As a child of the ’90s who grew up watching Court TV and Saturday Night Live skits about the Menendez brothers, I must admit that I was always intrigued by their story but never truly understood its complexity. The recent resurgence of interest in the case, fueled by TikTok and Instagram creators, has opened my eyes to a whole new perspective.
As a devoted admirer, I’m excited to delve into Ryan Murphy’s latest reinvention – the second installment in his chilling “Monster” series. This time, it’s not just one monstrous tale, but multiple perspectives on the gripping 1989 murders of José and Kitty Menendez, much like the renowned Rashomon narrative style.
The series portrays the dramatic transformation following the fateful night when a couple was brutally murdered in their Brentwood residence by their own sons. After unveiling the pilot episode during its premiere in New York last week, Murphy and fellow show creator Ian Brennan disclosed that the concept for this project originated from social media influencers on TikTok and Instagram who have relentlessly advocated for the brothers’ release from prison for a prolonged period.
The Netflix original series, Monsters: The Erik and Lyle Menendez Story, releases this Thursday with all episodes available, offers a fresh perspective on a case that many Americans believed was a clear-cut instance of spoiled sons committing matricide for lavish living. However, the show delves into the alleged abuse the defendants testified about during their trials, suggesting that their father, RCA executive José Menendez, had been emotionally and sexually abusing them for years while their mother remained inactive.
A belief in this once-scuttled notion of prolonged abuse — which was not even admissible at their second, joint trial that ended with both sons being found guilty and handed life sentences with no possibility of parole — is central to the TikTok movement that inspired the series. The reexamination of the Menendez boys’ defense spread via several TikTok videos and then gained momentum after a former member of the boy band Menudo claimed in 2023 that he was sexually assaulted by José Menendez as a child.
At a recent gathering in New York on the 12th of September, Murphy expressed surprise when he noticed numerous TikTok videos from young individuals, particularly young women, discussing the Lyle and Erik case. He found it striking how relevant this case still felt to them.
Brennan, who has collaborated with Murphy since the days of “Glee,” noted that nowadays, there’s a common language to consider and talk about issues like sex abuse and mental health, which wasn’t prevalent back in the ’90s during the trial period that was broadcast on cable TV.
I wasn’t old enough to understand the case when it occurred, since we didn’t have cable TV and thus couldn’t watch it on Court TV. My only knowledge came from ‘Saturday Night Live,’ where the skit depicted people crying on the stand. This was the extent of people’s understanding: ‘Look at those men crying in court!’, with little consideration for why they might be weeping.
He stated, “It wasn’t a complex approach to understanding trauma; we have a better grasp of it today. It seems incredibly vibrant and alive for a particular age range who often look at their parents’ era with wonder, thinking, ‘You were oblivious, you didn’t know how to perceive the world.’
Jordan Wynn established an Instagram account, @revisiting_menendez, supporting Menendez, following his complete viewing of the trial on YouTube. In an interview with The New York Times in 2021, he expressed his disgust at how the media both during and after the event minimized the abuse inflicted by the brothers. He also cited attorney Alan Dershowitz’s 1994 book, The Abuse Excuse, as a clear demonstration of disregarding any understanding of trauma’s impact and instead blaming the victims for fabricating allegations to escape punishment.
For Whynn and other content creators on TikTok and Instagram, the sensational Menendez trial from the ’90s serves as inspiration for their pursuit of truth, justice, and fairness. Notably, this series aligns with the brothers’ third attempt at requesting a habeas hearing, which is the initial step towards potentially reducing their sentence to time already served.
The question of whether the series Monsters, known for its mix of horror and humor, with an opening episode containing one of the most intense, disturbing murder scenes aired on basic cable, will assist their case is yet to be determined. If Netflix can encourage a reevaluation of their actions behind the brutal murders that have become synonymous with them, similar to how TikTok and Instagram have already impacted perceptions, they might gain their freedom. There appears to be growing curiosity: Google search queries for their name have quadrupled this week.
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2024-09-20 00:24