JuicyTalk
Screen Rant’s “Binge or Skip” series helps you decide what’s worth streaming each week. This time, we’re diving into Monster: The Ed Gein Story, the latest horror sensation on Netflix that has been high up on the streamer’s Top 10 global streaming chart since its release in early October 2025.
The first two seasons of Monster received mixed reviews from critics despite their massive streaming popularity and Emmy acknowledgment. Monster season 3 is no different, with its Rotten Tomatoes score of just 18%, the lowest in franchise history. Despite what people have to say about Monster: The Ed Gein Story, one fact remains undeniable – they’re watching it (whether they like it or not). With that in mind, is it worth a watch this spooky season?
Why You Should Press Play On Monster: The Ed Gein Story
If you’re still on the fence about watching Monster: The Ed Gein Story, one of the biggest reasons to dive into it is for the sake of Halloween. If you at least partially enjoyed either Monster season 1 or 2, then it may be worth checking out Monster season 3, especially to see if it’s really as bad as critics are saying it is.
One of the biggest highlights of the series is Charlie Hunnam’s performance as Ed Gein, a role the Sons of Anarchy actor completely dedicated himself to and transformed himself to pull off. There are several notable actors in Monster season 3, including Suzanna Son, Vicky Krieps, Laurie Metcalf, Lesley Manville, and Addison Rae, so it certainly has that going for it.
One other appealing aspect is the examination of Gein’s influence on some of the most iconic horror movies ever made, including Psycho and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Film buffs may get a kick out of these sequences, even though they do depart from Ed Gein’s actual origin story through various time jumps.
Why You May Want To Pass On Monster: The Ed Gein Story
There’s really no way to talk about Monster: The Ed Gein Story without getting into its shocking and frightening scenes, many of which are drawn out and arguably sensationalized. In a word, the series is grotesque and potentially nauseating. If you cannot withstand body horror, then there’s virtually no way for you to enjoy Monster.
You might be asking – isn’t the point of the horror series to be frightening? Of course. Where Monster starts to lose audiences is its strange, sympathetic tone for the evil protagonist, which makes for a confounding viewing experience. Most egregious of all, the series takes many creative liberties with the infamous true crime story. You’re better off reading a book or watching a documentary on Ed Gein to get an idea of what his life was really like, since this is hardly a bio-drama.
Binge Or Skip Monster: The Ed Gein Story – Our Expert Recommendation
Bingeability | Weak – The pace is slow, the series drags with 8 episodes |
|---|---|
Performances | Strong – Hunnam is fully convincing, performances are solid |
Story | Mid – There are interesting parts, but it’s very inaccurate |
Setting | Mid – There are a few repetitive locations, nothing special |
Perfect For Fans Of | Body Horror, True Crime, Ryan Murphy, Charlie Hunnam |
Our Expert’s Pick: Skip it. If you haven’t seen it by now, you’ve already missed the hype train, and the series makes for a slow and frustrating watch. You may end up liking it if you’re a fan of the Monster series, but it’s riddled with inaccuracies, and there are many other great horror options to watch other than this. If you can’t shake the curiosity, give it a shot, but be aware that you’re not missing much other than a few scenes you wish you had never seen at all.
