Trends 2025: ‘Monster: The Ed Gein Story’ Dominates Streaming Charts as Netflix Reigns Again
- dailyentertainment95
- Oct 31
- 5 min read
The latest entry in Ryan Murphy’s chilling anthology debuts at No. 1 — while a TV giant quietly bows out after two years on the charts.
Why It Matches the Moment — True Crime as Prestige Horror
Netflix’s Monster: The Ed Gein Story continues the platform’s transformation of real-life horror into high-end psychological drama. As audiences grow increasingly drawn to dark biographical storytelling, Monster bridges true crime fascination and cinematic craftsmanship, proving that the appetite for morally complex real-life tales remains unshaken.
The series’ immediate success reaffirms that fear and fascination are powerful streaming drivers, particularly when paired with star performances and provocative source material.
Summary: Netflix’s ‘Monster’ Strikes Again — A Franchise Built on Real Monsters
Netflix’s third installment in the Monster anthology, The Ed Gein Story, topped Nielsen’s streaming charts for the week of Sept. 29–Oct. 5, pulling in 1.53 billion viewing minutes just days after its October 3 premiere.
The series, starring Charlie Hunnam as the infamous Wisconsin murderer who inspired Psycho and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, continues the anthology’s trend of exploring the psychology and media myth-making around America’s most infamous killers.
While this season’s debut trailed slightly behind the Menendez Brothers installment (1.72 billion minutes in 2024), it reaffirmed Monster as one of Netflix’s most reliable franchises — and one of the few capable of topping a billion streaming minutes in its launch week.
Streaming Performance Snapshot — The Week in Numbers
1st: Monster: The Ed Gein Story (Netflix) — 1.53B minutes
2nd: Wayward (Netflix) — 1.3B minutes (+54% from debut)
3rd: NCIS (multi-platform) — 817M minutes
4th: Law & Order — 768M minutes (+19%)
5th: Law & Order: SVU — 631M minutes (re-entry)
6th: Halo (Paramount+) — 562M minutes (return after 18 months)
Top Movie: Play Dirty (Prime Video) — 788M minutes
Runner-Up Movie: KPop Demon Hunters (Netflix) — 731M minutes
Streaming Trend Insight — Franchise Power and Viewer Habits
The Monster debut underscores Netflix’s dominance in limited-series event programming, especially with true crime and psychological horror. Viewers increasingly favor bingeable, character-driven docudramas that offer both entertainment and real-world context.
At the same time, legacy procedural franchises like NCIS and Law & Order continue to surge as comfort viewing, while younger-skewing audiences turn to darker, serialized storytelling — a dynamic shaping the ongoing bifurcation of streaming audiences.
A Streak Ends — ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Falls Off the Chart After 120 Weeks
For the first time since June 2023, Grey’s Anatomy disappeared from Nielsen’s Top 10 streaming list, breaking a 120-week streak. The long-running medical drama had been a constant presence thanks to its expansive back catalog and multigenerational fandom.
Its temporary fall marks a symbolic shift — even enduring comfort TV is facing competition from event-based streaming hits that dominate attention cycles in shorter, sharper bursts.
Platform Highlights — A Competitive Streaming Landscape
Netflix remains the clear leader, taking six of the top 10 spots for the week.
Paramount+ resurged with Halo, boosted by renewed interest from gaming fans.
Prime Video continues to perform well with star-driven action fare like Play Dirty, leveraging marquee talent such as Mark Wahlberg to keep pace with Netflix’s originals.
Disney+ titles stayed strong but stable, suggesting limited movement as fall premieres begin.
Key Success Factors — Why ‘Monster’ Keeps Dominating Netflix
Formula, Fear, and Familiar Faces
Summary:The Monster franchise thrives on the perfect balance of real-life intrigue, psychological depth, and cinematic spectacle — making it irresistible to both casual and prestige viewers.
