Common Sense Media Review
By Stephanie Morgan
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Graphic, disturbing doc has violence, gore, and necrophilia.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Psycho: The Lost Tapes of Ed Gein
What's the Story?
In 2019, previously undiscovered audio was unearthed of Ed Gein, the serial killer who inspired both Psycho and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, being interviewed by authorities on the night of his arrest. PSYCHO: THE LOST TAPES OF ED GEIN dives into these never-before-heard tapes and supplements them with historical footage and interviews with people who've studied his case.
Is It Any Good?
A truly horrific tale, with ties to Hollywood that should have made for a fascinating documentary, relies on sensationalism over storytelling. The title of Psycho: The Lost Tapes of Ed Gein is misleading for a series that focuses as much on the ghoulish fascination of the people who've studied the serial killer as on the recordings of the man himself. The audio is the opposite of the chilling, vacant voice you would expect. Instead, Gein speaks calmly, as though he's describing what he did over the weekend to a neighbor. Some of the "experts" interviewed about his case are also incredibly creepy; how else to characterize an interaction where one man describes the box of vulvas Gein kept, and his friend quickly quips, "somebody's jealous." In the first episode, an interviewee points out that the word used over and over to describe the findings in Gein's house was "revolting." It's not long before that also becomes the perfect adjective to describe this series.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the graphic images shown in Psycho: The Lost Tapes of Ed Gein. Was using the photographs necessary for telling the story? Do you think the people who made the documentary took into account how the victim's families would feel about that choice?
Teens often seek exhilarating experiences due to their developing brains, and horror movies and video games can get their dopamine systems flowing. Remind your child that they can take a break if their emotional engagement feels too intense. Consider asking if any of the scary content they watch bothers them later, like at night.
TV Details
- Premiere date : September 17, 2023
- Cast : Henry Zebrowski , Ben Kissel
- Network : MGM+
- Genre : Reality TV
- TV rating :
- Last updated : September 27, 2023
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