The recently released Netflix’s Monsters Season 2, which encapsulates the troubled lives of brothers Erik and Lyle Menendez, has left everyone divided due to its contentious subject matter. As such, many critics and experts, including Erik Menendez himself, have come out to raise questions on the legitimacy of Ryan Murphy’s Monsters, adding to the controversy. Now, in a recent interview, the co-creator has come out to respond to the backlash surrounding the show.
Ryan Murphy says ‘the Menéndez brothers should be sending me flowers’
Ryan Murphy has stated that the Menendez brothers should be grateful to Netflix’s Monsters, instead of inciting controversy.
While talking to The Hollywood Reporter, the showrunner doubled down on his thoughts regarding Erik and Lyle Menendez’s recent comments. “The Menéndez brothers should be sending me flowers. They haven’t had so much attention in 30 years,” Murphy said. “And it’s gotten the attention of not only this country but all over the world. There’s sort of an outpouring of interest in their lives and in the case. I know for a fact that many people have offered to help them because of the interest of my show and what we did.”
Despite Murphy’s strong statements, he also disclosed that he never expected an appreciative comment from the Menendez brothers or their family in the first place. Instead, he insisted that the focus of Monsters was primarily to highlight the issue of sexual abuse from the get-go. “I was interested in, specifically, the topic of male sexual abuse, and I wanted to talk about it,” Murphy said. “It’s something in our culture we rarely talk about.”
Erik Menendez previously claimed in a statement that Murphy presented a “naive and inaccurate” portrayal of the brothers’ lives. Author Robert Rand also seemingly exposed a factual error in the show in a later interview. The Menendez Murders writer highlighted how the incestuous angle depicted between the convicted siblings in the show deferred from reality.
Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story premiered on Netflix on September 19 to mixed reviews. Nevertheless, as per Entertainment Weekly, the series seems to be raking in great numbers on the streaming platform.
