Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story may not be as horrifying as its predecessor, the Jeffrey Dahmer series, but viewers should be prepared for intense content. The Netflix series kicks off with the murder scene depicted in “graphic”detail right from the first episode.
Warning: The following text contains spoilers and may be distressing for some readers.
In Season 2 of Ryan Murphy’s true crime anthology series, the focus is on the infamous case of Erik and Lyle Menendez, the brothers who murdered their affluent parents, Jose and Mary Louise “Kitty” , in 1989.
The Netflix series not only dramatizes the events leading up to the murders but also covers the ensuing legal battles. Episode 1 makes a daring choice by including the brutal killings at the outset.
The episode opens with Jose (Javier Bardem) and Kitty (Chloë Sevigny) watching television in their Beverly Hills mansion’s den when Lyle (Nicholas Chavez) and Erik (Cooper Koch) enter, armed with 12-gauge shotguns.
Erik begins by shooting his father multiple times, before shifting the gun toward Kitty and shooting her through the hand. This scene is particularly graphic, with close-up shots of her fingers being severely injured in a bloody explosion.
Lyle then shoots their parents repeatedly from behind, as they moan in pain, before delivering a fatal shot to Jose’s head. Again, this is an unsettling segment, as the audience witnesses the bullet traversing through his eye socket, resulting in a horrific injury.
Just finished the first episode of MONSTERS and Nicholas Alexander Chavez is ELECTRIC as Lyle Menendez. It’s a star-making performance. Studios should be looking at him immediately if they aren’t already. EXTREMELY graphic murder scene. Brace yourselves…
— Jeff Sneider (@TheInSneider) September 19, 2024
The graphic scene is particularly haunting because it is based on a true story. According to the autopsy, Jose was shot six times, with a fatal bullet wound to the back of his head, while Kitty suffered ten gunshot wounds.
This shocking portrayal has drawn significant attention from viewers since the release of Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story on Netflix today (September 19), many expressing their disbelief over the violent opening episode.
After lauding Nicholas Alexander Chavez’s “electric” performance as Lyle, entertainment insider Jeff Sneider commented, “Just finished the first episode of Monsters… Extremely graphic murder scene. Brace yourselves…”
Another viewer said, “I was actually shaken by how graphic the murder scene was. It’s Ryan Murphy, I shouldn’t have been, but it was horrific to watch.” A third added, “Just finished the first episode. More graphic than I expected.”
Additionally, one X/Twitter user wrote, “I can’t process what I just saw… The first chapter of Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story surprised me greatly; I never imagined they would include THE SCENE.”
“The murder scene was BRUTAL, didn’t expect that,” reported another user.
However, some viewers have pointed out inaccuracies, noting that Jose was reportedly shot in the back of the head first, meaning he never saw his killers. A user commented, “Why does every show about the Menendez brothers get the shooting scene WRONG EVERY TIME!!! Their parents were facing away from them and Jose never saw who shot him #MonstersNetflix.”
In response, another X/Twitter user argued, “It’s a TV show and showing their reaction is more cinematic. It’s not that hard to understand. Things are going to be dramatized.”
Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story is now available for streaming on Netflix. For those familiar with the case or unfazed by spoilers, you can check out our detailed analysis of the series’ ending.
For further true crime insights, read about the most shocking moments in Into the Fire: The Lost Daughter, discover whether Brenda Bowman was ever arrested, and learn how to watch the Huw Edwards documentary in the U.S.
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