Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy Review 2025 Tv Show Series Cast Crew Online
I gave it five stars because one, Michael Chernus did not convince me one damn bit that he was Gacy; two, the series did not feature depictions of the actual killings (We never see Gacy do anything…well, “murderous”; instead, Michael Chernus’ performance feels like a comedy routine rather than what he is supposed to do – believably portray one of the most prolific serial killers in US history! :-/); three, the series, chronology-wise, is all over the damn place; and four, our time and nerves are wasted being shown completely redundant…let’s call them “proclivities”…of some of the characters!
Is one of the required boxes to tick in today’s show business “degeneracy”!? Do we HAVE TO see sexual degenerates in EVERY GODDAMN SHOW AND MOVIE these days!?!?!? You just can’t do without it, can ya!?!?!? I was alright with it in “Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” because it was part of the main character’s story, so fair play there. But if it ain’t pertinent to the plot or the main character’s story – GTFO!!!
On the technical/filmmaking craft side, it’s a very competent effort. But yeh, Michael Chernus just wasn’t the right choice for the role…and his efforts are wasted anyway because, like I said, he looks and acts nothing like John Wayne Gacy. But he at least sounds a bit like him so…I guess, that’ll have to do for us.
A wee side note: Look, I’m not an insensitive man but I’m sick and tired of virtue signalling in movies and shows focusing almost entirely or entirely or victims. Do you care about watching an episode or two about a person nobody knew or gave a damn about (public interest-wise) until they became a part of some serial killer’s stew!? I don’t! I mean, five minutes spent on the victims here or there is enough for me if it serves the plot, but I don’t wanna sit for two damn episodes learning about some ordinary guy’s or gal’s daily routine! It’s not interesting, I don’t need it, and I DO NOT CARE!!!
This series, as an example, is called “Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy”; not “A Day At Stevie’s College: Stevie And His Bros Go To Pancake House After Class And Later Stevie Washes His Smelly Socks At Home And Pets His Cat”!!! Right!?!?!? The ONLY reason I watched it WAS Gacy; the criminal side of his “story”! What appeals to audiences who watch true crime…ARE the damn crimes! If I wanted to bore myself to death with people’s lifestyles or their mundane day-to-day routines, I’d stick…”Desperate-goddamn-Housewives” on!!! Right!? It’s the darkness and the aspects of the stories that satisfy our morbid curiosity that make us watch shows like “Gacy”, for crying out loud!
When you go to a restaurant, do you ask the chef about the résumés of a coupla turkeys or whether your broccoli grew in a moon-lit environment, or do you ask for goddamn salt and pepper and dig your teeth into the meal!?!?!? Yeah, I rest my case!!!
And one other thing – we do not see Gacy being a clown at all!!! And by “at all” I mean “at all” except one tiny moment of him in extreme close-up putting on the make-up and a brief moment showing him from behind walking out of the house all dressed up as a clown. That’s it! I mean, him entertaining people as a clown is so creepy and would make such a great addition to the series that I can’t fathom what the filmmakers smoked before settling on the script as we experienced it!!! And also, we do not see Gacy in prison for his fist offense in Iowa. But I guess it was a bigger priority to waste ninety minutes on boys kissing in a “club”, wasn’t it, you putzes!?!?!?
