Netflix has unexpectedly revived one of its "canceled" shows, but only for a few minutes, and in the most unexpected way imaginable.
The surprise callback comes in the finale of Monster: The Ed Gein Story, the latest installment of Ryan Murphy’s Monster anthology, which is known for dramatizing the lives of infamous killers such as Jeffrey Dahmer and the Menendez brothers.
In season three, the story focuses on Ed Gein, the Wisconsin murderer and grave robber whose crimes inspired iconic horror films like Psycho, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and The Silence of the Lambs.
But in the finale of Monster, viewers are met with a sudden and surreal twist: Mindhunter’s FBI agents John Douglas and Robert Ressler make an appearance.
An Unexpected Crossover
The episode begins with a fictional scene of horrific murders and assaults, then cuts to a prison where Douglas and Ressler, the real-life FBI agents who inspired Mindhunter’s Holden Ford and Bill Tench, are seen interviewing serial killer Jerry Brudos, also known as the Shoe Fetish Slayer.
The crossover doesn’t stop there. Douglas, Ressler, and Ann Burgess (played by Anna Torv in Mindhunter) are also shown interviewing Gein in the same stylized, psychological fashion fans will remember from the David Fincher-directed series.
Although this fusion of shows offers fans a brief dose of nostalgia, it leans heavily into fiction. In real life, there is no evidence that Douglas, Ressler, or Burgess ever interviewed Gein or that Brudos cited him as inspiration for his own crimes, as claimed in the show.
A Flicker of Hope for a Mindhunter Revival
Still, for Mindhunter fans who’ve been starved for any continuation, the scene may be the closest thing to a revival yet, and there’s reason to believe more could be coming.
Speaking to CBR, Holt McCallany (who played Bill Tench) revealed that creator Fincher has discussed a potential return, not as a full season, but as a trilogy of two-hour movies.
“So look, you know, I had a meeting with David Fincher in his office a few months ago, and he said to me that there is a chance that it may come back as three two-hour movies, but I think it's just a chance,” McCallany said. “I know there are writers that are working, but you know, David has to be happy with scripts.”
McCallany continued: “The good news is that we're at Netflix with The Waterfront, and those movies would also be for Netflix. So I think that in terms of dates and logistics, it could all be worked out, but it has to do, you know, with David really having the time and the inclination and being happy, you know, with the material. And, you know, that's a big question mark.”
Fincher, whose recent Netflix projects include Mank, The Killer, and an upcoming Once Upon a Time in America sequel, has long cited the high production costs of Mindhunter as a roadblock. But McCallany’s comments suggest that the door hasn’t fully closed.
Fans Would Take Any Form of Closure
Even if the return takes the form of feature-length installments instead of traditional seasons, fans are eager for any form of closure. And judging by Netflix’s unexpected nod to the series in Monster, it’s clear the legacy of Mindhunter still casts a long, psychological shadow.
For now, Monster: The Ed Gein Story, complete with its brief Mindhunter cameo, is streaming on Netflix.