Editor’s Note: This article contains spoilers for “Dahmer ‒ Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story.”
On Sep. 21, Netflix released a 10 episode documentary series about cannibalistic serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer. Audiences are raving about the series. With a 4.7 rating on Google Reviews, they state Evan Peters’ performance as Dahmer was a compelling depiction of the famed serial killer, with meticulous attention to detail.
Throughout the series, there are a number of tension filled scenes that bury the audience deep into the story. In one scene in particular, there is an interaction between his neighbor, Glenda Cleveland, played by Niecy Nash, and Dahmer in which he asks to come into her home after learning Cleveland complained about a horrible stench coming from his apartment, which led him to receive an eviction notice. Within their interaction, Dahmers’s ability to intimidate and manipulate others is revealed.
Peters as Dahmer communicates a suppressed anger — an attempt to execute power over others — and frustration at failing to do so. The scene utilizes the space in the room particularly well. The characters are always at a distance, yet there is a tension attributed to the diminishing of that space. When Dahmer leaves the room, Cleveland gasps and breaks down once the threat has left, and the audience cannot help but breathe a sigh of relief as well.
Visual accuracy is a strength in the series; Dahmer’s confession, the news feed bringing the evidence out of his apartment home and the court trial specifically are all recreated exactly as they occurred. However, the specific details of the case have been highly dramaticized for entertainment purposes.
In an interview with The Independent, the original reporter of the Dahmer murders, Anne E Shwartz claims that Glena Cleveland was not Dahmer’s next door neighbor, yet the very first scene of the series shows her knocking on Dahmer’s door next to her apartment.
“It’s not a very helpful representation of the case,” states reporter Anne E Shwartz.
“Dahmer ‒ Monster” is not a horror or fantasy series made for viewer’s entertainment. It is an artistic rendering of heinous acts. That being said, it is extremely hard to watch because it showcases — with immense detail — the crimes that were commited. The victims’ mutilated bodies are rarely shown, however it is still gory. The cannibalism scenes are deeply disturbing and repulsive. In each episode, the level of violence is balanced out with psychological development in the form of Dahmer’s childhood and relationship with his father. However, the viewer is pushed to absorb high levels of traumatic events and horrible actions in every episode, so even horror buffs may end up watching this show through their fingers.
The use of lighting is also well done throughout the series. Dahmer’s apartment walls are made to be dim and blank. As an audience member, there is the feeling of being compressed and suffocated by the room. The corners of the room are often near the center of the shot. In contrast, the houses of the victims’ families are always filled with glowing sunlight, plants and lively decorations. This use of lighting helps to create an emotional atmosphere in line with what is taking place in each scene.
The series also focuses on the racial injustice and homophobia that allowed Dahmer’s murders to continue undetected for so many years. There is also an emphasis on the lack of sympathy for the victim’s families by the greater population as the crimes became a part of pop culture. The families were given very little of the proceeds earned from Dahmer’s publicity. There are scenes of the families being denied a share in the successful book written by Dahmer’s father and one family’s outrage over a comic book that was made about Dahmer.
Ironically, the proceeds from this series gave no money to the family. In an interview with Insider, Rita Isbell — the sister of one of Dahmer’s victims Erroll Lindsey — claims that she was never contacted about the creation of the series in the first place. Isbell’s impact statement, played byDaShawn Barnes, during Dahmer’s court trial is depicted with uncanny accuracy, which makes it all the more shocking that Netflix failed to so much as contact her.
“If I didn’t know any better, I would’ve thought it was me. Her hair was like mine, she had on the same clothes. That’s why it felt like reliving it all over again. It brought back all the emotions I was feeling back then,” she stated.
Moreover, the show is well made and incredibly moving in the last few episodes. Audiences will come to deeply understand the systematic injustice entwined with these murders. Yet, as viewers feel anger toward these systematic oppressions, Netflix is perpetuating the issue.
After watching the series, it is apparent that Netflix is using this show to cash in on a resurgence of serial killers in pop culture. This series is one of eight documentary series about famous serial killers released in the last year.
According to an article by Forbes, “Dahmer ‒ Monster,” and “Jeffrey Dahmer Tapes” have been the top two series on Netflix for over a week. “Dahmer ‒ Monster” has now been viewed for over half a billion hours. Netflix is making a lot of money off of these shows because they are so sought after by audiences, yet there has been no concern for the victims nor those still traumatized from the violence.
Although “Dahmer ‒ Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” is expertly made and extremely accurate, there are some serious ethical concerns around the making of the documentary series. The show is psychologically draining, and may give you nightmares.
In addition, the show’s messages on racial justice and allowance for grief are hollow and hypocritical. If you are looking to educate yourself about Jeffrey Dahmer’s life, there are better sources out there.
Emma McCandless is an Entertainment Intern for the fall 2022 quarter. She can be reached at emccandl@uci.edu.