As a seasoned storyteller with a knack for delving into the darker corners of human nature, Ryan Murphy has once again proven his mettle by moving on from the Menendez brothers’ tale and venturing into new, intriguing territories. His passion for unearthing untold stories, particularly those that shine a light on taboo subjects like male sexual abuse, is truly commendable.
Ryan Murphy has much to rejoice about. Not only did he accomplish something no other producer has managed before – launching six shows within ten days, but each one of these shows has been a success on their individual streaming services.
He admitted to The Hollywood Reporter on Tuesday that he’s puzzled about managing such a busy schedule recently, as he was exhausted after collapsing the previous night. Over the past month, he premiered FX’s American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez, Netflix’s Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, FX’s Grotesquerie, ABC’s Doctor Odyssey, and returned to series 911 on ABC and 911: Lone Star at Fox. Remarkably, all these productions were successful and debuted as number ones, and they continue to perform well across different platforms. He expressed his gratitude for everyone who works at his company, acknowledging the hard work everyone has put in over nearly 18 months to make this success possible.
For two weeks consecutively, “Monsters” maintained the top spot on Netflix’s worldwide TV rankings, accumulating a total of 19.5 million viewing hours (calculated by dividing total viewing time by the show’s duration). The series was also among Netflix’s top 10 shows in a staggering 89 countries. Since its debut on September 19, it has garnered a total of 31.8 million views based on figures provided by Netflix.
On ABC television network, the shows “911” (attracting 4.93 million viewers) and the new series “Doctor Odyssey” (with 4.23 million viewers) ranked as the top and third most watched programs of the week, respectively, in terms of overall viewership (excluding sports events). Notably, “Doctor Odyssey” became ABC’s most viewed drama series premiere since “Big Sky” back in 2020. Adding up three days of cross-platform viewing, “Doctor Odyssey” drew a total audience of 7.59 million viewers. On the other hand, the final season of “911: Lone Star” premiered on Fox with 4.9 million multi-platform viewers, marking the network’s highest non-sports viewership for that particular week.
As a devoted gamer, I’ve always kept my eyes glued to Hulu’s most-watched list. Ever since their debuts, shows like Doctor Odyssey, 911, and the two FX series have consistently held top spots.
In the interview with THR, Murphy discusses the astounding figures while also expressing his views on the significant response to Monsters. He shares his genuine feelings towards the Menendez brothers, explaining why he endorsed Netflix’s production of a documentary featuring the brothers, which premieres this weekend on the streaming platform. Furthermore, he hints at upcoming shows from his portfolio that he plans to release next.
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Over the last ten days, you’ve debuted no less than six different series. I can’t imagine anyone has managed to release so many in such a short span of time before now.
I find it quite astonishing. It seems as if everything fell into place – it couldn’t have worked out any better. What astounds me is this alignment of events. I’ve been toiling over many of these projects for two or three years, but due to the strike and various instructions – timing and reporting requirements – they were all scheduled for that particular date. It struck me as quite intriguing because I’m not aware of anyone else having done something similar, and more than that, I appreciate the dynamic atmosphere it brings. There’s an immense amount of creativity and effort being put forth by our brand simultaneously. Despite the differences between the shows, they all share a common essence.
When all the shows launch simultaneously, how do you manage to give each program equal focus and attention during that initial period?
Due to my role as a father of three, I’ve honed my multitasking skills exceptionally well. Balancing the love for each of them equally (smiles) isn’t always easy, but it’s a daily fire that needs to be extinguished. When you’re juggling multiple productions, every day brings a new challenge: “What issue do I tackle today?” Yet, I thrive on the dynamic nature of it all. Each production is unique – one is a true crime series, another focuses on sports, there’s a horror show that stems from my imagination, and a tribute to the ABC shows I grew up with. The variety keeps things interesting, and I’ve enjoyed every moment of working on each project. I take immense pride in the cast and crew. To be honest, I’m not sure how I managed it all, considering I hit the hay exhausted last night. My partner David [Miller] wasn’t surprised, saying, “Well, of course you’re tired.” So, today I’m focusing on my health with a dose of vitamins.
Will you ever repeat this type of rollout again?
It’s unlikely that I would repeat the experience of releasing six shows in a month. While creating engaging and successful content is crucial, there’s also the added responsibility of managing marketing and advertising efforts. In my company, I handle this task with all our network partners single-handedly. So, we need to sell not just one product, but several. It’s like performing for dinner, as they say. Therefore, I’m leaning towards saying no to six shows again. However, next time, I might aim for eight! Honestly, I’m unsure, but my instinct says no. When we embarked on this journey, many questioned whether I could handle it. But here we are, and I’m glad it happened.
Has there been such a response to the Monsters series on Netflix? Now that we understand how viewers are engaging with the show, do you feel certain that by the time it concludes, those who watch until the end will find that the series met your original intentions?
Absolutely, we aimed for our goals without compromise. Let me share my perspective on the Menendez brothers. Frankly, they ought to be sending me bouquets. They’ve received such intense focus after three decades. This renewed interest has captivated not just America, but the entire globe. It seems there’s a surge of curiosity about their lives and the case itself. I can confirm that numerous individuals have expressed a desire to assist them, largely due to my show’s impact. However, it’s safe to say that neither the Menendez brothers nor their representatives would ever praise our portrayal as accurate or favorable. Such approval was never an aspiration, and it wasn’t something I sought.
