Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story dominates Netflix’s global chart a few days after its release. Following the success of Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story in 2022, the second season of Ryan Murphy’s anthology series centers on Lyle and Erik Menendez, brothers who murdered their parents in 1989 and were finally convicted in 1996. Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story‘s cast includes Cooper Koch, Nicholas Alexander Chavez, Javier Bardem, Chloë Sevigny, Nathan Lane, Ari Graynor, and more.
Now, a few days after returning for a second season, Ryan Murphy’s most controversial series is dominating Netflix’s global chart. Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story ranked as the most-watched TV show on Netflix’s Global Top 10 for the week of September 16-22 with 12.3 million views and 97.5 million hours viewed. It ranked ahead of The Perfect Couple, Emily in Paris season 4, and Prison Break rounding out the top five.
How Does Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story Compare To Jeffrey Dahmer?
Season 2 Remains Controversial & Divisive
Released in 2022, Monster season 1, subtitled The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, featured Evan Peters as the titular serial killer. While the first season recognized the danger of glorifying Dahmer, reviews criticized Ryan Murphy’s provocative style for pushing the story uncomfortably close to exploitation, resulting in a 57% Rotten Tomatoes score from critics and an 82% audience score. Despite mixed reviews, the first season proved to be a commercial success, hitting the number-one spot on Netflix during its first week and, within 28 days, became Netflix’s second most-watched English-language series of all time.
Though it was originally conceived as a limited series, Monster was renewed for second and third seasons following the commercial success of The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. Similar to the first season, The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story is now also a commercial success despite mixed reviews. While critics are once again praising the lead performances, they are criticizing the show’s lengthy runtime, uneven tone, and the portrayal of the Menéndez brothers’ relationship as incestuous, resulting in 47% and 48% on Rotten Tomatoes, a significant drop in audience reception from season 1 to 2.
Our Take On Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story’s Netflix Success
What Does It Mean For Monster Season 3?
Similar to season 1, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story has received mixed reviews and remained controversial for arguably exploiting its subject. While the first two seasons are both commercial successes, the second season suffered a significant drop in audience reception from 82% to 48% on Rotten Tomatoes. This, while not affecting season 2 commercially, could end up having an effect on Monster season 3, which is set to focus on serial killer Ed Gein, played by Charlie Hunnam.
Source: Netflix