AceShowbiz - The Menendez family has been vocal in condemning the portrayal of Lyle and Erik in the series, referring to it as "naive and inaccurate." Erik Menendez articulated his discontent through a post on Lyle's Facebook page.

"It is with a heavy heart that I say, I believe Ryan Murphy cannot be this naive and inaccurate about the facts of our lives so as to do this without bad intent," he wrote. He further accused Murphy of fabricating grotesque caricatures of the brothers, adding, "So now Murphy shapes his horrible narrative through vile and appalling character portrayals of Lyle and of me and disheartening slander."

The series delves into the Menendez brothers' murder trial, where Lyle and Erik claimed they killed their parents, Jose and Mary Louise "Kitty" in self-defense after enduring years of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse from their father. Despite their allegations, both brothers were convicted of first-degree murder in 1996 and sentenced to life imprisonment without parole.

Ryan Murphy, known for his unflinching true crime dramatizations, responded robustly to the Menendez brothers' criticism. In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Murphy remarked, "I think it's interesting that [Erik Menendez] issued a statement without having seen the show. I hope he does see the show … It's really, really hard - if it's your life - to see your life up onscreen."

The response from the cast has been mixed. Nathan Lane, who plays Dominick Dunne, aligned himself with Murphy's viewpoint, suggesting that Erik should watch the series before condemning it. Javier Bardem, who portrays Jose Menendez, acknowledged the legitimacy of the Menendez brothers' concerns, noting the complex nature of truth presented in the series. Cooper Koch, who plays Erik, expressed empathy saying, "I understand how difficult it would be to have the worst part of your life be televised for millions of people to see."

Murphy continued to admonish the brothers during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, suggesting they were "playing the victim card." He contended that the brothers should be grateful for the renewed global attention to their case, and accused them of leveraging their notoriety for sympathy.

The Netflix show aims to probe deeper into the high-profile case, exploring not just the facts but prompting viewers to question, "Who are the real monsters?" With prominent actors like Nicholas Alexander Chavez, Cooper Koch, Javier Bardem and Chloe Sevigny, the series promises to captivate true crime enthusiasts, despite the heated reactions from those it portrays.