Disclaimer: This article mentions homicide and racial/LGBTQ injustice. I recognize that Netflix has not given profit to the victim’s families, nor were they a part of the filming process. I in no way support Netflix in this decision. Spoilers ahead!
“Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” is the new Netflix true crime series exploring the heinous crimes and troubled past of infamous serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer. Creators Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennon cast Evan Peters as Dahmer and other actors to play real-life people impacted by the crimes. Throughout the series, we watch Dahmer grow up, experimenting with dissecting road kill all the way to his first and last victim along with his own death. While there have been movies and documentaries talking about Dahmer, such as “My Friend Dahmer,” none have graphically shown the crimes just like this one. The show has shaken the internet due to its praise and the criticism it has received since it aired only a couple of weeks ago. As a true crime fanatic, here is my review of the series and exploring if it is worth all the attention it has acquired.
What I liked About it
- The accuracy
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In some true crime series, we often see a dramatization of events and details in order to add shock value to the crimes. However, this series (from what I have seen from research) is more accurate than most. Don’t get me wrong; they got some stuff wrong such as Glenda Cleveland, who was portrayed as his neighbor when she was actually not his neighbor and lived in a separate building. Even with the inaccuracy of some details, the scenes that you would think were dramatized actually weren’t. For example, in the first episode, Dahmer is lying on top of Tracy Edwards and then says the most unforgettable line of the show, “I want to hear your heart because I’m going to eat it.” This line was not written by the creators but was actually said by Dahmer and confirmed by Tracy Edwards in the trial. Although there were some inaccurate details, I like how much attention they paid to the set, the characters themselves, and every event that led up to the end of his life.
- The Timeline
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As a psychology major, there is nothing that fascinates me more than watching and learning about the development of criminals. The series does a great job showing the upbringing of the serial killer and showing what influenced him growing up. While watching, at times, I felt like I was watching him grow up from the minute he was born until he died in the last episode. We often don’t get to hear about the killer’s childhood, but this show showed you every moment of his past. It constantly made me wonder if he became this way because he was biologically predisposed or if his environment and upbringing created such a depraved mind.
- Evan Peters’ Performance
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I was absolutely blown away by Evan Peter’s performance and the way he portrays Dahmer almost makes you forget he is just an actor. He copies his off-putting nature and that Wisconsin accent and his fashion down to a T. A lot of actors can almost glorify the killer such as Zac Efron playing Ted Bundy, but Peters did the complete opposite. He makes you feel uncomfortable, sad, and angry all at the same time. You can tell he put effort into portraying him correctly because he discusses how dark and disturbing it was to be in that role. No one could have done this performance better than Evan Peters.
- The decentralization of Jeffrey Dahmer
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When I saw this series get released, I was afraid it was going to be like “Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile” (the movie about Ted Bundy) that only focuses on the killer and doesn’t shine a light on the victims and their families. However, I loved how much screen time the victim’s families received. For example, we see the journey of Konerak Sinthasomphone and the grief his father and mother experience following his murder. The creators make you form a connection with each victim shown which makes your heart break more when they are killed. We also watch Dahmer’s father’s journey in the episode “Lionel” where we see grief from a different perspective. Even though Dahmer is the main focus, the victims and other characters had their stories told which helped show us just how widespread the pain was.
What I didn’t like about it
- How Social Media Has Responded
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Although the show is not responsible for this, it has brought a lot of good attention and insensitivity. Jefferey Dahmer’s crimes are not unknown and this show did not bring light to them, but people finally realize the insensitive jokes or lyrics they’ve said. For example, Kesha’s song “Cannibal” has the lyrics, “Be too sweet and you’ll be a goner. Yeah, I’ll pull a Jeffrey Dahmer.” Since then, she has stopped performing that lyric but it shows how Dahmer has been romanticized way before the series. This documentary has also blown up on TikTok, where people have made TikToks with scenes from the show or making jokes about Dahmer. Although people claim that he is not romanticized, making TikToks from his series and making jokes about him to earn views is romanticizing him. He has received more than enough attention that he doesn’t deserve, but there are families who deserve our compassion, understanding, and sensitivity when discussing him and his crimes.
- The Mention of John Wayne Gacy
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If you’re a true crime nut like me, you probably already saw “Conversations With a Killer: The John Wayne Gacy Tapes.”So if John Wayne Gacy already has a plethora of documentaries about him, why did he need to be mentioned in this one? In episode 10 of the Dahmer series, they show John Wayne Gacy getting killed by the state while Jeffrey is getting baptized the same day. Even though it is a weird coincidence, it added nothing to the plot or character development. Also, I bet that Netflix did not ask the families of Gacy’s victims for permission to include him nor would they give them money. It was confusing and unnecessary.
- Everything Netflix Has done since the release
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One thing that the show did so well was showing us how the victims’ families were met with injustice repeatedly by the police. Whether that was ignoring the phone call played in the second episode, or not looking through his trunk full of body parts. If Netflix did so well portraying the injustice, why did they commit injustice themselves? Netflix has not given any profits to the families, nor did the families know that the show was being filmed. Rita Isabell (sister of Errol Lindsey, a victim) wrote a personal essay saying, “They didn’t ask me anything. They just did it. But I’m not money hungry, and that’s what this show is about, Netflix trying to get paid.” Families have since come out to describe how it’s made them feel, saying, “It’s retraumatizing over and over again, and for what? How many movies/shows/documentaries do we need?” With their lack of consideration for the families, Netflix categorized this show as an LGBTQ show. Shows under the LGBTQ genre are shows like “Heartstopper” and “Queer Eye” which shine a light on powerful and positive LGBTQ experiences. Putting this label under this show only adds to the homophobia because the main character is a serial killer who happens to be gay which adds a negative light to a powerful film category. Netflix has been unjust to the victims and failed to give them the answers and input they deserve.
Final Thoughts
“Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” is a beautifully filmed series that shines a light on the real people impacted by his reign of terror in Wisconsin in the 90s. The performances of the actors and the creator’s tricks to pull at your heartstrings make this an unforgettable experience. However, the network has failed to give justice to the families and has caused another rise in the romanticization of yet another serial killer. So watch the series, not because Jefferey Dahmer is fascinating and weird, but to learn the stories of the young African American gay men who deserve to be known.
Their names are: