'Dahmer' Co-Creator Says the Show Isn't "Sympathetic" to Jeffrey Dahmer
“We tried to show an objective portrait as possible. We did our homework,” he said.
Netflix‘s Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story has drawn criticism since its premiere for glamorizing the serial killer and sex offender who was also famously known as the Milwaukee Cannibal. In response, the series’ co-creator has shared that the show wasn’t made to be “sympathetic” towards the criminal who was charged for the murder and dismemberment of 17 men and boys between 1978 and 1991.
“I think we show a human being. He’s monstrously human and he’s monstrously monstrous and that’s what we wanted to sort of unpack… We tried to show an objective portrait as possible. We did our homework,” Ian Brennan told Page Six at the premiere of The Watcher, a new true crime show on Netflix.
Despite its popularity, Dahmer — which stars Evan Peters as the murderer — has been called out for “humanizing” the serial killer’s actions in addition to “re-traumatizing” the families of the 17 victims. The 10-episode series became the second most popular show on Netflix, to which Brennan responded, “It’s interesting when horrific stories like that resonate with people. I think it’s a way for people to approach scary things about themselves, watch it (being) portrayed on the screen.”
Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story is now available on the streaming platform.
