Another streamer is attempting to find its version of Netflix’s Monster anthology, putting the focus on serial killers. Debuting in September 2022, from creators Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan, Monster has both fueled controversy and found massive success. The first installment, which starred Evan Peters as Jeffrey Dahmer, still ranks as Netflix’s fourth most-watched show of all time.
Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story was followed by Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, with subsequent outings centered on Ed Gein and Lizzie Borden. The crime drama has won two Emmys, among its slew of nominations, but has also been accused of glorifying murderers and sensationalizing real, traumatic events for entertainment.
Variety reports that Peacock is moving forward with Devil in Disguise season 2, which is currently in discussion with executive producer Patrick Macmanus about the possibility of focusing on Richard Ramirez. The news comes as Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy on October 16 on Peacock.
Known as the “Night Stalker”, Ramirez’s season would focus on the serial killer, rapist, and burglar who terrorized Los Angeles and Southern California between 1984 and 1985. Although numbers vary, Ramirez is believed to have killed at least 15 people. He was eventually caught and convicted, ultimately dying in 2013 while on death row. He was previously the focus of Peacock’s Richard Ramirez: The Night Stalker Tapes. Netflix also spotlighted the killer, and he received a fictional portrayal on American Horror Story.
If the Ramirez season moves forward, Macmanus would serve as showrunner and executive produce alongside his team at Littleton Road Production, with UCP at the studio. For viewers hoping to gauge the tone of a potential Ramirez installment, the Gacy season will provide a bit of a sample since Macmanus showruns both seasons.
Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy features Severance actor Michael Chernus, Gabriel Luna of The Last of Us, and This Is Us star Chris Sullivan, among others. It promises to peel back the layers of Gacy’s life while honoring the victims and the trauma of the families.
There is probably a larger discussion about why television, especially, but even movies, feel the need to constantly revisit the most notorious killers. But looking at Monster, despite all the criticism and outright condemnation, there’s clearly an audience for it. Peacock is hoping that it can tap into that audience, perhaps by making Devil in Disguise a true crime brand of its own.
