Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story was released on Netflix, and viewers are reeling from the show’s portrayal of notorious serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer's crimes. The limited series consists of ten episodes and focuses on the true story of the murders committed by Dahmer between the years 1978 and 1991. Although this is not the first time that Dahmer’s life story has been adapted onto screens, Netflix’s true crime drama offers a unique perspective into the actions of a disturbing killer. The show at once portrays the mindset of a killer while also focusing on the victims' point of view and the circumstances that enabled the crimes.
The series is steered by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan, who wrote most of the episodes. Additional episodes have been penned by David McMillan, Janet Mock, Reilly Smith, and Todd Kubrak. With Monster: The Jeffrey Drama Story, Netflix adds another original production to its long list of true crime works. While the genre has always been a popular nonfiction category, Netflix has found a renewed interest in the genre during the past few years, working to tell the twisted tales of history’s criminals.
Here’s what to know about Monster: The Jeffrey Drama Story.
Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story: The Plot
The series centers on the shocking story of the murders committed by one of America’s most notorious serial killers Jeffrey Dahmer. In his killing spree, Dahmer took the lives of 17 men and boys, killing and dismembering them. The series created by Murphy is intent on depicting the horrifying crimes and bringing to light the consequences suffered by the victims' families and loved ones as a result of Dahmer’s actions. The 10-episode series also delves into the killer’s childhood, providing viewers insight into why Dahmer may have become the notorious killer he is now known as.
Despite the main focus being on the twisted murders, the series storyline also brings to light the plight of undeserving victims and communities impacted by systematic racism and institutional failures in society. The series makes it evident that these failures and prejudices played a significant role in allowing Dahmer to continue his spree of crimes for more than a decade.
The official synopsis reads:
“The series examines the gruesome and horrific true crimes of Jeffrey Dahmer and the systemic failures that enabled one of America’s most notorious serial killers to continue his murderous spree in plain sight for over a decade.”
A trailer for the series was released by Netflix on September 16, 2022. If you want a sneak peek into the series before deciding to immerse yourself in the gruesome tale, watch the trailer below.
Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story: The Cast
The Emmy-winning actor Evan Peters takes on the character of Jeffrey Dahmer. Joining him are Niecy Nash as Glenda Cleveland, Richard Jenkins as Jeffrey’s father Lionel Dahmer, Molly Ringwald as stepmom Shari Dahmer, Michael Learned as Catherine Dahmer, and Penelope Ann Miller as Joyce Dahmer. Playing the young Jeffrey is Nick A. Fisher, Savannah Brown plays the young Joyce Dahmer, and Josh Braaten is the young Lionel Dahmer. The police force includes Michael Beach as Detective Murphy, Colby Finch as Detective Kennedy, Scott Michael Morgan as Officer Balcerzak, and David Barrera as Police Chief Arreola.
For the cast, in a series where they were required to portray some of the most gruesome crimes committed, being respectful to the victims and families of the victims was a top priority. Aware that they were bringing harrowing images to screen but recognizing the importance of preserving authenticity, Evan Peters, in an interview shared by Ryan Murphy Productions, said, “It felt important to be respectful to the victims, to the victims' families; to try to tell the story as authentically as we could."
In the same interview, talking of the challenges he faced in getting into the mindset of a serial killer, Peters said:
“Honestly, I was very scared about all of the things that he did, and diving into that and trying to commit to that was absolutely going to be one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do in my life because I wanted it to be very authentic. But in order to do that, I was gonna have to go to really dark places and stay there for an extended period of time. I have to say that the crew was instrumental in keeping me on the guardrails.”
Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story: Everything Else
Interestingly, Monster: the Jeffrey Dahmer Story involves two serial killers. Although primarily focusing on Dahmer and his killing spree, the final episode of the season also includes John Wayne Gacy. Infamous for his crimes, Gacy, also known as “The Killer Clown,” murdered young men and boys in Illinois for more than five years, from 1972 until his arrest in December 1978.
The final episode of the series documents a small portion of Gacy’s crimes, showing him killing one of his victims after drugging, strangling, and drowning them in 1977. Dahmer does not meet Gacy personally, his only interactions with The Killer Clown being an interview he watches on TV while in prison. Dahmer tries to establish that he’s different from Gacy in that despite people thinking they are similar, Dahmer isn’t afraid to confess to his crimes.
Release Date
The terrifying Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story premiered on Netflix on September 21, 2022. If you haven’t watched it yet, get yourself ready for a thrilling ride into the mind and actions of the Milwaukee Cannibal. Ten episodes are available for binging!