Ryan Murphy brought his knack for handling the dark and disturbing from American Horror Story to the Monster anthology series, available streaming now with a Netflix subscription. Kicking off with Evan Peters starring in the season all about Jeffrey Dahmer, the series continued with the divisive telling of Lyle and Erik Mendendez’s story. Season 3 has yet to premiere in the 2025 TV schedule but will star Sons of Anarchy vet Charlie Hunnam as serial killer Ed Gein. Now, reports about Season 4’s subject indicate a pattern in the topics for each season, with the story of Lizzie Borden said to be the focus.
Even if you’re not familiar with all the details of that sensationalized murder case from the late 19th century, you may at least be familiar with the famous “Lizzie Borden took an axe” rhyme about 40 (and 41) “whacks.” According to Nexus Point News, Season 4 of the Monster series will cover the murders of Lizzie Borden’s father and stepmother. Lizzie was alleged to be the killer in her own time, although acquitted in court, so it should be interesting to see how Ryan Murphy and Co. approach the story. Production reportedly begins this fall in LA.
The outlet reports that Lizzie Borden, her father, her stepmother, and the family housekeeper will be at the center of the story. Executive producer and showrunner Ian Brennan is set to return to write the fourth season along with Ryan Murphy. I’m certainly curious about their take on the tale, not least because the murders happening back in the 19th century means that nobody involved can clap back like Erik Menendez did in reaction to Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story.
It’s in the context of Season 2 telling the story of Erik and Lyle Menendez allegedly killing their parents, with abuse cited by the brothers as part of their defense, that we find a pattern for the Monster series on Netflix. While Season 1 and Season 3 are focusing on notorious serial killers, Seasons 2 and 4 evidently both will cover crimes of parents being allegedly murdered by their children. Even seasons are family murders and odds are serial killers, apparently!
Evan Peters, who won a Golden Globe for his performance as Jeffrey Dahmer, revealed Ryan Murphy’s rule at the time that the story would never be told from the serial killer’s POV. I’m curious how that will (or will not) apply to the Lizzie Borden series. After all, Jeffrey Dahmer and Ed Gein were confessed serial killers, and the Menendez brothers were convicted for murdering their parents. As far as history is concerned, Lizzie Borden was acquitted of the murders and is simply remembered as the woman who was alleged as the most likely suspect in her day.
With production reportedly not beginning until fall of this year, however, and the Ed Gein season of Monster not yet receiving a release date, Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan’s take on Lizzie Borden is a ways off. For now, viewers can always revisit the first two seasons, both available streaming now on Netflix.