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Netflix has a new hit on its hands. The streaming giant’s latest true crime series has shot straight to the top of its rankings, proving once again that audiences can’t resist a dark dive into real-life horror.
The series centers on Ed Gein, one of America’s most notorious serial killers whose gruesome crimes in the 1950s inspired countless horror films and cultural touchstones. And it’s already dominating viewership charts.
What We Know About the Series
According to PureWow, the show is titled “Monster: The Ed Gein Story” and follows Netflix’s established anthology format for true crime dramatizations. The series explores Gein’s crimes in rural Wisconsin, where he murdered at least two women and exhumed corpses from local graveyards to create trophies and keepsakes from their remains.
It’s disturbing material, but that hasn’t stopped viewers from tuning in. The series takes a deep look at not just the crimes themselves but the psychological profile of a man whose actions would later influence iconic horror characters like Norman Bates in “Psycho” and Leatherface in “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.”
Netflix isn’t new to this territory. The streaming service has built a substantial catalog of true crime content over the years, with varying degrees of success. But this one’s connecting with audiences in a way that’s pushed it to the platform’s coveted #1 spot.
Charlie Hunnam Takes the Lead
Charlie Hunnam stars as Ed Gein in what PureWow reports is a transformative performance. The “Sons of Anarchy” actor takes on the challenging role of portraying one of history’s most disturbing criminals, a departure from his typical action-oriented characters.
Hunnam’s casting represents a significant get for Netflix. He’s got the acting chops and the name recognition to draw viewers who might not typically gravitate toward true crime content. But he’s also taking a risk—playing a real-life serial killer requires walking a fine line between humanizing the character enough to make them watchable and avoiding any glorification of their horrific acts.
The supporting cast hasn’t been widely detailed yet, but the focus clearly remains on Hunnam’s portrayal of Gein and the rural Wisconsin community that was shocked to discover what had been happening in their midst.
The series explores both the crimes and the psychological profile of Ed Gein, whose actions influenced horror cinema for decades.
Netflix’s True Crime Strategy Continues
This isn’t Netflix’s first rodeo with serial killer content. The platform has found consistent success with true crime dramatizations and documentaries, from “Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” to “Mindhunter” and countless documentary series.
The “Monster” branding suggests Netflix is building an anthology series around different notorious criminals, similar to how “American Crime Story” operates on traditional television. It’s a smart strategy. Each installment can stand alone while building brand recognition for the overall franchise.
But there’s context worth considering here. Azat TV notes that Netflix has also been exploring international true crime stories, including series about the Monster of Florence case in Italy. That geographical expansion shows the streamer isn’t just focused on American serial killers—they’re looking for compelling true crime stories from around the world.
The global approach makes sense. True crime transcends cultural boundaries, and Netflix’s worldwide reach means they can tell stories that might never have gotten major media treatment before. It also helps them compete in international markets where local content performs better than American imports.
Why Ed Gein Still Fascinates
Gein’s crimes took place in the 1950s, so why does his story still resonate decades later? Part of it’s the sheer grotesque nature of what he did. But there’s more to it than shock value.
Gein lived in isolation on a Wisconsin farm after his mother’s death, and his crimes revealed a deeply disturbed psychology that forensic experts and true crime enthusiasts have analyzed for generations. He wasn’t a typical serial killer—his victim count was relatively low compared to others who’ve received similar media attention. What set him apart was what he did with the bodies.
His case also came at a pivotal time in American culture. The 1950s are often portrayed as an idyllic period of suburban prosperity and traditional values. Gein’s crimes shattered that illusion, revealing darkness lurking in rural America that nobody wanted to acknowledge.
And then there’s his cultural impact. Without Gein, we wouldn’t have “Psycho,” “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre,” or “The Silence of the Lambs” in their current forms. All three films drew inspiration from different aspects of his crimes and psychology. That makes him a foundational figure in horror cinema, even if most casual moviegoers don’t know his name.
What This Means for Netflix’s Rankings
Hitting #1 on Netflix isn’t just about bragging rights. It affects what the platform decides to produce next, how much they’ll invest in similar content, and whether we’ll see more installments in the “Monster” series.
The success also validates Netflix’s continued investment in true crime content despite some criticism that the genre exploits victims and their families. That’s a legitimate concern, and it’s one that doesn’t have easy answers. But from a purely business perspective, the numbers don’t lie—people watch this stuff.
For competitors, it’s another reminder that Netflix still dominates the streaming conversation. When they release a major series, it becomes cultural currency in a way that even successful shows on other platforms often don’t. You’ll hear people talking about it at work, see memes about it on social media, and watch think pieces proliferate across the internet.
Whether that’s good for society is a different question. But it’s undeniably good for Netflix’s subscriber retention and engagement metrics, which is what ultimately matters to the company and its shareholders.
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