Monster

My 8/10 rating is for the first two seasons (covering Jeffrey Dahmer and the Menendez Brothers respectively), but my rating for season 3 (covering the life and crimes of Ed Gein) would have to be more like 4/10 - the decline in quality is huge.

The first episode of season 3 is excellent, even if it rushes through numerous aspects of Gein's story (e.g. His brother Henry), but after that point it's like a drop off a massive cliff. Season 3's main problem is the total fabrication of entire characters and plotlines - such as the babysitter storyline, but the biggest one concerns Adeline, who absolutely did not exist. Her inclusion re-writes numerous events and even some of the foundational psychological pillars of Ed Gein himself (e.g. Abject isolation, a lack of female relationships beyond his overbearing mother, and of increasing sexual dysfunction).

The desecration of Bernice Worden's character - as in, who the real victim was - also somes as a shocking embellishment. Quite frankly, I wouldn't be surprised if some sort of legal action was to be taken by the family of Worden for such a scathing depiction of the last person to suffer at the hands of Ed Gein.

Enveloping the various famous films that have been inspired by Gein's story is a neat idea, but the execution is quite sloppy. There is more reliance on recreating scenes from the films (e.g. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre) than on understanding what inspired which film and why: in regards to the aforementioned 1974 Tobe Hooper film, the clear inspiration was the 'house of horrors' aspect of Gein's crimes (furniture made out of human remains etc) - and NOT a chainsaw, which has no connection to Gein's story at all. Meanwhile, the time spent looking into Anthony Perkins' experience making Psycho (1960) feels similarly disjointed. The revealing of Gein's crimes to the American public was more of a watershed moment in the post-war crumbling of the national psyche, prefiguring many years of socio-political turmoil and serial murder - but such a thought barely enters into the conversation put forth by Ian Brennan and Ryan Murphy.

I've no idea what on Earth the showmakers were thinking with this third season, moreso when you consider how well-made the previous two seasons were. With plenty of story to tell from the true history of Ed Gein there was no need to add in so much made-up rubbish.

I knew very little about the Menendez brothers. I knew about the killings and about the molestation defense. But that's about it. The luridness of the story kept me at a distance but now, in this compelling Ryan Murphy series I was hooked from the very first episode. I could watch it as a work of fiction but the fact that it was a true story made me look back and read about it. Oh my God! There are no likeable characters in this saga but really good performances and that's enough to keep you glued to it. And here I discovered Cooper Koch as Erik Menendez. He took over my senses from beginning to end, including the episode that is just him. Superb performance and the humanity he finds in his monster makes you want to rethink the whole thing and believe them/him. He will make re-watch the series again, soon.

Monster is a series created by Ryan Murphy (American Crime Story, American Horror Story, 9-1-1, Hollywood, Pose, Feud, etc.). Everything Murphy touches is pretty much successful and this is no different. Everyone knows this story by now...he's one of the most notorious serial killers in the history of the United States. He would lure young men to his apartment and not only kill them but eat them. This is a story that's been told many times but this show takes the unique perspective of largely telling the story from the victims point of view. Evan Peters is absolutely brilliant as Jeffrey Dahmer. He's so good that he should be talked about for an Emmy nomination next year. This series is worth watching for Peters performance alone. This is very dark, disturbing story and Ryan Murphy does a great job telling it.

When I clicked to watch the "Dahmer"-release on Netflix, I thought it would be the so-many'th documentary on him. But what a surprise it was to see that it is actually a mini-series of the crimes that Dahmer committed. And what a mini-series it is!

The acting is superb. The script is top-notch! The cinematography one of the best that I have seen in a true crime series of a serial killer!

I am a big fan of Mindhunter, the show about the origins of the FBI's Behavioral Science Unit. And I must admit that Dahmer fits right into this type of shows! The show captured me from the first episode and it was a single binge from then on.

I know that there are many other movies from for instance "People's Magazine" that portray the crimes commited by notorious killers. But what Netflix has shown with Dahmer, is a complete new level of enactment! The movies from People's Magazine are just amateur hour compared to the Dahmer-series.

Netflix really surprised me big time with this great show! It deserves a solid 9 stars! And I don't easily give away a 9 star rating!

I had high expectations of this. After seeing Evan Peters in AHS, I just knew he would be great in this role. He did not disappoint.

I haven't seen many docos on Dahmer so don't really know that much about his personality or demeanor, but the character that Peters portrays is complex, creepy, and just plain twisted and evil.

One of the most disturbing details of Dahmer's crimes that this series highlights is how the police ignored and dismissed witness reports, and their lack of action allowed Dahmer to stay free and kill more men.

This series is excellent. I suggest you start watching it early in the afternoon as you will want to binge watch the whole series.