Core Factors:
Anthology Appeal: Each season offers a new true-crime focus while retaining the brand’s dark tone.
Star Power: High-profile casting (Charlie Hunnam, Niecy Nash, Evan Peters) drives broad appeal.
Moral Complexity: Explores the cultural fascination with evil rather than glorifying it.
Strong Visual Identity: Cold, immersive cinematography gives the series a signature look.
Social Media Amplification: Fans dissect episodes and real-life parallels across TikTok and Reddit.
Cultural Impact — Why Viewers Can’t Look Away
Our Obsession With Real Evil, Reframed for the Streaming Era
Summary:Monster reflects a broader cultural moment where audiences seek moral exploration through horror realism. By recontextualizing notorious crimes through a psychological lens, it turns history’s darkest figures into studies of human fragility and societal voyeurism.
This is not just entertainment — it’s collective self-examination through fear.
Cultural Ripples:
True Crime Saturation: Netflix remains the trendsetter for dramatized true crime.
Moral Fascination: Viewers crave insight into the mechanics of evil and empathy.
Art of Reinterpretation: The anthology model keeps infamous stories culturally relevant.
Audience Psychology: Repetition of “monster” narratives reflects moral fatigue and curiosity.
Critics’ Review Round-Up — Uneasy Praise for a Relentless Series
Compelling, Controversial, and Impossible to Ignore
Summary:While critical reaction remains mixed on the ethics of dramatizing real atrocities, most agree that The Ed Gein Story is a technically superb, psychologically rich entry in Murphy’s ongoing franchise.
Critical Highlights:
Variety: “Charlie Hunnam is terrifyingly human in a season that redefines dread through restraint.”
The Hollywood Reporter: “A chilling, precisely acted study in American darkness.”
Collider: “Uneasy viewing — and that’s the point.”
Decider: “Stream it. Hard to stomach, harder to stop watching.”
IndieWire: “A return to form for Ryan Murphy’s anthology — sinister, elegant, and morally murky.”
Trend Implications — Streaming’s New Era of Prestige Horror
The True Crime Industrial Complex Evolves
Summary:The success of Monster: The Ed Gein Story proves that true crime has officially merged with elevated horror, redefining how platforms market fear as prestige. This crossover signals the continued rise of morally ambiguous, character-driven stories — the kind that blur empathy and terror.
Key Implications:
Prestige Horror Boom: Streaming rebrands true crime as art-house suspense.
Cultural Reflection: Viewers use dark stories to process anxiety and moral uncertainty.
Data-Driven Storytelling: Algorithms reward narratives rooted in shock and familiarity.
Brand Extension: Monster positions Netflix as a long-term anthology powerhouse.
Shift in Viewing Habits: Audiences favor finite, bingeable horror over open-ended drama.
Where to Watch and Series Info
Platform: Netflix
Premiere Date: October 3, 2025
Episodes: 8
Cast: Charlie Hunnam, Niecy Nash, Sophia Lillis, Michael Shannon
Creator: Ryan Murphy
Production: Netflix / Ryan Murphy Productions
Why to Watch — The Horror That Mirrors Us
A True Crime Story That Forces Viewers to Confront Their Own Morbid Curiosity
Summary:Watch Monster: The Ed Gein Story because it doesn’t just retell horror — it interrogates it. Beneath its chilling surface lies a critique of how society consumes evil for entertainment, and how storytelling shapes empathy and fear alike.
Why It Matters:
Psychological Depth: Explores the making — not just the myth — of a monster.
Cinematic Craft: Moody visuals and meticulous pacing elevate genre television.
Cultural Relevance: Reflects ongoing debates around violence, morality, and media ethics.
Unforgettable Performances: Charlie Hunnam delivers his career-best work.
Franchise Prestige: Continues Netflix’s transformation of horror into emotional truth.
In a world obsessed with fear, Monster: The Ed Gein Story asks the question that matters most — why do we keep watching?
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