\n\t\t\t
\n Related: <\/span>What Else to Watch About Erik, Lyle Menendez’s Murder Case After ‘Monsters’<\/span><\/a>
\n\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n\t\t\tRyan Murphy\u2018s Monsters elicited a divided response about how Erik Men\u00e9ndez and Lyle Men\u00e9ndez\u2018s murder trial was portrayed in the Netflix series \u2014 but it isn\u2019t the only show that covers the controversial case. After their parents, Jos\u00e9 and Kitty Men\u00e9ndez, were murdered in 1989, Erik and Lyle became the prime suspects. They were arrested [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Season 2 faced similar backlash after Erik Menendez<\/strong> slammed<\/a> Murphy\u2019s portrayal of him and brother Lyle Menendez<\/strong>. Murphy, however, stood by his work and even claimed that Monsters<\/em> created renewed support in the Menendez case, which ultimately led to them being resentenced to 50 years to life, which now makes them eligible for parole under California\u2019s youthful offender law.<\/p>\nKeep scrolling for a breakdown of every time a show\u2019s subject called Murphy out \u2014 and how he defended his work:<\/p>\n
\u2018American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson\u2019<\/h3>\n\n\n![\"Ryan](\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Ryan-Murphy-Subtly-References-Past-Shows-in-Monsters-The-Lyle-and-Erik-Menendez-Story-0.jpg?w=1000&quality=86&strip=all\")
<\/div>Ray Mickshaw\/FX<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/h3>\nThe People v. O.J. Simpson<\/em> reexamined the late athlete\u2019s high-profile trial<\/a> after he was arrested and subsequently charged in 1994 with the murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson<\/strong> and Ron Goldman<\/strong>. In one of the most talked-about verdicts of all time, O.J. was famously acquitted of the murders in 1995, but he was found liable for Ron and Nicole\u2019s deaths in a civil trial three years later.<\/p>\nBrown and Goldman\u2019s respective family members called out American Crime Story<\/em> for not consulting them. Former detective Mark Fuhrman<\/strong>, who was involved in the case, also called his portrayal untruthful.<\/p>\n\u2018American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace\u2019<\/h3>\n\n![\"Gallery:](\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Gallery-TV-Shows-Inspired-True-Crime-The-Thing-About-Pam-More-003.jpg?w=1000&quality=86&strip=all\")
<\/div>FX<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe Versace family broke their silence on the show in a January 2018 statement, which read, \u201cThe Versace family has neither authorized nor had any involvement whatsoever in the forthcoming TV series about the death of Mr. Gianni Versace. Since Versace did not authorize the book on which it is partly based nor has it taken part in the writing of the screenplay, this TV series should only be considered as a work of fiction.\u201d<\/p>\n
Murphy stood up for his show by defending the journalist whose work inspired the project.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe book that we based our show off of, that we own, Vulgar Favors by Maureen Orth, has been out for nearly 20 years,\u201d he said in a statement that same month. \u201cAnd it\u2019s a work of nonfiction. It\u2019s been scrutinized and vetted for close to two decades. And a lot of if not all of Maureen\u2019s reporting in that book was on the record, and it\u2019s been sourced out, and we had our own sources.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2018Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story\u2019<\/h3>\n\n![\"Evan](\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Evan-Peters-and-Ryan-Murphy-to-Reunite-for-FX-s-Beauty-Co-Starring-Ashton-Kutcher-830.jpg?w=1000&quality=86&strip=all\")
<\/div>Ser Baffo\/Netflix<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe first season of Netflix\u2019s hit show debuted in 2022 and focused on Peters\u2019 portrayal of Dahmer<\/em>. Monster<\/em>, which also starred Niecy Nash<\/strong>, came under fire after the families of Dahmer\u2019s victims revealed they weren\u2019t consulted for the show.<\/p>\nEric Perry<\/strong>, a relative of victim Errol Lindsey<\/strong>, claimed in a September 2022 statement that the show was \u201cretraumatizing [the families] all over again.\u201d<\/p>\n\u201cI want people to understand this is not just a story or historical fact, these are real people\u2019s lives,\u201d the statement continued. \u201c[Lindsey] was someone\u2019s son, someone\u2019s brother, someone\u2019s father, someone\u2019s friend that was ripped from [our] lives.\u201d<\/p>\n
Murphy, for his part, previously said he and his team reached out to over 20 victims\u2019 families and friends during their three and a half years of research and that \u201cnot a single person responded to us in that process.\u201d He elaborated in a November 2022 profile about how he took Dahmer\u2019s story on to address the racism and homophobia that defined the case because \u201cit was the biggest thing I\u2019ve ever seen that really sort of examines how easy it is to get away with things with the white privilege aspects.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat are the rules now? Should we never do a movie about a tyrant?\u201d he added at the time.<\/p>\n
