With millions reportedly tuning in to watch Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story, those with a Netflix subscription may wonder who Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan want to cover next if the series continues. To put it simply, there's no shortage of true crime subjects for the series to cover in a theoretical fifth season. Still, I'm admittedly shocked to hear Brennan suggest a season focused on Dennis Rader, though I wouldn't turn it down as a viewer.
Rader, perhaps better known to some as the BTK serial killer, was behind one of the most horrifying true crime sagas of the modern era. Brennan spoke to People about future subjects for his ongoing anthology and stated that Rader was a name that he and the producers have and possibly still consider covering:
We’ve talked about BTK (Dennis Rader). [He] is a fascinating one. They’re hard because somebody like him, Dennis Rader, he’s really not that interesting. He’s fascinating because he’s a devil.
It's wild to say the most notable thing about an individual is that they're a killer, but I guess it's just like that sometimes. Monster and other TV series have sought to tackle the stories of such individuals, fleshing them out beyond their misdeeds.
What I find interesting about these particular comments is that Ian Brennan says it's the fact that Dennis Nader is so unremarkable that makes him an interesting subject. Quite frankly, the EP's perspective actually makes me want to see
But the circumstances around a family man who had this horrific secret and the chase around him, I think would make a great season of the show.
Indeed, many would likely agree that the case of the BTK is somewhat enigmatic. On one hand, he was so braggadocious about his crimes that he openly taunted police between killings. On the other hand, there's a documentary out involving his daughter, in which she talks about having little to no clue about his illicit activities. While the killer himself may not be interesting, as noted by Brennan, I'd think that him, co-creator Ryan Murphy and co. could use that to fuel a fresh season of Monster.
Of course, as of this writing, Netflix hasn't announced if the Monster anthology will receive another season. The series has made waves with each iteration, as fans were psyched to see Charlie Hunnam portray Ed Gein's story, and the same was true when Evan Peters helped portray Jeffrey Dahmer's story. The series' take on Lyle and Erik Menendez's exploits even sparked renewed interest in the sibling's murder case. Season 4 stars Ella Beatty as Lizzie Borden and features the gruesome murder of Borden's father and stepmother.
Variety reported that Season 4 pulled in 12.2 million viewers in its first four days on Netflix, which is on par with the past two installments. Of course, the inaugural season (with Dahmer) still remains the most popular of the bunch, with 22.3 million views in that same time frame.
As for whether the anthology will continue after Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story, I can't help but feel good about the odds of another season being greenlit. Ryan Murphy's projects remain a hot commodity in both in Hollywood, and the audience for this anthology show seems to be holding strong.
While I'd love to see a BTK storyline down the road, I also can't help but wonder if the latest season sets the stage for a larger storyline centered on Aileen Wuornos. Sarah Paulson plays the notorious killer, though the latest season of Monster already shows her beginning and downfall. Whatever the case, here's hoping Brennan and his collaborators provide a compelling subject if Season 5 happens.
Stream Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story on Netflix right now along with previous seasons. It's a wild saga to watch from start to finish, and I binged the entire thing in a couple of days (and have zero regrets about doing so).
