The newest Menendez brothers series, created by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan, on Netflix, has taken the internet by storm with its unique depiction of the story that rocked the nation in the ‘90s.
Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story is Murphy and Brennan’s second installment of their Monsters anthology series following the Monsters: The Jeffery Dahmer Series produced in 2022.
The show depicts the events that led up to Erik and Lyle's violent and shocking slayings of their parents, José and Kitty Menendez, in 1989 and their subsequent murder trials. While it is a fictional portrayal of the captivating crime case, the Menendez brothers — who are currently serving life sentences — have called the Netflix series "blatant lies."
"It is with a heavy heart that I say, I believe Ryan Murphy cannot be this naive and inaccurate about the facts of our lives so as to do this without bad intent," Erik wrote in a statement shared on his wife,Tammi Menendez's,X (formerly Twitter) account.
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Though Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story is the most recent portrayal of the brothers' chilling tale, it isn’t the only one. In fact, the brothers will share their side of the story in Netflix's upcoming documentary, The Menendez Brothers, which begins streaming on Oct. 7.
Here are eight documentaries, series and films that highlight this unique crime story — including a few in which Erik and Lyle have appeared themselves.
Menendez Brothers: Victims or Villians (2024)
This Fox miniseries was released on March 25, 2024, and gave its audience both sides of the coin in the case that took the country by storm in the ‘90s.
The series features interviews with experts and those associated with the Menendez brothers and gives the audience the opportunity to decide for themselves what truly happened in the case.
Menendez Brothers: Victims or Villians is currently available to stream on Fox’s website.
Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed (2023)
Premiering in 2023, Peacock's Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed docuseries explores the connection between the Menendez brothers and Menudo band member Roy Rosselló, who both accused José of sexual abuse.
In the docuseries, Rosselló alleged he was drugged and raped when he was a teen by José. Erik and Lyle are currently using Rosselló's allegations against their father to help get their case overturned.
Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed is available to stream on Peacock.
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Suburban Nightmare: The Menendez Brothers (2022)
The second installment of Tubi's Suburban Nightmare focused on the Menendez brothers' crimes. It features the brothers from a different perspective that focuses on the abuse that Erik and Lyle allegedly went through and their claims about their parents.
The docuseries premiered in 2022 following the release of the Chris Watts story, which opened the first installment of the Suburban series on Tubi.
The film, produced by Fox Entertainment, is available to stream for free on Tubi.
Menendez: Monsters or Misjudged? (2022)
The Aug. 7, 2022, portrayal of the Menendez brothers' story provides a unique blend of true accounts, videos and documents from the original case while having some of the major parts of the case reenacted by Eric Philips, who plays Erik Menendez in the film.
The film is one hour and 26 minutes long and examines a new generation’s perspective on one of the most notorious cases in crime history.
The film can be streamed on Max and Discovery+.
The Menendez Murders: Erik Tells All (2017)
In 2017, Erik appeared in the A&E series The Menendez Murders: Erik Tells All.
“You may think you know my story — but you couldn’t possibly, because I’m telling my story to you now for the first time,” he says in the show.
At the time of the docuseries' premiere, Erik said that the interview he gave for the project was the most comprehensive one he had given since being convicted of murder.
The series can be streamed on Amazon Prime Video.
Truth and Lies: The Menendez Brothers (2017)
The ABC special Truth and Lies: The Menendez Brothers examines some of the clues that may explain why the brothers committed their crimes.
Throughout the special's 120-minute run time, friends and family of the Menendez brothers give insight into the case.
The special is available to stream on Apple TV.
Law and Order True Crimes: The Menendez Murders (2017)
In 2017, a dramatization of the Menendez brothers graced the small screen for Law and Order True Crimes: The Menendez Murders. Erik and Lyle are played by Gus Halper and Miles Gaston Villanueva, respectively, while Edie Falcon takes on Erik's lawyer, Leslie Abramson.
Law and Order True Crimes: The Menendez Murders is available to stream on Apple TV.
The Menendez Brothers: Sins of the Children (1996)
This one-episode A&E crime story came out in January 1996, two months before Erik and Lyle were convicted of murder.
The episode is available to stream on Apple TV.