Monster on Netflix: Every Season in Order, Cast and Where to Watch

Monster is Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan's true-crime anthology for Netflix. Each season takes on one notorious real case with a new story and mostly new characters. The same actors keep coming back in different roles: Charlie Hunnam played Ed Gein in season three and Lizzie Borden's father in season four. The franchise has drawn nearly 170 million views since 2023, according to Netflix.

This guide covers every season in order, who plays who, how each was received and where to stream it. We update it when Netflix announces a new season.

Every Monster season in order

Netflix released every season with all of its episodes on the same day.

Where to watch Monster

All four seasons stream exclusively on Netflix, which produces the series. As a Netflix original, it is included on every plan, including the cheapest ad-supported one.

US prices as of the March 2026 increase. Prices vary by country, so check Netflix's sign-up page for your region.

Do you need to watch Monster in order?

No. Every season stands on its own, and no storyline carries over. If you want the strongest place to start, begin with The Jeffrey Dahmer Story: it has the series' biggest audience and its most awards. If you are here for a specific actor, jump straight to their season below.

Season 1: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (2022)

The first season follows Jeffrey Dahmer, who murdered 17 young men and boys between 1978 and 1991. Much of the story is told through the people around him, including the neighbor whose warnings to police went unheeded.

How it did: The season logged 196.2 million hours viewed in its first five days, roughly 22 million views by the measure Netflix adopted in 2023, and remains the anthology's biggest debut. Niecy Nash won the Emmy for supporting actress, Evan Peters won the Golden Globe for best actor in a limited series, and the season won the BAFTA for best international programme.

The criticism: Relatives of Dahmer's victims accused Netflix of profiting from their trauma and said the series retraumatized them.

Read about the real case: My Friend Dahmer, Derf Backderf's graphic memoir of going to high school with Jeffrey Dahmer, is the best-known first-hand account of his teenage years.

Season 2: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story (2024)

Season two retells the case of Lyle and Erik Menendez, the brothers convicted of killing their parents, José and Kitty, in their Beverly Hills home in 1989. It weighs the prosecution's account against the brothers' claims that they were abused.

How it did: It opened with 12.3 million views and won the Emmy for picture editing.

The criticism: Erik Menendez first called the portrayal "disheartening slander." Lyle Menendez later said he was grateful the series had opened people's eyes to the abuse the brothers described.

Read about the real case: The Menendez Murders by Robert Rand, a journalist who covered the case from the start, in an updated edition.

Season 3: The Ed Gein Story (2025)

The third season is about Ed Gein, the Wisconsin killer whose crimes inspired Psycho, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and The Silence of the Lambs. It also follows the horror films his crimes inspired, with Tom Hollander as Alfred Hitchcock.

How it did: It debuted at No. 2 with 12.2 million views, then rose to No. 1 in its second week with 20.7 million. Critics were harsh: it has a 22% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Even so, it earned seven Emmy nominations, including lead actor for Hunnam and supporting actress for Metcalf.

For the role, Hunnam went through an intense physical and vocal transformation.

Read about the real case: Deviant: The Shocking True Story of Ed Gein, the Original Psycho by true-crime historian Harold Schechter.

Season 4: The Lizzie Borden Story (2026)

The newest season goes back to Aug. 4, 1892, when Andrew and Abby Borden were hacked to death in their home in Fall River, Massachusetts. It is the first Monster season with a woman at its center.

Wuornos committed her crimes nearly a century after the Borden murders.

How it did: It opened at No. 1 on Netflix's chart with 12.1 million views in its first four days, in line with the two seasons before it. Reviews were mixed: as of Oct. 26, 2026, it has 34% on Rotten Tomatoes and 47 on Metacritic, with critics faulting its historical liberties. Read more about how it topped the Netflix chart and Hunnam's take on playing Andrew Borden.

What really happened to Lizzie Borden

Lizzie became the prime suspect after she burned a dress she said was stained with paint. She was indicted in December 1892, stood trial in June 1893 without testifying, and was acquitted. No one else was ever charged. She and her sister Emma inherited their father's fortune and moved to a house they named Maplecroft. Emma moved out in 1905, and Lizzie lived there until her death in June 1927.

Read about the real case: The Trial of Lizzie Borden by Cara Robertson retells the 1893 trial from the court record and the newspapers of the time.

Will there be a Monster season 5?

As of Oct. 26, 2026, Netflix has not announced a fifth season.

No subject has been confirmed. Murphy has said he keeps a "maybe one day" file of ideas. He has ruled out Ted Bundy, saying the case "doesn't ask you any questions about society." Brennan has ruled out John Wayne Gacy and the Golden State Killer, saying there is no pathos in their stories. We will update this page when Netflix makes an announcement.

More to watch

If you have finished Monster, our 20 best miniseries to binge right now is a good place to find your next series.

Sources · Netflix Top 10 and Tudum; Variety (viewership, Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan interviews); TheWrap and What's on Netflix (weekly views); Television Academy and BAFTA (awards); Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic (as of Oct. 26, 2026); NPR (Menendez statement); Biography.com (case history). Prices: Netflix US plans, March 2026.

Photo · dbking from Washington, DC, CC BY 2.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons