Two new productions exploring the legacy of Lizzie Borden have debuted simultaneously. Netflix's Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story and Breaking Glass Pictures' The Lizzie Borden Game offer contrasting interpretations of the infamous 1892 Massachusetts murders.
From Jeffrey Dahmer to the 1892 Fall River Murders
The release of Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story marks the fourth installment of Ryan Murphy's anthology series on Netflix, which previously examined the lives of Jeffrey Dahmer and the Menendez brothers. By shifting focus to the 1892 axe murders of a father and stepmother in Fall River , Massachusetts, Netflix is leaning into a long-standing cultural obsession with American true crime. This trend reflects a broader appetite for "prestige" dramatizations of historical criminals who have become folk legends.
As the source reported, the case of Lizzie Borden remains a cornerstone of popular culture, largely due to a persistent nursery rhyme about the killings. By placing Borden alongside modern monsters like Dahmer, Ryan Murphy is attempting to frame the 19th-century acquittal as part of a larger narrative about justice and perception in the American legal system.
Ella Beatty and Sarah Paulson lead the Monster cast
The Netflix series Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story employs a high-profile ensemble to reconstruct the domestic tensions of the Borden household. Ella Beatty takes on the role of Lizzie Borden, supported by a cast that includes Sarah Paulson, Charlie Hunnam, Rebecca Hall, Vicky Krieps, Jessica Barden, Joey Pollari, and Billie Lourd. according to the report, the series moves beyond the crime itself to examine Borden's upbringing and her volatile relationships with her parents.
This approach suggests that Netflix is prioritizing psychological depth over simple shock value. By utilizing actors like Sarah Paulson—a frequent collaborator of Ryan Murphy—the production aims to elevate the story from a tabloid tragedy to a character study of a woman trapped by the social constraints of the late 1800s.
A supernatural Friendsgiving in The Lizzie Borden Game
While the Netflix series sticks to a historical framework, Breaking Glass Pictures has taken a different route with The Lizzie Borden Game. This horror film ignores the 1892 timeline in favor of a modern-day setting where a group of friends gathers for a secluded Friendsgiving getaway. The plot centers on an unsettling ritual that accidentally summons the ghost of Lizzie Borden from beyond the grave.
The film transforms the historical figure of Borden into a supernatural slasher antagonist. Rather than exploring the nuances of the original trial, The Lizzie Borden Game uses the legend as a catalyst for a "dare gone wrong" scenario, where the characters must close a portal to avoid being axed. This contrast highlights the duality of the Borden brand: she is simultaneously a subject for historical analysis and a convenient boogeyman for the horror genre.
The viewership gap between Borden and the Menendez brothers
Despite the star power of the cast, Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story has not yet surpassed the viewership numbers of previous seasons of the anthology. This suggests a potential plateau in the audience's interest in the Monster brand or perhaps a lack of contemporary resonance for a case that is over 130 years old compared to the more recent tragedies of the Menendez brothers.
Several questions remain regarding the long-term viability of this anthology format. It is unclear if the dip in viewership is a result of the historical setting or if the market is simply saturated with true-crime dramas. Furthermore, since the source only provides the synopsis for The Lizzie Borden Game, it remains to be seen how the film's critical reception compares to the high-budget production values of the Netflix series.
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