This article contains discussion surrounding the real-life crimes of Jeffrey Dahmer and John Wayne Gacy, including pedophilia and murder.
Netflix’s Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story details the life and crimes of Jeffrey Dahmer, but it also features another one of history’s most prolific serial killers: John Wayne Gacy. Known as the Killer Clown, Gacy was convicted of sexually assaulting and killing 33 boys and young men in Chicago, Illinois, throughout the 1970s. When he wasn’t on the prowl, he was known for donning an alternate persona — Pogo the Clown — and volunteering in children’s hospitals. The Monster John Wayne Gacy appearance shocked viewers and caused major questions, as it was supposed to be exclusively about Dahmer.
Though Jeffrey Dahmer denied any comparison between them, John Wayne Gacy and Jeffrey Dahmer had a fair bit in common. Gacy and Dahmer targeted young men, preferred strangulation as a killing method, hid remains within their own homes, and used drugs to aid them in their crimes. Despite the John Wayne Gacy Dahmer connection, the pair never met — they both operated out of different cities, and Gacy was arrested in 1978, the year Dahmer committed his first murder. In Dahmer’s mind, there was one key difference between them: while Dahmer confessed to his crimes, Gacy refused. It’s still possible that Gacy indirectly influenced Dahmer’s later crimes.
Why John Wayne Gacy Appears In Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story
Gacy’s Appearance Highlights That Dahmer Wasn’t The Only Monster Out There
The John Wayne Gacy Dahmer connection is frail, there are enough coincidences between the two to merit the former’s inclusion in Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. Gacy and Dahmer followed similar methods, and their active periods overlapped. The Monster John Wayne Gacy scene at the start of episode 10 helps the much-debated true-crime series show that Dahmer wasn’t as unique as society would hope.
The episode also depicts a particular coincidence: on the day of Gacy’s execution — May 10, 1994 — Dahmer was being baptized in another prison just 180 miles away, and it all occurred underneath an ominous, full solar eclipse. With this eerie John Wayne Gacy Dahmer connection in mind, the series would have been remiss not to highlight it. Before Monster, the similarities in their crimes and modus operandi were relatively unexplored. It makes sense that Ryan Murphy would want to shine a light on the congruity of their murders, as well as this bizarre event.
Monster Season 2 Isn’t About John Wayne Gacy
The Show Opted To Move In A Different Direction To Another Infamous Serial Killer
Despite the John Wayne Gacy Dahmer connection teased in Monster season 1, season 2 didn’t focuse on Gacy. Rather, Monster season 2 showcased the crime of brothers Lyle and Erik Menendez. Better known simply as the Menendez brothers, the salacious nature of their crimes and opulent lifestyles were the talk of the early ’90s, with a specific emphasis on their two separate trials causing a media circus. Based on the media sensation that their case caused, it’s easy to see why they were selected as subjects for Monster: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story.
Since the John Wayne Gacy Dahmer connection was established in Monster, it was somewhat surprising that the focus of season 2 was on entirely different subjects. However, the oddness of the case, and its difference to serial killers like Jeffrey Dahmer and John Wayne Gacy, does help to explain the decision.
In 1989, Lyle and Erik Menendez shot their mother and father, Jose and Kitty, to death and blamed it on an unknown assailant, claiming they weren’t home at the time of the murders. Their first trial ended in a hung jury, thanks to compelling evidence from controversial defense lawyer Leslie Abramson alleging that the brothers were sexually and physically abused by their father, and feared for their lives, committing the murders in self-defense.
John Wayne Gacy Could Still Be The Focus Of Monster Season 3
The Show Will Continue, And Gacy Could Be A Future Subject
Monster season 3 has been confirmed, and while the sophomore installment already has its subject, season 3 could see the John Wayne Gacy Dahmer connection explored furhter. Gacy’s inclusion at the end of the miniseries could hint at a Monster season 3 focused on the Killer Clown. Monster has seen incredible success on the streaming platform, and creator Ryan Murphy already has a talent for making anthology series, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Netflix revisit the killer clown. With all of this in mind, it’s possible that Monster season 3 could focus on John Wayne Gacy.
Gacy isn’t the only serial killer that Dahmer is compared to throughout the series, as the equally-infamous Ed Gein is mentioned during his defense. But Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story includes brief scenes that explore the John Wayne Gacy Dahmer connection specifically to show the startling coincidences between these killers, whether he’s also being set up for season 3 or not. By highlighting the fact that there are many killers out there like its titular figure, Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story makes itself all the more unsettling.
Creator Ryan Murphy has promised that Monster will be an anthology series that focuses on monstrous figures from history per season — meaning John Wayne Gacy is bound to come up. The John Wayne Gacy Dahmer connection is something that the show decided to highlight for a reason, meaning Gacy’s story could be on the way. Gacy certainly fits the bill as a monstrous figure, as he’s one of the most renowned serial killers of all time. Having him the focus of season 3 could tie back the series into Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, which would fall in line with Murphy’s proclivity to have his anthology seasons connecting.
John Wayne Gacy Has Been The Focus Of Other Shows
The Cameo In Monster Isn’t The Only Time Gacy Has Been Potrayed On-Screen
While John Wayne Gacy wasn’t the focus of Monster: Season 2, there have been plenty of shows and movies focusing on the infamous serial killer. Gacy killed 33 young men during the period he was active, capturing the imagination of serial killer-obsessed pop culture just as much as Jeffrey Dahmer. Gacy was one of the real serial killers to appear in American Horror Story: Hotel, for example, and his habit of dressing as a clown meant he inspired icons of horror movies like IT‘s Pennywise and Art the Clown from the Terrifier movies.
John Wayne Gacy may not be the focus of Monster season 2, but his story has been adapted for screens almost as much as Jeffrey Dahmer’s. 1992’s To Catch A Killer, 2010’s Dear Mr. Gacy, 2010’s 8213: Gacy House, and 2015’s Monster In My Family – Killer Clown: John Wayne Gacy are of particular note among the movies that focus on various aspects of John Wayne Gacy’s life and crimes.
When it comes to Netflix specifically, there’s a specific documentary that fans of Monster who want to learn more about John Wayne Gacy are advised to check out. 2022’s Conversations with a Killer: The John Wayne Gacy Tapes was commissioned by the streamer and created by Joe Berlinger. The docuseries includes audio recordings of real conversations with Gacy, most of which have never been heard before. It makes for a truly chilling watch, but one that sheds an unflinching light on the mentality of the serial killer in a way that even Monster couldn’t match if Gacy was to be the focus of an upcoming season.
