Ryan Murphy is the mind behind many Netflix favorites including Hollywood, Ratched, and The Politician. The showrunner’s latest projects, The Watcher and Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story -- have been massive successes for the platform, and the latter is on course to reach 1 billion streams this month. Despite controversies, the Evan Peters-led true crime series is an undeniable hit and just received some good news as a result. The streamer is moving forward with more installments of a planned Monster anthology series, with Murphy at the helm. In addition, Watcher, which stars Bobby Cannavale and Naomi Watts, is being given a second season.
Netflix is seeking to produce two more installments for the Monster anthology, according to Deadline, and they'll likely center around two more high-profile true crime stories. While the subjects of the additional entries have not been disclosed, they are said to center around figures that have negatively impacted society. This is a part of the streamer and Murphy's $300 million deal, which was signed in 2018. Murphy has produced six series with the company, many of which have created plenty of buzz and scored primo viewership.
Murphy is known for dramatizing real-life events through shows like American Crime Story and Feud. He also tends to work with the same collaborators, as he has been partnered with co-producers Ian Brennon and Brad Falchuk for years now. In addition, actors like Evan Peters, Sarah Paulson, Darren Criss, and Dylan McDermott have famously reappeared in many of his projects, and he'll likely keep them in the fold moving forward.
At the time, many took note of how hefty Netflix's deal with the mega producer was, but it seems to be paying off in a big way now. The streaming service has suffered significant subscriber losses, as the streaming platform market has grown more crowded. In the process, streaming rights for major shows like The Office, Friends, and Parks and Recreation that originally lived on the streamer, have been obtained by other entities like HBO Max and Peacock. The transition to primarily original programming has been a rocky one, though Ryan Murphy seems to consistently deliver hits for the media corporation. One gets the feeling that Murphy and the entertainment giant are going to have a long and fruitful partnership.
Despite the success, the roll out of Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story was less than smooth. The series received backlash for its content and alleged lack of victim participation behind the project. The show was considered exploitative by some and seemingly disturbed even the most ardent true crime fans. Nevertheless, the series proved to overcome the backlash to become a hit. Meanwhile, The Watcher was chastised for its ending. On the heels of the good news both shows received, one as to wonder how Murphy and co. will proceed with their respective new seasons from a creative standpoint.
Both Dahmer and The Watcher are currently available to stream using a Netflix subscription. Also, additional Ryan Murphy-created titles like FX’s American Horror Story and American Crime Story are available to stream for Hulu subscribers. For a full list, make sure to check out CinemaBlend's feature on where you can watch Murphy’s large catalog of TV shows. For more information on upcoming series set to hit streaming, make sure to check out our fall 2022 TV premiere schedule.
