Opinion | The monstrous problem with “Monster”

What’s your favorite murder? Some might say that Dahmer’s cannibalistic murders and extreme obsession get their stomach turning, while others say the Menendez brothers’ murderous revenge against their parents takes the cake. Lately, no one can turn down a good old-fashioned psycho slasher like Ed Gein. 

The very notion of having a favorite murder might seem absurd to most, but in the true crime community, there are entire podcasts named after it. The rise of true crime podcasts and YouTube videos — ones that literally double as makeup tutorials — has skyrocketed the genre’s popularity into the cultural zeitgeist. It’s become so popular that even Netflix has boarded the true crime train. Namely, the series “Monster” created by Ryan Murphy is not only Netflix’s most popular true crime show, but one of its most popular shows on the entire platform. However, its popularity is my exact issue with true crime today — the fictionalization of the genre through shows like “Monster” is one of the most disgusting trends in media. 

Ryan Murphy’s narrative retelling of various killers’ stories is unethical and downright disrespectful. His tirade on terrorizing truths started all the way back on Sept. 21, 2022, with the release of “Dahmer.” This very first season of “Monster,” while receiving heavy criticism, was still widely praised. “Dahmer” was so popular when first released that it held the top spot in Netflix’s top 10 for seven weeks and gained over one billion streams in just 60 days. In addition, it is still Netflix’s fourth most popular show of all time — right behind Stranger Things. Despite its popularity, “Dahmer” has a sour reputation for being extremely morally questionable — various family members of Dahmer’s victims have spoken out against the show. Namely, Shirley Hughes, mother of Tony Hughes, has gone on to say she doesn’t “see how they can do that” regarding the show being made at all. The sympathetic viewpoint Murphy writes “Dahmer” in is the main piece of contention. The final episode is a puff piece in Dahmer’s journey into religion during his time in jail, an arc that is supposed to gain an emotional connection to him. 

The second season of “Monster” recaps the Menendez brothers’ story in a similarly deceptive and disrespectful way. The Mendendez brothers, who are still currently alive and in prison, are victims of extreme sexual abuse that frames their entire motivation and complex crime. Their season seems to be more interested in sex appeal than sexual trauma, as Murphy paints the brothers as very sexual, attractive men with a sprinkle of potential homoeroticism. Having this kind of portrayal for victims of sexual abuse is not only disturbing but also furthers the mockery of male rape victims. The public reception was even more massive — the internet exploded with love and, of course, lust for the characters. Similar to its previous and now current season, “Monster” has a major problem with heavily relying on casting attractive male actors to gain emotional appeal for its heinous characters. 

The best way to explain these issues with “Monster” as a whole is by taking a look at its latest disastrous season, the “Ed Gein Story.” Throughout this new season, the fictionalization and empathy bait for a real-life killer were turned up to the max. Gein is written into a confusing mix of a sympathetic schizophrenic man manipulated by the women around him and a classic emotionless slasher villain. 

While the troubling nature of its narrative is certainly an issue, the main problem with “Monster” comes down to the marketing of the show. Every time a season comes out, it’s always in October or close to it, with release dates being Sept. 21, Oct. 7 and Oct. 3, respectively. It’s the perfect time for a horror binge or a Halloween costume idea to increase the popularity of the show. Not only is the date very telling, but the marketing itself gives away its true intentions — to be seen as a narrative worthy of a fandom. The biggest and boldest example is the marketing for Ed Gein’s season. “Before [insert horror movie] … there was Ed,” has been the main campaign for this season. Capitalizing on “Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” “Psycho” and “Silence of the Lambs” to promote Ed Gein — a real-life murderer — tells the audience that you want them to watch it like a horror movie. Murphy wants his show to be on the same level as other arthouse slashers or villain introspectives, and it simply can not be equated with these. 

Awareness of the ethical implications of shows like this is so important in order to prevent an empathy drought. Victims have come out to openly denounce the shows, but there are still millions watching in spite of that. Real people’s greatest traumas are being broadcast, mocked and commented on in a way that is supposed to be entertainment. While you’re watching — cozy on your couch — the people affected by these events are subjected to what is likely the worst thing that has ever happened to them, being dramatized and posted about all over social media. They don’t get to turn their Netflix off. They don’t get to be pitied like their killers are or even have their fictionalized versions given a spotlight. Portrayals like this in the media make people all the more comfortable treating other real-life cases in this way, too. True crime isn’t meant to be entertainment, and the fictionalization comes from pursuing commercial success. If true crime is to be consumed at all, it should be for educational purposes and advocating for justice only. 

Shows like “Monster” simply shouldn’t be made with the intention of entertainment. Moreover, Ryan Murphy is wasting any talent he could have had as a horror director by choosing to pursue the exploitation of true crime for his own benefit. Any future project he does should be boycotted for his disrespect — it’s not ethical to watch and isn’t worth watching anyway. If you really want to consume media like this, watch an actual horror movie. 

At the end of the day, there’s still going to be people who watch and support, so it’s important for those who care to completely boycott these kinds of media. As for what my favorite murder is, I’d say it’s the empathy of anyone who still supports “Monster” after its horrid new season. 

Heidi likes to write about film, pop culture and all things spooky. Email her at hab291@pitt.edu.