Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story episode 5 recap and review: "The Hurt Man"
I was hoping for the trial to begin this far into Monsters: The Lyle And Erik Menendez Story, but episode 5 is a slowed-down, shorter episode I didn't know I needed. The first four episodes are entertaining and engaging, though the tone has been a little too light for the subject matter at times. Episode 5, "The Hurt Man," gives us a painfully vulnerable performance from Cooper Koch who absolutely shines as Erik in the Netflix show. It won't be one you'll forget easily.
Major spoilers for Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story episode 5 are below.
Trigger Warning: This episode explicitly references child sexual abuse.
After meeting with Lyle and getting his side of the story, Leslie goes back to meet with her client, Erik. Though this episode is central to the plot, it also feels like a standalone episode in the way it's shot and written. The full 36-minute episode is one shot (or at least, is edited to look like it) and only shows us Erik as he recalls the most heartbreaking moments of his life so far. Very slowly so you barely notice it, the camera zooms closer into Erik's face throughout the episode, creating a very effective, very emotional experience.
Erik opens up
Leslie and Erik's conversation begins with Erik telling her that his friend in jail — presumably Tony — is gone. He doesn't know if he got moved or what might've happened, but Erik is alone again. This isolation makes him seem incredibly sad, and the topics he's about to talk about don't make him feel any better. Leslie brings up her conversation with Lyle and tells Erik that they talked about everything Erik told the psychiatrist. She recalls what Lyle told her, and Erik agrees that's what happened.
Erik is surprised when Leslie asks him if he believes Lyle, which he insists he does. She tells him Lyle thinks Erik had it worse than him, something Erik agrees with. Wanting to know more, Leslie asks him to tell her everything from the start, starting from when the abuse began. Erik then launches into an unbelievably heart-wrenching story of what his father did to him. He remembers being afraid of his dad for as long as he can remember, and that Lyle has always been his protector. While none of the sexual acts were ever something Erik wanted, he's able to categorize the various acts by level of severity. He remembers the massages and fondling when he was six years old, and he felt good at that time because he was getting validation.
Seeking love and validation
Erik explains that his dad always loved Lyle more and was very mean to him. Even his mom would join in on the bullying, and sometimes his parents would lock him in the basement for hours because he was afraid to go in there. Erik was seeking approval and love, and he tells Leslie that the only time he felt like he had a real relationship with his dad was when he was abusing him. It's the only time he told his son loved him.
But unfortunately, the level of abuse escalated throughout the years. The fondling turned into oral sex, sexual acts with objects, and rape. His father had been raping him since junior high up until soon before the murders. Erik remembers José would ask him why he couldn't be like Lyle, telling him he needed to get used to the abuse.
Despite it all, Erik admits he still loves his dad. He tells Leslie that he doesn't want to be locked up in prison forever because at night when he's alone with his thoughts, all he can think about is the fact that he loves his dad. Leslie tells him she's blown away by his bravery and shares a personal experience about her negative relationship with her dad. She tells him he doesn't have to forgive his dad.
Leslie then asks Erik about his mom, and he shares some new reveals. He says she would sometimes get naked around the brothers but they did not have to touch her. There was tension because Erik suspected his mom knew what his dad was doing to him, and he was coming between them. That's why, he thinks, she made him get a girlfriend. He then says that his mom used to inspect his penis, afraid that he might have AIDS. Leslie tries to press on this, wondering why she would think that, but Erik doesn't want to talk about it.
Cooper Koch is great in Monsters
Leslie tells Erik that he and Lyle deserved better than their mom, but Erik still defends her. Leslie asks again about why she would think he could have AIDS, and Erik doesn't know how to answer. He doesn't know what his sexual identity is, but he did fall in love with a boy his age. They had a romantic and sexual relationship, but Erik admits that he's not normal because of what his dad did to him. He doesn't know what he is and he feels broken. He tells Leslie that he calls himself the "Hurt Man," a name he's identified with for his whole life.
Erik says he'll never be able to figure out who he is if he doesn't get out of jail, and Leslie tells him she'll get him out. I don't know that he believes her, but it's comforting to know he has someone on his side.
"The Hurt Man" is a very difficult watch but perhaps a necessary one. Though the show has been borderline salacious at times so far, the tone really shifts here and gives Erik his moment to say what he needs to say. It's vulnerable, upsetting, and yet very powerful at the same time. It'd be hard for any viewer not to sympathize with the brothers after this episode.
All nine episodes of Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story are streaming on Netflix.
Cooper Koch is stellar in the fifth episode of Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, which is a reset for the show. Through carefully crafted dialogue, Koch's Erik becomes incredibly sympathetic, changing the course of the viewing experience.. . "The Hurt Man". Monsters Ep 5. A
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