What the Menendez brothers and their associates seem to be overlooking is the fact that we were painting a vast picture with our story. We depicted the lives of Dominick Dunne, portrayed by Nathan Lane, as well as Leslie Abramson, played by Ari Graynor. Furthermore, we delved into the stories of their parents, José and Kitty Menendez, who they fatally shot; their stories were also part of our narrative. We felt a great responsibility towards numerous individuals, not just Erik and Lyle. However, what intrigues me is that they are now portraying themselves as victims – “poor, unfortunate souls” – which I find repugnant and appalling.
I’m delighted by the response the story is receiving, especially the performances of Cooper [Koch] and Nicholas [Alexander Chavez], who have put in a tremendous effort to portray those characters authentically. While I may not hold as much empathy towards the Menendez brothers as they do, it’s clear that they’ve captured both sides of their complex personalities. It seems they were once questionable individuals, but are now possibly on the path of redemption. This narrative certainly presents a multi-faceted portrait, which I find fascinating.
Netflix unveiled the Menendez Brothers’ documentary not long after the release of ‘Monsters’, featuring fresh audio interviews from them. Would you consider watching this documentary alongside ‘Monsters’, and are you interested in checking it out?
Instead of watching the documentary, I choose not to, as I hold no curiosity towards anything else related to the Menendez brothers. To be clear, I don’t desire to watch the documentary, meet them, talk with their legal representatives or their spouses. My primary intention was to tell a broader story, one that encompasses cultural aspects, rather than creating a biography about them. In essence, I was narrating a tale of a specific period in history. To clarify further, I am confident the documentary will appeal to them, as it seems to feature their perspectives extensively. Apparently, there’s fresh information they claim, such as details about alleged sexual abuse from their mother, who they accused of abusing them in this manner.
The intrigue surrounding this tale has captivated many, including myself, as its true events remain undiscovered. It stands as an enigma that may forever elude us. The narrative centers around four individuals, two of whom suffered gunshots to the face. This ambiguity fuels endless curiosity, as we can’t determine if their statements were truthful, if they were victims of sexual abuse, or if the parents were indeed monstrous. The unknown leaves us questioning and captivated.
Regarding Netflix, they’ve been fantastic collaborators. They unveiled a documentary on Jeffrey Dahmer just a fortnight after [“Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story”] was released. I believe these productions can complement each other beautifully. Naturally, they sought my thoughts, and I endorsed the idea. It’s a unique perspective on an enigmatic tale that many find intriguing, as it encourages viewers to reflect on their relationships with their parents and themselves. The Menendez brothers’ story, in particular, is quite captivating. So, my advice is, dive right in!
The following year, we’ll be presenting the Ed Gein tale, featuring Charlie Hunnam portraying the serial killer, which is an entirely unique take on the ‘Monster’. However, if they’re interested in a documentary about the Ed Gein case, that sounds fantastic! I appreciate how Netflix delves into such subjects.
As a gamer, I’ve washed my hands of the Menendez case now that it’s been unleashed into the world. Next up, new challenges on my gaming horizon!
I really did say everything I had to say about them, and there’s nothing they can tell me that I feel I don’t know. I know what their perspective is. I know what they’re going to say. It’s what they’ve always said; I don’t know if it’s the truth. What I really wanted to do, we did. I was never that interested in the Menendez brothers. What I was interested in was the topic of sexual abuse. I was interested in, specifically, the topic of male sexual abuse, and I wanted to talk about it. It’s something in our culture we rarely talk about. I did think it was outrageous during that [Menendez] trial that so many men, particularly in the second trial, felt there was no such thing as male sexual abuse. That was an outrage. I was interested in that. And I know that’s launched a lot of conversations. In my own life, so many people have reached out to me who I didn’t even know were sexually abused. Our show gave them a way to have a conversation. And for that, I am tremendously proud.
In the year 2023, an application for habeas corpus was submitted with the aim of lessening their sentences. Fresh proof has emerged, some of which I previously discussed. Could this potentially lead to another court hearing or trial?
It seems reasonable to me that any fresh evidence should be scrutinized, as I believe the initial trial was not just. The events following the L.A. riots and O.J. [Simpson] case created an environment in Los Angeles that may have prevented those brothers from receiving a fair trial. Therefore, if new evidence arises, it ought to be considered.
What shows are you filming next, and what shows will be coming out next from you?
This coming Friday, I’ll be directing a highly anticipated show titled “All’s Fair “, featuring stars like Kim Kardashian, Glenn Close, Naomi Watts, Sarah Paulson, and Niecy Nash. This is expected to air next fall, following its production this week. Once I wrap up with that project, I’ll be jetting off to New York and Europe to collaborate with Evan Peters, Jeremy Pope, Anthony Ramos, and Ashton Kutcher on “The Beauty“. After completing that, I’ll move on to the Carolyn Bessette-JFK love story for American Love Story at FX. We plan to start filming this in the spring. All in all, I’m busy but grateful, as they say, because I adore my work. And following that, “American Horror Stories” is set to release in October, making for a productive and fruitful period.
When is the next season of American Horror Story coming?
Indeed, it’s a thought-provoking query! I recently chatted with Sarah Paulson and Evan Peters on this topic, which suggests we might be closer to the answer than one might initially assume.
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2024-10-01 23:25