Netflix viewers have been left shocked by the Ed Gein season of Monster, just in the first five minutes, saying it was leaving them ‘needing therapy’.
Netflix’s Monster is an often-controversial series willing to go to places many others won’t, as shown previously in their seasons on Jeffrey Dahmer and the Menendez Brothers.
Whilst those were themselves very controversial, with the Jeffrey Dahmer season seeing extensive criticism from the families of his victims and the Menendez Brothers themselves hitting out at Ryan Murphy, the new season, which focuses on Ed Gein, is not shy.
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Beyond Charlie Hunnam’s obviously bizarre accent, which he went to great lengths to perfect, the season is immediately controversial in its portrayal of Gein.
Ed Gein was a double murderer who was most famous for graverobbing to turn corpses into furniture and clothes using their skin and bones.
Gein went on to inspire some of Hollywood’s most infamous serial killers, namely those in Silence of the Lambs, Psycho, and Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
The first five minutes of the show do not hold back, showing Hunnam as Gein masturbating whilst wearing women’s underwear with a belt around his neck.
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In addition to this, very early on, it shows an adult Gein sitting naked as his Mum reads him the bible.
One fan commented on a Reddit thread about the show just hours after it was released, saying: “I need therapy after the first 5 minutes.
"Caressing a cow and the milk. Suffocating himself on a door, while wearing a woman’s underwear, and beating off. He even had slippers on to be authentic.
“Getting caught by his mother. Standing naked while his mother gives some prayer. Finding out it’s his MOTHERS UNDERWEAR.”
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When one fan asked how much of this was true, others leaned on a very common criticism of Ryan Murphy’s Monster seasons, that not everything seems to fit with accepted history.
One responded saying: “I’m on episode 4 atm and I’m going to say definitely not.”
Another went even further, saying: “Ryan Murphy is kryptonite to true facts.”
Others simply hit out at the series itself, with one fan saying: “Can't really get into it. Got through the first two episodes and taking a break for now.
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“Pacing seems kinda random and confusing, and not sure how well Charlie Hunnam fits the role.”
Some fans, however, were far more positive in their response to the show.
One fan commented: “I just started it and I am 2 episodes in and it is actually pretty good. I’m liking the Psycho tie in.”
Monster: The Ed Gein Story is available to watch on Netflix now.
Topics: Netflix, True Crime, TV and Film, TV
Michael Slavin