A new Netflix series about brothers Lyle and Erik Menendez, who were convicted of murdering their parents in 1989, has sparked renewed discussion of their case. The series “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story” explores the controversial trial and its surrounding circumstances. Show creator Ryan Murphy was not surprised that the series reignited debate, as it tells the story from multiple perspectives.
The performances of Nicholas Alexander Chavez and Cooper Koch, who played Lyle and Erik Menendez, were praised for their ability to handle such complex roles. Their casting came after an extensive six month search led by Murphy. Filming more sensitive scenes was challenging but supported by co-stars like Ari Graynor, who plays their lawyer Leslie Abramson.
In response to the show, the Menendez brothers’ legal team filed for clemency in late October. If approved, the brothers could potentially be released as soon as mid-December. High-profile figures like Kim Kardashian have advocated for the brothers and brought more attention to the case. Kardashian wrote an article encouraging their release and has since worked on prison reform.
Murphy stresses the primary goal was not to argue the brothers’ guilt or innocence. Rather, the series sought to have an open discussion about abuse and topics that were taboo during the original trial in the late 1980s. Both the series and a companion Netflix documentary shed new light on the physical, emotional and alleged sexual abuse the brothers faced as children. Murphy believes this was the show’s most important achievement, regardless of viewers’ beliefs about the underlying crime.
