Netflix’s new addition to its hit crime drama “Monsters” just dropped. This season is all about the infamous Lyle and Erik Menendez case. Racking up 12.3 million views during its debut weekend and immediately placing it in the Top 10, the Menendez story is once again the center of attention.
It is also the center of controversy. Erik and the family of the Menendez brothers are calling the show a gross misrepresentation of the true story. Director Ryan Murphy is being called out for creating a caricature of the brothers, specifically Lyle, that is extremely damaging to their character. Murphy is also being called out for not handling the subject matter with sensitivity and it’s continuing discussions about the ethics of using someone’s trauma for entertainment.
Damaging Portrayals of Character
The series starts by portraying the brothers as spoiled, entitled rich kids who take what they want with no sympathy. They’re seen making light of their situation to the point where it’s disrespectful. In this depiction, they enjoy the fame of their situation and spend the riches of their inheritance on lavish room service and designer clothes.
As the series progresses and the brothers tell their story, they are seen as survivors of immense trauma and horrendous acts performed on them.
Then the series backpedals, portraying the parents’ story and supposed perspective of their sons. The brothers are seen as dangerous forces of nature, lashing out at the slightest inconvenience with no regard for anyone around them and exhibiting a sociopathic nature (which is also mentioned earlier in the show).
Considering Different Perspectives
Murphy claims he framed them this way in the name of portraying different perspectives. Yet he never met with the brothers, neither before nor after creating this show. He says his intention for this series is to spark discussion and get viewers to question, “who are the real monsters,” a sentiment that he inserted into episode three. Leslie Abramson, the defense attorney who represented Erik Menendez, delivers a monologue that blatantly states the questions and perspectives that Murphy wants viewers to consider.
However, throughout the series, the brothers are constantly being manipulated into confessing exactly what others want to hear. In the multiple therapy sessions and meetings with lawyers that the brothers attend, they are forced to have painful conversations. Discussing deeply traumatic events that they were not ready to have while being manipulated into continuing until the other person is satisfied with their answer. While getting to the answer was necessary, it was never done with the brothers’ well-being in mind. This reflects Murphy’s intention of portraying different perspectives yet completely disregarding that of the Menendez brothers.
Unethical Entertainment
This is not the first entertainment series to be made based on famous crimes. These types of movies and TV shows have been popular for years. It is only recently with “Dahmer” and now “Monster: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story” that the ethics of using someone’s trauma for entertainment are being thoroughly scrutinized.
