Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story — Style Over Substance

Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story landed on Netflix this week. The series is the latest instalment in Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan's Monster anthology franchise. It tells the story of Lizzie Borden — the 19th-century American woman accused of killing her parents with an axe. Brennan writes and showruns. The timing is notable: queer media outlets have been sharply divided since the premiere dropped.

What is this series about?

The show is set in Fall River, Massachusetts, in 1892. Lizzie Borden lives under the strict control of her father. She struggles with the limits placed on women of her time. The series frames her story partly as a queer one. Lizzie's relationship with the family maid, Bridget Sullivan, sits at the centre of the drama. The premise is compelling. A repressed woman in a suffocating household — and a possible forbidden love story. On paper, that works.

The cast is strong. Carrie Preston plays Lizzie with quiet intensity. Niecy Nash-Betts appears as a key supporting figure. The production design is lush and detailed. Director Paris Barclay handles several episodes and brings visual confidence to the period setting.

What works

Preston is the main reason to watch. She plays Lizzie as controlled, watchful, and quietly furious. It is a careful performance. Nash-Betts brings warmth and weight to every scene she is in. The two actors have real chemistry. When the queer storyline is allowed to breathe, the series finds something genuine. The costumes and set design are excellent throughout. The show looks expensive and considered. Barclay's direction gives the 19th-century setting a claustrophobic, almost gothic feel. That atmosphere suits the material well.

The queer thread is also handled with more restraint than you might expect from this franchise. It is not melodrama for its own sake. The relationship between Lizzie and Bridget feels real. That is a genuine achievement.

What does not work

The script is the problem. Brennan's writing lurches between sharp and clumsy. The show tries to do too much. It wants to be a feminist statement, a queer love story, and a true crime thriller at the same time. It never fully commits to any of them. Some dialogue is on-the-nose in a way that pulls you out of the period. Characters sometimes explain their feelings rather than showing them. That is a basic craft problem.

Autostraddle put it plainly this week: the series probably should have axed everything but the gay stuff. That is a bit blunt. But there is truth in it. The non-queer elements of the script often feel rushed or underdeveloped. The pacing drags in the middle episodes. And the show's ambitions occasionally tip into self-importance.

This is not the feminist masterpiece the marketing suggests. It is a mixed bag with a great lead performance and an uneven script. That gap is frustrating precisely because the pieces for something better were all there.

Who is this for?

Watch it if you like slow-burn period drama with queer undertones. Watch it if you enjoy Carrie Preston and want to see her carry a show. It is also worth watching if you are curious about how mainstream television handles queer historical figures. For fans of the Monster anthology who loved Dahmer or Monsters — manage your expectations. This is the least consistent entry so far.

If you prefer your queer television tighter and funnier, Special by Ryan O'Connell is a better use of your time. For a show that balances queer storytelling and genre drama more successfully, Élite on Netflix remains a high watermark.

Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story is worth watching for Preston alone. But it is not the show it wants to be. Brennan had a strong premise and a talented cast. The script needed another pass. The result is a series that hints at something great without quite getting there.