Netflix’s divisive horror franchise Monster, co-created by Ryan Murphy, returns with a brand new installment this week: Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story. The fourth season of the Monster series follows 2022’s breakout hit that centered on Jeffrey Dahmer, which led to an anthology expansion that placed the spotlight on Lyle and Rik Menendez and Ed Gein. This time around, the popular horror franchise makes history on Netflix by diving into the story of Lizzie Borden, the first female protagonist of the series.
Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story premiered on Thursday, September 17, 2026, with eight new episodes available to stream from start to finish right now. Each episode is between 39 and 62 minutes long, forming a total runtime of roughly 6 hours and 30 minutes, making it the ideal length to start tonight and finish by the end of the weekend. The new season stars Ella Beatty (If I Had Legs I’d Kick You) as Lizzie Borden, the Massachusetts woman who was accused of killing her father and stepmother with an axe in 1892, along with Rebecca Hall, Vickey Krieps, Charlie Hunnam, Billie Lourd, and Sarah Paulson.
Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story Expands Netflix’s Divisive Horror Franchise
Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story shifts focus with its latest season by focusing on Lizzie Borden, who is not only the first female protagonist in franchise history but is also the only one who was never found guilty of her alleged murders. While the real-life Borden was acquitted of her crimes, even though she was the prime suspect, the Netflix series presents her story as though she were directly involved. Public consensus has concluded for decades that Borden must have been the one who committed double homicide against her own family, but the lack of a definitive murder weapon resulted in the jury finding her innocent.
Now, some 134 years later, Lizzie Borden has become the new face of Netflix’s Monster franchise, which has notoriously received criticism for embellishing factual accounts and overly stylizing, even sympathizing, with the killers in focus. The series’ overall Rotten Tomatoes score sits at a low 42%, which is subject to change as more season 4 reviews come in, and the audience score is not much better at 63%.
On the other hand, Monster remains one of Netflix’s most-viewed original series of all time, with season 1 amassing more than 115 million views in its first 91 days. It has also earned a total of 31 Emmy nominations – 13 for season 1, 11 for season 2, and 7 for season 3 – as well as two wins, making it one of the most divisive series on Netflix’s streaming slate.
Monster Season 4 Makes History With Its First Female Killer Protagonist
If one thing is for certain, the Monster franchise certainly knows which infamous figures to pick when crafting each season, as each has drawn massive viewership and generated significant online buzz. The Lizzie Borden Story should be no different regardless of its critical acclaim or lack thereof. The addition of its first female protagonist is an appealing switch for the franchise overall, especially since men have historically had a vastly higher rate of homicide than women. Ideally, The Lizzie Borden Story will peek into the mind of the alleged killer without adding too much artistic flair. That said, don’t expect any new factual details to come out of this unearthed 1892 crime story.
Because of its inevitable hype and overall franchise popularity, Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story is one of ScreenRant’s must-watch Netflix shows to binge this week, even if horror series aren’t generally your thing. Keep in mind, however, that Monster has produced some seriously intense, frightening, and disturbing scenes that often blur the line between dramatization and sensationalism. Whether that’s one of its greatest or worst qualities will be left up to viewers this weekend, as Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story will likely become Netflix’s new #1 worldwide hit.
Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story
- Release Date
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September 17, 2026
- Network
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Netflix
- Directors
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Max Winkler, Sarah Adina Smith
- Writers
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Ian Brennan
Cast
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Vicky Krieps
Bridget Sullivan
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Ella Beatty
Lizzie Borden
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Sarah Paulson
Aileen Wuornos
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Charlie Hunnam
Andrew Borden
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