The Menendez brothers are all over the news again, in part thanks to the new season of Monsters, which tells the murderous tale of how the two brothers wound up in prison for killing their parents in 1989. This deep dive into the brothers’ tale brings allegations of sexual abuse, cover-ups, and a deadly plot that wound up capturing the nation. The case was sensationalized and scandalous, and the nation couldn’t keep its eyes off the two affluent, handsome young men who savagely murdered their parents and failed to grieve gracefully.
This story doesn’t hold back on the messiness of the moment, but what you choose to believe is the truth is still very much up to you. Who was the monster? Eric and Lyle or their father, Jose? Are all three truly terrible, and if not, who is getting painted in the wrong light? Even their mother seems rotten to the core.
True crime fans are given the chance to relive the madness around this story and the media circus that followed it. While it seems their names have made their way back into the news, this Ryan Murphy version of their tale leaves us with more questions than answers. In the end, tragedy reigns over the lives of the Menendez family. (nine 36- to 65-min. episodes)
—Anna Starkey
This article appears in Oct 24 – Nov 3, 2024.