Monster has opened the door to the Borden house. The Lizzie Borden Story is now streaming globally on Netflix, with Ella Beatty playing the woman accused of killing her father and stepmother in 1892. The fourth season of Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan’s anthology has eight episodes.
This is a new release guide, not another first look at the bloodied images Netflix showed before the premiere. The season puts Lizzie and the family maid Bridget Sullivan at the center of a cruel household, then follows the violence and the legend that grew around the case.
Who plays Lizzie and the people around her?
Beatty plays Lizzie Borden. Vicky Krieps is Bridget “Maggie” Sullivan, the live-in maid whose connection to Lizzie drives much of the show’s story. Charlie Hunnam plays Lizzie’s father Andrew, Rebecca Hall plays her stepmother Abby, and Billie Lourd plays older sister Emma.
Jessica Barden appears as Nance O’Neil, a stage actress in Lizzie’s circle. Sarah Paulson plays Aileen Wuornos in scenes from a much later era, showing how the season reaches beyond the 1892 household. That does not mean the real Wuornos met the historical Borden; it is a choice made by the drama.
The real case and the show are different things
The real Lizzie Borden was tried and acquitted after the deaths of Andrew and Abby Borden. Their murders became one of America’s most retold crime stories. Monster uses that history for a fictional narrative, including private conversations and motives that cannot be established simply by watching the series.
Netflix’s description emphasizes repression, humiliation and the relationship between Lizzie and Bridget. It also describes the murders as unsolved. That difference between an accusation and a proven verdict matters even when the show makes bold choices about what happened.
Do you need to watch earlier Monster seasons?
No. Each season tells a different story. The earlier installments focused on Jeffrey Dahmer, the Menendez brothers and Ed Gein. Familiar performers and themes recur, but this eight-episode Borden story stands on its own.
The entire new season is available now on Netflix. If you would rather avoid spoilers, the cast and setup above are all you need before pressing play. The show’s account of the killings and its later-timeline scenes are where the bigger reveals begin.
For the full series overview, visit the Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story title page.
Quick answers
How many episodes are there?
Netflix lists eight episodes for The Lizzie Borden Story.
Is the series a documentary?
No. It is a dramatized anthology season inspired by the historical case.
