📺 “Some sort of morbid fascination.” When Netflix dropped the first iteration of Monster, giving a fictional rendition of the horrific crimes committed by American serial killer JefferyDahmer, viewers were divided. For many, it was a line crossed. For others? It was exhilarating and deeply disturbing in a way that kept them hooked. Hate it or love it, viewers came back for a second season, which told the story of the Menendez brothers. Now in 2025, Ryan Murphy places the Butcher of Plainfield, Ed Gein, under the spotlight.

First things first, who’s this monster? Born in 1906 Wisconsin, Ed Gein was a serial killer and grave robber who chose flaying over crochet and skin over fabric. Having earned multiple nicknames such as the Plainfield Ghoul, the Butcher of Plainfield, and the Grandfather of Gore, he’s the inspiration behind many classic horror flicks, such as Psycho (1960), The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974), and The Silence of the Lambs (1991). How could one man possibly inspire such varied depictions? Let’s just say he was a monster of many talents.

Poor little Eddie. Right off the bat, Ed Gein (Charlie Hunnam) is introduced as a disturbed young man with peculiar tendencies. He exhibits an attraction to his own mother, stalks townsfolk, and is romantically interested in the only other psychopath in town: Adeline (Suzanna Son). Ed is emotionally abused by his mother, who raised him to be overwhelmed with religious guilt. The story takes place during World War II, with Ed’s life forever changed when Adeline brings up photographs of dead bodies from Nazi Germany, and shares the disgusting feats of Nazi sociopath Ilse Koch. From here on out, Ed begins to show interest in the macabre.

“Only a mother could love you.” When Ed accidentally kills his brother — and not-so-accidentally covers it up and plays innocent — his mother (Laurie Metcalf) suffers a stroke, which eventually ends her life. Ed begins to hallucinate her presence, eventually exhuming her body and leaving her to rot in her rocking chair, à la Norman Bates, for company. The move marks a pivotal moment for Netflix’s latest monster, as things start to get pretty serious and townsfolk drop like dominos.

So disturbing you can’t look away. The third season of Monster is undoubtedly the most disturbing and nauseating. Aside from witnessing first-hand the machinations of the Wisconsin monster, viewers are taken to the parallel plot of Nazi-era Germany as we follow Ilse Koch, and another a few decades later showcasing a fictional Alfred Hitchcock (Tom Hollander) and Anthony Perkins (Joey Pollari) as they trace Gein’s life and bring the 1960 classic Psycho to life. Each plot carries its own horrors, and the viewer never gets a chance to catch a breath.

Be warned. We’d suggest keeping your remote handy, seeing as some scenes may prove too visceral to bear. The show does not shy from either gore or sexual content, and is not suitable for family viewing. Our verdict? Hunnam’s performance and embodiment of Ed Gein is one for the books, and the supporting cast all deliver noteworthy performances. The season tells not just the story of Ed Gein, but also critiques the horror industry — and spills some of its secrets.

WHERE TO WATCH- You can stream Monster: The Ed Gein Story on Netflix. Catch the trailer on YouTube (runtime: 2:54).

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