‘Despicable’: Viewers slam fictitious kiss in ‘Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story’
Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story sparked outrage after it included a kissing scene that viewers believe misrepresents the brothers.
The series tackles the true crime case of the Menéndez brothers, who were found guilty of murdering their parents, José and Kitty Menéndez. Although prosecutors argued that their crime was motivated by their family’s fortune, the brothers claimed that they had experienced physical, emotional, and sexual abuse at the hands of their father, causing them to commit the murder out of fear and distress.
The brothers’ allegations added a layer of complexity to the crime and resulted in both brothers initially experiencing mistrials due to deadlocked juries. The pair received a third trial, in which they were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. However, questions have lingered over whether the trial was rigged, as evidence of the abuse the brothers suffered was excluded.
Given how convoluted the case is, many were skeptical of Monsters tackling the story. The controversial series first tackled Jeffrey Dahmer in season 1 and received criticism for romanticizing Dahmer (Evan Peters) and needlessly forcing his victims to relive their trauma. Now, its depiction of the Menéndez brothers is facing staunch criticism, especially for what viewers believe is an inaccurate portrayal of the brothers’ relationship.
Why a kissing scene in Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story is stirring controversy
On social media and Rotten Tomatoes, audiences have slammed Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story for misrepresenting the case. Many viewers have accused it of wrongfully painting the Menendez brothers as “monsters” while glossing over the complexity of the case and failing to use it as an opportunity to raise awareness of child abuse. However, one scene in particular has drawn viewers’ ire.
The scene in question takes place after the brothers have committed the murders. Lyle (Nicholas Alexander Chavez) tries to assure his younger brother, Erik (Cooper Koch), that everything will work out and that they have bright futures ahead of them. At the end of his speech, he leans forward and kisses his brother on the lips. The scene is one of several that hints the brothers had an incestuous relationship.
For once, the backlash isn’t the usual bad actors losing it over a gay kiss. Instead, many are genuinely upset that the show seemingly invented this relationship to sensationalize the case. Given that the brothers were alleged victims of incest at the hands of their father, it seems especially wrong for the show to fantasize about the brothers’ relationship.
The scene even had some viewers taking to Reddit to question whether the brothers were romantically involved. However, there is no evidence to suggest the brothers were lovers. During the trial, though, Lyle confessed to molesting Erik when they were children as a result of the horrific environment they grew up in. Portraying them as lovers completely twists the story and egregiously tries to sexualize two brothers who were alleged victims of abuse and incest.
Viewers aren’t the only ones who have slammed Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story. Erik has also spoken out against the series via a statement shared on social media by his wife, Tammi. In his statement, he slams the show for creating “caricatures” of him and Lyle and “slandering” them with its false information.
He accuses the show of hurting the “decades of progress” that have occurred since the trial in terms of society believing men can be victims of sexual abuse. Erik concluded by reiterating what the true message of his case should be, which is that “violence against a child creates a hundred horrendous and silent crime scenes.”
Not only is the implication of an incestuous relationship fictitious, but the show very bizarrely tries to paint incest as sexy and romantic … in a series about men who were sexually abused by their father.
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