Executive producer Ryan Murphy released the second installment of his “Monster” biographical anthology series on Sept. 19. This recent season focused on the story of Lyle and Erik Menendez and the murder of their parents.
While Murphy claims his series is meant to educate others on the true stories of society's monsters, he curates the stories to suit an entertainment narrative. The newest installment ensnared audiences, reaching top views on Netflix the week of its release. However, the families of the Menendez brothers voiced their disapproval of Murphy’s depiction of the brothers.
On X, Tammi Menendez, the wife of Erik Menendez, posted a statement from her husband, who calls the show’s “caricature” of Lyle Menendez “rooted in horrible and blatant lies. ... I can only believe they were done so on purpose,” Menendez says. “I believe Ryan Murphy cannot be this naive and inaccurate about the facts of our lives so as to do this without bad intent.”
The Menendez brothers are so implicated as “monsters” in the series that it is implied their relationship was incestual (which the brothers say is untrue). This narrative, Erik Menendez says, erases the brothers’ childhood trauma and perpetuates the fact that male victims of sexual assault are taken less seriously than female victims. While the Menendez brothers are the convicted murderers of the case, they are also victims who deserve respect when relaying their story.
This is not the first time family members have voiced their thoughts about a movie being made of their personal trauma. In 2019, Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood” depicted a fictionalized version of the Manson Family murders that imagined the murdered victims surviving. Tarantino, however, involved family members of the murdered victims in the production process. He spent time in California with Debra Tate, the sister of Sharon Tate (a victim of the Manson murders), to allow her to read the script and, according to Debra Tate, “implement ever so slightly a few suggestions.” Tarantino also allowed Sharon Tate’s widowed husband, Roman Polanski, to look over the script.
Although the situation surrounding Sharon Tate’s representation in “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood” is very different from the representation of the Menendez brothers in “Monsters,” Tarantino approached a sensitive true crime case with consideration for those involved.
Where the Menendez family voiced disdain about the portrayal of their family members, Debra Tate complimented the portrayal of her sister, saying, “She made me cry because she sounded just like Sharon. … The tone in her voice was completely Sharon, and it just touched me so much that big tears [started falling]. The front of my shirt was wet. I actually got to see my sister again… nearly 50 years later.” In this case, family members were taken into account in order to not only relay a narrative for an audience but also to comfort to the victim’s family.
Ideally, murder would not be used for entertainment and monetary gain. But, with the rise of social media and the entertainment industry, there is an audience that is morbidly fascinated by and curious about murder and murderers. Beyond formal Hollywood series and movies, many podcasters relay “true crime stories” on podcasts like Rotten Mango or Unseen. Some may listen to and watch the stories of the murders to be informed on the kinds of murders in the world. Others may consume the media out of curiosity about what humans could have thought of and done to other individuals.
There may always be an audience for true crime stories, whether producers, podcasters or social media content creators supply the content. The duty of the creator of the content is to ensure that they have obtained the permission of the family involved and have taken into consideration all perspectives. Murder and true crime cases are not just stories for an audience to consume but sources of trauma for family members who deserve empathy and accurate portrayals. While victims may not be alive to accurately state their perspectives, audiences need to listen to the voices that can still be heard.
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.