\u2018Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story\u2019<\/h3>\n\n![\"Cooper](\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Cooper-Koch-Doesn-t-Have-Plans-to-Play-Suspected-CEO-Assassin-Luigi-Mangione-inline-3.jpg?w=1000&quality=86&strip=all\")
<\/div>Miles Crist\/Netflix<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nWhen Monsters premiered in September 2024, episodes 4 and 5 received critical and fan praise for how they approached Erik and Lyle\u2019s claims that they killed their parents in self-defense following years of alleged physical, emotional and sexual abuse. However, the show received backlash for other inaccuracies about the Men\u00e9ndez brothers, including the insinuation that they were in an incestous relationship.<\/p>\n
\u201cI believed we had moved beyond the lies and ruinous character portrayals of Lyle, creating a caricature of Lyle rooted in horrible and blatant lies rampant in the show,\u201d read a statement from Erik that was shared via Lyle\u2019s Facebook page at the time. \u201cI can only believe they were done so on purpose. It is with a heavy heart that I say, I believe Ryan Murphy cannot be this naive and inaccurate about the facts of our lives so as to do this without bad intent.\u201d<\/p>\n
Keep scrolling for a breakdown of every time a show\u2019s subject called Murphy out \u2014 and how he defended his work:<\/p>\n
\u2018American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson\u2019<\/h3>\n\n\n<\/div>Ray Mickshaw\/FX<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/h3>\nThe People v. O.J. Simpson<\/em> reexamined the late athlete\u2019s high-profile trial<\/a> after he was arrested and subsequently charged in 1994 with the murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson<\/strong> and Ron Goldman<\/strong>. In one of the most talked-about verdicts of all time, O.J. was famously acquitted of the murders in 1995, but he was found liable for Ron and Nicole\u2019s deaths in a civil trial three years later.<\/p>\nBrown and Goldman\u2019s respective family members called out American Crime Story<\/em> for not consulting them. Former detective Mark Fuhrman<\/strong>, who was involved in the case, also called his portrayal untruthful.<\/p>\n\u2018American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace\u2019<\/h3>\n\n<\/div>FX<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe Versace family broke their silence on the show in a January 2018 statement, which read, \u201cThe Versace family has neither authorized nor had any involvement whatsoever in the forthcoming TV series about the death of Mr. Gianni Versace. Since Versace did not authorize the book on which it is partly based nor has it taken part in the writing of the screenplay, this TV series should only be considered as a work of fiction.\u201d<\/p>\n
Murphy stood up for his show by defending the journalist whose work inspired the project.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe book that we based our show off of, that we own, Vulgar Favors by Maureen Orth, has been out for nearly 20 years,\u201d he said in a statement that same month. \u201cAnd it\u2019s a work of nonfiction. It\u2019s been scrutinized and vetted for close to two decades. And a lot of if not all of Maureen\u2019s reporting in that book was on the record, and it\u2019s been sourced out, and we had our own sources.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2018Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story\u2019<\/h3>\n\n<\/div>Ser Baffo\/Netflix<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe first season of Netflix\u2019s hit show debuted in 2022 and focused on Peters\u2019 portrayal of Dahmer<\/em>. Monster<\/em>, which also starred Niecy Nash<\/strong>, came under fire after the families of Dahmer\u2019s victims revealed they weren\u2019t consulted for the show.<\/p>\nEric Perry<\/strong>, a relative of victim Errol Lindsey<\/strong>, claimed in a September 2022 statement that the show was \u201cretraumatizing [the families] all over again.\u201d<\/p>\n\u201cI want people to understand this is not just a story or historical fact, these are real people\u2019s lives,\u201d the statement continued. \u201c[Lindsey] was someone\u2019s son, someone\u2019s brother, someone\u2019s father, someone\u2019s friend that was ripped from [our] lives.\u201d<\/p>\n
Murphy, for his part, previously said he and his team reached out to over 20 victims\u2019 families and friends during their three and a half years of research and that \u201cnot a single person responded to us in that process.\u201d He elaborated in a November 2022 profile about how he took Dahmer\u2019s story on to address the racism and homophobia that defined the case because \u201cit was the biggest thing I\u2019ve ever seen that really sort of examines how easy it is to get away with things with the white privilege aspects.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat are the rules now? Should we never do a movie about a tyrant?\u201d he added at the time.<\/p>\n
\u2018Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story\u2019<\/h3>\n\n<\/div>Miles Crist\/Netflix<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nWhen Monsters premiered in September 2024, episodes 4 and 5 received critical and fan praise for how they approached Erik and Lyle\u2019s claims that they killed their parents in self-defense following years of alleged physical, emotional and sexual abuse. However, the show received backlash for other inaccuracies about the Men\u00e9ndez brothers, including the insinuation that they were in an incestous relationship.<\/p>\n
