The case of the Menendez brothers has recently swept a wave of media attention due to Netflix’s new show, “Monster: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story.” The 9-episode dramatization relived the story of the 1989 murder of Kitty and Jose Menendez, however, with such a delicate case there are some definite pros and cons of the series. 

True crime, as a genre, is already a controversial topic. Many consider it immoral and insensitive to the real victims. It seems that may be the case for the Menendez brothers. 

With its popularity, many people began treating it as any other show. 

With a lot of true crime, people begin to obsess over specific cases. The show didn’t help this unfortunate craze with the casting of Cooper Koch and Nicholas Alexander Chavez, which most fans found attractive. Soon, parasocial relationships began to form with edits, fanfiction, etc. While these relationships aren’t typically harmful for most celebrities, like actors and singers, it does become a larger problem when people form these relationships with real victims of abuse and convicted murderers. 

Co-creator and director Ryan Murphy of “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story” faced similar problems with his previous show “Monster: The Jefferey Dahmer Story.”

Leading actor, Evan Peters, created the same wave of attention with his role as Jefferey Dahmer. Many started fantasizing about Peters as Dahmer with the same combination of edits and fanfictions. While it may be normal to admire the actor, claiming the role they play in these dramatizations is insensitive and cruel to the victims and their families. 

Monsters also had various inaccuracies that affected the brothers themselves. The most popular accusation by the show was that the brothers had an incestuous relationship and may have killed their parents when they found out about their relationship. However, there is no evidence this ever happened. 

Murphy claimed he wanted to portray the different perspectives with his choices.

Erik Menedez, on the other hand, shared his opinion on Facebook,  “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.”

The characterization of the brothers was also an issue as Lyle was portrayed as arrogant and even aggressive, whereas painted Erik with a shy, sensitive demeanor.

Erik shared his disapproval on this topic, “I believed we had moved beyond the lies and ruinous character portrayal of Lyle, creating a caricature of Lyle rooted in horrible and blatant lies rampant in the show.”

It is clear that the brothers don’t approve of Murphy’s decisions. However, the show did have some benefits for their case and its overall message. 

While the intense attention to the show was fairly negative, there was also some positive attention brought to the case itself.

One of the biggest impacts it has had is its contribution to male sexual assault awareness. 

When their trial was held in 1990, no one understood that men could be victims of sexual abuse. 

At that time, many “built a narrative on a belief system that males were not sexually abused and that males experienced rape trauma differently than women,” said Erik Menendez.

Now, people are more willing to accept male victims and get them the help they deserve. The resurfacing of the Menendez case helped encourage this changed belief system as victims themselves.

The attention of the case has also reached a higher level of power. On Thursday, Oct. 24, LA district attorney, George Gascón, recommended in a press conference that the brothers be resentenced for their time of life without parole.

“After a very careful review of all the arguments that were made for people on both sides of the equation, I came to a place where under the law resentencing is appropriate, and I will recommend that to the court tomorrow,” Gascón said.

While there hasn’t been a decision declared from the judge since Thursday, who ultimately decides whether the brothers will be resentenced, much of the world waits in anticipation whether they hope for their release, or hope for them to continue their original time.

Overall, “Netflix’s Monsters: the Lyle and Erik Menendez” story created a stir in media. It is truly just a controversial and sensitive series with a serious impact– both positive and negative.