Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story uses a famous 19th-century murder case as the starting point, but the Netflix drama does not present every event as established history. Several important storylines are fictionalized, compressed or expanded.
What is confirmed history?
Andrew Borden and Abby Borden were killed in Fall River, Massachusetts, on Aug. 4, 1892. Lizzie Borden was accused of the murders, tried in 1893 and acquitted. Those are central facts shared by the historical record and the Netflix series.
The Borden case has never produced a universally accepted answer about the identity of the killer. The absence of a conviction is one reason the story has remained a subject of historical and popular debate.
Bridget Sullivan and the series' romantic storyline
Vicky Krieps plays Bridget “Maggie” Sullivan, the Borden family's maid. The series gives Lizzie and Bridget a close romantic and conspiratorial relationship.
That relationship is not established by historical evidence. Recent fact-checking around the series has emphasized that the real Bridget Sullivan was a key witness in the case, but the romantic storyline belongs to the show's fictionalized interpretation.
Bertha Manchester is another major change
The series also connects Lizzie to the murder of Bertha Manchester. Netflix's own historical material acknowledges that this part of the story was changed for the drama.
PEOPLE's fact-checking reports that the real Manchester murder occurred in 1893 while Lizzie was already in custody awaiting trial. A man named Jose Correa de Mello was convicted in that case. That makes the show's version a clear example of historical adaptation rather than a direct retelling.
The story of Emma Borden
Emma Borden, Lizzie's older sister, is also presented through a dramatic lens. Historical reporting shows that Emma defended Lizzie during the trial and remained close to her for years afterward before their relationship eventually broke down.
PEOPLE's recent fact-checking of the series notes that some scenes involving Emma and Lizzie are fictionalized and do not match the surviving historical record.
Why Netflix makes these changes
A scripted series has different storytelling requirements from a documentary. The real Borden case leaves gaps in the private conversations, motivations and relationships of the people involved. The creators can fill those gaps with invented scenes while keeping the broad historical framework.
Netflix's Tudum material is direct about this distinction, describing the series as a fictionalized version built from details of the real person's life.
What viewers should take away
The safest way to understand Monster is to treat it as a historical drama inspired by a real case. The murders, trial and acquittal are historical anchors; many personal interactions and narrative connections are creative interpretations.
Quick answer
The real Lizzie Borden case ended with her acquittal, while Netflix's series adds fictional relationships, altered timelines and new dramatic connections. The show itself and recent fact-checking coverage provide useful clues about where history ends and dramatization begins.
Sources
- Netflix Tudum: the true story behind Monster
- PEOPLE: Lizzie Borden and Bridget Sullivan fact check
- PEOPLE: Bertha Manchester fact check
- PEOPLE: Lizzie and Emma Borden fact check
- Did Lizzie Borden Kill Her Parents? What Monster Says vs What History Proves
- Why Was Lizzie Borden Acquitted? The 1893 Trial Evidence Explained
Fact-check note
This article distinguishes the Netflix dramatization from documented history. Lizzie Borden was acquitted in 1893; claims about guilt, private relationships, motives and events not established by surviving records are described as fictionalized or disputed rather than settled fact.
Netflix Tudum: The True Story · Netflix Tudum: Ending Explained · PEOPLE: Fact vs Fiction · PEOPLE: Emma/Lizzie Fact Check
Related: Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story Explained: Cast, Case and What Netflix Changed
Related: Monster Season 4 Ending vs Real Lizzie Borden History: What Netflix Changed
