Who is the real monster behind Netflix’s chilling ‘Ed Gein’ story?

Netflix has unleashed the third instalment of Ryan Murphy’s Monster anthology, and this time it tells one of the darkest stories in American true crime. Monster: The Ed Gein Story premiered on October 3, delivering eight episodes that explore the life, crimes and lasting impact of the man whose gruesome acts inspired some of the most infamous characters in pop culture.

Charlie Hunnam takes on the chilling role of Ed Gein, a reclusive farmer from Wisconsin whose life descended into horror in the 1950s. Gein, born in 1906, grew up under the control of his domineering mother Augusta, portrayed in the series by Laurie Metcalf. Their relationship, marked by isolation and religious obsession, became the defining influence on Gein’s disturbed psyche.

The drama traces how Gein’s life spiralled following the death of his brother Henry in a mysterious farm fire and the later passing of his mother, events that pushed him deeper into isolation. What followed shocked America: grave robbing, macabre creations from human remains and two confirmed murders. His crimes came to light in 1957 when police discovered the body of Bernice Worden skinned and decapitated in his barn. Investigators also tied him to the disappearance of tavern owner Mary Hogan.

The series does not shy away from depicting the grotesque details of Gein’s crimes but also examines how his story seeped into American culture. Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho drew direct inspiration from Gein, with Norman Bates becoming cinema’s most notorious oedipal killer. Later, Leatherface in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Buffalo Bill in The Silence of the Lambs were shaped by his legacy.

Alongside Hunnam, the cast features Lesley Manville as Bernice Worden, Vicky Krieps as Nazi figure Ilse Koch, Tom Hollander as Alfred Hitchcock and Olivia Williams as Alma Reville. The ensemble underscores Murphy’s decision to explore not only the crimes but also how they reverberated through culture, film and psychology.

By dramatising the origins, discovery and aftermath of Gein’s horrifying acts, Monster: The Ed Gein Story raises unsettling questions about fascination with real-life monsters. For Netflix, it’s another attempt to blend crime, history and entertainment into a series that shocks, provokes and ensures audiences will keep watching, however uneasy it makes them feel.