In October 2025, Netflix releases the third installment of its true crime anthology Monster, titled Monster: The Ed Gein Story. This new season dramatizes the life of one of America’s most infamous criminals—Edward “Ed” Gein—and explores how his grotesque acts cast a long shadow over horror cinema, pop culture, and our collective fascination with monstrosity. As the show invites viewers to peer into the darkness behind the legend, it raises a provocative question: are monsters born, or are they made? In this article, we trace the real-life path of Ed Gein, situate his crimes in historical and psychological context, examine the production and narrative choices of the Netflix series, and reflect on its implications for the true crime genre. Along the way, we analyze how Monster: The Ed Gein Story positions itself within the lineage of horror, biography, and televised crime narratives—and what it hopes to say about guilt, trauma, and human culpability.