Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story episode 8 recap and review: “Seismic Shifts”

Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story episode 8 recap and review: "Seismic Shifts"

As a seasoned trial attorney with over three decades of experience under my belt, I must say that the Menendez Brothers’ case has been quite the rollercoaster ride. The latest developments have certainly taken an unexpected turn, leaving me shaking my head in disbelief.

Next, appearing as a witness in the Netflix series “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story” is Judalon, who hasn’t been heard from for some time. Her perspective on her relationship with Dr. Oziel differs significantly from what we have seen before. While Lyle thinks her testimony will aid their defense, Erik remains uncertain about everything.

Major spoilers for Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story episode 8 are below.

Trigger Warning: This episode references adult and child sexual abuse.

In the second-to-last episode of “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story,” the proceedings begin with Judalon taking the stand. She levels accusations against Dr. Oziel, claiming rape and maltreatment. She presents taped conversations between them, which discuss sexual matters and have Dr. Oziel agreeing to prescribe her medication. Judalon appears somewhat volatile in her testimony, but it’s Dr. Oziel who comes off as highly questionable.

Judalon recalls Oziel making her swallow pills and orchestrating a fake suicide attempt, an act she didn’t perform. He supposedly threatened her, saying if she ever contemplated leaving him, he would have her institutionalized in a hospital. She admits that despite approaching the police for help, they failed to assist her.

Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story episode 8 recap and review: "Seismic Shifts"

As the bus carries Lyle back to prison, his spirits are lifting due to the trial’s progression, contrasting with Erik who remains unenthused. The narrative shifts to January 17, 1994, the day of the Northridge earthquake. In their cell, the brothers feel the tremor and everyone is anxious due to the aftershocks that continue for days. It’s Erik’s turn to testify next, but things don’t go smoothly at all. Although Erik is open to being truthful and vulnerable, he struggles in front of large crowds, unlike his brother Lyle who handles such situations with ease.

Erik’s disastrous testimony

During his courtroom testimony, Erik struggles with the microphone. When he gets too close, it creates feedback, and when he moves away, his words become inaudible. This back-and-forth is difficult to watch and distracting from his narrative. After a brief recess, Erik improves slightly, crying as he recounts the abuse, but the prosecutor presses him aggressively. They aim to find discrepancies in his story, but Erik insists on the truth. However, he’s found out to be lying when asked about attempting to purchase shotguns at a store that had stopped selling them long ago. On the way back to prison, Erik tells Lyle that his memory of the event was genuine, given how long it has been since it occurred.

Lyle is angry with Erik for not being able to keep the story straight, and for not being able to give a good performance like he did. Erik becomes angry, too, telling Lyle it was all his fault and he made the murders happen. Erik disagrees, telling his brother he’s the one who wrote the screenplay and he’s the one who was obsessed with the Billionaire Boys Club movie. Another layer in the story comes out when Lyle tells Erik he only wanted to kill their parents because they recorded his phone calls and heard him talking about sexual things to Craig. Seemingly feeling bad, Lyle tells Erik that their parents got what they deserved.

Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story episode 8 recap and review: "Seismic Shifts"

Leslie and her husband are welcoming their newly adopted son, who’s a boy. Although she’s joyful, she’s preoccupied with other matters. Meanwhile, in prison, Lyle discusses potential actors for his movie role and experiences more earthquake aftershocks. At the trial, Leslie delivers a powerful closing statement, but it’s uncertain if it will sway the jury. Lyle is confident, but Erik remains unsure. He senses a change of some sort.

The perception of Erik and Lyle has shifted

In the following scene, it becomes clearer what he was implying. Although Dominick initially trusted Lyle when he testified, Erik’s disappointing court appearance seems to have swayed his opinion. Over dinner with companions, he returns to his usual platform, expressing doubts about the brothers’ credibility. He questions whether Erik managed to resonate with the jury and is unsure of the verdict’s outcome. He boldly predicts that if the brothers are acquitted, they will face retribution from karma.

On the day of the verdict announcement, the judge reveals that the jury failed to reach a consensus, resulting in a hung jury. Fast forwarding six months, we find Leslie conferring with the women who supported the brothers’ accusers. Leslie suspects the male jurors were the issue and queries the women about what might have gone awry. What factors could she have overlooked that led to the uncertainty?

As a gamer, I found myself empathizing deeply with Erik and Lyle in the storyline. One character expressed a sense of nurturing, motherly connection towards them, while another hinted at the controversial idea that men can’t be victims of sexual abuse. This argument was used by the prosecution in real life, but it seems only this moment is shown in the series.

The women give Erik a call to try to cheer him up, but he sounds very sad. He asks to talk to Leslie alone and tells her that he feels like the narrative is much different in the media now. People have turned against him and he now gets hate mail. Erik believes it’s all over for him and Lyle, and though Leslie tries to comfort him, it doesn’t work.

After the ladies depart, one remains to share with Leslie an uncomfortable fact. In a respectful manner, she discloses to her that a significant factor contributing to the case’s inconclusive outcome was the dislike many men had towards Leslie.

The big bombshell

With public opinion turning against Erik and Lyle, they receive yet another setback. During a meeting with Lyle, Jill informs him that there is no more money left for them, leaving them no choice but to work without payment unless they find new legal representation. Lyle is optimistic about his financial situation once he can publish his book, assuring her that Norma is helping him write it. However, Jill has some shocking news for Lyle. Not only has Norma already written the book on her own, but it’s also set to be published. Furthermore, she has recorded their phone conversations and those recordings are being released as well. The way Lyle behaved in these conversations will undoubtedly harm their case significantly.

Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story episode 8 recap and review: "Seismic Shifts"

In one of the released recordings, Lyle mentions: “I’ve been perfecting my tears and I’m getting quite proficient at it.” Oh dear. Since he might be questioned about everything he said in the upcoming trial, Jill explains that he can’t testify. This means they will have to depend on Erik. Furthermore, Jill informs Lyle that she intends to resign and assist him in finding a competent public defender.

Leslie discusses recent events with Erik, and due to Lyle’s statements in the recordings, the brothers can no longer claim self-defense. Their entire defense strategy has fallen apart. Despite this setback, Leslie tries to stay optimistic, suggesting they need to think of another solution. She reassures Erik that there’s no proof he killed his parents, only that Lyle did, but Erik isn’t receptive. He accuses Leslie of incompetence at the initial trial, claiming people dislike her intensely. Of course, he’s just angry, but it’s understandable given the circumstances.

In Episode 8, events conclude unpredictably as OJ Simpson is apprehended and placed in the same cell block as Erik. From behind bars, Erik engages him in conversation, recommending he consider a plea deal. The final episode will reveal how the Simpson case influences the Menendez brothers. Regrettably, things seem bleak for both Erik and Lyle, and their story doesn’t end well.

Stream all nine episodes of Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story on Netflix.

2024-09-21 19:58