Monster Season 4 Broke Into Netflix's Top Spot -- Despite Critics Calling It One of the Worst

Monster Season 4 Broke Into Netflix’s Top Spot — Despite Critics Calling It One of the Worst

If you thought critics make up the rules, Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story just proved them wrong. This Ryan Murphy-produced true-crime series premiered on Netflix on September 17, 2026 — and within days, it had already claimed the platform’s No. 1 TV show spot in the United States. All eight episodes dropped at once, and viewers clearly couldn’t stop watching.

Here’s the deliciously ironic part: according to Rotten Tomatoes, the season holds a measly 44% approval rating based on 16 critic scores — an average of just 4.7 out of 10. Metacritic isn’t much warmer, handing it a 47 out of 100. By every critical metric, this should be a flop. But the streaming numbers say otherwise.

The Story That Never Lets Go

Set in 1892 Fall River, Massachusetts, Monster Season 4 follows the infamous axe murders that made the name Lizzie Borden an American legend. She was accused of killing her father and stepmother, put on trial, acquitted — and yet history never quite forgave her.

This time around, the series stars Ella Beatty as Lizzie Borden, delivering what critics are calling a "restrained, observant performance slowly unraveling under suffocating expectations." The supporting cast is stacked: Charlie Hunnam plays Andrew Borden as a cold, controlling patriarch; Rebecca Hall takes on the role of Abby Borden; Vicky Krieps portrays Bridget Sullivan, the housemaid who saw too much; Billie Lourd appears as Emma Borden; and Sarah Paulson returns as Aileen Wuornos in another anthology installment.

Showrunner Ian Brennan told Vanity Fair the season dives deep into misogyny, gender roles, and Victorian-era class structures. It also explores the complicated relationship between Lizzie and Bridget — making this the first Monster season centered on an alleged female perpetrator.

Why Millennials Are Obsessed

Data from FlixPatrol confirms Monster has held the No. 1 position on Netflix for three straight days since its premiere. For millennial viewers raised on true-crime podcasts and binge-watching culture, this story hits different. Real-life murder mysteries wrapped in beautifully shot period drama with some seriously strong performances? That’s basically comfort food.

Principal photography took place in Los Angeles between September 2025 and March 2026. Ryan Murphy announced the project back in July 2025, and the buzz only grew from there. Whether or not you believe the hype, Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story undeniably proved something important: critics can rate a show however they want, but when it comes to Netflix streaming, the audience makes the final call.

Have you started watching? Is this your favorite season of the Monster anthology yet? Drop a comment below — we love debating true-crime series.