October 16, 2024

   Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story by Ryan Murphy focuses on the horrible case of the Menendez brothers, who were put on trial for the murders of their parents, José and Kitty Menendez. The show talks about the family's difficult past, including abuse and trauma, and shows how the media and public saw the case. As a way to show how stereotypes, creator bias, and majority rules can influence how people see actual events, Murphy uses the characters and their stories. 

Lyle Menendez is shown as the stronger and aggressive sibling. In his character of Lyle as tough and collected, Murphy uses creator bias, Lyle is quietly also hurt by the abuse he experienced. When things get tense, the camera tends to focus on Lyle, showing that Erik Menendez is shown as being more sensitive and emotionally weak. The idea that men should never express weakness is contrasted by Erik's breakdowns throughout the series. We can understand why Erik is more emotional by looking at flashbacks of the abuse both brothers experienced. By showing that weakness is a common reaction to stress and disaster, Murphy's image of Erik contrasts the idea that guys should always keep their emotions to themselves. 

Murphy also takes fault with the Menendez brother being described as spoiled murderers. The media's focus on their rich lifestyle rather than their traumatic past is an example of creator bias. Murphy clarifies the false belief that those who are rich are always privileged and without any guilt by showing the brothers' pain and suffering. The show's scenes are combined with factual news information to show how the media's bias created a false image and caused people to go against them without considering all the facts. 

With everything being taken into consideration, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story gives a in depth look at the story of the Menendez brothers, showing how their actions were affected by trauma and abuse. The show forces viewers to question how the public and media view true crime stories by doubting stereotypes, creator bias, and popular opinion.