Lyle and Erik Menendez have been in prison for over thirty years. You’d think the dust would’ve settled by now, right? It hasn't. Not even close. When Ryan Murphy dropped the Menendez brothers show Netflix subscribers had been waiting for—Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story—it didn't just tell a story. It kicked a beehive. Suddenly, Gen Z is on TikTok demanding a retrial, and your parents are arguing about the 1990s again.
It's messy.
The show isn't just a true crime recap; it’s a polarizing piece of television that attempts to balance the grisly reality of the 1989 murders with the brothers’ claims of horrific sexual and physical abuse at the hands of their father, Jose Menendez. Some people see it as a long-overdue spotlight on male victims of trauma. Others see it as a sensationalist mess that leans too hard into "tabloid" energy.
The Reality Behind the Menendez Brothers Show Netflix Sensation
Most people remember the basics. On a quiet August night in 1989, Jose and Kitty Menendez were shot to death in their Beverly Hills mansion. It was overkill—literally. The sheer violence of the scene led police to believe it was a professional hit, maybe the mob. But then, the brothers started spending money. Rolexes. Porsches. High-end clothes.
They were arrested in 1990.
What followed was the first real "trial of the century" before O.J. Simpson ever took the stand. The Menendez brothers show Netflix produced captures that circus-like atmosphere perfectly, but the real-life trials were even more chaotic. During the first trial, the brothers’ defense attorney, Leslie Abramson, argued that the killings weren't about greed. They were about "imperfect self-defense." The brothers testified for days about years of molestation.
The jury deadlocked.
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By the second trial, things changed. The judge limited the testimony regarding the abuse. The cameras were largely kicked out. The result? Life without parole. For decades, that was the end of the story. Then Netflix stepped in.
Why the Casting and Portrayal Sparked Immediate Backlash
Nicholas Alexander Chavez and Cooper Koch deliver performances that are, frankly, exhausting to watch because they’re so intense. Koch, in particular, has received massive praise for a single-take episode where he recounts the alleged abuse. It’s raw. It feels like you’re invading someone's privacy just by watching it.
But Erik Menendez himself wasn't a fan.
In a statement released through his wife’s social media, Erik slammed the Menendez brothers show Netflix released, calling it a "dishonest portrayal." He specifically took issue with how Ryan Murphy handled the relationship between the two brothers. The show hints at a strange, almost homoerotic bond between Lyle and Erik, which the brothers have vehemently denied for decades.
It brings up a massive question about true crime: Do creators have a responsibility to the living people they’re portraying, or is "artistic license" a shield for everything?
What the Netflix Show Got Right (and What It Skewed)
If you're looking for a 1:1 documentary, this isn't it. Ryan Murphy is known for his "more is more" aesthetic. The colors are too bright, the music is too loud, and the drama is cranked to eleven. However, the show does get the 1989/1990 timeline mostly right.
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The spending spree happened. Lyle really did buy a restaurant. They really did act like "spoiled brats" in the eyes of the public.
But where the Menendez brothers show Netflix experiment gets complicated is the perspective. Murphy uses a Rashomon-style storytelling device. One episode shows the brothers as cold-blooded killers. The next shows them as terrified victims. This is smart TV, but it’s frustrating for people who want a definitive answer.
The Dominique Dunne Factor
One of the most interesting parts of the show—and the real history—is the involvement of Dominick Dunne, played by Nathan Lane. Dunne was a writer for Vanity Fair who basically shaped the public's perception of the brothers. He was convinced they were monsters. Because his own daughter had been murdered and her killer received a light sentence, Dunne had a personal vendetta against anyone he felt was "getting away with it."
The show highlights how the media, led by voices like Dunne’s, basically decided the brothers were guilty of greed before the trial even started. It’s a fascinating look at how we consume tragedy as entertainment—ironic, considering the show itself is a form of that very entertainment.
Why Is This Coming Back Now?
Timing is everything. We live in a post-#MeToo world. In 1993, the idea that a powerful man like Jose Menendez could be a serial abuser of his own sons was something a lot of people simply refused to believe. Male sexual abuse was a massive taboo.
Today, the conversation is different.
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There’s also new evidence. This isn't just "show drama." A former member of the boy band Menudo, Roy Rosselló, recently came forward alleging that he, too, was drugged and raped by Jose Menendez when he was a teenager. This corroborates the brothers' stories in a way that didn't exist during their trials.
Plus, there’s the "Canoe letter." A letter Erik wrote to his cousin, Andy Cano, months before the murders, which mentions the abuse. This letter was discovered recently and forms a cornerstone of the brothers' new appeal for clemency or a resentencing. The Menendez brothers show Netflix fans are bingeing is part of a much larger movement to get the brothers out of prison.
The Cultural Impact of the Series
You can’t go on social media without seeing an edit of the brothers. It’s weird. It’s polarizing. Some critics argue that the show "beautifies" two people who committed a double homicide. They point out that no matter the abuse, the brothers didn't just kill their father—they killed their mother, Kitty, too.
Kitty Menendez is often the forgotten figure in this. The show portrays her as a woman broken by her husband's infidelities and complicit in the brothers' misery. Whether that justifies her death is the central tension that the show leaves for the viewer to decide.
Real-World Legal Consequences
This isn't just about streaming numbers. The Los Angeles District Attorney’s office actually held a press conference following the surge in interest caused by the Menendez brothers show Netflix produced. They are officially reviewing the case.
Think about that. A TV show—no matter how much people complain about its accuracy—has effectively forced the legal system to reopen a 35-year-old case. That is the power of the "Netflix Effect."
Actionable Steps for Those Following the Case
If you’ve finished the show and want to dig deeper into the actual facts versus the Ryan Murphy "flair," here is how to navigate the current situation:
- Watch the Documentary: Netflix also released The Menendez Brothers documentary, which features actual phone interviews with Lyle and Erik from prison. It's a much more grounded look at their perspective without the Hollywood dramatization.
- Read the Trial Transcripts: If you really want to know what was said, the 1993 trial transcripts are available online. You’ll find that many of the most "unbelievable" lines in the show were actually pulled directly from court records.
- Follow the Habeas Corpus Petition: The brothers have a pending petition in the Los Angeles Superior Court. This is the actual legal mechanism that could lead to their release. Following journalists like Robert Rand, who has covered the case since the 80s, is the best way to get factual updates.
- Analyze the "New Evidence": Research the Roy Rosselló allegations. Understanding the Menudo connection is key to seeing why the DA is taking the resentencing request seriously in 2024 and 2025.
The Menendez brothers show Netflix has sparked a massive debate about justice, trauma, and the price of celebrity. Whether you think they are victims who finally deserve freedom or calculated killers who should stay behind bars, one thing is certain: the conversation isn't going away anytime soon. The legal system is slow, but public opinion has shifted at lightning speed, fueled by a mix of true crime obsession and a modern understanding of psychological trauma.