How Saturday Night Live mocked Erik and Lyle Menendez before Netflix series
The Netflix series has seen a huge reaction from viewers and has also led to rediscovery of a Saturday Night Live sketch that mocked Erik and Lyle Menendez
Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story Netflix trailer
The new Netflix drama series, Monsters: The Erik and Lyle Menendez story, has reignited interest in the infamous brothers, their heinous crimes, trial, and the subsequent fallout.
Erik and Lyle Menendez were convicted in 1996 for the brutal murder of their parents, receiving life sentences without the possibility of parole. The Netflix series retells these events, offering multiple perspectives from key figures involved in the case.
The show has sparked a significant reaction, with showrunner Ryan Murphy defending it against criticism. Netflix has also announced a forthcoming documentary, The Menendez Brothers, which will give Erik and Lyle the opportunity to share their side of the story for the first time in thirty years.
The Menendez brothers' case not only dominated news headlines in the 1990s but also permeated popular culture.
Saturday Night Live, the long-standing US variety and sketch show, even included a segment mocking Erik and Lyle during their trial. This is referenced in an episode of the Netflix series when Lyle tells Erik he believes they will eventually be the subject of a film and speculates about who might portray them, reports the Daily Star.
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Lyle then expresses his dissatisfaction that Oscar-winner John Malkovich played him in an SNL sketch.
The original sketch, which aired in 1993, parodies Court TV, a real American channel launched in 1991 that broadcast live news coverage of high-profile court cases, including the Menendez trial. The skit begins with Malkovich, clad in a blue sweater - an outfit replicated in the Netflix series - as he retracts his confession and blames the murders on their "other two brothers", before bursting into exaggerated tears.
Mike Myers, famed for his roles in Austin Powers and as the voice of Shrek, also stars in the skit as a Court TV reporter who presents 'highlights' from the brothers' testimonies.
Studio audience laughter can be heard each time a brother is introduced, including when Rob Schneider makes his appearance as Erik. The entire sketch centres on the premise of Erik and Lyle alleging that two other brothers were the actual murderers.
They even exit the courtroom to bring these previously unseen siblings, only to return themselves, without changing outfits, claiming they are actually Danny and Jose Junior.
Like many classic SNL sketches, it has been uploaded in full on the show's official YouTube channel. A flurry of new comments have been posted in response to the video since the Netflix series premiered on the streaming service, despite it being uploaded to the account approximately ten years ago.
Supporters of the Menendez brothers have been vocal on social media. One supporter demanded: "Yikes, delete this." Another insisted: "We should get this taken down out of respect for the brothers."
Meanwhile, some critics argue that the content hasn't aged well, with one commenting: "I was willing to laugh if this was funny, but this was brutality [sic] bad."
