At first glance, “Monster: The Ed Gein Story” is interesting, horrifying, and eye-opening. But when you take back the first layer, you see a much blurrier, even confused story filled with exaggerations, half-truths, and downright lies. However, contrary to most historical media that is inaccurate, the story that the show tells about The Butcher of Plainfield, Wisconsin, is still entertaining in my view. I would actually consider watching it before reading this review.
Part of the wider anthology series called “Monster,” created by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan, it stars Charlie Hunnam as Ed Gein, Suzanna Son as Adeline Watkins, and Laurie Metcalf as Augusta Gein. The series also features many other characters such as Alfred Hitchcock, Ilse Koch, Christine Jorgenson, Anthony Perkins, Tobe Hooper, and many others. The series not only focuses on Gein’s various crimes but also his influence on film and other serial killers.
The show begins in 1944 with Augusta, a deeply devout Lutheran, forbidding Ed from seeing women or using his reproductive organs in any way. Against his mother’s wishes he meets up with his friend Adeline who shows him comics about Ilse Koch, who was known to have Jews at Buchenwald skinned and turned into furniture after their deaths. He later talks to his brother who tells him he is leaving with a woman. This upsets Ed, who hits him with a log, killing him leading to Ed starting a fire to cover it up. This leads to his mother having a stroke and eventually dying. Ed still hears her voice leading him to dig up a buried woman and pretend that it’s his mother. From there, the season goes on with Ed murdering people and digging up graves, turning them into skin suits or furniture.
Meanwhile, throughout the episodes, we flash to things such as the making of “Psycho” and “Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” to the lives of Ilse Koch and Anthony Perkins who played Norman Bates. Both films, especially “Psycho” were influenced by the actions of Ed Gein of course. The inclusion of some figures, however, is rather peculiar. While somewhat likely there is no evidence that Ed Gein knew of Christine Jorgensen. It seems to be a decision by the creators to differentiate Ed Gein, who the film labels a gynophilic despite no evidence, from actual trans people. Along this line, there is no evidence that Gein engaged in necrophilia, that Adeline was involved in his murders, or that he was even contacted by other serial killers. This makes the ending feel hollow looking back on it when you realize that the last episode is almost entirely made up.
One thing that is amazing throughout is the performance of Charlie Hunnam, which is disturbing, but at the same time sympathetic. I would honestly recommend seeing the show just for his performance.
“Monster: The Ed Gein Story” may not be accurate, but it is still an enjoyable watch. It is sad, however, that one should have to read a new article to find out what bits are real and what bits are fake. Overall, I would give the show an 8.4 out of 10.