Look, true crime is having a moment, and Monster rode that wave to massive Netflix viewership. But let's be clear: this is not for kids, not for teens, and frankly, questionable even for adults.
The series has some merit in examining how systemic racism and homophobia allowed Dahmer to keep killing—marginalized victims were ignored,警察 dismissed concerns from Black neighbors, and institutional failures compounded. If you're going to watch it, that's the lens that matters.
But critics panned it (40 on Metacritic) while audiences ate it up (7.8 IMDb, 63% RT audience score), which tells you everything about our current relationship with true crime as entertainment. Families of victims have spoken out against it, saying Netflix never contacted them and is profiting from their trauma.
The WISE score is rock bottom because this is the opposite of wholesome, barely safe for anyone, and the enrichment is debatable when weighed against the exploitation. If you're a parent and your teen is asking to watch this—the answer is no. If you're an adult considering it yourself, ask why you want to watch graphic reenactments of real murders. Sometimes the answer is a legitimate interest in criminal justice reform. Often it's just rubbernecking.




