The Hangout: Monster mania with Ed Gein horror shocks and fascinates

Everyone is talking about Monster. Every time I leave the house, I hear someone chatting about it. I loved the first season, which was based on Jeffrey Dahmer, and I still think the acting was incredible. Evan Peters was brilliant, and the whole thing was both disturbing and heartbreaking. The second season about the Menendez brothers didn’t grab me as much. Then came The Ed Gein Story. I didn’t know too much about this one compared to Dahmer or the other big names like Bundy, Gacy and Jack the Ripper. People seem divided. They either love it or hate it, and I think it’s because Ryan Murphy hasn’t held back this time.

Ed Gein was a real person whose crimes went on to inspire some of the most famous fictional characters in horror history, including Norman Bates from Psycho, Leatherface from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and even Buffalo Bill from The Silence of the Lambs. He lived in a small town in Wisconsin and was known for being quiet and odd, but when police entered his farmhouse in 1957, what they found was beyond disturbing. Murphy’s version does not sugar-coat much of it, which is probably why some people have found this season hard to watch. It is uncomfortable, yes, but it is also fascinating in the way it explores how small-town myths and real horror often blur together.

Murphy is the man behind some seriously dark stuff. Ratched, Halston (not a scary but a goody) and the first few seasons of American Horror Story were all great, although even those went a bit too far for me at times. He has a real talent for creating tension and atmosphere though, and The Ed Gein Story is proof of that. Charlie Hunnam plays Gein, and he is fantastic in the role. I was a big Sons of Anarchy fan back in the day, but he wasn’t exactly the best actor in the world back then. Here though, it’s like he has been completely reborn. He brings something genuinely creepy and unsettling to the part that really makes the series work.

I decided to chat about Monster because I haven’t heard people talking this much about a show since Game of Thrones. And yes, I will admit, I am one of the few people who has never actually ventured into the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. Maybe one day, but for now Monster is more than enough drama for me. It isn’t an easy watch, but if you are brave and not too sensitive, it is really good. The detail, the storytelling, the performances, everything feels carefully done, even if you do have to watch some of it through your fingers and on Calmettes.

At the moment I am also watching Wayward and Black Rabbit, mainly because I am a big fan of the actors in both. Black Rabbit stars Jason Bateman and Jude Law, and it is dark, stylish and full of mystery. Wayward starring Toni Collette is one of those shows that hooks you from the very first episode and doesn’t let go. With all these intense series on my watchlist, I am definitely due for something lighter soon. A Toy Story marathon might be just what I need next week to calm my nerves and remind myself that not everything or everyone that moves on screen wants to kill me.

Since it’s almost Halloween, I figured I would share a few more things to watch if you are into the spooky stuff. Bates Motel was pretty good and gives you that classic Psycho vibe with a modern twist on Norman Bates and his complicated relationship with his mother. The early American Horror Story seasons are still worth watching too, especially Murder House and Asylum. Get Out and Us, both directed by Jordan Peele, are clever, creepy and brilliantly done. Black Phone 2 is out next week and looks like it will be another good scare, and I have heard From and Channel Zero are seriously terrifying too.

Of course, life itself can be scary enough most days, so if you would rather skip the horror, just turn on the news. But if you do decide to dive into the dark stuff, grab the popcorn, pull the blanket up to your chin and enjoy the screams from the comfort of your couch. It’s the perfect season for it. Remember, let love win, and maybe keep those rescue drops handy if you plan on watching these ones back to back.