The Babysitter

Done with episode 3 and im still waiting for something really to happen. Like half of the show is about the making of the movies inspired by gein... why should i care about all that. They can go ahead and put that in documentaries but why would they make half the show about that so far? The only good thing so far is the acting in my opinion even though the parts of the show that actually are about Ed Gein are entertaining and interesting.

The third episode of "Monster: The Ed Gein Story," entitled "The Babysitter," continues to unravel the disturbing layers of Ed Gein's life with a chilling mixture of psychological horror, brutal violence, and darkly absurd human moments. Directed by Max Winkler and written by Ian Brennan, this installment plunges deeper into Ed's escalating descent while juxtaposing the unfolding cultural ripple of his crimes amid the Hollywood adaptation of true crime narratives. The episode opens starkly with Ed performing a macabre dance in his mother Augusta's clothes and a skin mask, a powerful visual encapsulating his fractured identity and blurring lines between reality and delusion. This disturbing image sets the tone for a chapter that exposes Ed's ongoing manipulations and escalating violence, especially as local law enforcement begin to close in, yet remain frustratingly blind to the true extent of his horrors.

The narrative skillfully balances Ed's sinister isolation with his schematic social interactions, notably his tenuous and bizarre relationship with Adeline. Their dynamic reveals moments of unsettling tenderness but also profound dysfunction, seen vividly in scenes such as the proposal at a gravesite using a ring stolen from a grave, which Adeline accepts, illustrating the perverse intimacy they share. Ed's attempt to hold onto normalcy by babysitting neighborhood children spirals into a grotesque caricature of domesticity as he subjects them to eerie games involving human remains. The juxtaposition of these moments highlights the show's strength in portraying the dichotomy of Ed's fractured psyche-capable of almost human emotions yet deeply enmeshed in monstrous behavior. Suzanna Son's portrayal of Adeline furthers this complexity, as her character oscillates between fascination and horror, drawing the audience into the ambiguity of complicity and victimhood in tragic relationships.

Key scenes of escalating menace include Ed's interrogation by local police regarding the murder of Mary Hogan, wherein his deceptive, almost pitiable demeanor keeps him beyond suspicion. The script cleverly showcases the manipulation of perception and the failures of law enforcement in confronting evil disguised as eccentricity. The episode's climax is marked by the introduction of Evelyn, the new babysitter whose presence ironically ignites Ed's violent jealousy. Her kidnappings and eventual murder, depicted with grim realism, mark a dreadful turning point. The disturbing scene where Augusta's corpse is forced to hit Evelyn is one of the series' most harrowing moments, amplified by interspersed clips from "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre," underlining the cultural legacy of Gein's atrocities in horror cinema. This artistic choice ties the episode's thematic exploration of real violence as the root of monstrous myths.

From a technical standpoint, "The Babysitter" exemplifies meticulous direction and cinematography, with Winlkler using tight framing and muted color palettes to sustain claustrophobic tension. The rustic, shadowed interiors of the farmhouse contrast sharply with the brighter, more public spaces of the town and police interrogation rooms, signifying the divided worlds Ed inhabits. The editing efficiently balances slower, tension-building moments with sudden jarring cuts during violent sequences, maintaining a rhythm that reflects Ed's oscillating mental state. The performances are uniformly strong, with Charlie Hunnam embodying Ed's chilling blend of awkwardness and menace, Laurie Metcalf haunting in her ghostly role as Augusta, and Suzanna Son providing a nuanced portrayal of a woman both drawn to and repelled by darkness.

Narratively, the episode deepens the series' ongoing themes of trauma, repression, and the enduring grip of toxic maternal influence. Ed's hallucinations of Augusta and the grotesque preservation of her corpse symbolize his psychological imprisonment. The episode also creatively critiques cultural consumption of violence by integrating real historical details such as the reception of Hitchcock's "Psycho," the struggles of actor Anthony Perkins, and the burgeoning horror film genre's flirtation with voyeurism and brutality. This meta-narrative layer extends the series beyond biography, interrogating how society processes and commodifies horror. It touches on the paradox of fascination and repulsion that true crime and horror media engender, implicating both creators and consumers in this cycle.

However, some criticism arises regarding tonal fluctuations and narrative pacing. The blend of surreal hallucinations, grim real-world violence, and Hollywood meta-commentary occasionally feels disjointed, risking dilution of emotional impact. Certain character motivations, especially within secondary figures, sometimes lack clarity or depth, which can hinder engagement. The grotesque elements, while integral to the series' aesthetic, may alienate viewers uncomfortable with the graphic content. Yet, these choices also underscore the show's unflinching commitment to portraying the darkest aspects of Ed Gein's life and legend without sanitization, challenging viewers to confront uncomfortable realities.

Placed within the broader landscape of true crime dramatizations and psychological horror, "The Babysitter" enhances the series' reputation as a provocative exploration of the makings of a monster. It draws direct cultural lines to landmark films like "Psycho" and "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre," evidencing Ed Gein's indelible imprint on horror cinema. The episode also resonates with contemporary discussions on mental health, trauma, and societal complicity in violence, reflecting broader cultural anxieties about identity, repression, and the nature of evil. By interweaving real events with fictionalized elements and cultural commentary, the series positions itself as a significant work engaging with the ethical complexities of representing horror and history.

"The Babysitter" stands as a darkly absorbing episode that merges brutal storytelling with acute psychological insight and cultural critique. The craftsmanship in directing, acting, and narrative construction effectively conveys the paradoxical humanity and horror of Ed Gein's story, compelling viewers to grapple with the origins of monstrosity both as an individual tragedy and a cultural phenomenon. Despite moments of unevenness, the episode succeeds in challenging conventional true crime narratives, urging reflection on how stories of horror are shaped, consumed, and memorialized. It invites the audience to reconsider the boundaries between perpetrator and victim, reality and myth, and culture and cruelty in the ongoing dialogue about true monstrosity.

For some reason, the series veers off course, showing situations unrelated (or partially unrelated) to Ed Gein's life. I understand that for plot reasons they might distort the known facts a bit, but it's another thing entirely to introduce subplots that don't interest us. There are still episodes to come; I hope the plot straightens out because, at the moment, it feels like a dark comedy.

Episode 3 of Monster: The Ed Gein Story feels like a frustrating detour from what should be the show's haunting core. Instead of delving deeper into the psyche of Ed Gein-the very reason anyone tuned in-the narrative meanders through secondary storylines that add little to the central horror. It's as if the creators suddenly forgot whose name is on the title card.

The pacing drags, weighed down by unnecessary subplots and melodramatic side characters who dilute the tension. The result is an episode that feels disjointed, almost as if we're watching an entirely different show. Where one expects psychological depth and the macabre fascination of Gein's twisted world, we get soap-opera distractions and filler dialogues that never pay off.

In short, Episode 3 abandons its monster. The darkness, the dread, the eerie atmosphere that defined the earlier episodes-all fade into background noise. What could have been a chilling exploration of one of America's most disturbing figures turns instead into a narrative cul-de-sac, disappointingly devoid of focus or fear.

Even though it was not the idea I had in mind when I heard a story of Ed Gein was being made, I can get used to the new style. In a way this is sci-fi, out here connecting timelines. Also, it needs to be more meaner. Netflix is for some reason getting pg-er and its stupid considering the thing they are willing to show.