Netflix has spent the past few years deeply immersed in Ryan Murphy’s grisly true-crime anthology series “Monster,” which has dramatized the disturbing crimes of Jeffrey Dahmer, the Menendez Brothers, and most recently, Ed Gein.
Now, Peacock is entering the true-crime arena with its own chilling series centered on serial killer John Wayne Gacy, infamously dubbed the “killer clown,” who murdered at least 33 young men in Illinois during the 1970s.
“Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy” unfolds over eight episodes, chronicling Gacy’s heinous crimes, his victims, and the investigation that ultimately led to his imprisonment and death sentence.
The series mirrors Netflix’s “Monster” to some extent but presents a more restrained, sanitized take on similar material. While Gacy’s atrocities were just as gruesome and horrifying as those committed by the “Monster” killers, “Devil” opts for a distant, softened approach to recounting the events.
The outcome is a series that feels simultaneously horrifying and tonally muted—about as gentle as any depiction of serial sexual assault and murder can be. To creator Patrick Macmanus’s (“Dr. Death,” “The Girl From Plainville”) credit, he avoids sensationalizing the story or turning viewers into voyeurs.
He also refrains from exploiting the victims and their families for shock value, something “Monster” cannot entirely claim. While “Devil” may not rank among the most compelling or binge-worthy series, it succeeds in offering true-crime enthusiasts a disturbing yet responsibly told account without appealing to their darker curiosities.
One of “Devil’s” major narrative shortcomings lies in its lack of a clear protagonist to anchor the audience. Neither Gacy (Michael Chernus) nor any other character truly serves as a focal point.
The closest the show comes are Rafael Tovar (Gabriel Luna, “The Last of Us”), the detective who ultimately exposes Gacy’s crimes, and Sam Amirante (Michael Angarano, “Oppenheimer”), the lawyer tasked with defending his indefensible actions. The story begins with the 1978 disappearance of teenager Rob Piest (Ryker Baloun), the real-life case that unraveled Gacy’s web of murder.
“Devil” weaves back and forth through time, centering its narrative on the aftermath of Gacy’s 1978 arrest. As police dig through the crawl space beneath his home, where the bodies of his victims were found, the episodes flash back to the lives of the young men before they crossed paths with their killer.
While Gacy rambles incoherently to detectives trying to condemn him, the series reveals the public mask he wore: a seemingly cheerful clown adored by his community.
Though “Devil” remains on the surface level, it will likely appeal to viewers seeking a chronological recounting of events and another unnerving serial killer portrayal. Chernus, known for his comedic role as Ricken in “Severance,” deftly walks the line between absurdity and horror.
This isn’t feel-good entertainment or something to unwind with after a long day. It’s dark, distressing, and emotionally taxing storytelling that delves into some of humanity’s most horrifying realities. Yet, like many series in the genre, “Devil” struggles to rise above a simple retelling of facts.
The show briefly touches on issues such as the homophobia faced by Gacy’s young male victims and society’s growing desensitization to large-scale violence.
But these themes aren’t new, they’ve been explored repeatedly in news coverage, documentaries, dramatizations, and cultural discussions. Gacy’s crimes hardly need another fictional retelling to remind audiences of the darkness that exists in the world and how society often reacts to it.