Netflix's new Monsters series sparks backlash over portrayal of Menendez brothers as fans fume 'it feels wrong'

Netflix's latest true-crime offering, Monsters: The Lyle And Erik Menendez Story, is set to take viewers through the chilling murder of Jose and Mary Louise 'Kitty' Menendez across nine episodes.

The series delves into the 1989 case where the couple was killed by their sons, Lyle and Erik Menendez. The cast features the likes of Javier Bardem and Chloe Sevigny.

This crime series marks the second chapter in the Monster anthology, following the successful Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story from 2022, which had Netflix audiences exploring the notorious serial killer's life and crimes.

Despite the anticipation, the upcoming series has faced criticism for its portrayal of the Menendez brothers' actions. Prior to its release, one individual expressed their disapproval on social media, challenging the label 'monsters' applied to the brothers, who they believe were victims of long-term abuse by their father, Jose.

Their comment read: "I hate that it's called Monsters. Yes these boys did the wrong thing, but I honestly believe it was justified because their parents abused, tortured, and assaulted these boys their whole life. They wrongfully took away any chance these boys had at living a normal life. IMO they got what they deserved free these boys."

At the time of the murders, Lyle and Erik Menendez, then aged 21 and 18 respectively, claimed they had been abused by their father and that their mother was complicit and failed to protect them. They argued that they committed the murders out of fear that their father would kill them if they didn't act first.

One individual expressed their unease with the title of the upcoming Netflix series, remarking: "'Like, I get if they copied the same format as the Dahmer series...but just flat out calling it MONSTERS is wild. 'I don't know much about their case, just the basics, but it just feels wrong."

Before the release of the Netflix programme, a viewer mentioned they would withhold judgment until they had seen the entire show, reports the Express.

"We will have to wait and see how they portray them in the series, but I'm wondering if it's called Monsters as in how they were labelled in the media at the time of the case, not necessarily calling them monsters," they noted. Yet, another viewer was critical of the trend of dramatising true crime for entertainment.

They shared: "Feels a bit icky and exploitative to be making these dramatic type series about true crime, and after what happened with the Dahmer series not consulting families of victims or even letting them know, I doubt this story will be handled with grace."

In 1996, two brothers were found guilty of murdering their parents and received life sentences without the chance of parole.

The prosecution's stance was that the brothers murdered Jose Menendez for his substantial fortune, although the siblings defended their actions by claiming it was done in self-defence.

The controversy surrounding the Netflix series has been heightened by the news that Charlie Hunnam is set to portray the infamous killer Ed Gein in an upcoming series of Monsters.

Monsters: The Lyle And Erik Menendez Story is available to watch on Netflix now.