Summary
- “Monster” season 2 will focus on the Menendez brothers, convicted of murdering their parents, which could rival season 1’s success.
- The brothers claimed they killed out of fear for their lives, while the prosecution said it was for inheritance, providing a nuanced exploration.
- Despite criticism, the show provides a sensational subject for season 2 and is expected to be successful.
Monster season 2 has found its next subject, and will focus on a much less famous murder case for the second season. Created by Ryan Murphy and released on Netflix in September 2022, the laboriously titled Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story chronicled the life of the cannibalistic serial killer (played by Evan Peters) as he became one of the most notorious serial killers in American history, operating between 1978 and 1991. Shortly after the first season’s runaway success, Netflix renewed Monster as a true crime anthology series intended to tell “stories of other monstrous figures who have impacted society.”
In November, it was announced that the show would have at least two more seasons. In the announcement, Bela Bajaria, the head of global TV at Netflix, said “Audiences can’t take their eyes off Monster”. This is certainly true, with the first season hitting over 1 billion hours viewed in 60 days – only the third title in Netflix history to do so. It’s also not Netflix’s only popular true-crime series, with Making A Murderer becoming a smash hit in 2015, although that was a docuseries, while Monster is a drama.
Monster Season 2: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story – Cast, Story, & Everything We Know
Netflix is following up Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story with Monster season 2 – but it will focus on new killers, changing a lot from season 1.
Monster Season 2 Will Focus On The Menendez Brothers
The Series Moves Away From Serial Killers
Now, Monster season 2 has chosen its next subject. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the second installment will focus on Lyle and Erik Menendez, brothers who were convicted of murdering their parents in their Beverly Hills home in 1989. Naturally, the show’s title will become pluralized for the second season to Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story. For the title announcement, Netflix also released a quick teaser containing Lyle Menendez’s real-life 911 call and revealing a 2024 release date. Check it out below:
Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story is available to stream on Netflix
Monster Season 2 Could Rival Season 1
The Menendez Case Was Huge In The 1990s
By focusing on the Menendez brothers, Monster season 2 has chosen a subject that could potentially rival season 1’s Dahmer. The brothers were tried twice in court for murdering their parents, José and Kitty, with the first ending in a mistrial because of a deadlocked jury before the second found them guilty of murder in the first degree. The Menendez case was covered exhaustively by the media during the early 1990s, as well as by subsequent documentaries and dramatizations. Law & Order: True Crime season 1 recently focused on the case with Edie Falco playing controversial defense lawyer Leslie Abramson.
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The Menendez Crimes & Trial Timeline |
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|---|---|
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José and Kitty Menendez Are Killed |
August 20, 1989 |
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Lyle Menendez Is Arrested |
March 8, 1990 |
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Erik Menendez Turns Himself In |
March 11, 1990 |
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The First Trial |
July 1993 -January 1994 |
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The Second Trial |
August 1995 – March 1996 |
Though Monster season 2 will likely continue to be criticized for glorifying killers, it should also continue to provide a nuanced exploration into what compelled its subjects to commit such monstrous acts. During their trial, the Menendez siblings said they suffered lifelong sexual, emotional, and physical abuse from their parents and murdered them out of fear for their own lives. However, the prosecution argued they did it to inherit their father’s multimillion-dollar estate. By choosing an equally sensational subject as Dahmer, Monster season 2 is primed for more success.
Source: THR/Netflix
This story originally appeared on Screenrant
