Netflix Delivers Shocking True-Crime Drama of Menendez Brothers

Netflix has released a series about Lyle and Erik Menendez titled Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story. The series follows Lyle and Erik, who seem like everyday young boys. But we can’t see the pain these two men have faced and their complicated relationship with their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez. The directors of this series are Ian Brennan and Ryan Murphy, who are also the creators of DAHMER: Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story.
The portrayal of these characters is well done. Miles Gaston Villanueva does did a fantastic job encompassing every layer of Lyle Menendez in this series. Villanueva shows genuine emotions and anger that Lyle has for his parents. Gus Halper, who plays Erik Menendez, does a fantastic job showing all of Erik’s emotions.
But as for the actual story, almost immediately, the series picks up with Lyle and Erik Menendez in a black limo, heading to their parents’ funeral. This episode also shows us the Menendez family together for the first time in a shocking scene where they fight around the dinner table — and the actors playing the Menendez family deliver brilliant performances.
Arguably, one of the best episodes is “The Hurt Man.” It is the shortest episode in the series, but Episode 5 is why Monsters is one of the most popular shows on Netflix. The episode starts with a slow zoom into the interview room as Erik Menendez describes his childhood. This is what makes this episode a masterpiece. By the end of “The Hurt Man,” the audience understands Erik deeply, and it’s easy to feel heartbroken by his story despite what he’s done. The minds behind Monsters have done an incredible job.
It’s been 35 years since Lyle and Erik Menendez fatally shot their parents with shotguns in their Beverly Hills mansion in 1989. Lyle was 21, and Erik was 18 years old at the time. Defense attorneys argued their father sexually abused them, but prosecutors said they lied to help create an alibi.
Overall, this series made me wonder what Ian Brennan and Ryan will have in the story for us next. Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story receives a 9/10