The true-crime drama, “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story”, has risen to fame as one of the most watched shows on Netflix this past month. Loved by countless true crime enthusiasts, it has become a must-watch for those who enjoy learning about the different conspiracies behind murder cases. Yet, amidst its admiration and popularity amongst viewers, people are disregarding the fact that this show is an injustice to the original Menendez case.
Since its debut on Netflix back in October, the show “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story”, has been twisting the truth of the horrific and deceiving case of the Menendez brothers. Although there are many inaccuracies within the show, the most of them is the casting and depiction of the brothers. Actors Cooper Koch and Nicholas Alexander Chavez were casted specifically for these roles as they have a more attractive appeal to the audience, which downplays the whole issue behind the case: sexual abuse. The main argument behind this case is whether or not Lyle and Erik Menendez were practicing self-defense when they murdered their parents on the night of August 20, 1989. In defending the brothers, attorneys highlighted the fact that they were sexually abused both mentally and physically throughout their childhood. While the issue of abuse was frequently brought up throughout the show, the director’s decision in spinning the roles of Lyle and Erik to raise popularity in their characters was a questionable decision. The effects of this can be seen across many social media platforms, where people are making edits and dressing up as Lyle and Erik. Not only is this upsetting as the brothers are being sexualized after enduring the trauma of an abusive childhood, but it also sets society one step backward in voicing the issue of sexual abuse amoung men. Erik Menendez’s wife, Tammi Menendez, shared her disgust about Erik’s portrayal in the show pertaining to his childhood trauma. Her statement reads, “How demoralizing to know that one man with power can undermine decades of progress in shedding light on childhood trauma.”
Another major issue in this true-crime show was its opening: a depiction of Kitty and Jose Menendez’s funeral. In the scene, Lyle closes his statement at the funeral with the song, “Girl I’m Gonna Miss You” by Milli Vanilli. The scene also seemed well planned and thought-out. However, during the real case, the funeral was the complete opposite. According to the extended family of both Erik and Lyle Menendez, it was more sentimental compared to its portrayal in the film. This scene was especially important in regards to the case since it determined whether or not the brothers were killing their parents because of financial reasons.
Although this show was able to bring more attention to the Menendez Brothers case, it spread misinformation and twisted the audience’s perception of the case. In this day in age, it is necessary for directors to be aware of the minds of viewers, which have become increasingly more impressionable thanks to social media. Hopefully, the Menendez case, which is set to be retried in coming months, will not become biased due to the misinformation spread through this new crime show.
