Everyone is hooked on Monster: The Ed Gein Story. But, I think we’ll all admit that out of the three different stories the Monster anthology has covered, this season definitely hasn’t been the best.
The show, created by Ryan Murphy, focuses around the stories of different people branded “Monsters”. So far, the subjects have been serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, brothers Lyle and Erik Menendez, and killer and grave robber, Ed Gein.
Here is a rundown of the three seasons of Monster there have been on Netflix so far, ranked by which has the best score on Rotten Tomatoes.
3. The Ed Gein Story – 19 per cent
via Netflix
Killer Ed Gein was active in Plainfield, Wisconsin, from 1947 to 1957. He murdered two women, and was also a grave robber. He dug up corpses from graves in his local area, and kept them in his home. Gein used skin from the bodies as masks, and made household objects out of it.
The Ed Gein Story has been absolutely ripped to shreds on Rotten Tomatoes, scoring just 19 per cent. “A show that hates itself,” one critic simply said. Another, really quite vividly, added: “In execution, the series is high on its own farts. Which is fitting, because The Ed Gein Story has all the impact of a wet one.”
2. The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story – 45 per cent
via Netflix
The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story had a very average reception from critics. Some called it “bittersweet” and said it had “good moments” but “didn’t know when to stop”.
The nine-part dramatisation told the story of how the two brothers killed their parents at home, after years of alleged abuse. Lyle and Erik’s parents were José and Mary Louise “Kitty” Menendez, and were killed in their Beverly Hills home on August 20th, 1989. In March 1990, the Menendez brothers were arrested for their parents’ murders and placed on trial. They were found guilty, and have been in prison ever since.
1. The Jeffrey Dahmer Story – 57 per cent
via Netflix
The Jeffrey Dahmer Story was the first Monster season, and so far, has been rated the best. It still didn’t exactly get rave reviews though. One review said: “While I don’t think the series is a complete miss, I can’t help but feel that there was a much greater potential to fulfil here.”
The 10-part series told the story of Dahmer’s victims, family and neighbours, and showed how Jeffrey Dahmer murdered an estimated 17 men and boys, with most of the murders happening inside his own apartment.
All three seasons of Monster are available on Netflix now. For all the latest Netflix news and drops, like The Holy Church of Netflix on Facebook.
