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Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story

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Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story
Promotional release poster
Showrunners
Starring
No. of episodes9
Release
Original networkNetflix
Original releaseSeptember 19, 2024 (2024-09-19)
Season chronology

Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story is the second season of the American biographical crime drama anthology television series Monster, created by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan for Netflix. This season centers on the 1989 murders of José (Javier Bardem) and Kitty Menéndez (Chloë Sevigny), who were killed by their sons, Lyle (Nicholas Alexander Chavez) and Erik (Cooper Koch).[1][2] It was released on September 19, 2024.

It is the second season in the Monster anthology series, following Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. Having initially ordered the program in 2020 as a limited series, Netflix announced on November 7, 2022 that it had been renewed as an anthology series, with two further editions based on the lives of "other monstrous figures".[1] The second season, which focuses on the Menéndez brothers, was first announced to be in development on May 1, 2023.[3]

The third season will explore the life of serial killer Ed Gein, portrayed by Charlie Hunnam.[4]

Synopsis

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Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story chronicles the case of the real-life brothers convicted in 1996 for the murders of their parents, José and Kitty Menéndez. While the prosecution argued they were seeking to inherit their family fortune, the brothers claimed - and remain adamant to this day, as they serve life sentences without the possibility of parole - that their actions stemmed out of fear from a lifetime of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse.[5]

Cast and characters

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Main

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  • Nicholas Alexander Chavez as Lyle Menéndez: The older Menéndez brother, who, along with his younger brother Erik, killed their parents in 1989. He is eventually convicted for first-degree murder and sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.[6]
  • Cooper Koch as Erik Menéndez: the younger Menéndez brother, who, along with his older brother Lyle, killed their parents in 1989. He is eventually convicted for first-degree murder and sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.[6]
  • Javier Bardem as José Menéndez: Lyle and Erik's father. Born in Cuba, he is a wealthy and powerful businessman in the entertainment industry, serving as an executive at RCA Records and the CEO of Live Entertainment. He is described as an ambitious and controlling father who imposes high expectations on his sons. Lyle and Erik allege that they killed José in self-defense after years of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse.[6]
  • Chloë Sevigny as Mary Louise "Kitty" Menéndez: Lyle and Erik's mother who struggles with mental health issues, including depression, alcoholism, and substance abuse. After the murders, Lyle and Erik claim that Kitty had been complicit in the alleged abuse they suffered from their father.
  • Nathan Lane as Dominick Dunne: a prominent journalist known for his keen interest in high-profile criminal cases. Writing for Vanity Fair, Dunne becomes a key voice in shaping public perception of the brothers' story.[6]
  • Ari Graynor as Leslie Abramson: Erik's lead defense attorney. A notable criminal defense lawyer in Los Angeles, she is known for her tenacious and aggressive courtroom style, focusing on presenting graphic evidence with explicit details to support the abuse claims.[6]

Recurring

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Episodes

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No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date
111"Blame It on the Rain"Carl FranklinRyan Murphy & Ian BrennanSeptember 19, 2024 (2024-09-19)
Following the murder of their parents, José and Kitty Menendez, which they initially blame on the mob, Lyle and Erik Menendez are taken into custody by the FBI temporally. Haunted by nightmares of his parents dying, Erik visits Dr. Jerome Oziel and confesses that he and his brother were the ones who killed his parents and why they chose to do so. His father, José, was controlling and physically abusive while his mother, Kitty, was suicidal and addicted to drugs. Following the confession, Dr. Oziel calls Lyle into an office while calling his mistress, Judalon, to witness the confession. At the office, Lyle denies that they killed his parents and leaves with Erik.
122"Spree"Carl FranklinIan Brennan & David McMillanSeptember 19, 2024 (2024-09-19)
After killing their parents, Lyle and Erik spend part of the night outside in order to have an alibi. Upon returning, the brothers call the police to report the murder, but the police suspect something is off. Sometime later, the brothers begin to spend a lot of money on luxury products, although they think that their father disinherited them and that they must find the will before it is read. After opening the safe where they thought the will was, a servant gives it to Lyle and they realize that their father left them everything. Two months later, the police send a friend of Erik's to acquire a confession without success. Dr. Oziel continues with the brothers in therapy and offers them to be his business partner. After Oziel kicks his mistress Judalon out of his house, in a fit of rage, she goes to the police station after learning everything about the Menendez case.
133"Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?"Paris BarclayIan Brennan & David McMillanSeptember 19, 2024 (2024-09-19)
After Judalon reveals to the police about Dr. Ozil's Menendez case tapes, the police go to Ozil's house to obtain them, where they hear the brothers' confession. Lyle and Erik are then arrested by the police and sent to jail to await trial. In jail, the brothers have a hard time adjusting to their new life, although Erik befriends an inmate. Although the brothers are unaware of the seriousness of the incident and its possible consequences, their lawyer, Mr. Shapiro, reveals to them that they face the death penalty. After hearing the information, Erik considers telling the truth about his parents, but Lyle refuses. The guards discover a plan by Lyle to escape with Erik and transfer him to a different cell. After firing Shapiro as their lawyer, the family hires Leslie Abramson as Erik Menendez's lawyer. Leslie makes him talk to Dr. William Vicary and tells him that he was sexually abused by his brother Lyle, which was what Jose did to him.
144"Kill Or Be Killed"Paris BarclayIan Brennan & David McMillanSeptember 19, 2024 (2024-09-19)
155"The Hurt Man"Michael UppendahlIan BrennanSeptember 19, 2024 (2024-09-19)
166"Don't Dream It's Over"Max WinklerRyan Murphy & Ian BrennanSeptember 19, 2024 (2024-09-19)
177"Showtime"Michael UppendahlDavid McMillan & Reilly Smith & Todd KubrakSeptember 19, 2024 (2024-09-19)
188"Seismic Shifts"Ian BrennanIan BrennanSeptember 19, 2024 (2024-09-19)
199"Hang Men"Michael UppendahlDavid McMillan & Reilly Smith & Todd Kubrak & Ian BrennanSeptember 19, 2024 (2024-09-19)

