The Monster Series: Ed Gein's Tale – An In-Depth Look of the Producer's Dark Murder Show
You've likely seen the Hitchcock classic, The Silence of the Lambs, and the horror staple. Maybe you've even read the original novels that inspired the first two films. Now it's time to meet the man who inspired the Bates Motel owner, Buffalo Bill, and Leatherface. The infamous Ed Gein!
The initial installments of the series in question focused on Jeffrey Dahmer – a name with widespread notoriety. This was followed by the Menendez brothers – a somewhat specialized story for dedicated true crime fans. Now the spotlight turns to the Butcher of Plainfield. While he may lack the household name status of Dahmer, Bundy, or Gacy, and his confirmed victims number just two, his grave desecrations and macabre artistry with the deceased have left a lasting mark. 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? This appears to be the intended style of the production team. It's uncommon to witness a drama that lingers so gleefully on the worst depredations a person – and mankind – can commit. This includes a significant plotline devoted to Nazi atrocities, presented with minimal moral context.
Effective Pacing and Narrative
Structurally and stylistically, the series excels. The rhythm is well-maintained, and the skillful blending of past and present is executed brilliantly. Viewers witness the actor 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 craft the iconic film from the literary source. The blending of the real – Gein's religious mother and his fixation with women resembling her – and fictionalized scenes – fetishistic depictions of Ilse Koch and SS officer gatherings – is executed proficiently.
A Critical Shortcoming
The missing element, in a truly unacceptable way, is ethical commentary or meaningful analysis to offset the lingering, loving shots of Gein's depraved acts. The show presents his rich inner world and frames him as a man at the mercy of his controlling parent and a morbidly fascinated girlfriend. The underlying suggestion seems to be: How could a mentally ill man resist? In one scene, the novelist speculates that without exposure to photographs, Gein would have remained an unremarkable local.
A Departure from Precedent
One might contend that a show from this stable – renowned for glossy, high-camp style – is the wrong place for deep psychological exploration. But previous works like The People v OJ Simpson offered brilliant commentary on media and justice. The Assassination of Gianni Versace delved into celebrity and society. Impeachment scrutinized embedded misogyny. Thus, it is possible, and the producer has succeeded before.
The Final Verdict
Yet not in this case. This installment feels like a commercialization of an underexploited true crime story. It asks for empathy for the man behind the masks without offering genuine insight into his transformation. Aside from the reductive "devout parent" explanation, there is little effort to understand the creation or prevent future cases. It is nothing but voyeuristic pandering to the lowest curiosities of viewers. The wartime sequences do have excellent cinematography, though.
