Monster the Lizzie Borden Story explodes to 12.1 m viewers in four days

Netflix’s newest entry in Ryan Murphy’s crime‑drama lineage, *Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story*, premiered to a solid 12.1 million views during its first four days on the English TV list for the week of September 14‑20. The number matches the opening weekend of last season’s premiere, *The Ed Gein Story*.

The series launched on a Friday, giving it one day fewer than the earlier releases that set comparable records. Meanwhile, the platform’s new young‑adult series, *Crew Girl*, has already doubled its opening‑week audience in its second week.

The performance of these titles underscores Netflix’s ongoing challenge to keep viewers engaged in long‑running series while also finding fresh audiences for its newer projects.

## Background & Context

Ryan Murphy has built a cinematic universe of infamous killers that has consistently drawn large audiences. *Monster* is part of this franchise, following the success of prior installments such as *The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story* and *The Ed Gein Story*.

The release schedule for these series typically spans a few days: *The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story* Season 2 debuted on a Thursday, accruing 12.3 million views in four days; *Monster* debuted on a Friday with 12.1 million views in the same time frame.

These figures indicate that while initial interest remains high, retention over subsequent weeks may be difficult for continued installments.

In contrast, *Crew Girl* is a fresh addition to Netflix’s slate, focusing on a 16‑year‑old coxswain of an elite private school’s all‑male rowing team. The show was renewed for another season after its modest opening weekend, suggesting a growing fan base.

## Current Viewership Snapshot

*Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story* secured the top spot on the English TV list during its debut week, with 12.1 million views in its first four days. This tally mirrors *The Ed Gein Story*’s opening weekend and sits just below *The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story* Season 2’s 12.3 million.

In the second week, *Crew Girl* surged to 11.3 million views, more than doubling its viewership from its opening weekend. The series was also renewed for another season during this period.

The teen drama *The Gentlemen* maintained a strong presence, with Season 2 holding the third position on the list at 6 million views and Season 1 following at No. 5 with 3.4 million views.

On the film side of the English list, Tyler Perry’s *Why Did I Get Married Again?* led with 9.7 million views, followed by *The Whisper Man* at 6.2 million.

## Implications & Trends

The comparable opening numbers for *Monster* and *The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story* suggest that initial interest in Murphy’s series remains robust, yet both shows were released a day apart with similar viewership indicates a plateauing audience base.

This trend aligns with Netflix’s documented difficulty in retaining audiences on many of its long‑running series.

Conversely, *Crew Girl*’s rapid audience growth demonstrates that new, well‑positioned young‑adult dramas can find and expand their viewer base even after a modest launch. The renewal of the show after only one week implies confidence in its potential to attract sustained viewership.

In the broader context, the film list shows that mainstream titles continue to dominate, with Tyler Perry’s franchise leading and *The Whisper Man* maintaining a strong second spot.

The data from this week points to a bifurcation in Netflix’s content strategy: while established crime‑drama franchises face challenges in keeping audiences beyond the premiere week, fresh projects targeting niche demographics can experience accelerated growth and renewal prospects.