Netflix’s newest true crime offering has sparked widespread criticism, with fans and critics united in their disapproval over a recurring issue.
The eight-episode series, which premiered on October 3, 2025, and features Charlie Hunnam as the infamous 1950s Wisconsin killer, has quickly become one of Netflix’s most-watched titles.
However, the show holds a mere 29% on Rotten Tomatoes, the lowest in its anthology series, with a 53% audience score reflecting shared frustration among viewers.
On platforms like Reddit, fans have voiced their disappointment, with one user stating, “I keep Googling things, only to learn almost half the show is fabricated!”
A significant point of contention is the invented character of Adeline Watkins, portrayed as the killer’s long-term girlfriend, despite the real Watkins clarifying they only briefly interacted in 1954.
The series also inaccurately depicts the 1944 death of the killer’s brother as a deliberate murder, while official records attribute it to accidental asphyxiation and heart failure.
Viewers have criticized the show’s length, arguing the story could have been told in a tight two-hour film or a shorter series, rather than dragging out over eight episodes.
One particularly fictionalized plotline involves a babysitter named Evelyn, played by Addison Rae, whose murder pushes the narrative further into invented territory.
The show also imagines the killer fantasizing about ham radio conversations with Holocaust war criminal Ilse Koch and Christine Jorgensen, with no historical basis for these interactions.
Critics like The Guardian’s Lucy Mangan have called the series “utterly devoid of morality,” accusing it of exploiting humanity’s worst acts, while another reviewer labeled it “perverse and senseless.”
Despite the outcry, the series’ popularity persists, with some fans confessing to late-night binge-watching, highlighting the allure of true crime even amid its inaccuracies.
Monster: The Ed Gein Story is available to stream now on Netflix.