The real-life trial footage of Lyle and Erik Menendez is more difficult to watch than the dramatized scenes in Netflix’s Monsters season 2. The true story of Lyle and Erik Menendez, two brothers who pleaded guilty to murdering their parents in 1989, is recapped in ten episodes in Monsters season 2, an anthology series by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan. The series reexamines the unsettling circumstances surrounding the murders of José and Kitty Menendez, who were accused of abusing Lyle and Erik throughout their childhoods.

Monsters season 2 stars Cooper Koch and Nicholas Alexander Chavez as Erik and Lyle Menendez, respectfully. Erik and Lyle were each given life sentences for murdering their parents and have been incarcerated since December 1992. Both Menendez brothers claimed that their father, José, sexually abused them while their mother, Kitty, would violently abuse them when they were kids. Despite the success of Monsters season 2 on Netflix, the series has garnered scrutiny for portraying a false incestuous relationship between Erik and Lyle.

Monsters season 2 has been in the Top 10 TV Shows on Netflix since it was released on September 19, 2024.

How Erik & Lyle Menendez’s Real Trial Footage Compares To Monsters Season 2

While the dramatized scenes are effective, the true footage is chilling

The real footage of Lyle and Erik Menendez testifying during the murder trial of their parents is much more emotional and unsettling to watch. While Koch and Chavez give solid performances in the dramatized Netflix series, the tension and weight of the real-life trial footage possess a stark gravity that makes it more heavy and compelling than any reenacted scene. When Erik describes why he would use a lemon to cope with his father’s sexual abuse, for example, the reality of the tragic story is felt more completely than in the Netflix scene.

The real-life trial footage is also more devastating when Lyle is asked about what he did to Erik when they were kids. This confession, that Lyle took Erik into the woods and “played with” his younger brother inappropriately, is remarkably tragic in the context of the entire story. Considering that the actual footage was also the exact moment when this information was made public in real life, it adds another indescribable layer of complexity to the Menendez brothers’ story. While the dramatized scenes are effective, the true footage is chilling.

Cooper Koch & Nicholas Chavez Still Give Incredible Performances As Erik & Lyle In Their Monsters Trial Scenes

Koch and Chavez are the clear highlights of the Netflix series

While the actual footage of the Menendez brothers’ trial is fascinating in its own right, the performances by Koch and Chavez are outstanding and one of the clear highlights of the series. In particular, Koch’s performance in episode 5 is extremely impressive considering the entire 36-minute episode was shot in one take, instantly making it one of the greatest feats of television in 2024. Additionally, Koch actually visited Erik Menendez in prison, gaining an authenticity that certainly shows in his performance. Despite the controversy surrounding Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, the series has sparked new interest in the real brothers as new evidence of their sexual abuse is being reviewed.