Netflix's Monster Anthology Series Should be Axed | The Lizzie Borden Story (2026) TV Review

Netflix's Monster Anthology Series Should be Axed

Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story (2026) TV Review

Netflix | Crime, Drama Series | Episodes: 01 - 08

Created by: Ian Brennan & Ryan Murphy | Written by: Ian Brennan

Cast: Ella Beatty, Charlie Hunnam, Vicky Krieps, Rebecca Hall, Jessica Barden & Billie Lourd

In the fourth instalment of the anthology series, the new monster under the lens is Lizzie Borden. Trapped in a cruel Victorian-era household, she kills her parents in a gory ax murder that shocks the nation.

undoubtedly boring...

The Monster anthology series is deeply divisive but I would argue it is never boring. Despite this series having its controversies, I have always found it to be so inherently enticing but my feelings have changed since finishing the most recent fourth season. The Lizzie Borden Story is undoubtedly boring in comparison to its predecessors, the season lacks any vulnerability or shock factor that the other seasons were able to provide. 

Despite the Monster anthology series being know for its creative liberties and dramatisation of crime, this season, more than the others feels like a disservice to the story. After four seasons we finally see a female ‘monster’ under the lens but it feels like an amateur dissection of her motives, a lacklustre attempt to comment on the concept of female rage and abuse. The Lizzie Borden Story   is full of flourishes, which is what we come to expect of this show but this season felt like it was rooted in zero truth, as though the writer hadn’t bothered to dig a little into Lizzie’s crimes or life but instead spun the murderous rampage into a romantic love affair that felt forced amongst the pain. 

Sarah Paulson Steals the Show

Paulson makes an unrecognisable appearance as Aileen Wuornos and she was the most authentic and realistic portrayal in the entire show. She gave a transformative portrayal of the infamous killer and she moments, although few and far between, were some of the most enticing. When she was on screen I was watching intently, when she left, I was bored again. I wished the whole season has been a focus on her but in saying that, maybe the writers of this show don’t know how to portray the concept of female rage in a complex way.

Ella Beatty stars as Lizzie and sadly, I found her performance to be subdued and frozen. She was stoic, which may have been a character choice but I received it as a lack of emotional depth for the character. Even after she commits her crimes, she has no moments of relief, no realisation of her actions, she remains completely frozen in her facial expressions. Charlie Hunnam starred as Ed Gein in the third season of Monster and displayed his disturbing range as an actor but in this role he brought absolutely nothing. Vicky Krieps a glimmer of something interesting to the character of Bridget but she couldn’t carry this show on her performance alone sadly.

This is a story about why women become killers, what leads them to that unstoppable rage and it depicts how cruel women have to be treated to lead to this kind of violence. The story has meat on its bones, the reason Lizzie Borden’s tale has remained so haunting is because of the detail and the eerie nature of her suspected crimes but this show failed to give her a chance. It started terrible and it ended worse. 

As someone who has always been a genuine fan of the Monster anthology series, this season is easily and undoubtedly the worst and I am truly disappointed by it. I had high expectations that were not met, not remotely close. 

Probe Points

★★