\u201cI believed we had moved beyond the lies and ruinous character portrayals of Lyle, creating a caricature of Lyle rooted in horrible and blatant lies rampant in the show,\u201d read a statement from Erik that was shared via Lyle\u2019s Facebook page at the time. \u201cI can only believe they were done so on purpose. It is with a heavy heart that I say, I believe Ryan Murphy cannot be this naive and inaccurate about the facts of our lives so as to do this without bad intent.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/div>The People v. O.J. Simpson<\/em> reexamined the late athlete\u2019s high-profile trial<\/a> after he was arrested and subsequently charged in 1994 with the murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson<\/strong> and Ron Goldman<\/strong>. In one of the most talked-about verdicts of all time, O.J. was famously acquitted of the murders in 1995, but he was found liable for Ron and Nicole\u2019s deaths in a civil trial three years later.<\/p>\n Brown and Goldman\u2019s respective family members called out American Crime Story<\/em> for not consulting them. Former detective Mark Fuhrman<\/strong>, who was involved in the case, also called his portrayal untruthful.<\/p>\n The Versace family broke their silence on the show in a January 2018 statement, which read, \u201cThe Versace family has neither authorized nor had any involvement whatsoever in the forthcoming TV series about the death of Mr. Gianni Versace. Since Versace did not authorize the book on which it is partly based nor has it taken part in the writing of the screenplay, this TV series should only be considered as a work of fiction.\u201d<\/p>\n Murphy stood up for his show by defending the journalist whose work inspired the project.<\/p>\n \u201cThe book that we based our show off of, that we own, Vulgar Favors by Maureen Orth, has been out for nearly 20 years,\u201d he said in a statement that same month. \u201cAnd it\u2019s a work of nonfiction. It\u2019s been scrutinized and vetted for close to two decades. And a lot of if not all of Maureen\u2019s reporting in that book was on the record, and it\u2019s been sourced out, and we had our own sources.\u201d<\/p>\n The first season of Netflix\u2019s hit show debuted in 2022 and focused on Peters\u2019 portrayal of Dahmer<\/em>. Monster<\/em>, which also starred Niecy Nash<\/strong>, came under fire after the families of Dahmer\u2019s victims revealed they weren\u2019t consulted for the show.<\/p>\n Eric Perry<\/strong>, a relative of victim Errol Lindsey<\/strong>, claimed in a September 2022 statement that the show was \u201cretraumatizing [the families] all over again.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI want people to understand this is not just a story or historical fact, these are real people\u2019s lives,\u201d the statement continued. \u201c[Lindsey] was someone\u2019s son, someone\u2019s brother, someone\u2019s father, someone\u2019s friend that was ripped from [our] lives.\u201d<\/p>\n Murphy, for his part, previously said he and his team reached out to over 20 victims\u2019 families and friends during their three and a half years of research and that \u201cnot a single person responded to us in that process.\u201d He elaborated in a November 2022 profile about how he took Dahmer\u2019s story on to address the racism and homophobia that defined the case because \u201cit was the biggest thing I\u2019ve ever seen that really sort of examines how easy it is to get away with things with the white privilege aspects.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat are the rules now? Should we never do a movie about a tyrant?\u201d he added at the time.<\/p>\n When Monsters premiered in September 2024, episodes 4 and 5 received critical and fan praise for how they approached Erik and Lyle\u2019s claims that they killed their parents in self-defense following years of alleged physical, emotional and sexual abuse. However, the show received backlash for other inaccuracies about the Men\u00e9ndez brothers, including the insinuation that they were in an incestous relationship.<\/p>\n \u201cI believed we had moved beyond the lies and ruinous character portrayals of Lyle, creating a caricature of Lyle rooted in horrible and blatant lies rampant in the show,\u201d read a statement from Erik that was shared via Lyle\u2019s Facebook page at the time. \u201cI can only believe they were done so on purpose. It is with a heavy heart that I say, I believe Ryan Murphy cannot be this naive and inaccurate about the facts of our lives so as to do this without bad intent.\u201d<\/p>\n\u2018American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace\u2019<\/h3>\n
<\/div>\u2018Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story\u2019<\/h3>\n
<\/div>\u2018Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story\u2019<\/h3>\n
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<\/div>![\"Anthony](\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Anthony-Perkins-Son-Osgood-Perkins-Slams-Monster-For-Netflix-ization-Of-Real-Pain-After-Father-s-Depiction.jpg?w=1000&quality=86&strip=all\")
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