‘Dahmer’ co-creator denies show is ‘sympathetic’ to serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer
The co-creator of Netflix’s “Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” doesn’t think the series is “sympathetic” to Jeffrey Dahmer “at all.”
“I think we show a human being. He’s monstrously human and he’s monstrously monstrous and that’s what we wanted to sort of unpack,” Ian Brennan told Page Six at the premiere of “The Watcher” on Wednesday evening, responding to the intense backlash the show has garnered.
“We tried to show an objective portrait as possible. We did our homework.”
Dahmer murdered seventeen young men and boys between 1978 and 1991. Many of the killings involved cannibalism, necrophilia and the preservation of body parts.
He was then bludgeoned to death in 1994 at age 34 while serving sixteen consecutive life sentences in prison.
The mini-series — which Brennan co-created and wrote with Ryan Murphy and stars Evan Peters — is already the second-most popular Netflix show ever followings its release on Sept. 21.
Brennan, 44, confessed he’s amazed by the show’s success and isn’t sure why it has blown up.
“I’ve been asking myself that same question,” he said. “It’s interesting when horrific stories like that resonate with people. I think it’s a way for people to approach scary things about themselves, watch it (being) portrayed on the screen.”
One thing the “Glee” co-creator doesn’t understand, however, is the rise of Dahmer’s “fans” thirsting over the killer.
“That’s creepy,” he shared. “(Haven’t seen it) but that’s crazy.”
Brennan’s latest show, “The Watcher,” is another creepy true crime mini-series that follows the true story of a married couple, who after moving into their dream home in New Jersey suburbia, is harassed by letters signed by a stalker named The Watcher.
“When it comes to people’s homes, real estate, the place that you own and live in, you get weird,” he opined. “Neighbor disputes are always the worst possible disputes you could have. You don’t know what version of the person you are going to get. There’s something about a home that brings out the most sensitive parts. It’s quite deep.”
Joining Brennan at the premiere were Bobby Cannavale, Naomi Watts, H. Hunter Hall, Margo Martindale, Richard Kind, Noma Dumezweni and Mia Farrow.