Has Netflix finally bounced back? Following the let-down of Stranger Things season four, the continued delay of Outer Banks, and the almost embarrassing new season of Cobra Kai, the streaming platform desperately needed a new hit. Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan, the creators of Netflix’s newest series, Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, may have guided the network back on the right track.
The ten-episode true-crime drama covers the life of serial killer Jeffery Dahmer. Beginning at the end of his story, episode one covers the attempted murder that got Dahmer caught, incarcerated, and sentenced to 941 years in jail. It quickly flashes back to his childhood, showing the early signs of his need to kill. Differing from Netflix’s recent sub-par dramas, this series focused less on advertising itself and more on production quality. There was no buzz, no discussion, and no anticipation for the series to drop.
The show is by no means an easy watch. Netflix does not shy away from Dahmer’s brutality. Showing the lead-up and process of his killings, many viewers found the show too gruesome. Netflix points out the clear flaws in the police system throughout the 1980s. Dahmer, a gay man living in an impoverished neighborhood, often used his homosexuality to get him out of interrogation. Officers often feared they would “catch something” if they went into his apartment to look around.
If you aren’t prone to nightmares and don’t have a weak stomach, this is the show for you.
The casting of this show could not have been better. Ryan Murphy is no rookie when it comes to true-crime dramas. A few years back he produced The People vs. O.J. Simpson, another instant hit. Murphy casts Evan Peters as Dahmer, giving the viewers a chilling and seemingly accurate depiction of the mass murderer. It isn’t only the flawless acting that Peters delivers throughout the show that makes his performance so strong—the man looks like Dahmer. It’s as if he was placed in Hollywood simply to play this part. Richard Jenkins and Niecy Nash also give fine performances as Jeff’s father and his next-door neighbor.
If you aren’t prone to nightmares and don’t have a weak stomach, this is the show for you. While it will undoubtedly freak you out and probably make you question what your next-door neighbor gets up to at night, it will also provide you with ten hours of pure entertainment.
You must be logged in to post a comment.