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Netflix Viewers Should ‘Prepare’ for Graphic Scene Between Lyle and Erik Menendez

Posted on by angelo
Netflix Viewers Should ‘Prepare’ for Graphic Scene Between Lyle and Erik Menendez

Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story may not be as gruesome as its Jeffrey Dahmer-starring predecessor, but be warned: the Netflix series doesn’t hold back, with the very first episode depicting the murder scene in “graphic” detail.

Warning: The following contains spoilers and some may find the content offensive.

Season 2 of Ryan Murphy’s true-crime anthology series focuses on the case of Erik and Lyle Menendez, the brothers who killed their wealthy parents, Jose and Mary Louise “Kitty,” in 1989.

In addition to dramatizing the events leading up to the crime and the legal battles that followed, the new Netflix series makes the bold choice of loading Episode 1 with the grisly murders.

Image from Monsters: The Story of Lyle and Erik MenendezNetflix

The story begins with José (Javier Bardem) and Kitty (Chloë Sevigny) watching television in the study of their Beverly Hills mansion, when Lyle (Nicholas Chavez) and Erik (Cooper Koch) enter with 12-gauge shotguns.

Erik begins by shooting his father multiple times, before turning the gun on Kitty and shooting her in the hand. This moment is particularly graphic, with the camera zooming in on her fingers as they are ripped off in a bloody explosion.

Lyle then shoots their parents multiple times from behind as they both moan in pain, before landing a shot in Jose’s head. Again, it’s a gruesome sequence: viewers see the bullet go through his eye socket, creating a gaping hole in his head.

It’s a disturbing scene to watch, especially because it’s a true story. According to the autopsy, Jose was shot six times, including one fatal shot to the back of the head, and Kitty was shot ten times.

The chilling sequence has caught the attention of viewers since Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story dropped on Netflix today (September 19), leaving many shocked by the gory first episode.

After praising Nicholas Alexander Chavez’s “electric” performance as Lyle, prominent entertainment journalist and insider Jeff Sneider said, “I just finished the first episode of Monsters… Extremely graphic murder scene. Brace yourself…”

Another agreed: “I was really shocked by how graphic the murder scene was. It’s Ryan Murphy, I shouldn’t have been, but it was horrifying to watch.” And a third added: “I just finished the first episode. More graphic than I expected.”

Elsewhere, one X/Twitter user said: “I can’t believe what I just saw, I finished the first chapter of Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, I can only say that the first chapter surprised me a lot, I never imagined they would put THE SCENE.”

“The murder scene was BRUTAL, I didn’t expect that to happen,” another said.

However, one viewer pointed out an apparent inaccuracy: according to reports, José was first shot in the head and never saw his killers.

“Why does every show about the Menendez brothers get the shooting scene wrong every time!!! Their parents had their backs turned and Jose never saw who shot him #MonstersNetflix,” they wrote.

However, one X/Twitter user responded: “It’s a TV show and showing their reaction is more cinematic. It’s not that hard to understand. Things are going to be dramatized.”

Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story is now available on Netflix. If you’re familiar with the story or don’t mind spoilers, you can read our recap of the ending.

For more true crime news, read about the most shocking moments from Into the Fire: The Lost Daughter, whether Brenda Bowman was ever arrested, and how to watch Huw Edwards’ documentary in the US.