The fourth season of the anthology series by Ryan Murphy, titled “Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story“, is available on Netflix with 8 episodes.
Compared to previous seasons, the series adopts a renewed formula that blends the true crime genre with dark comedy elements and a greater dose of irony.
The story follows Lizzie Borden, played by Ella Beatty, a young woman in late 19th-century America who is subjected to constant humiliation and abuse from her family and accused of killing her father, Andrew Borden, and her stepmother, Abby Borden, with an axe on August 4, 1892.
Lizzie Borden is then put on trial, but, due to a lack of sufficient evidence, she is acquitted, leaving the case shrouded in mystery and later making her the heir to a substantial family fortune.
Ryan Murphy chooses to develop this story by focusing not only on the murders, but also on Lizzie’s complex personality and her relationship with her family, portraying the tensions and disagreements that preceded the tragic event.
In addition to Ella Beatty, the cast includes Vicky Krieps (Bridget “Maggie” Sullivan), Charlie Hunnam (Andrew Borden), Rebecca Hall (Abby Borden), Billie Lourd (Emma Borden), Jessica Barden (Nance O’Neil), Joey Pollari (John Morse) and Sarah Paulson (Aileen Wuornos).
The series’ Italian sets
Although Lizzie Borden’s story actually took place in Fall River, Massachusetts, the series was also filmed in Italy.
Filming lasted five weeks, from January 22 to February 25, 2026. A crew of around 200 people worked on the production, with several locations across Lazio, particularly in Rome and the surrounding areas.
Among them is the Orsini-Odescalchi Castle on Lake Bracciano, chosen for its historic setting, which was particularly suitable for recreating a period atmosphere without relying on artificial reconstructions.
The director of photography Michael Bauman also spoke about the choice of locations, explaining that the scenes filmed inside the castle are connected to the story of the notorious Countess Elizabeth Báthory, a character featured in the story read by Lizzie and Bridget in the first episode.
The figure of the Hungarian noblewoman, who went down in history amid numerous accusations of torture and the murder of young women, is thus incorporated into the series’ narrative through the story read by the two protagonists.
The legendary figure of Lizzie Borden
Unlike what happened in reality, the series shows the murder of the parents from the very beginning of the first episode, portraying Lizzie Borden as the perpetrator of the double murder.
In reality, however, there was not enough evidence to prove Lizzie’s guilt, and she was therefore acquitted at the end of the trial.
It is precisely her acquittal that makes Lizzie Borden’s story particularly controversial and, despite the lack of a conviction, suspicions surrounding her have never disappeared.
From that moment on, Lizzie Borden became a legendary figure, transforming into a true figure of terror and one of the most famous and debated cases in American true crime history.
A fundamental element of this legend is the famous nursery rhyme:
“Lizzie Borden took an axe, and gave her mother forty whacks.
When she saw what she had done,
She gave her father forty-one.”
Lizzie Borden spent the rest of her life in the Fall River community with her sister Emma. Despite her acquittal, Lizzie was subjected to significant social isolation and died in 1927 at the age of 66.
It is still possible to visit the house where the murders took place. It is located at 230 Second Street in Fall River, Massachusetts, and has been turned into a bed and breakfast. Visitors can even stay at the house and have breakfast with a menu inspired by the one consumed by the Borden family on the morning of the murders.
Photo Credits: Photo By Venti Views su Unsplash
