Netflix’s true-crime machine is humming again. Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story, the fourth chapter in Ryan Murphy’s anthology franchise, premiered on September 17 and has spent much of the week at No. 1 on the U.S. TV chart. FlixPatrol data says it held the crown through the weekend even as critics lined up with mid-40s scores that never quite ripened into praise.
The contrast is the story. A 44% Rotten Tomatoes critics score and a Metacritic near 47 sit beside a viewing surge that knocked returning titles down a peg. Charlie Hunnam returns as Andrew Borden; Ella Beatty leads as Lizzie; Rebecca Hall, Vicky Krieps, Jessica Barden, Billie Lourd and Sarah Paulson fill out a stacked Fall River ensemble. All eight episodes dropped at once, which is how binge culture likes Victorian murder mysteries served.
Showrunner Ian Brennan frames the season around misogyny, class and impossible expectations on women in the 1890s, with the alleged Lizzie–Bridget relationship doing thematic heavy lifting. It is also the first Monster installment centered on an alleged female perpetrator. Whether that lands as progressive or exploitative depends on which review you open first. Chart context and the critic–audience gap are covered by Xaldris.
Does a No. 1 ranking redeem a soft Tomatometer? Netflix does not need it to. The platform measures completed-view equivalents and chart days. For Murphy & Co., another season greenlit on vibes alone would not be shocking. For everyone else, the season is a reminder that in 2026 the critic–audience gap is not a bug. It is the business model.
