Ryan Murphy, a prominent Hollywood producer, depicts the lives of notorious killers through his biographical drama series “Monster.” The newest season, “Monster: The Ed Gein Story,” was released on Oct. 3.
“Monster” has previously followed murderers Jeffrey Dahmer and Lyle and Erik Menendez. The show has faced backlash with every new release due to its fictionalization of real criminal cases. This new season is no different.
With only a 21% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, viewers dislike the show for victimizing and sexualizing its serial killers.
Reflecting on season two, “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story,” it is well done overall. The story follows two different perspectives: one where the brothers are the true victims and one where they were not. It takes a lot to understand Murphy’s vision, but he was able to give justice to the Menendez brothers’ story. The 32-minute monologue given by Cooper Koch, portraying Erik Menendez, during the fifth episode of the season is single-handedly responsible for the high hopes surrounding Murphy’s next “Monster.”
One can argue that the serial killer Ed Gein is relatively unheard of, so it is important to look up any trigger warnings before the show begins. The content is heavy and quite disturbing.
Other than Charlie Hunnam, portraying Ed Gein and notably seen in “Sons of Anarchy,” the cast of the show is relatively unknown, with the only other exception being Addison Rae. Rae, a popular TikTok influencer and music artist. Although she does an excellent job in her role, it is difficult to take the actress seriously, as it is hard to separate the “Hype House” star from her character, Evelyn Hartley.
Hunnam also does an excellent job in his role by delivering powerful scenes; however, he is jacked – chiseled abs, sharp jawline. This serial killer is hot. Gein was not that attractive in real life. It is unclear why Murphy decided to sexualize Gein, and it completely ruins the show. Hunnam’s appearance is distracting, especially when the actor has scenes with his shirt off … constantly.
Despite the overt sexualization, Murphy was able to portray Gein’s actions appropriately. The show follows a dual perspective. Not only does Murphy explore Gein but he also displays how Gein has influenced many aspects of American life, including movies like Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho” and Jonathan Demme’s “Silence of the Lambs,” as well as serial killers like Ted Bundy and Richard Speck. The dual point-of-view is confusing at first because it is hard to distinguish between Gein and the films he inspired; however, it all comes together by the end of the show.
Although all the different timelines are explained in the eighth and final episode, overall, that episode was unneeded and ruined the entire season.
The show really should have ended after the seventh episode. Here, Gein’s therapist diagnoses the serial killer with schizophrenia then hands him a pill. That is how the show should have ended: telling the monster’s story and giving a brief, realistic explanation exploring why Gein committed his crime.
Instead of ending it there, the show continues for one more episode, and this is where its problems exacerbate. It opens with Ted Bundy committing a murder. During the one hour and five minute episode run, detectives are searching for “The Campus Killer,” and Murphy depicts Gein helping detectives solve the murders and ultimately catching Bundy. Normally, that would be fine in a fictitious television show, but there is no proof that Gein aided in the Bundy search in 1978. Additionally, there is no evidence that Gein even communicated with other serial killers. Ending the show with Gein doing the good deed of solving murders is a horrible way to romanticize an incredibly evil human being who actually murderded at least two people and mutilated many more.
For having the critically acclaimed backlog of “Glee” and “American Horror Story,” it is shocking that Murphy continues to disappoint with each new season of “Monster.” Audiences pray the next season’s story, which follows Lizzie Borden, is written properly.
