It’s time for Netflix to slay its Monster
A glib telling of The Lizzie Borden Story only reminds us of the futility of Ryan Murphy's salacious true-crime series.
Monster's fourth season episode six of The Lizzie Borden Story is a convoluted, over-the-top fever dream. Serial killer Aileen Wuornos (Sarah Paulson) imagines herself in Lizzie Borden's (Ella Beatty) childhood home, where she fantasizes about dancing with Lizzie and her alleged lover Bridget (Vicky Krieps) to Bronski Beat's "Smalltown Boy."
This bizarre connection between Aileen and Lizzie, despite being from different time periods, is one of the main themes of the series. However, the show also intertwines the stories of Hungarian countess Elizabeth Báthory (Krieps), adding an unnecessary layer to an already glib true-crime saga. The writers attempt to create a comedic and salacious take on Lizzie Borden's case, disregarding the mystery surrounding her actions and instead focusing on the sensationalism.
The series fails to delve into the complex motivations behind these women's violent actions, instead opting for a superficial examination of societal injustice, misogyny, and generational trauma. In the end, Monster romanticizes its subjects, glorifying their crimes and failing to provide a meaningful understanding of the female psyche.
Written by urgent.news from The A.V. Club's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
