‘Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story’ faces backlash from critics and audiences
Ella Beatty leads eight episodes inspired by one of America’s most notorious unsolved murder cases
Netflix’s Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story has arrived to a divided response, with early Rotten Tomatoes scores showing a sharp gap between the series and some viewers and critics. The fourth instalment of Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan’s anthology stars Ella Beatty as Lizzie Borden, the Massachusetts woman who was tried and acquitted in connection with the 1892 axe murders of her father and stepmother.
According to Forbes, the series had a 50% Rotten Tomatoes critics score and a 26% audience score when its September 18 report was published. Those figures were based on six critic reviews and more than 50 verified audience ratings. Rotten Tomatoes has continued updating the page as additional reviews arrive, meaning the scores are subject to change.
The early critical response has not been completely negative. Aramide Tinubu of Variety gave the season a fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and described the fourth entry as offering something distinctive within the Monster franchise. Decider has also highlighted the performances and the series’ comparatively restrained approach to its material.
However, other reviews have questioned the depth of the retelling. Lucy Mangan of The Guardian praised the performances and visual style while arguing that the season ultimately has little to say about Borden herself. Her review gave the series two stars out of five.
The new season runs for eight episodes and features Rebecca Hall as Abby Borden, Charlie Hunnam as Andrew Borden, Billie Lourd as Emma Borden and Vicky Krieps as Bridget Sullivan. Sarah Paulson also appears as convicted serial killer Aileen Wuornos.
The series is also drawing attention for its dramatic interpretation of Bridget Sullivan’s relationship with Lizzie. Historical records do not establish that the pair had a romantic relationship or that Sullivan participated in the murders, making the storyline a clear dramatic interpretation rather than established fact.
With all eight episodes now available on Netflix, the Rotten Tomatoes scores are likely to continue shifting as further reviews and audience reactions are recorded.
