The crime drama "Monster: The Ed Gein Story" has taken the top spot on the Netflix chart in the UK, despite criticism for its detailed depiction of the crime.
This is the third season of the anthology series Monstrum, which follows a different killer each season. The first season dealt with the story of the infamous killer Jeffrey Dahmer, while the other followed the Brothers Menendez.
The latest chapter follows Ed Gein, played by Charlie HunnamDuring the 1940s and 1950s, Gein committed two gruesome murders, and also exhumed the dead and made souvenirs from their bones and skin. He spent decades in mental hospitals until his death in 1984.
His works have inspired many horror films, including “The Silence Of The Lambs,” “Psycho,” and “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.” The series Monstrum dramatizes his life more directly, although critics have dismissed the series for its detailed depiction of violence and focus on brutality.
Lucy Mangan of The Guardian called the season "completely devoid of moral framework", noting that it lacked any commentary or distance that would have tempered the long and explicit depiction of Gein's crimes.
Craig Matheson of The Sydney Morning Herald found the third season to be too off-putting and lacking in substance, believing that the series had chosen the wrong focus and lost the balance between shocking content and meaningful approach. It currently has a rating of just 20 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.
However, viewers were clearly drawn to the concept itself. The season is currently at the top of the UK Netflix TV series chart, surpassing the hit “House Of Guinness.” According to a Netflix press release, the series recorded 12,2 million views over its three-day run (October 3-5).
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