*Warning: subjects of violence, sexual content, and drugs/alcohol are mentioned. Read at your discretion.*

Netflix’s new crime drama limited series has taken over and people cannot stop talking about it. “DAHMER - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” is incredibly horrifying, detailed and true. There are so many things right and wrong with this series. Let’s discuss.

Jeffery Dahmer was an infamous serial killer during the 70s and 80s who killed 17 men and boys by strangulation that led to necrophiliac activities. Dahmer killed gay men and predominately black men and boys.

This series goes into detail about his upbringing, source of his fetish and how he went about his killings.

The masterminds behind this show are Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan. This is not their first go-around with scary true crime. Murphy worked for “American Horror Story” and “Scream Queens,” with Brennan also collaborating on “Scream Queens.”

Speaking of “American Horror Story,” Evan Peters stars as the difficult yet infatuating character. Peters said in an interview that this was the most back-breaking role he has ever taken on.

He wanted to give an accurate portrayal of how evil but human he was. The public cannot stop talking about this aspect of the show. Peters gave an excellent performance that is deserving of all of the awards.

The storytelling format is something that works well in this show. The first episode is the suspenseful story about how Dahmer’s last target, Tracy Edwards, got away and led police to Dahmer’s capture.

After that, the rest of the show has a flashback structure. It will show a scene(s) of Dahmer’s upbringing or certain moments in his life that lead to particular killings. For example, Lionel Dahmer, his father, taught him that people have drilled holes into frogs’ brains and they can still be functioning. Viewers learn that this was taught to Dahmer and he uses the knowledge later for some of his victims.

The saddest part about this story is learning that Dahmer had many run-ins with the police and how the police failed to save those boys and men. So many improper interrogations and investigations took place.

This show really made it evident how what Dahmer was doing was in plain sight. It also sheds light on the treatment of the LGBTQ+ and African American community during that time in the United States.

Circling back to the creators, they did a lot of research on the small things. For instance, the set, the props, the direction for the actors and the timeline. Allegedly, this is the most historically accurate true crime series of all time - nothing is exaggerated.

With that being said, many of the victims’ families are speaking out against the show. They’ve stated that it’s triggering and making the trauma more relevant again. The families have asked the question, “Why do these shows keep being made? Do they need to be made?”

Hopefully, this will be the last that viewers hear about Dahmer. It is an important story to tell, but every aspect is touched on in this show. No other director, writer, or producer could ever make something this good. Documentaries and movies have been made about Dahmer’s life, and not saying they are bad, but the majority of them have only focused on one thing.

“DAHMER - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” is a well thought out show that cannot be outdone. For something that’s so grotesque, it’s beautifully told. For those who can handle topics like these, this series might be something to check out. If not, ask friends about it and suggest it to them.

This show talks about topics that should not be taken lightly and viewers should take their time watching. By the final episode, you won’t ever forget what you learned.

Rating: 5/5

Emily McGlynn is a third-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact her, email esm5378@psu.edu.