Brought to us by Ryan Murphy, the creator of American Horror Story, Scream Queens, and a bunch of other shows I love. Monster: The Ed Gein Story is the third season of the Netflix anthology series, and this time, we are diving into the life of one of the most “inspirational” serial killers of all time, Ed Gein.
Where to Watch Monster: The Ed Gein Story
Monster: The Ed Gein Story was released on October 3, 2025. You can stream the film from Netflix.
The Movie Review
What was cool about this was that I had heard of Ed Gein, but his story was not one that got told as much as the likes of Jeffrey Dahmer and Ted Bundy. With this, they dive right into his mind, and it can be pretty hard to watch. Like with The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, Monster: The Ed Gein Story is not for the faint of heart, and if you struggle with violence, you will have a hard time getting through this.
Dahmer was nuts, and Dahmer liked to eat people. Well, Ed Gein does that, but he also likes to have sex with dead people, make furniture out of them, and he idolizes a Nazi war criminal! The thing is, Ed does not actually see anything wrong with what he does! His simpleton nature and the fact that he seems like he thinks that he is a good person make for a very, very interesting character.
Supporting Characters and Performances
The thing is, it is not just Ed Gein; we get Adeline Watkins, played by Suzanne Son. Adeline is nearly as messed up as Ed is! Plus, Ed’s domineering mother, played by Sheldon Cooper’s mother, Laurie Metcalfe, is another horrible character. For me, outside of Ed Gein, the most memorable character was the Nazi monster that was Ilse Koch, she was played by Vicky Kriepes, and what a performance she gives!
Ed Gein’s Impact on Horror and Pop Culture
In addition to seeing Ed Gein go from local weirdo to full-on psycho who straight-up murders people, we get to see how the Ed Gein story affected other people. I loved the part of the show that delved into Tobe Hooper being inspired by the Ed Gein story to make The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. I think that, as well as showing what a monster Ed Gein was, it also showed just how his crimes affected people and pop culture, even to this day.
Charlie Hunnam as Ed Gein
Ok, you may have noticed that I have not yet mentioned Charlie Hunnam, who plays the titular role of Ed Gein, but I felt he deserved his own special segment. The way that he plays him, almost childlike in one scene and then just downright gross and psychotic in the next, is very well done. When Ed is eventually caught, you genuinely believe that he has no idea what he actually did wrong.
Although there is one funny thing about Charlie Hunnam’s performance. His soft-spoken Ed Gein voice is a lot of fun and very fitting for the character; however, I went to university in Sunderland, and I could hear Charlie Hunnam’s “Mackem” accent slipping every now and again, and I thought that was awesome. I am not sure it is something most people outside of Sunderland would catch, so I cannot say it was distracting or bad.
Final Thoughts on Monster: The Ed Gein Story
While I do think I preferred The Jefferey Dahmer Story slightly, I still had a lot of fun with Monster: The Ed Gein Story. Well, as much fun as you can have with a serial killer who likes necrophilia and cannibalism, of course. If you like serial killer shows that do not hold back, this is for you!
