Thursday, September 17, 2026, offers a packed slate for anyone who follows scripted drama, reality competition, and live sports. The most talked-about entry is the fourth season of Ryan Murphy’s anthology Monster titled “The Lizzie Borden Story.” All eight episodes dropped on Netflix at midnight ET, giving viewers immediate access to a stylized re-imagining of one of America’s most notorious murder cases. At the same time, the reality franchise The Traitors makes its network debut on NBC, promising a fresh cash prize and celebrity host Alan Cumming. Below is a breakdown of the key premieres, the talent behind the new Lizzie Borden drama, and a quick fact-check of what the series gets right and where it takes artistic liberties.
Netflix’s Monster season 4: Lizzie Borden re-examined
The latest Monster installment centers on the 1892 Fall River murders that left the public guessing whether young Lizzie Borden (played by Ella Beatty, daughter of Annette Bening and Warren Beatty) feloniously dispatched her father and stepmother. Beatty shares screen time with veterans of the Murphy-Brennan universe, including Sarah Paulson, Rebecca Hall, and Vicky Krieps, who portrays the legendary Hungarian noblewoman Elizabeth Báthory in a parallel subplot. The eight-episode arc blends period horror with a feminist lens exploring how systemic oppression and family wealth could fuel violent rebellion.
Production primarily unfolded in Los Angeles, with supplemental filming at historic castles near Rome to serve the Báthory storyline. Despite the series’ atmospheric sets, the crew did not shoot inside the genuine Borden house, which currently operates as a bed-and-breakfast in Fall River and is reputedly haunted. This decision sidestepped logistical challenges and allowed designers more creative freedom in constructing a “house of humiliation” that mirrors the series’ thematic focus.
Cast highlights and recurring collaborators
Beyond Beatty’s debut, the season reunites three actors from the previous Monster chapter on Ed Gein. Their return builds continuity across the anthology while also giving fans familiar faces to anchor the new narrative. Notably, Vicky Krieps brings gravitas to the role of Maggie Sullivan, the housemaid whose alleged testimony contributed to Lizzie’s real-life suspicion. Rebecca Hall portrays Abby Borden, the stepmother whose relationship with Lizzie is depicted as both icy and ambiguous.
The Traitors arrives on NBC
After flourishing on streaming platforms, The Traitors pivots to network television on Thursday night at 8 p.m. ET. Hosted by Alan Cumming, the competition pits everyday contestants against covert “Traitors” who attempt to sabotage a collective prize pot that can reach $250,000. Two episodes will air back-to-back, giving viewers a full taste of the game’s deception mechanics in its inaugural broadcast season.
The show’s format remains unchanged: players complete missions to earn money, then gather around a campfire to vote out suspected Traitors. The shift to NBC expands the series’ reach, positioning it alongside other reality staples like Big Brother and The Voice which are also slated for Thursday evenings.
Other notable Thursday programming
Netflix also releases the second season of Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 an eight-episode binge that blends the franchise’s signature supernatural suspense with a Valentine’s-day-themed quest to uncover a series of eerie apparitions. Meanwhile, Paramount+ offers the penultimate episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds sending La’an on a peril-filled diplomatic mission on a planet reminiscent of classic fantasy realms.
Sports fans aren’t left out: ESPN’s Thursday Night College Football showcases a showdown between Syracuse and Pittsburgh, and Prime Video streams the season-20 opener of Thursday Night Football featuring the Detroit Lions versus the Buffalo Bills. In the world of reality TV, CBS’s Big Brother executes a “Double Eviction” that removes two houseguests in a single night, while Bravo’s The Real Housewives of Orange County continues its drama with a surprise visit that rattles longtime cast member Vicki.
Fact check: separating myth from history in Lizzie Borden’s story
The series leans heavily into speculative storytelling, which means several plot points diverge from documented evidence. Historically, Lizzie Borden was tried for the axe murders of her father, Andrew, and stepmother, Abby, on August 4, 1892, but a jury acquitted her after a brief 40-minute deliberation. The trial’s outcome hinged on a lack of physical evidence—no bloodstains were found on Lizzie’s clothing, and investigators performed only a cursory search of her bedroom.
Contrary to the show’s implication of a secret romantic liaison with the family maid Bridget Sullivan, archival records indicate a professional, not intimate, relationship. Sullivan’s testimony—reportedly that she heard Lizzie laughing after the murders—was used by prosecutors, but no corroborating evidence of a sexual affair exists. Likewise, the series dramatizes a friendship between Lizzie and stage actress Nance O’Neil, a bond that historical accounts suggest developed only after Lizzie’s acquittal.
Several popular myths are also unfounded: Lizzie never married nor bore children, and there is no credible documentation supporting claims that she was a lesbian. The series’ inclusion of Elizabeth Báthory as a narrative foil further blurs fact and fiction, linking two disparate historical figures for thematic effect rather than historical accuracy.
In sum, while Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story delivers a compelling visual experience and raises provocative questions about gendered violence, viewers should treat its dramatizations as artistic interpretation rather than strict biography.
Quick glance at Thursday’s schedule
- 12:00 a.m. – Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story (Netflix, 8-episode binge)
- 7:30 p.m. – College football: Syracuse @ Pittsburgh (ESPN)
- 8:00 p.m. – Big Brother double eviction (CBS)
- 8:00 p.m. – The Traitors: New Blood premiere (NBC, 2 episodes)
- 8:15 p.m. – Thursday Night Football (Prime Video)
- 9:00 p.m. – Stuart Fails to Save the Universe (HBO Max, penultimate episode)
- 10:00 p.m. – The Voice 30th-season celebration (NBC)
Whether you’re in the mood for period horror, reality intrigue, or live sports, Thursday’s lineup offers a little something for every screen-savvy viewer.
