Netflix's Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story Just Hit 12 Million Views — Here's Why Ella Beatty's Performance Is Unmissable

Ryan Murphy's True Crime Machine Just Crowned Its First Female Monster

If you thought Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan had run out of dark historical rabbit holes to drag us into, think again. Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story — the fourth season of Netflix's wildly popular true crime anthology — premiered on September 17, 2026, and it's already racking up jaw-dropping numbers. The series pulled in 12.1 million views in just four days, shooting straight to the top of Netflix's global charts and proving that the Monster franchise still has a serious grip on audiences.

This time around, the series travels all the way back to 1892 Fall River, Massachusetts, making it the first installment that's not set in the 20th century. And for the first time, the "monster" at the center of the story is a woman: Lizzie Borden, the infamous figure accused — and ultimately acquitted — of the axe murders of her father and stepmother.

A Stacked Cast That Delivers

Let's talk about the cast, because it's genuinely stacked. Ella Beatty takes on the lead role of Lizzie Borden, and critics are already calling her performance the season's standout. Beatty brings a quiet, unsettling intensity to the character — you're never quite sure whether you're watching a victim of circumstance or something far more calculated.

Alongside Beatty, Charlie Hunnam plays Andrew Borden, Lizzie's stern and domineering father, while Rebecca Hall steps in as Abby Borden, the ill-fated stepmother. Vicky Krieps pulls double duty as both Bridget Sullivan (the Borden family's housemaid) and the legendary Elizabeth Báthory, a clever narrative choice that draws unsettling parallels across centuries of violence.

And as if that wasn't enough star power, the recurring cast features Billie Lourd as Lizzie's older sister Emma, Sarah Paulson (a Ryan Murphy regular making her expected return), and Jessica Barden as stage actress Nance O'Neil, who formed a close and historically debated friendship with Lizzie.

Mixed Reviews, But the Numbers Don't Lie

Critics have been split on this one. The production design and performances — particularly Beatty's and Krieps's — have earned near-universal praise. The Victorian-era set pieces are gorgeous, and the show's willingness to blur the line between historical drama and psychological horror keeps things compelling across all eight episodes.

That said, some reviewers have taken issue with the season's historical liberties and its fictionalized portrayal of Borden and other real figures. It's the kind of debate that's become a hallmark of the Monster franchise — after similar discussions around The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, and last year's The Ed Gein Story.

But here's the thing: audiences clearly don't mind. The 12.1 million opening views put Lizzie Borden ahead of where Ed Gein debuted, and early data suggests the series could approach the massive viewership numbers that made the Dahmer season a cultural phenomenon back in 2022.

Should You Watch It?

If you're a fan of true crime, period dramas, or just really well-acted television, Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story is absolutely worth your time. It's moody, it's atmospheric, and Ella Beatty is genuinely magnetic in the lead. Whether you end up believing Lizzie did it or not, you'll be thinking about this one for days after the final episode.

All eight episodes of Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story are streaming now on Netflix. And with Murphy and Brennan already teasing a possible Season 5, the question isn't whether the franchise will continue — it's who the next monster will be.