Netflix’s “Monster” and the Lizzie Borden Story
Search Query and Web Search
Entertainment:
- Swift to be most awarded VMAs artist
- 'Primetime' divides critics
- Domhnall Gleeson on leaving 'Harry Potter'
- Princess Kate at 'Digger' premiere
- TikTok's newest earworm
- Watch these if you liked 'Backrooms'
- 2026 VMAs: How to watch live
- Dolly estate alleges threats
- How 'Killing Me Softly' began
- Madonna returns to MTV VMAs
Netflix’s Take on Lizzie Borden
Netflix's "Monster" presents a fictionalized version of Lizzie Borden, diverging significantly from historical facts. According to Cara Robertson, a renowned author on the Borden case, the show is filled with "inventions, distortions, and 'bananas' choices."
Key Deviations from Reality:
- Pregnancy and Father's Threat: A Boston Globe report from 1892, which inspired parts of the show, claimed Lizzie was pregnant and her father threatened to kick her out if she didn't reveal a lover's name. Robertson states this was completely fabricated.
- Plot Twists: The show introduces a love affair between Lizzie and the family maid, Bridget "Maggie" Sullivan, and involves Lizzie in a triple axe murder, none of which have historical backing.
- Character Portrayals: Characters like Andrew Borden, Abby Borden, John V. Morse, and Nance O'Neil are depicted in ways that loosely draw from real people but are largely fictionalized.
Historical Context:
Lizzie Borden was acquitted at her trial, and her guilt remains a topic of debate. Robertson, while "agnostic" on her guilt or innocence, notes the show's departure from established facts.
Expert's Opinion:
Robertson, author of "The Trial of Lizzie Borden", describes the show's portrayal as "bananas," underscoring the creative liberties taken with the historical record.