Ryan Murphy defends 'Monsters' incestous portrayal amid Erik Menendez criticism

Ryan Murphy has defended his new Netflix series, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, after Erik Menendez criticized the show for its portrayal of the infamous murder case. In a statement following the show's September 19 release, Menendez expressed frustration, accusing Netflix of presenting a “dishonest portrayal” of the events. He added, “It is sad for me to know that Netflix’s dishonest portrayal of the tragedies surrounding our crime have taken the painful truths several steps backward.”

On September 23, Murphy responded in an interview with Entertainment Tonight, stating, “I think it’s interesting that he’s issued a statement without having seen the show. It’s really, really hard — if it’s your life — to see your life up on screen.” He emphasized that 60 to 65 percent of the show centers on the abuse claims made by Erik and his brother Lyle. Murphy added, “We do it very carefully and we give them their day in court.”

Murphy also highlighted the importance of providing multiple perspectives in the case, stating, “It’s a ‘Rashomon’ kind of approach... We had an obligation as storytellers to also try and put in [the parents'] perspective based on our research, which we did.”

Erik Menendez’s statement criticized Murphy's handling of the story, accusing him of shaping a "horrible narrative" through "vile and appalling character portrayals." Despite the controversy, Murphy defended the series' commitment to showing all viewpoints involved in the case.