s portrayal was intentionally complex, capturing both the horror of the crime and the possibility of the brothers’ rehabilitation. Still, he ultimately reaffirmed his disgust toward their efforts to “play the victim.”
Murphy added that the brothers should be “sending me flowers,” highlighting the attention the series brought to their case and the public outpouring of sympathy.
Menendez brothers call Netflix series ‘slander’
In a public statement, Erik Menendez expressed his outrage, accusing Murphy of perpetuating lies and caricaturing their trauma. He argued that the series reverted to outdated, harmful portrayals of abuse victims and called the show’s depiction of the brothers a deliberate slander.
The Menendez family also voiced their displeasure, stating that the series ignored recent revelations and unfairly focused on sensational aspects of the case.
They criticized Murphy for relying on debunked narratives, like Dominick Dunne’s, and for not consulting the family during the show’s production.
Despite the backlash, Murphy stood by the series, emphasizing that his goal was never to deliver a sympathetic portrayal of the Menendez brothers.
Instead, he sought to explore the broader scope of the story, including the experiences of others affected by the murders, such as the parents and legal figures involved.
The controversy has only added to the show’s visibility, making Monsters one of Netflix’s top-watched series since its release.
While some viewers have praised the performances, particularly by actors Cooper Koch and Nicholas Alexander Chavez, others, including the Menendez brothers themselves, are deeply offended by what they consider a gross misrepresentation of their lives and crimes.
As this battle over the portrayal of the Menendez brothers continues to unfold, the Netflix series remains a hot topic in the world of true crime entertainment.
Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story is currently streaming on Netflix.