Forget the fictional slashers. Forget the CGI ghosts. The most terrifying monster in American history wasn’t a creation of Stephen King’s mind—he was a quiet, unassuming farmer from Plainfield, Wisconsin. His name was Ed Gein. And Netflix is about to drag his depraved, skin-crawling legacy back into the spotlight with Ryan Murphy’s Monster: The Ed Gein Story.
This isn’t just another true-crime romp for you to binge while scrolling on your phone. This is a deep, disturbing dive into the man who single-handedly warped the DNA of modern horror. From Psycho to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre to The Silence of the Lambs, the shadow of the ed gein monster looms large. But is this new series a thoughtful examination or a grotesque spectacle? We’re tearing off the skin suit to see what’s really underneath.
Who The Hell Was Ed Gein, Anyway?
Before you watch, you need to understand the source of the nightmare. Who is Ed Gein? He wasn’t a prolific serial killer in the traditional sense. Officially, he was convicted for the murder of two women: tavern owner Mary Hogan in 1954 and hardware store owner Bernice Worden in 1957.
But the body count doesn’t tell the real story. The true horror was discovered in his dilapidated farmhouse. Police found a chamber of horrors that defied belief: bowls made from human skulls, a lampshade of human skin, a belt fashioned from female nipples, and faces sliced from corpses and stretched into masks. Most infamously, they found the components of a “woman suit”—leggings and a corset meticulously crafted from flayed skin. This was the real ed gein monster—a grave-robbing, corpse-desecrating madman whose psychosis became Hollywood’s go-to backstory.
Why Can’t We Look Away? The Gruesome Allure of the Gein Legacy
Why does this case, from the 1950s, still grip us? It’s the ultimate “nature vs. nurture” debate played out in blood and viscera. Ed Gein wasn’t born a monster; he was forged in a crucible of isolation and religious fanaticism.
His mother, Augusta, was a tyrannical figure who preached that all women (except herself) were whores and instruments of the devil. After his father died and his brother mysteriously perished in a fire—leading many to ask, did ed
We watch because we’re desperate to understand the line between a troubled man and a ed gein monster. As one expert put it, we’re the ones who can’t look away.
What Netflix’s “Monster: The Ed Gein Story” Promises—And What It Delivers
So, what is the Netflix show about Ed Gein? This isn’t a straightforward biographer. Leaning into Ryan Murphy’s signature style, the series promises a structurally complex narrative. It interweaves two timelines:
- The Past: Charlie Hunnam’s transformation into Ed Gein, depicting his gruesome murders, grave robbings, and the construction of his “collection.”
- The Present: A meta-narrative showing how Gein’s crimes directly inspired the creation of Psycho, with actors playing Robert Bloch (the author of the novel Psycho), Alfred Hitchcock, and Anthony Perkins.
This approach is a double-edged sword. It offers context for Gein’s cultural impact but risks glorification by linking his real-life atrocities to their cinematic offspring.
Where Fact Meets Fiction: The Historical Context of a American Nightmare
Where did this all happen? The isolation of Plainfield, Wisconsin, is a character in itself. The Gein farm was a world unto itself, cut off from the post-war optimism of 1950s America. This geographical and social isolation allowed Gein’s psychosis to fester undetected for years. He was the “harmless recluse” everyone knew—a trope that now sends chills down our spines precisely because of him.
The series also delves into Gein’s fascination with Nazism, particularly Ilse Koch, the “Witch of Buchenwald,” who was accused of making lampshades from human skin. This historical context is crucial. It shows that Gein’s obsessions weren’t born in a vacuum; he was tapping into a documented, real-world depravity that made his personal actions part of a larger, global horror story.
When the Trailers Drop: How to Gauge the Horror Before You Watch
When can you see the terror for yourself? The buzz is building, and the second that first official trailer hits YouTube, you’ll know it. We will be dissecting it frame by frame. Look for the tone. Does the trailer feel like a psychological character study, or does it lean into the slasher-horror that Gein inspired?
Watch the trailer right here. Pay close attention to Charlie Hunnam’s performance. Does he capture the pathetic, mumbling loneliness of Gein, or is he portrayed with a more sinister, monstrous glint? The trailer will be your first clue as to whether this series aims to explain or simply exploit. The marketing for the Ed Gein story on Netflix will tell us everything about who they think their audience is.
How Ryan Murphy Dramatizes a True-Life Hellscape
Does The Ed Gein Story handle its sensitive, gruesome material? Based on early reviews and Murphy’s track record, the series is a stylistic masterpiece. The technical proficiency is evident in the pacing, the intercutting between Gein’s crimes and the birth of Psycho, and the lurid fantasy sequences.
But here’s the brutal truth: the show is being accused of being utterly devoid of a moral compass. The criticism isn’t about the how of the filmmaking, but the why. It’s been accused of “lingering gleefully” over the depravity without offering any real insight. Instead of asking how a society creates a monster, it seems to ask, “Isn’t this movie fucked up and cool?” The dramatization risks becoming the very thing it portrays: a spectacle of human suffering for our entertainment.
How to Watch This Without Losing Your Faith in Humanity: A Viewer’s Guide
Let’s be real. This isn’t for everyone. How to approach this series without feeling like you need a shower for a week?
- Know Your Limits: If you’re squeamish about gore, even the implied horror of Gein’s actions will be deeply unsettling.
- Context is Key: Please enter with an understanding of the basic facts. This isn’t a whodunit; it’s a “why-done-it.” Remember the real victims: Bernice Worden, Mary Hogan, and the countless women whose graves he defiled.
- Watch with a Critical Eye: Don’t just consume it. Question it. Ask yourself what the director is trying to make you feel. Is it empathy, or is it voyeuristic thrill? Your critical distance is your best defense against the darkness.
A Masterpiece of Style or a Failure of Morality?
This series is a paradox. It is undeniably compelling television. People describe Charlie Hunnam’s acting, in particular, as transformative. The weaving of the Psycho creation myth is brilliant. It adds unique value by establishing a connection between a forgotten true-crime case and the contemporary horror icons.
However, it fails in the most crucial aspect: its soul. By focusing on stylish depravity and offering glib explanations (“religious, ma, what do you expect?”), it risks becoming the very thing it should critique. It not only recounts the tale of the Ed Gein monster, but also runs the risk of transforming into a monument dedicated to him.
The Bottom Line: Watch it for the masterful filmmaking and the chilling history. But watch with your eyes wide open and your conscience engaged. The most terrifying thing about Ed Gein isn’t what he did in that Wisconsin farmhouse—it’s the uncomfortable truth that we, the audience, are still the ones who can’t look away.
What is the Netflix show about Ed Gein?
Ryan Murphy’s Monster: The Ed Gein Story is a true-crime drama that chronicles the life and horrific crimes of Ed Gein, the 1950s serial killer and body snatcher whose actions inspired classic horror films like Psycho, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and The Silence of the Lambs.
What time is Monsters Ed Gein on Netflix?
Ryan Murphy’s Monster: The Ed Gein Story premieres on Netflix on October 3rd.It will likely drop at 12:00 AM PST / 3:00 AM EST, like most Netflix originals.
How many people did Ed Gein kill?
Ed Gein was only formally convicted of murdering two women: Mary Hogan in 1954 and Bernice Worden in 1957. However, Ed Gein confessed to robbing numerous graves, and we may never know the full extent of his violence.
