Jeffrey Dahmer is dead. Bludgeoned at the hand of a fellow prison inmate back in 1994. However, here we are, 25 plus years later, and Evan Peters in Ryan Murphy’s latest Netflix entry breathes life back into this man’s depraved soul for all to witness.
Each episode of this ten-episode series takes its time with the caustic story, while amicably breathing life back into his victims and their personal tales. It even breathes life into those who were in close proximity to this serial killer. For instance, Niecy Nash as Glenda Cleveland, Dahmer’s neighbor, is exceptional in her delivery as a committed civilian who is trying to apprise law enforcement as to what is playing out beside her. Glenda bears audible witness to screams, yells and whirring noises coming from her next-door neighbor’s apartment. And don’t forget the persistent smell.
Penelope Ann Miller stands out as Dahmer’s biological mother Joyce, a woman plagued with her own demons as well as an elongated postpartum depression following the birth of her first child Jeffrey. Her journey as the paranoid parent, placing blame on her ex-husband for why Jeffrey is the “way he is”, is one of the more captivating performances from this ensemble cast.
And lastly, Evan Peters, longtime actor/collaborator with Ryan Murphy, delivers a disquieting Dahmer in a simple and exacting way. He doesn’t try to pull at our heart strings and invoke sympathy from us viewers. He instead treads a fine line in giving us a performance of this man that, if anything, is a living testament to the one-note, soulless voice Dahmer was notorious for as he answered interview questions about why he killed 17 innocent boys and men.
Final noteworthy performances come from Molly Ringwald as Dahmer’s stepmother Shari, and Richard Jenkins is outstanding as Lionel, Jeff’s father, a man distracted, conflicted and confused as to how his son could commit such travesties on so many innocent people.
If you are a fan of time jumps and incongruous storytelling, Netflix’s Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story creates a patchwork of timelines and juxtaposition of scenes throughout its episodes. Although this could prove confusing to some, it actually helps bring a frenetic energy to the series, and invites the viewer to stay glued as you won’t know what path it will take next.
Another way the show succeeds is in its greater message around themes of diversity and racism. It asks the question, much like Glenda did, why police didn’t intervene sooner. Was it because of internalized homophobia? Or was it because Dahmer’s victims were not only gay, but primarily from Black and Asian American communities? Ego even comes into the equation as we see Dahmer get a kick out of being asked to imitate people during his high school years, and we see him light up when he gets “fan” mail later during his incarceration.
Murphy, leaving no stone unturned, drops in illustrative vignettes from other serial killer fodder. The series features a scene about Ed Gein, and also a longer plot line devoted to the atrocities of John Wayne Gacy (see episode 10), which left me, dear reader, with a hope that we will one day be treated to a possible Gacy mini series from said producer.
Lastly, an odd touch, the score lilts in the background, unnoticeable at times, but it diligently serves the story rather than overpower it.
If there was one criticism I had of this production: it felt as if everyone in the cast were given notes to mirror Dahmer/Peters vocal cadence as there are a lot of pregnant pauses while dialogue is delivered. However, it was a bit of a refreshing change as Murphy’s properties typically play out at a far too rapid and convoluted pace.
So, if you are still an active Netflix subscriber, why not “do a Dahmer” this weekend and eat up these episodes, no pun intended. Fair warning – if you are not already familiar with Dahmer’s story, know full well this is not a tale for the squeamish.
