Monster: Ed Gein's Tale – A Review of Ryan Murphy's Grim Murder Show

You're probably familiar with the Hitchcock classic, the iconic thriller, and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Maybe you've even read the books that served as the basis for the first two films. Now it's time to meet the man behind the Bates Motel owner, the serial killer, and Leatherface. The infamous Ed Gein!

The initial installments of the series in question centered around Jeffrey Dahmer – a name with widespread notoriety. Then came the Menendez brothers – a more niche case for dedicated true crime fans. Now the spotlight turns to the Butcher of Plainfield. Although he doesn't possess the household name status of Dahmer, Bundy, or Gacy, and only killed two people, his postmortem violations and gruesome creativity with the deceased have made a profound impact. Even now, any film or show featuring mutilated bodies, flayed skin, or skin-based artifacts likely draws inspiration to his actions from over 70 years ago.

A Dismissive Approach

Do I sound flippant? It's clearly the intended style of the production team. Rarely have I seen a television series that lingers so gleefully on the worst depredations an individual – and humanity – can commit. This extends to a substantial narrative strand devoted to Nazi atrocities, presented with minimal moral context.

Structural and Stylistic Strengths

Structurally and stylistically, the series excels. The pacing is flawless, and the clever interweaving of past and present is handled masterfully. We see Charlie Hunnam as Gein committing his crimes – the homicides, tomb violations, and assembling his collection. Simultaneously, the present-day narrative follows Alfred Hitchcock, Robert Bloch, and Anthony Perkins as they develop Psycho from Bloch's Gein-inspired novel. The blending of factual elements – Gein's religious mother and his fixation with female doppelgangers – and fictionalized scenes – lurid portrayals of Ilse Koch and Nazi party scenes – is handled with technical skill.

The Glaring Omission

The missing element, and unforgivably so, is any moral dimension or meaningful analysis to offset the protracted, admiring visuals of Gein's depraved acts. The series portrays his vibrant fantasy life and frames him as a helpless individual of his controlling parent and a morbidly fascinated girlfriend. The implied message seems to be: What is a poor, schizophrenic guy to do? In one scene, the novelist theorizes that without seeing certain images, Gein would have remained an unremarkable local.

Breaking from Past Success

You could argue that a show from this stable – known for glossy, high-camp style – is the wrong place for profound human insight. However, earlier series like the OJ Simpson trial drama offered brilliant commentary on media and justice. The Versace murder story explored fame and culture. Impeachment examined systemic sexism. So it can be done, and the producer has succeeded before.

The Ultimate Assessment

But not here. The Ed Gein Story feels like a commercialization of an underexploited true crime story. It asks for empathy for the individual responsible without providing understanding into his transformation. Beyond the simplistic "devout parent" reasoning, there is little effort to understand the creation or prevent future cases. It is nothing but voyeuristic pandering to the lowest curiosities of the audience. The Nazi scenes do have lovely lighting, though.