Netflix’s #1 Show Sparks Outrage: Viewers & Critics Call It “Tawdry” and “Absurd”
Netflix’s latest season of Monster, titled Monster: The Ed Gein Story, has hit the streaming platform but is facing a storm of criticism from both viewers and critics.
The third season, created by Ian Brennan, explores the life of infamous murderer and grave robber Ed Gein, played by Charlie Hunnam.
The story also features Gein’s mother Augusta (Laurie Metcalf), filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock (Tom Hollander), Hitchcock’s wife Alma Reville (Olivia Williams), and actor Anthony Perkins (Joey Pollari). The series debuted on October 3, and a fourth season focused on Lizzie Borden is reportedly in development.
Set as a biographical crime drama, the series examines Gein’s horrific crimes, which inspired classic horror films like Psycho, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, and The Silence of the Lambs. Despite its intriguing premise, critics have largely panned the new season.
Rotten Tomatoes currently gives it a 29% approval rating, while Metacritic scores it 53% based on user reviews, indicating mixed to negative reception.
Critics argue that the season struggles with pacing and focus, feeling drawn out and confusing.
Many have described it as overly dramatic, sensationalized, and at times disrespectful to the victims, pointing out that it spends too much time on embellishment rather than storytelling. Some have also criticized the tone, calling it campy and shallow, saying that it tries to glorify Gein instead of exploring the real horror of his actions.
The next chapter in Netflix’s Monster anthology is here to haunt you. Monster: The Ed Gein Story drops in one week. pic.twitter.com/x3HmabiOcP
— Netflix (@netflix) September 26, 2025
Despite the negative reviews, the performances, particularly Hunnam’s portrayal of Gein, have been highlighted as a strong point. The series’ attempt to mix historical events with dramatized elements, however, has left many viewers unsatisfied.
Monster season 3 only elicits unpleasantries – boredom, frustration, confusion, disgust. This isn’t just a botched series; it’s perverse & senseless.
Greg MacArthur
Monster: The Ed Gein Story edges on worship over storytelling, and having watched the series through for this review, I can’t help but feel worse about myself for doing so. But not even in an interesting way.
Kate Sánchez
Tawdry and campy, Ryan Murphy’s Monster: The Ed Gein Story turns a true horror into a fantastical hodgepodge of nonsense that humanizes the killer while trivializing his victims. DEATH ROW to whomever created this!
Joseph Robinson
Ryan Murphy’s tawdry formula of conjecture and embellishment feels more forced than usual in his third season of Monster, where a stretched, bloated 8-episodes attempt to pay homage to an O.G. serial killer – but only succeeds in killing the Gein Dream.
Nicholas Bell
Murphy and his team traffic in the grotesque nature of these events, never keep the focus on his [Gein’s] tale, and yet want us to feel shame at being entertained by true crime.
Alan French
While the concept of exploring Ed Gein’s life could have been compelling, the series seems to have failed in balancing true crime storytelling with entertainment.
It’s important for shows tackling real-life crimes to handle the subject matter carefully, and in this case, critics feel Monster: The Ed Gein Story fell short. What do you think? Did you watch the new season, and what’s your take on it? Share your thoughts in the comments.