The acclaimed series Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story has been a massive hit for Netflix, but along with the show’s immensely high viewership, there has been a certain level of criticism to come in as well. There have been family members of some of the victims expressing unhappiness about the series, with some saying they were never contacted about it. For his part, co-creator Ryan Murphy says he did try contacting “around 20 of the victims’ families and friends” for input, but that not a one of them returned his calls.

In any case, Murphy is speaking out more about what he was hoping to do with Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story in a new interview with Variety. He explained how he felt compelled to tell the story in an impartial way, as he’s dealing with people who are “true humans” and not scripted characters. In particular, he wanted to showcase more of what happened from the viewpoint of the victims.

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While Murphy says he tried and failed to get in touch with some of the family members and friends, he admits that he never attempted to contact Lionel Dahmer, the father of the cannibalistic murderer played by Evan Peters in the series. Murphy offers an explanation for this, noting that Dahmer has already told that story from his point of view with the 1994 book A Father’s Story. Because of this, there was no need to consult the elder Dahmer.

Lionel Dahmer Isn’t Happy at All With the Netflix Show

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It was reported in October that Lionel Dahmer was considering legal action against the series, and though he hasn’t formally filed a lawsuit as of yet, it’s clear that he’s not happy with the show. He is said to be a “nervous wreck” as a result of the series’ popularity causing true crime fanatics to show up outside of his home. A representative speaking on his behalf also said that “none of this should have been made,” noting that “all the information that needs to be public is right there in his book.”

Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story is streaming on Netflix. Monster has also been renewed for two more seasons which will focus on other monstrous figures from the past whose actions have heavily affected society.