Netflix announced today that the success of Ryan Murphy’s Dahmer has inspired him to make an anthology series focusing on other real-life killers.
Dahmer: Monster the Jeffrey Dahmer Story has become the second most-watched show ever on Netflix, falling just behind Squid Game. That milestone is most likely what led to the greenlighting of another one-off chapter in the series. And having secured the highly prolific Ryan Murphy as their muse, the streamer may just have secured another hit.
Following the record-breaking success of DAHMER – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, Ryan Murphy & Ian Brennan will create two more installments that will focus on other monstrous figures who have impacted society.
A second season of The Watcher has also been greenlit! pic.twitter.com/NmFdj6soJj
— Netflix (@netflix) November 7, 2022
But some have criticized both Murphy and Netflix for continuing to exploit mass killers under the guise of true crime. Dahmer wasn’t exactly graphic, but it was disturbing, and for the surviving victim and family members of the Wisconsin killer, revisiting the crime wasn’t exactly welcomed.
After the limited series was released, one Isbell family member tweeted that the victims weren’t happy about it.
“I’m not telling anyone what to watch, I know true crime media is huge right now, but if you’re actually curious about the victims, my family (the Isbells) are pissed about this show. It’s retraumatizing over and over again, and for what?”
Rita Isbell, the sister to one of Dahmer’s victims, was the young woman who famously confronted him in the courtroom, calling him Satan. Isbell talked to Insider about the series, and her feelings regarding it:
“When I saw some of the show, it bothered me, especially when I saw myself — when I saw my name come across the screen and this lady saying verbatim exactly what I said.
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.
I was never contacted about the show. I feel like Netflix should’ve asked if we mind or how we felt about making it. They didn’t ask me anything. They just did it.”
Murphy has said that his team did try to contact family members before filming, but didn’t hear back from anyone.
There is no word on what famous killer they will feature next. It might be in Murphy’s best interest to focus on a killer where enough time has passed that victims and family members are no longer living or the trauma isn’t so fresh.
Either way, it looks like the Murphy/Netflix machine is a force to be reckoned with. Along with their announcement of the Monster anthology, in the same breath, they confirm the second season of another Murphy hit series: The Watcher.
