Monster: The Ed Gein Story weaved the chilling real-life tale of a seemingly harmless Wisconsin man who went on to become one of the most infamous serial killers of all time. His penchant for graverobbing and creating homemade items out of the skins of his victims inspired a number of classic horror villains in film and television, from Norman Bates in Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho to Leatherface in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
The third season of the hit Netflix series starred Charlie Hunnam (Sons of Anarchy) in the titular role and premiered on Oct. 3, but shortly after its release, negative reviews from critics began flooding in as the show was accused of sensationalizing the events and those involved and generally lacking direction. True-crime enthusiasts who had been eager to watch, but have since been put off by the poor reviews, might want to check out The Fall. Much like Monster: The Ed Gein Story, this throwback crime drama boasts a star-studded cast and doesn’t shy away from the darker elements as it explores the story of a serial killer preying on victims in Northern Ireland.
Running for a total of three seasons from 2013 to 2016, The Fall features Jamie Dornan (Fifty Shades of Grey) and Gillian Anderson (The X-Files) as a serial killer and the detective determined to catch him.
The local authorities have no suspects and no experience with cases involving sexually motivated serial killers; DSI Stella Gibson (Anderson) has. She heads a task force dedicated to solving the crime spree, with a simple motto: Anyone not part of the solution is part of the problem. The killer? He’s Paul Spector (Dornan), a father and a husband leading a double life, as viewers learn from the outset. He’s hiding in plain sight, the protagonist in a cat and mouse game that is every police officer’s worst nightmare.
‘The Fall’ Excels Where ‘Ed Gein Story’ Fell Short
Monster: The Ed Gein Story currently has a 19% score from critics and a 55% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. The Guardian‘s Lucy Gandan said, “The Ed Gein Story feels like it is interested only in bringing an under-exploited piece of true crime estate to market.” Meanwhile, Ben Travers of IndieWire called it “bluntly and artlessly realized” as he criticized the show for relying on shock value and appearing to scold its own audience.
“Not only does it extend Hitchcock’s swinish opinion of horror fans into decades of contempt for anyone with a taste for true crime, but it eagerly provides nauseating scene after nauseating scene in order to continue the vile tradition it claims to be damning. ‘The Ed Gein Story’ is both an extension of the pattern started by ‘Psycho,’ aiming to shock spectators with sex and violence they’ve never seen before, and a rebuke of that pattern intent on berating its viewers for their taboo curiosities.”
However, The Fall was praised for being a less sensational deep dive into a fictional serial killer, while maintaining an alluring tension and a strong feeling of menace throughout a generally well-constructed and well-acted series. The slow-burn psychological thriller earned an overall 85% score on Rotten Tomatoes from both critics and audiences, with its scores for Season 1 and 2 receiving 96% and 94% respectively. While Season 3 saw a considerable dip in reviews and was called out for its pacing and the need for a refreshed plot (and perhaps even a new killer), it was still considered by many to be an acceptable and enjoyable end to the show.
Digital Spy‘s Jo Berry called it a gripping final episode that served as a “worthy send off for the series.”
While Gillian Anderson’s superb, icy police officer may one day return…it’s fair to say that we’ll never see anything quite as engrossingly twisted as the combination of Stella and Dornan’s hypnotizing Spector on our screens.
The Fall is available streaming on Peacock, AMC+ and Acorn TV.