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Yeah, we miss &34;Mindhunter,&34; too. How Monster: The Ed Gein Story connects to Mindhunter, explained

Yeah, we miss "Mindhunter," too.

How *Monster: The Ed Gein Story *connects to Mindhunter, explained

Yeah, we miss "Mindhunter," too.

By Randall Colburn

Randall Colburn

Randall Colburn is a writer and editor at **. His work has previously appeared on *The A.V. Club, The Guardian, The Ringer*, and many other publications.

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October 8, 2025 1:10 p.m. ET

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Charlie Hunnam speaking with FBI agents in the 'Monster: The Ed Gein Story' finale. Credit:

- The finale of *Monster: The Ed Gein Story *includes several connections to Netflix's cult favorite crime drama *Mindhunter*.

- Happy Anderson reprises his *Mindhunter* role as serial killer Jerry Brudos on *Monster.*

- In real life, there's no evidence that the FBI visited Gein during his incarceration.

Of the many shows canceled by Netflix over the years, there's none we miss more than *Mindhunter*. But the cult crime drama enjoyed a brief resurgence (well, sort of) in the final episode of the streamer's current hit, *Monster: The Ed Gein Story*.

*Mindhunter*, which ran for two seasons between 2017 and 2019, was created by Joe Penhall and executive-produced by Oscar-nominated filmmaker David Fincher (*Zodiac*), who also directed several episodes. The series* *depicts the founding of the FBI's Behavioral Science Unit in the late 1970s, with Jonathan Groff and Holt McCallany starring as the agents who developed profiling techniques by interviewing imprisoned serial killers.

Upon *Mindhunter*'s debut, ** lauded it as a "charming, a conversational exploration of criminal behavior that could become an origin story for modern American madness."

Following season 2's cliffhanger, reports began to circulate that a third season was on hold. And while the series was never officially canceled by Netflix, Fincher hasn't been optimistic about its return. Recent updates, however, are giving fans some hope (more on that below).

So, how does *Monster: The Ed Gein Story* pay tribute to *Mindhunter*? And what's the current status of the sorely missed crime drama? Read on for the answers.

How does Monster: The Ed Gein Story connect to Mindhunter?

Caleb Ruminer, Happy Anderson, and Sean Carrigan on 'Monster: The Ed Gein Story'; Happy Anderson, Holt McCallany, and Jonathan Groff on 'Mindhunter'.

Subtlety isn't the forte of *Monster* co-creator Ryan Murphy, so anyone who's watched *Mindhunter* will instantly clock the season 3 finale's numerous references to Fincher's series.

Following a cold open depicting an abduction and murder carried out by serial killer Ted Bundy, episode 8 of *Monster: The Ed Gein Story *cuts to a title card — "Salem, Oregon" — that's presented in the same font and style as those you'd see on *Mindhunter*.

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From there, we see a pair of FBI agents enter a prison, one of them carrying a reel-to-reel tape recorder — the same one seen in the opening credits of *Mindhunter*.

These agents are John Douglas (Caleb Ruminer) and Robert Ressler (Sean Carrigan), the same men who pioneered the real-life Behavioral Science Unit. (Douglas even co-wrote *Mindhunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit, *the 1995 book that served as the basis for *Mindhunter*.)

Fans of the show will also notice that Ruminer and Carrigan's characters bear a striking resemblance to Groff's Holden Ford and McCallany's Bill Tench. Their dynamic also mirrors that of Holden and Bill's, with the younger agent acting more recklessly and drawing the ire of his partner.

Megan Ketch on 'Monster: The Ed Gein Story'; Anna Torv on 'Mindhunter'.

Later in the episode, *The Ed Gein Story* introduces us to Dr. Ann Burgess (Megan Ketch), a colleague who assists Douglas and Ressler in much the same way as *Mindhunter*'s Wendy Carr (Anna Torv). The pair even shares hairstyles and a similar fashion sense.

And then there's the killer Douglas and Ressler interview: Jerry Brudos.

Who is Jerry Brudos?

Happy Anderson as Jerry Brudos on 'Monster: The Ed Gein Story'; Anderson as Brudos on 'Mindhunter'.

Jerry Brudos, who died in 2006 at age 67, was a serial killer with monikers such as the Lust Killer and the Shoe Fetish Slayer. In 1969, he pleaded guilty to the murder of three women and was sentenced to three consecutive terms of life imprisonment.

According to the *Statesman Journal*, Brudos admitted to mutilating the bodies of his victims. Photos recovered at the scene of the crime depicted Brudos wearing women's nylon hose and high-heeled shoes.

In the *Ed Gein Story* finale, an incarcerated Brudos is interviewed by Douglas and Ressler. During the meeting, he mentions his admiration for Gein (played by Charlie Hunnam). This prompts Douglas, Ressler, and Dr. Burgess to seek out an interview with Gein, who had turned them down years before. He's since changed medications, we learn, and is "stable" now.

Eagle-eyed viewers will notice that Brudos is played by Happy Anderson, the same actor who portrayed Brudos in season 1 of *Mindhunter*.

Near the end of the episode, Hunnam's Gein has a hallucination in which he's treated as a celebrity by several famous killers, including Brudos, Ed Kemper, Richard Speck, and Charles Manson, all of whom were portrayed on *Mindhunter*.**

Did Ed Gein really help catch Ted Bundy?

Charlie Hunnam as Ed Gein in episode 302 of Monster: The Ed Gein Story.

When Douglas, Ressler, and Dr. Burgess speak with Gein, they show him crime scene photos of women murdered and decapitated by an unknown killer that audiences know to be Ted Bundy. After looking at the photos, he characterizes the killer as a "loner," like him. He also muses on the proper tools one would want to use when cutting off a human skull. Later, while speaking to a local sheriff, he provides even more intel on Bundy.

There's no evidence, however, that Gein ever spoke with the FBI or helped lead to the arrest of Bundy. (Bundy, per the *New York Times*, was arrested in August 1975 after attempting to speed away from a patrol car.) Rather, the scene is essentially a bit of fan fiction for those who wished they could've seen the *Mindhunter* fellows interview Gein.

The episode, however, is shot and structured in such a way that Gein's work with law enforcement could be interpreted as part of a delusion or hallucination. In general, it would be wise not to trust the *Monster* series for historical accuracy.**

Is *Mindhunter *coming back?

Holt McCallany and Jonathan Groff on 'Mindhunter'.

Patrick Harbron/Netflix

In June 2025, *Mindhunter* fans rejoiced upon hearing that the show could return as a trilogy of two-hour movies.

This revelation came via McCallany, who learned of the show's potential return during a recent chat with Fincher. "I know there are writers that are working," he told CBR, "but you know, David has to be happy with scripts."

***Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our EW Dispatch newsletter.***

The actor added that he'd "love it if it were to return," but encouraged fans to temper their expectations. "[Fincher] gave me a little bit of hope when I had that meeting with him, but the sun, the moon, and the stars would all have to align."**

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