People are calling Netflix‘s Monster: The Ed Gein Story the ‘most terrifying’ they’ve ever seen.
Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan’s Monster anthology returns to Netflix today with its third and potentially most disturbing installment yet: Monster: The Ed Gein Story.
After controversial seasons focusing on Jeffrey Dahmer and the Menendez Brothers, the series now tackles the 1950s Wisconsin killer whose crimes became the blueprint for modern horror cinema.
Viewers described the show as ‘traumatizing,’ with some admitting they felt it would ‘scar [them] for life’ and even that they ‘didn’t dare watch’ after being frightened just by the preview.
Others praised it as ‘insanely good and incredibly horrifying,’ noting that the chilling visuals, such as Ed Gein wearing a mask made from his mother’s face, were ‘just terrifying.’
Early reviews suggest this season pushes boundaries even further than its predecessors.
Karina Adelgaard of Heaven of Horror describes the series as ‘perhaps the darkest one yet,’ noting the show’s ‘extremely dark’ tone complemented by ‘an almost kitsch WWII element.’
Hunnam’s commitment to the role has become a major talking point among early reviewers.
The Sons of Anarchy star lost 30 pounds for the part and completely altered his voice, adopting a higher-pitched, strangely soft tone that stands in stark contrast to his usual performances.
“Charlie Hunnam plays the title character with an eerie darkness that feels only appropriate for this real-life killer,” Adelgaard writes in her review.
Laurie Metcalf’s portrayal of Augusta Gein, Ed’s domineering mother, has also drawn critical attention.
Adelgaard describes Metcalf as playing the character ‘with a sinister vibe that permeates everything,’ noting that ‘the relationship between mother and son is clearly a sick one.’
One of the season’s most divisive creative choices appears to be the incorporation of World War II imagery to represent Gein’s inner world.
While Adelgaard acknowledges this approach ‘wasn’t my favorite part of the installment,’ she recognizes ‘the symbolism is very appropriate’ given the nature of Gein’s crimes.
Critics have noted the series’ meta-textual approach to Gein’s cultural impact. Tom Hollander appears as Alfred Hitchcock, director of Psycho, while Will Brill portrays Tobe Hooper, director of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre – two films directly inspired by Gein’s crimes.
Aldegaard emphasizes why Gein’s story resonates so powerfully in horror culture: “From the very first episode, his real-life actions alone make it obvious why Ed Gein became the blueprint for modern horror villains.”
Unlike previous seasons that faced backlash from victims’ families, The Ed Gein Story benefits from its 1950s setting.
Screen Rant‘s Kara Hedash notes that: “Being much further removed from the actual crimes means Monster season 3 is at a lower risk of unearthing the past trauma linked to Gein’s confirmed victims.”
However, Hedash acknowledges that: “No matter what happens with Monster season 3 and any future installments, the general subject matter of the crime anthology will still come with a degree of controversy.”
Hunnam himself told Netflix’s Tudum that his goal was authenticity: “I wanted to get as close as possible to who Ed was, to do him justice, and for this thing to feel authentic.
This is going to be the really human, tender, unflinching, no-holds-barred exploration of who Ed was and what he did. But who he was was at the center of it, rather than what he did.”
The series also benefits from a strong supporting cast, including Suzanna Son as Gein’s only friend, Adeline Watkins, Olivia Williams, Tyler Jacob Moore, Robin Weigert, and Lesley Manville.
The series promises to explore not just what Gein did, but the horrific truth that ‘monsters aren’t born, they’re made … by us.’
Watch the trailer for Monster: The Ed Gein Story below…
Monster: The Ed Gein Story is available to stream now on Netflix.
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