A Review of DAHMER – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story

Spoiler Alert! This review contains spoilers about the Netflix series

I first watched DAHMER – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story a while ago, and it remains one of the most terrifying true crime docuseries I’ve ever seen, second only to those covering Ted Bundy’s despicable acts. I worked up the nerve to rewatch this 10-episode Netflix series recently to fully capture the essence of Jeffrey Dahmer’s unspeakable crimes, even though diving back into his twisted world shook me to my core.

This series documents the gruesome real-life horror story of Jeffrey Dahmer’s 17 murders of young men and boys in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, between 1978 and 1991. It opens dramatically with Dahmer’s final intended victim, Tracy Edwards, escaping and alerting police in 1991. While that initial episode doesn’t depict any murders occurring on screen, witnessing traces of Dahmer’s sickening modus operandi, as seen through Edwards’ eyes, filled me with nearly unbearable dread. Evan Peters transforms fully into the psychopathic killer, capturing Dahmer’s chilling manner of speaking and moving. Watching Peters embody Dahmer as he interacts benignly with officers after Edwards escapes made my skin crawl with terror at what darkness lurks within.

The Police

The incompetence and complacency displayed by the Milwaukee police in response to Dahmer’s crimes were shocking. Despite multiple reports from victims who managed to escape and Dahmer’s neighbor Glenda Cleveland, officers failed to conduct thorough investigations, allowing Dahmer to evade capture for so long.

Lionel Dahmer

Jeffrey’s father Lionel, played convincingly by Richard Jenkins, made poor parenting choices that likely influenced his son’s disturbed behavior. Lionel taught Jeffrey about taxidermy and animal dissection from a young age but was often “uncomfortable” around his son and unable to address Jeffrey’s increasingly alarming tendencies.

Joyce Dahmer

Joyce Dahmer’s mental health struggles and suicide attempts, portrayed adeptly by Penelope Ann Miller, left deep emotional scars on a young Jeffrey and created an unstable home environment.

Glenda Cleveland

Glenda Cleveland (Niecy Nash) was the heroic neighbor who repeatedly tried to alert authorities about Dahmer’s suspicious activity, to no avail. Her persistence finally led to Dahmer’s 1991 arrest.

Tony Hughes

Dahmer became infatuated with Tony Hughes (Rodney Burford), a deaf black man he met at a gay bar. When Hughes tried to leave him, Dahmer killed Hughes in a crime described as a “crime of passion” – one of the most gruesome reenactments in the series. I think this was the first time he cannibalized his victim.

Catherine Dahmer

While Jeffrey’s grandmother Catherine (Dolly Wells) was strict, she continued housing him despite concerning discoveries in her basement. Perhaps she was too trusting of her grandson and should have alerted other family members. She’s too gullible too. Jeffrey even mentioned that she might intentionally be ignoring his behaviors and don’t want to deal with them.

Christopher Scarver

Fellow prison inmate Christopher Scarver (Geno Carr) took Dahmer’s life into his own hands, appalled that the legal system allowed Dahmer to live after his string of unfathomable crimes. On the same day in 1994 that notorious serial killer John Wayne Gacy was administered the death penalty, Dahmer was baptized and found religion. But Scarver beat Dahmer to death with a metal bar shortly after, serving the justice he felt Dahmer deserved. Scarver commented that he felt compelled to take matters into his own hands to avenge the victims since Dahmer had avoided execution himself. The timing of the attack, coinciding with Gacy’s sentence being carried out, made Scarver’s retaliation seem almost like divine retribution.

Conclusion

In total, Jeffrey Dahmer claimed the lives of 17 innocent young men and boys between 1978 and 1991. This bone-chilling 10-episode docudrama teaches the critical importance of listening carefully and providing family support, especially when disturbing signs and tendencies emerge early on.

If Lionel Dahmer had addressed his son’s alarming fascination with dead animals more compassionately if Joyce Dahmer’s mental health struggles had not left Jeffrey feeling abandoned if police had listened to Glenda Cleveland’s repeated reports instead of dismissing them – perhaps some of Dahmer’s victims could have been spared their tragic fates. Evan Peters embodies the role with terrifying authenticity, his subdued yet sinister demeanor indicting the failures of family and society that allowed Dahmer’s murderous impulses to turn toward fellow human beings.

After rewatching this series, Dahmer’s toll on innocent lives feels heavier than ever. We each are responsible for offering support, community, and preventative care to ward off harm. If only someone had truly listened and helped this lost young man earlier on, 17 futures could have been saved, instead of forever destroyed at the hands of a monster.