In season 3 of Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan's anthology Monster, the series explores Ed Gein's influence on the cultural image of the serial killer. In addition to fictionalizing Gein's life, the eight-episode season also highlights the figure's impact on the horror genre—with a special focus on 1960's Psycho—and the infamous murderers who came after him. The finale even makes a connection between Gein and another bogeyman: Ted Bundy.
In the Monster: The Ed Gein Story finale, the true-crime drama takes a spin à la Mindhunter with a storyline about how the show's lead (played by Charlie Hunnam) was involved in the capture of Ted Bundy. After the season's debut on October 3, fans are wondering how much of this storyline is fact or fiction. Below, we break down the truth of the Monster: The Ed Gein Story finale.
