Exterior of this harrowing element, incest between Lyle and Erik has not been included within the discussions of the case, which has induced some viewers to query its inclusion within the collection. Many have shared their objections to this controversial plot level on social media, accusing the present creators of sensationalising the story for leisure worth, fairly than doing justice to the advanced actuality of the case. It is develop into such a speaking level that the time period ‘Menendez brothers homosexual’ has been trending on Google for 2 days.
However others have urged that hinting at inappropriate contact between the brothers is a means of highlighting how years of trauma at their father’s hand might result in a disturbing method to sexual relationships. Whereas that could possibly be a worthy level to discover in a purely fictional story, in a real-life-based drama, this element as a substitute lands as pointless conjecture, included to make the story extra surprising and discussion-worthy, fairly than a helpful element to offer deeper context or emotional heft. By drawing the viewers’ consideration to a scandalous connection between Lyle and Erik, the collection runs the danger of detracting from the horrific abuse, solely to make the story extra “charming” – and it is a harmful path for true crime exhibits to take.
Miles Crist/Netflix
Although there’s a wealth of choices for true crime programming, present creators shouldn’t really feel compelled to focus on layers of speculative trauma, to make their story stand out. Not solely is there a accountability to remain true to the roots of the knowledge, it is usually necessary to not trauma-mine actual individuals’s lives purely for leisure, and to feed viewers’ growing appetites for higher shocks. This style of present should not want so as to add additional drama to make the tales necessary or noteworthy – the tales themselves must be sufficient.
In one of many standout moments of the collection, the fifth episode “The Harm Man” options Erik giving a prolonged account of the abuse he’d been subjected to. This can be a story that deserves to be dealt with with care and with consideration for victims of abuse – the Menendez brothers, in addition to the numerous numbers of others who’ve skilled related. As a lot as true crime collection might really feel as if they should go to excessive lengths to be distinctive, among the strongest moments can come from sticking extra carefully to actuality.
On the time of writing, Netflix nor Ryan Murphy have publicly commented on the response to the collection, and social media customers proceed to share their blended reactions to the collection. It is more likely to shoot up the Netflix charts over the subsequent few days – and earlier than we all know it, there’ll be one other true crime collection that everybody is speaking about. Although we are able to hope the subsequent true crime sensation gained’t must exaggerate trauma to get their level throughout, it is uncertain this’ll be the case.