Why Monster: The Ed Gein Story Fails as True Crime Drama
content: The Troubled Legacy of Ryan Murphy's Monster Series
When Ryan Murphy's Dahmer became Netflix's second-most-watched series ever in 2022, it set a high bar for true crime storytelling. Its unflinching darkness and psychological depth created a disturbing yet compelling portrait of evil. As a longtime analyst of Murphy's work, I approached Monster: The Ed Gein Story with cautious optimism. Could it match Dahmer's impact? Sadly, after dissecting all eight episodes, this installment stumbles where its predecessor excelled. The series loses its way through tonal inconsistency, factual liberties, and narrative bloat, ultimately failing to deliver the grounded horror that made Gein's real-life crimes so chilling.
Problem 1: The Jarring Tone Undermines Reality
The most glaring issue lies in the show's erratic tone. Dahmer succeeded by maintaining a consistent atmosphere of dread, forcing viewers to confront the humanity within monstrous acts. Monster abandons this approach with baffling creative choices:
The Chainsaw Fantasy Sequence: Episode 3 depicts Gein chasing victims through woods with a chainsaw, a scene directly contradicting historical records. As documented in the Wisconsin Historical Society archives, Gein never used a chainsaw in his confirmed murders. This Texas Chainsaw Massacre-inspired moment transforms real tragedy into slasher-movie spectacle.
Misplaced Sympathy in the Finale: The closing episodes attempt to reframe Gein as a "frail old man" soothed by medication. Yet court psychiatric evaluations show Gein remained fascinated by necrophilia during his institutionalization. The series omits this, instead creating a false narrative of remorse.
The Absurd Serial Killer Dance Party: The afterlife sequence featuring Manson, Bundy, and other killers dancing around Gein epitomizes the tonal disaster. This American Horror Story-style flourish betrays the real victims. When creating true crime content, the victims' families deserve accuracy over theatricality.
These choices exemplify a critical misstep: prioritizing franchise-building over psychological truth. Dahmer proved we don't need cartoonish villains when real monsters exist.
Problem 2: Historical Inaccuracies Damage Credibility
True crime adaptations demand rigorous accuracy, especially with cases as extensively documented as Gein's. Monster takes dangerous liberties:
| Depicted Event | Historical Reality | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Gein killing his brother Henry | Only speculative; never proven | Manufactures familial violence narrative |
| Gein helping identify Ted Bundy | No evidence of involvement | Falsely connects unrelated cases |
| Adeline's romantic influence | Relationship lasted 7 months; she never entered his home | Creates fictional catalyst for crimes |
| Evelyn Hartley murder | Officially unsolved; no conviction | Wrongly attributes crime to boost kill count |
The Adeline subplot proves particularly egregious. Despite being based on discredited testimony, she occupies nearly three episodes. As a researcher, I found no credible sources supporting her depicted role in encouraging Gein's necrophilia. This fabrication distorts our understanding of Gein's solitary pathology.
Problem 3: Narrative Bloat Dilutes the Core Story
The series suffers from severe lack of focus, with tangential subplots consuming precious runtime:
The Hitchcock/Psycho Diversion: While the cultural impact of Gein's crimes deserves mention, dedicating entire episodes to Hitchcock and Anthony Perkins' sexuality distracts from the central narrative. These segments lack resolution, feeling like deleted scenes from a different project.
The Elsa Lindecker Obsession: The show invents Gein's fixation on radio host Elsa, despite no evidence of this connection existing. Her storyline disappears mid-season, highlighting its narrative redundancy.
Societal Commentary Overload: Constant cuts to 1950s cultural shifts (horror films, sexuality debates) feel didactic. True crime audiences understand societal context without explicit lectures.
These detours create a disjointed experience. In Episode 5, Gein disappears for nearly 40 minutes, an unacceptable pacing flaw in a series bearing his name.
Why Dahmer Remains the Gold Standard
Comparing both series reveals why Dahmer succeeded where Monster falters:
Dahmer's Strengths:
- Maintained claustrophobic focus on killer and victims
- Used visual storytelling over exposition
- Balanced psychological depth with horror
- Resisted romanticization or sympathy ploys
Monster's Missteps:
- Prioritized style over substance
- Valued shock over psychological insight
- Created false narratives for dramatic effect
- Lacked consistent directorial vision
The first episode of Monster showed promise with its grim portrayal of Gein's mother-induced trauma. Had the series maintained this approach, it could have matched Dahmer's power. Instead, it became a tonal Frankenstein's monster.
Final Verdict: A Missed Opportunity
Monster: The Ed Gein Story exemplifies the pitfalls of true crime dramatization. By sacrificing accuracy for spectacle and diluting its narrative with irrelevant subplots, it fails both as education and entertainment. For viewers seeking authentic psychological exploration, stick with Dahmer or read Harold Schechter's definitive biography Deviant. This series ultimately does disservice to Gein's victims and the true crime genre itself.
Where do you stand on balancing creativity with accuracy in true crime adaptations? Share your perspective below.