Production

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Development

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Monster was initially ordered as a limited series based on the serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer. On November 7, 2022, Netflix announced that it had been renewed as an anthology series based on famous convicted killers.[9][10] On May 1, 2023, it was confirmed that the second season, titled Monsters, will focus on Lyle and Erik Menéndez, two brothers who were convicted for the 1989 murders of their parents in Beverly Hills, California.[11]

Casting

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On June 29, 2023, Deadline reported that Cooper Koch and Nicholas Alexander Chavez were cast as Erik and Lyle Menéndez, respectively.[12] On January 15, 2024, it was announced that Javier Bardem and Chloë Sevigny had joined the cast as José and Kitty, respectively.[13] That same day, Nathan Lane was cast as Dominick Dunne.[14] On February 1, 2024, Ari Graynor joined as Leslie Abramson.[15] Leslie Grossman was added that same month as Judalon Smyth.[16]

Filming

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Production for the season was initially set for September 2023, but was postponed due to the SAG-AFTRA and WAG strikes.[17] Principal photography took place from March to July 2024 in Los Angeles, California.[18]

Music

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Julia and Thomas Newman composed the original score.[19] The official soundtrack album was released on various streaming platforms on September 13, 2024, prior to the release of the season.[20]

Release

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Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story was released on Netflix on September 19, 2024.[21][22]

See also

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Notes

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References

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  1. ^ a b Blistein, Jon (September 4, 2024). "The Menendez Brothers Take Family Drama to New Extremes in Monsters Trailer". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
  2. ^ Bitran, Tara; Thao, Philippe (September 13, 2024). "Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story Will Take the Stand This September". TUDUM Netflix. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
  3. ^ Cordero, Rosy (June 29, 2023). "Monster Season 2: Netflix's Ryan Murphy Anthology Series Finds Its Menendez Brothers In Cooper Koch & Nicholas Alexander Chavez". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
  4. ^ Otterson, Joe (September 17, 2024). "'Monster' Season 3 Sets Charlie Hunnam to Star as Ed Gein". Variety. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
  5. ^ Netflix (September 4, 2024). MONSTERS: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story | Official Trailer #1 | Netflix. Retrieved September 6, 2024 – via YouTube.
  6. ^ a b c d e Burack, Emily (September 19, 2024). "The Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story Casting Is So Spot-On". Town & Country.
  7. ^ a b c d e Cite error: The named reference TC cast2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Abrahamson, Alan. "Ex-Girlfriend Counters Menendezes' Testimony". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
  9. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (October 2, 2020). "Netflix Greenlights Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story Limited Series From Ryan Murphy & Ian Brennan; Richard Jenkins Co-Stars, Carl Franklin & Janet Mock EP". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on November 18, 2021. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  10. ^ White, Peter (November 7, 2022). "Netflix Expands Ryan Murphy's Monster Franchise With Two More Installments Following Dahmer Success & Renews The Watcher For Season 2". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 29, 2022. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  11. ^ Schneider, Michael (May 1, 2023). "'Monster' Season 2: Menéndez Brothers Are the Next Subjects of Ryan Murphy's Netflix Series". Variety. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
  12. ^ Cordero, Rosy (June 29, 2023). "Monster Season 2: Netflix's Ryan Murphy Anthology Series Finds Its Menendez Brothers In Cooper Koch & Nicholas Alexander Chavez". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on July 20, 2023. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
  13. ^ Grobar, Matt (January 15, 2024). "Monster Season 2 Enlists Javier Bardem & Chloë Sevigny To Portray Menendez Parents". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on January 15, 2024. Retrieved January 15, 2024.
  14. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (January 15, 2024). "Monsters: Nathan Lane Cast As Dominick Dunne In Netflix Series, Reuniting With Ryan Murphy". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on January 15, 2024. Retrieved January 15, 2024.
  15. ^ Petski, Denise; Andreeva, Nellie (February 1, 2024). "Monsters: Ari Graynor Cast As Leslie Abramson In Ryan Murphy's Netflix Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 1, 2024. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  16. ^ Petski, Denise (February 5, 2024). "Monsters: Leslie Grossman Cast As Judalon Smyth In Ryan Murphy's Netflix Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 5, 2024. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
  17. ^ Moore, Kasey (September 10, 2024). "'Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story': Netflix Release Date, Trailer, Episode Titles & Everything We Know". What's on Netflix. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
  18. ^ "Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story Production Info - Up-To-Date Actor". uptodateactor.com. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
  19. ^ filmmusicreporter (August 26, 2024). "Thomas Newman & Julia Newman Scoring Netflix's Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story". Film Music Reporter. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  20. ^ "Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story (Soundtrack from the Netflix Series)". open.spotify.com. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
  21. ^ Bitran, Tara; Thao, Phillipe (February 1, 2024). "Javier Bardem and Chloë Sevigny Join Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 28, 2024. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  22. ^ Petski, Denise (August 20, 2024). "Monsters: The Lyle And Erik Menendez Story Gets Netflix Premiere Date; Unveils Teaser Trailer". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 21, 2024.
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