Netflix Show About Infamous Killer Gets Trashed As Terrible, But Is It Actually That Bad?

Is Netflix's new series "Monster: The Ed Gein Story" as bad as the internet is claiming?

Basic info:

• Streaming platform: Netflix
• Plot: Serial killer. Grave robber. Psycho. In the frozen fields of 1950s rural Wisconsin, a friendly, mild-mannered recluse named Eddie Gein lived quietly on a decaying farm – hiding a house of horrors so gruesome it would redefine the American nightmare. Driven by isolation, psychosis, and an all-consuming obsession with his mother, Gein’s perverse crimes birthed a new kind of monster that would haunt Hollywood for decades. From Psycho to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre to The Silence of the Lambs, Gein’s macabre legacy gave birth to fictional monsters born in his image and ignited a cultural obsession with the criminally deviant. Ed Gein didn’t just influence a genre -- he became the blueprint for modern horror.
• Cast: Charlie Hunnam, Laurie Metcalf, Suzanna Son, Tom Hollander and Vicky Krieps.
• Release date: October 3, 2025
• Creator: Ryan Murphy
• Source material: The crimes of infamous killer Ed Gein.

"Monster: The Ed Gein Story" trashed as terrible.

For those of you who might not know, Ed Gein was an infamous killer and grave robber responsible for inspiring several major horror stories. Unlike the fictional tales he inspired, Gein's actions and crimes were very real and very troubling.

That's why there was serious buzz around "Monster: The Ed Gein Story" when it arrived on Netflix last Friday.

Ryan Murphy is known for making some very popular content. The Ed Gein story provides endless material. It should have been a smashing success, but that doesn't appear to be the case.

The reviews/ratings are comically bad. "Monster: The Ed Gein Story" holds a 29% rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes and a 53% rating from fans as of publication.

That's not just bad. It's horrible. You almost have to try to get a rating that low from critics, but is it as bad as advertised?

"Monster: The Ed Gein Story" is a new series from Netflix that shines a light on the actions of Ed Gein. (Credit: Netflix)

I watched the first episode of the series over the weekend, and I'm not sure what all the outrage is about. Is "Monster: The Ed Gein Story" incredible? No. It's nothing exceptionally impressive, but I'd say it's far from terrible.

Maybe it gets way worse down the stretch, but the start was good enough to make sure I continue watching. One thing it does very well is capturing the bleak reality of life in Plainfield, Wisconsin in the 1950s.

Now, having said that, there are some pretty weird elements. First, Charlie Hunnam's accent as Gein is really bad. I mean, it's like a parody, and I'm fairly certain that's not how Ed Gein talked. We know that because there are recordings of Gein's voice on the internet.

Second, there is a weird fascination with Nazis early on in the show. As The Wrap pointed out, it's possible that Ed Gein was fascinated by the Nazis and concentration camps, but that's never been 100% confirmed. It's a theory that the show leans into as fact.

A bold choice from Ryan Murphy given how nobody knows if that's what motivated Gein's crimes or not. Those were the two biggest red flags to me.

Charlie Hunnam stars as Ed Gein in "Monster: The Ed Gein Story" (Credit: Netflix)

Despite those issues, I truly don't understand how the show is getting crushed to this degree. Maybe it will go off the rails, but seems like people are overreacting just a shade. It's nothing special, but hard to argue that it's the worst show on TV. Now, if you want a truly great show, check out "Task," and make sure to send me your thoughts at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.