Ryan Murphy is back with Monster Season 2, officially titled Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story. With its highly anticipated Netflix release date just around the corner, you’ll want to know the exact time to tune in.
Despite facing criticism for “romanticizing” cannibalistic serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer in the first season, Monster became a worldwide sensation. It achieved remarkable success, joining hits like Stranger Things and Squid Game by surpassing a billion hours in viewing time.
This season dramatizes a different case focused on brothers Erik and Lyle Menendez and their 1989 murder of their parents, Jose and Kitty. The narrative raises important questions about whether the brothers were victims of abuse or cold-blooded killers.
As the Menendez brothers continue their fight for freedom while serving life sentences, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story will explore their family dynamics and the incidents leading up to the double homicide.
Monster Season 2 Release Date & Time
Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story premieres on Netflix on Thursday, September 19, at 12am PT / 3am ET.
All episodes will be available at once on the streaming platform, so you won’t have to wait weekly for new content. Here’s when to watch in different time zones:
- 12am PT
- 3am ET
- 4am Brazil
- 8am UK
- 9am Central European Summer Time
- 12:30pm India Standard Time
- 5pm Australia
- 7pm New Zealand
How Many Episodes Are There?
Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story consists of nine episodes. Although the runtime has not been disclosed, we anticipate each episode will last between 50 and 60 minutes.
The titles of the episodes are as follows:
- Episode 1: ‘Blame It On The Rain’
- Episode 2: ‘Spree’
- Episode 3: ‘Brother, Can You Spare A Dime?’
- Episode 4: ‘Kill Or Be Killed’
- Episode 5: ‘The Hurt Man’
- Episode 6: ‘Don’t Dream It’s Over’
- Episode 7: ‘Showtime’
- Episode 8: ‘Seismic Shifts’
- Episode 9: ‘Hang Men’
This new season differs from Monster Season 1, which featured ten episodes.
Monster Season 2 Cast is Packed with Talent
The cast of Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story includes Javier Bardem as Jose Menendez, Chloë Sevigny as Kitty Menendez, Cooper Koch as Erik Menendez, and Nicholas Chavez as Lyle Menendez.
Other notable cast members include:
- Nathan Lane as Dominick Dunne, the investigative journalist who covered the trials
- Ari Graynor as Leslie Abramson, Erik’s lead counsel
- Dallas Roberts as Dr. Jerome Oziel, Erik’s controversial therapist
- Leslie Grossman as Judalon Smyth, a former patient and mistress of Oziel
- Jason Butler Harner as Les Zoeller, the Beverly Hills PD detective in charge of the case
- Enrique Murciano as Carlos Baralt, the Menendez brothers’ uncle
Javier Bardem, known for his roles in No Country for Old Men, Dune, and Mother!, takes on the patriarch role. Chloë Sevigny has starred in acclaimed films and shows like Gummo, Kids, American Psycho, and American Horror Story. Cooper Koch and Nicholas Chavez are rising stars, with their roles in this series expected to elevate their careers.
What to Expect from the Netflix Show
Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story will delve into the brothers’ claims of abuse while depicting the events surrounding the tragic murders of Jose and Kitty Menendez.
The official synopsis states, “While the prosecution argued that the brothers killed their parents to inherit their wealth, Erik and Lyle maintain that their actions were a result of a lifetime of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse inflicted by their parents.”
Monster Season 2 will explore the abuse allegations in depth.
“Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story investigates the legendary case that captured global attention, shaped the modern obsession with true crime, and questions: who are the actual monsters?”
During a screening for the series, Murphy noted the significant social media reactions, especially numerous TikToks from young audiences discussing the Menendez case.
Co-creator Ian Brennan commented, “We now have a language to discuss topics like sexual abuse and mental health that wasn’t available at that time.”
He further explained his familiarity with the case from a young age, despite not having access to television coverage: “I remember the sketches about the brothers crying on the stand but did not grasp the trauma they were experiencing.”
The real Erik and Lyle Menendez are continuing their fight from behind bars.
Regarding the show, Murphy drew parallels to Dahmer, noting its exploration of societal injustices: “This season is about understanding the narratives surrounding abuse – who is believed and who is not. Everything here is based on extensive research.”
He emphasized the series’ overarching theme of “how monsters are made, not born.”
For more true crime insights, check out the most shocking moments in Into the Fire: The Lost Daughter, find out if Brenda Bowman was ever arrested, and learn how to watch the Huw Edwards documentary in the US.
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