The Ian Brennan and Ryan Murphy true crime anthology series Monster has returned to the cultural zeitgeist, this time transporting audiences back to 1892. By focusing its lens on one of the most infamous and enduring enigmas in American history—the alleged matricide and patricide committed by Lizzie Borden—the show reignites a centuries-old fascination with the "woman with the axe." Despite her acquittal, Borden remains a figure defined by ambiguity, and it is precisely this lack of resolution that makes her story an inexhaustible well for prestige television.
If the latest installment of Monster has whetted your appetite for dark, complex, and psychologically layered true crime dramas, you are not alone. The allure of the "ambiguous killer"—the subject who occupies the grey space between victimhood and villainy—has become a cornerstone of modern streaming. Below, we examine the evolution of this genre and provide a curated list of ten essential series that mirror the intensity and narrative complexity of the Lizzie Borden saga.
The Anatomy of the Ambiguous Killer: Main Facts and Context
The fascination with Lizzie Borden is rooted in a fundamental tension: we have the crime scene, the gore, and the primary suspect, yet we lack the certainty of a verdict. Because Borden was acquitted by a jury of her peers, the case occupies a unique space in American jurisprudence. It is a historical cold case that allows for endless speculation, conspiracy theories, and psychological profiling.
Modern television has moved away from the "whodunit" toward the "whydunit." When we watch shows like Monster, we are not merely interested in the mechanics of the crime; we are interrogating the societal structures, gender dynamics, and psychological pressures that lead individuals to commit acts of violence. The "Lizzie Borden archetype"—a woman trapped by Victorian constraints, lashing out against a suffocating patriarchal home—serves as a template for contemporary storytelling.
A Chronology of Crime: The Evolution of the Genre
To understand why these shows resonate so deeply, one must look at how the genre has evolved over the last decade.
- 2015–2017: The Speculative Era: Projects like The Lizzie Borden Chronicles began to move beyond the historical record, treating the subject as a springboard for stylistic, almost gothic, narrative explorations.
- 2017–2019: The Literary Adaptation: Series like Alias Grace brought a more academic, sociological lens to the true crime genre, examining how memory, trauma, and class influence the perception of guilt.
- 2019–2022: The "Peak True Crime" Boom: The rise of streaming platforms allowed for deep-dive miniseries like The Act and The Staircase, which leaned into the "meta" nature of the genre, often questioning the ethics of the documentary process itself.
- 2023–Present: The Sociopolitical Shift: Recent entries, such as A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story, reflect a growing public interest in how historical legal systems failed women, particularly those who lacked the socioeconomic protections afforded to figures like Borden.
Supporting Data: Why We Watch
According to recent streaming analytics, the "True Crime" category remains the most engaged genre across major platforms, particularly among the 18–49 demographic. The appeal is twofold: the intellectual puzzle of the crime and the catharsis of seeing hidden, domestic traumas brought into the light.
Data suggests that audiences are increasingly drawn to projects that feature "unreliable narrators." In The Staircase, for example, the ambiguity surrounding Michael Peterson’s innocence is not a flaw in the storytelling—it is the central engine of the audience’s engagement. We are not looking for a definitive answer; we are looking for a mirror.
Official Responses and Cultural Impact
While these series often draw praise for their production value and performances, they are frequently met with criticism from the families of victims or legal advocates who argue that the "dramatization" of real-life tragedies risks trivializing human suffering.
However, creators like Ryan Murphy argue that these shows provide a necessary venue for discussing the systemic failures of the justice system. By revisiting these cases, contemporary creators often highlight biases that were prevalent in the original investigations, such as the inherent sexism that often dictated how women were prosecuted in the 19th and 20th centuries. The 2026 conditional pardon of Ruth Ellis, which was influenced by public discourse fueled by recent dramatizations of her case, stands as a testament to the real-world power that media portrayals of historical crimes can possess.
10 Essential Shows for Fans of Monster
If you are looking for more in the same vein of high-stakes, psychologically complex true crime, the following titles are essential viewing:
1. Candy (2022)
Jessica Biel stars as Candy Montgomery in this Hulu miniseries. Set in 1980, it examines the brutal axe murder of Betty Gore. Like the Borden case, it leaves the audience questioning the motivations of an "ordinary" suburbanite pushed to the brink.
2. The Lizzie Borden Chronicles (2015)
For those who want to see the aftermath of the acquittal, this series imagines the life of Lizzie (Christina Ricci) post-trial. It is stylish, dark, and leans into the darker, more "fever dream" aspects of the legend.
3. The Staircase (2022)
This meta-narrative masterpiece explores the death of Kathleen Peterson. By incorporating the French film crew that originally documented the case, it forces viewers to consider how editing and perspective shape our understanding of truth.
4. The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox (2025)
This series examines the media circus surrounding the 2007 murder of Meredith Kercher in Italy. It serves as a potent critique of how international media can effectively "convict" a person long before they reach a courtroom.
5. The Act (2019)
This show remains the definitive look at the life of Gypsy-Rose Blanchard. It explores the toxic codependency of a mother-daughter relationship and the devastating consequences of long-term psychological abuse.
6. Why Women Kill (2019–2021)
While not strictly "true crime," this anthology series by Marc Cherry captures the spirit of the genre. It investigates the boiling point of women across different decades, asking the same fundamental question as the Borden story: What does it take to push a person to kill?
7. The Girl from Plainville (2022)
Focusing on the "texting suicide" case of Michelle Carter, this series is a haunting look at modern digital isolation. Elle Fanning’s performance adds a tragic, complex nuance to a character who is often painted as a one-dimensional villain.
8. A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story (2025)
This series is a poignant examination of the last woman executed in the UK. It is a heartbreaking reminder of how little mercy was shown to women in the 1950s legal system, particularly those trapped in cycles of domestic violence.
9. The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (2018)
Another entry in the Ryan Murphy canon, this season focuses on Andrew Cunanan. It is a masterclass in tone, using the high-fashion world of the 90s to contrast with the gritty, desperate reality of a spree killer.
10. Alias Grace (2017)
Based on the Margaret Atwood novel, this series is the gold standard for the "ambiguous historical killer." It follows a 19th-century Irish immigrant convicted of murder, and it is as much a literary exploration of class and gender as it is a crime thriller.
Implications for the Future of True Crime
As we look toward the future, the trend of "true crime as social commentary" is only expected to grow. The success of Monster and its predecessors proves that audiences are not just looking for cheap thrills; they are looking for stories that challenge their understanding of the world.
The legacy of Lizzie Borden is not just one of blood and axes; it is a legacy of persistent, unanswered questions. As long as we continue to wonder about the "why" behind the "how," television will continue to return to the darkest corners of history to find its next great story. Whether these shows provide answers or simply deepen the mystery, they remain a vital part of our cultural dialogue, ensuring that the stories of the past are never truly laid to rest.
