“Weird” photo of Netflix’s Menendez actors sparks backlash from true crime fans
NetflixAn image of Cooper Koch and Nicholas Alexander Chavez as Erik and Lyle Menendez has sparked an angry backlash, but not for the reason you might think.
Ryan Murphy’s back on Netflix with Monster Season 2, officially titled Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, dramatizing the notorious 1989 murders of their parents Jose and Kitty and the highly-publicized trials that followed.
It’s safe to say the show has faced a strong response since landing on the streaming service yesterday (September 19), with followers of the true crime case accusing it of being “astonishingly misleading” about what really happened.
But even before the new TV show’s release, it sparked criticism over an image of the Menendez brothers’ actors. Although they have been praised for their performances, the gripe is with Murphy’s depiction of events in Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story.
One Redditor has shared photos of the pair at the LA premiere of the series, the first showing Koch and Chavez embracing with a smile, to which another responded, “First photo is giving engagement announcement, not Ryan Murphy true crime murder story premiere.”
“This is weird and I don’t think this series should have been made,” added a third, while a fourth wrote, “Ryan Murphy is the last person who should be covering true crime. He has no depth or nuance. True crime is sensitive territory and Ryan Murphy has no sensitivity.”
Going into more detail about the upset surrounding Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, one Redditor explained, “For the longest time, people’s main opinions on this case were that they were horrible kids and murderers.
“The recent revelation that their father molested another boy and recent discourse about the treatment of male survivors of sexual abuse led to a re-evaluation of the case, as well as all the evidence that wasn’t presented in the trials, changed a lot of opinions on the case now.
“I wish this series wasn’t made by Murphy because it does deserve more renewed interest by the public.”
“Just want to add, Dr. Ann Burgess (the one portrayed in Mindhunter) agreed to testify for the defense in the trial of the Menendez brothers. If you watch her documentary on Hulu, she believes that both brothers were sexually abused by their father,” said another.
“If you’re not familiar with her, she championed rape victims and her research helped build out the framework of victimology.
“Eventually, the FBI hired her as a consultant for their Behavioral Science Unit; she helped in the creation of the psychological profiles of the serial killers.”
To learn more about the case, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story is streaming on Netflix now. You can also read our breakdown of the ending, and what legal experts say about the brothers’ appeal case.