--- title: "Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/tv/monster-the-lizzie-borden-story/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/tv/monster-the-lizzie-borden-story" critics_score: 43 critics_reviews: 8 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story (2026): what the critics said Critics' score 43 from 8 reviews: 2 positive, 2 mixed, 4 negative. Most critics do not much like Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story, and the few who do like it for its excess rather than its argument. Where praise gathers, it gathers around the cast: Rebecca Hall is singled out again and again, with Vicky Krieps and Ella Beatty also noticed, and several reviews credit the direction with energy and style even while finding little underneath it. The music choices earn a nod from more than one critic. The reservations cluster on the writing. The reviews describe a season that turns Borden into a simple feminist hero, hops between time periods without much reason, pads its running time and has little to say about either its subject or her era. Vulture and The Hollywood Reporter are the harshest, the former arguing the whole anthology has run its course; Variety is the clear outlier, finding it wildly entertaining. The spread is wide, from warm to hostile, with the middle thinly populated. ## Variety — Aramide Tinubu Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 17 September 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. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2026/tv/reviews/monster-the-lizzie-borden-story-review-netflix-1236858761/) ## IndieWire — Ben Travers Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 18 September 2026. 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. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/shows/monster-season-4-review-monster-the-movie-aileen-wuornos-1235217589/) ## The Guardian Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 17 September 2026. 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. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/sep/17/monster-the-lizzie-borden-story-review-netflix) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Angie Han Fi1m's normalised score 20/100 (inferred from the text). 17 September 2026. 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. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/monster-the-lizzie-borden-story-review-netflix-ryan-murphy-1236705084/) ## Vulture Fi1m's normalised score 20/100 (inferred from the text). 18 September 2026. 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. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/article/monster-lizzie-borden-story-review.html) ## NME — James Mottram Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 17 September 2026. 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. [Read the review](https://www.nme.com/reviews/tv-reviews/monster-lizzie-borden-story-review-netflix-true-crime-3969447) ## Collider — Gabrielle Moss Rating 6/10. 18 September 2026. 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. [Read the review](https://collider.com/monster-lizzie-borden-review-ryan-murphy/) ## Consequence Rating C-. 17 September 2026. 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. [Read the review](https://consequence.net/2026/09/monster-lizzie-borden-review-ryan-murphy/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/tv/monster-the-lizzie-borden-story.md