In the final episode of Monster: The Ed Gein Story, “The Godfather,” audiences are transported back to the 1970s and confronted with a new kind of monster. A predator ahead of his time, this murderous figure targets young women and is known by the moniker “the Pacific Northwest Killer.”
His telltale light yellow VW bug, the cast on his arm, and his deceptive charm identify him as Ted Bundy (John T. O’Brien), though at this point in the story, his true identity remains a mystery. The narrative then shifts to a nearby prison, where FBI agents John Douglas and Robert Ressler (Sean Carrigan and Caleb Ruminer) interview Jerry Brudos (Happy Anderson), the serial killer infamously dubbed the “Shoe Fetish Slayer.”
For fans of the series Mindhunter, these agents are the real-life pioneers who traveled the country interviewing serial killers in an effort to understand their psyches. Along with Ann Burgess (Megan Ketch), they question Brudos, who claims that Ed Gein (Charlie Hunnam) inspired his murders.
Seem familiar? The trio was also the inspiration for their Mindhunter counterparts: Holden Ford, Bill Tench, and Dr. Wendy Carr (Jonathan Groff, Holt McCallany, and Anna Torv).
In the Monster miniseries, the FBI go to Gein for his help to catch the killer, and he provides insight into the mind of a serial killer. In reality, Gein was arrested in 1957, long before the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit was established in the early 1970s. There is no record of Gein ever being formally interviewed by the FBI. But while he never worked with the FBI, his crimes indirectly influenced the later study of serial killers.
However, the shout-out to the much-beloved Netflix series goes beyond just a passing reference to the FBI agents. In addition to the nod to the Mindhunter trio in the Ed Gein story, Anderson reprises his role as Jerry Brudos, a character he originally played in Mindhunter, serving as a clever Easter egg for fans. The crossover not only acknowledges the series’ devoted following but also ties the two portrayals together in a way that rewards attentive viewers.
Recently, there has been a little buzz about a possible third season for the series, which was canceled six years ago. In an an interview with CBR, Mindhunter star Holt McCallany, the actor tease a possible return: “So look, you know, I had a meeting with David Fincher in his office a few months ago, and he said to me that there is a chance that it may come back as three two-hour movies, but I think it’s just a chance…I know there are writers that are working, but you know, David has to be happy with scripts.”
So, is Monster testing the waters of interest in a possible return of Mindhunter?
Monster: The Ed Gein Story, all episodes streaming, Netflix