From the viral Gypsy Rose case to the possible revival of the Menendez trial, a new generation of true crime viewers are not shy about sharing their opinions on the subject. Real true crime stories remain relevant today but a question remains: are these stories accurately portrayed by Hollywood? Hollywood has had a history of sugar-coating or glamorizing both sensitive and serious subjects, but what is the response when shows and movies sensationalize real-life stories and events?
The overnight sensation “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story” has skyrocketed viewership in the true crime genre. Its popularity and attention on TikTok has caused people to rediscover the original trail from the 90s. People can’t help but feel for the brothers and ultimately question if locking them up was the correct thing to do. While the show has a positive impact, the backlash is also evident.
According to “Rolling Stone,” Erik Menendez wrote a statement criticizing the portrayal of his brother in the show.
“I believed we had moved beyond the lies and ruinous character portrayals of Lyle; [but] creating a caricature of Lyle rooted in horrible and blatant lies is rampant in the show,” Erik wrote. “I can only believe they were done so on purpose. It is with a heavy heart that I say, I believe Ryan Murphy cannot be this naive and inaccurate about the facts of our lives so as to do this without bad intent.”
Murphy was also behind “Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” and that alone got a fair amount of backlash for its false and insensitive portrayals of those tragedies. Adaptations such as these can forge and sway the minds of young viewers, including STA students. How does the true crime genre affect STA?
STA students voiced their opinions.
Fellow Dart staff member sophomore Julia Schwaller shared her love for the true crime genre.
“I love the true crime genre,” Schwaller said. “It’s so interesting!”
Freshman Illy Dyer-Beale talked about crime cases in the media.
“I think it is important to represent real crime cases in the media so if anything happens like it in the future, we know how to handle it,” Dyer-Beale said.
Senior Poppy Robertson also spoke about the genre.
“I watch true crime to learn about it,” Robertson said. “I like learning about the psychological aspects of it.”
Sophomore Erin Turley commented as well.
“I watch true crime for both entertainment and information,” Turley said. “I like learning about it (it’s kind of grim curiosity) but I also like when the bad guy is brought to justice. Not only that, but looking at these real cases shows the extreme flaws in our legal justice system.”
Schwaller expanded on her reasoning.
“I think it is important to tell these cases because victims deserve to have their stories told,” Schwaller said.
Sophomore Sholeh Porras also discussed her opinions.
“I think it’s important to share real crime cases in the media because it alerts people and makes them more cautious and safe,” Porras said.
According to the student sources and other true crime viewers, the genre is viewed as both entertaining and informative. With that in mind, be thoughtful of the shows and movies being produced and the real lives behind the stories. It is important to separate fact from fiction and maintain a healthy balance of media consumption. The determination if stories are accurately portrayed by Hollywood simply depend on the facts and narrative of the project.
Kennedi’s Perspective
As a new true crime viewer, I recently watched the Menendez show and I believe it is a tasteful and suspenseful thriller. It does a great job of showcasing attention to detail, from the wardrobe and mannerisms of the characters to the dialogue and research on the family. From first glance, it’s obvious a lot of care and dedication went into this project but I felt like there were a lot unnecessary elements as well. For example, when Lyle tells Erik his ideas for escaping from prison, there is montage of the brothers acting out the plan, which is a good visual but is clearly used as entertainment. Some viewers believe that after episode five or six, the show loses its sense of self and primarily focuses on the entertainment side of storytelling.
