The final moments of Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story focus on Lizzie Borden, played by Ella Beatty, as she looks back at the violence and difficult experiences that shaped her life. After years of turmoil, Lizzie appears to question what her life and growing fame really mean.
In one of the final scenes, Lizzie tells her loyal companion, “Let’s make it mean something.” The line is meant to give the story a deeper emotional meaning. However, it also reflects the larger challenge faced by the series itself: finding a strong purpose behind the story it is telling.
Created by Ian Brennan and Ryan Murphy, the series attempts to explore the life and legacy of Lizzie Borden through the themes of violence, fame, wealth and gender. Lizzie’s notorious history provides plenty of material for a dramatic series, but the show often struggles to turn those elements into a meaningful story.
The series tries to move beyond the famous murder case and examine Lizzie as a woman living in a society shaped by strict expectations and limited opportunities. It also attempts to connect her story with ideas about feminism and the way women who break social rules are remembered.
However, the attempt to add these themes does not always feel fully developed. Some parts of the story appear to focus more on Lizzie’s violent reputation than on giving the character greater emotional or psychological depth.
This makes the series feel less effective than some of the earlier productions associated with Ryan Murphy’s crime and murder-themed television projects. Those shows often combined disturbing real-life stories with stronger character development and social commentary.
In Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story, the effort to give Lizzie’s violent legacy a larger meaning can sometimes feel forced. Instead of allowing the story and characters to develop naturally, the series occasionally appears to explain its themes directly to the audience.
The result is a drama that has an interesting historical figure at its centre but does not always make full use of the possibilities surrounding her story. Lizzie’s notoriety, wealth and violent past provide a strong foundation, but the series struggles to turn them into a consistently engaging examination of her character.
By the end, the show leaves viewers with questions about what it ultimately wants to say about Lizzie Borden. Its attempt to connect violence, fame and feminism creates an ambitious idea, but the execution may leave some viewers feeling that the story needed greater depth and stronger purpose.