Originally posted at Bingely.net
Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story Review
8.5/10
I really enjoyed Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story. The story was great, the acting was awesome, and overall I found it to be a really entertaining season of Monster. It has plenty of drama, some interesting characters and enough twists and strange moments to keep things moving.
That said, there is one very important thing to keep in mind before watching it: this is not a completely factual retelling of the Lizzie Borden story.
There are quite a few things throughout the season that either aren’t supported by evidence or have been heavily changed for dramatic purposes.
One of the biggest examples for me was Aileen Wuornos, played by Sarah Paulson. Paulson did a remarkable job with the role, and I honestly wish they had explored more of Wuornos. At times, I found myself wanting to see more of her story rather than having her connected to Lizzie Borden in the way the show does.
There is no evidence that Wuornos idolised Lizzie Borden in the way the series portrays. Because of that, I almost wish they had either explored Wuornos properly or left her out of this season altogether and given her a separate Monster season.
I would absolutely watch Sarah Paulson lead a season about Aileen Wuornos.
Another part of the story that has been heavily fictionalised is the relationship between Lizzie and Bridget “Maggie” Sullivan, the Borden family’s live-in maid. The series portrays a romantic relationship between them, but there isn’t historical evidence to support that relationship.
Again, I don’t necessarily have a problem with the show taking creative liberties. It’s a television drama, after all. But it is worth knowing where the real history ends and the Monster version of events begins.
And even though the relationship itself isn’t supported by historical evidence, Vicky Krieps was wonderful as Bridget. I really enjoyed her performance and thought she brought a lot to the character.
Krieps also gets to play another infamous historical figure, Countess Elizabeth Báthory, in a couple of smaller scenes. It’s certainly one of the more unexpected parts of the season, but I thought it was a fun addition and another opportunity for Krieps to show what she can do.
Some familiar faces return
One thing I really enjoyed about this season was seeing several actors from Monster: The Ed Gein Story return in completely different roles.
Charlie Hunnam, who played Ed Gein in the previous season, returns as Andrew Borden.
Vicky Krieps, who played Ilse Koch last season, returns as Bridget “Maggie” Sullivan and also plays Countess Elizabeth Báthory.
Joey Pollari, who played Anthony Perkins in The Ed Gein Story, also returns as John Morse, Lizzie’s uncle.
It’s always interesting seeing actors return to the Monster anthology in completely different roles, especially when you’ve just watched them portray somebody else.
Charlie Hunnam and Rebecca Hall
I particularly enjoyed Charlie Hunnam and Rebecca Hall being paired together as Andrew and Abby Borden.
They worked really well together, and I thought both performances were strong.
Charlie Hunnam was excellent as Ed Gein in the previous season, and I thought he was just as good here in a completely different role. It’s quite strange watching someone play Ed Gein one season and then Lizzie Borden’s father the next, but Hunnam makes the change feel completely natural.
Rebecca Hall was also fantastic as Abby Borden. I enjoyed seeing the two of them together, and fans of Ryan Murphy’s work may recognise Hall from The Beauty, another Murphy series.
There are a lot of strong performances throughout this season, but I think that’s one of the things Monster consistently gets right. Even when the writing takes things in a fictional direction, the actors make you want to keep watching.
Fact or fiction?
This is where I think viewers need to set their expectations.
If you’re watching Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story expecting a completely factual account of what happened, you’re probably going to have a problem with quite a few things.
There are real people and real events at the centre of the story, but the series adds fictional relationships, changes events and creates connections that aren’t supported by historical evidence.
The Lizzie and Bridget relationship is one example. The Aileen Wuornos storyline is another.
But personally, I don’t think that makes the season bad.
I went into it wanting to be entertained, and that’s exactly what I got.
If I want to learn the actual history of Lizzie Borden and the murders of Andrew and Abby Borden, I’d much rather watch a documentary or read a well-researched account of the case.
If I want something that’s loosely based on a real story, takes plenty of creative liberties and turns it into an entertaining television series, then Monster does that very well.
Final thoughts
Overall, I really enjoyed Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story.
The story was great, the acting was awesome and there were plenty of characters and storylines that kept me interested. Sarah Paulson was remarkable as Aileen Wuornos, Vicky Krieps was fantastic as Bridget, and I really enjoyed seeing Charlie Hunnam and Rebecca Hall together as Andrew and Abby Borden.
My biggest criticism is probably that I wish the Aileen Wuornos material had either been explored much more or saved for its own season. There’s clearly enough of a story there to carry an entire season, and Sarah Paulson was so good in the role that I wanted more.
The historical inaccuracies also need to be acknowledged, particularly if you’re someone who knows a lot about Lizzie Borden. There are plenty of things here that are either fictionalised or have no real evidence behind them.
But ultimately, I wasn’t watching this expecting a documentary.
I was watching it to be entertained — and it definitely delivered on that.
If you’re looking for a full-on factual show about Lizzie Borden, you’re better off watching a documentary. If you want something loosely based on the real story, with great acting, drama and plenty of creative liberties, then I’d definitely recommend giving this a watch.