Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story (2026)

The critic finds the series wildly entertaining and a refreshing, unique take on the Monster anthology. It praises the portrayal of a woman tormented by family, misogyny and her body while noting the show bends the truth but highlights not underestimating a woman seeking freedom.

The review argues that the season devolves into a poor imitation of the 2003 film Monster, particularly in its Aileen Wuornos subplot, and has little insightful to say about either killer despite the Lizzie Borden focus. It highlights the series' overall lack of substance in its handling of true-crime stories.

The critic finds the series a bonkers, blood-soaked fever dream that feels made up on the fly and has nothing worthwhile to say about its subject or era. They single out the great performances, especially Rebecca Hall, and the stylish, energetic direction for praise.

The critic calls it lurid faux-feminism and nonsense, criticizing the lack of nuance, filler and forced attempts to make it meaningful about womanhood. The villainy of the parents is cartoonish and the series flails with stalling tactics.

The critic believes The Lizzie Borden Story signals it is time to end the Ryan Murphy Monster franchise altogether due to its increasing repetition and superficiality. They single out the tiresome neo-woke platitudes, weak performances (especially Sarah Paulson's caricature), and the series' failure to add meaningful depth or reflection beyond spectacle and gore.

The series delivers campy, blood-splattered melodrama that takes on the patriarchy with irreverent flair and strong performances from Vicky Krieps and Rebecca Hall. It lacks subtlety but offers fun in its heightened hysteria and eclectic music choices.

The show is a campy, frustrating, occasionally moving watch that explores abuse and justified rage through strong performances, especially from Ella Beatty and Rebecca Hall. It struggles thematically with simplistic feminist messaging and an overly saintly portrayal of its lead.

The season is shallow and silly, turning Lizzie Borden into a simplistic feminist hero while jumping through time periods without depth or nuance. It over-relies on obvious themes and surface-level execution despite solid needle drops and some amusing elements.