The trailer for Monster: The Ed Gein Story makes one thing clear from its opening frames: Ryan Murphy knows how to turn even the darkest crimes into must-watch prestige television. And if there was any doubt about the ambition of this new season in the Monster anthology, the casting of Charlie Hunnam as the legendary killer of the American Midwest instantly erased it. Hunnam has had a loyal fan base for decades — from Queer as Folk to Sons of Anarchy — but here he seems to have finally found a role that pushes against his usual heroic image. His performance promises to be one of the most haunting of his career, a deep dive into a man who is at once tragic and terrifying.

Ryan Murphy, who already made history with Dahmer, seems fascinated by the idea of revisiting Gein — arguably the most macabre of all American murderers. And judging from the trailer, we’re not just going to witness the crimes, but also the haunted interior world of Ed Gein: the distorted psychology, the suffocating isolation, the twisted devotion to his mother. The story that inspired Psycho and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre now becomes a psychological portrait about morality, loneliness, and sin — and that’s where the trailer’s inspired soundtrack choice comes in.

Midway through the trailer, “It’s a Sin” by Pet Shop Boys kicks in, and the experience becomes something else entirely. The song — grand, almost liturgical — carries with it the sound of judgment, of ritual, of being on trial before some higher moral authority. Written by Neil Tennant in the early 1980s and released in 1987 as the lead single from Actually, the song was inspired by his Catholic upbringing and the sense that nearly everything was considered sinful. “When I look back upon my life / It’s always with a sense of shame / I’ve always been the one to blame.” In the trailer, it feels as though Gein himself is speaking to us, confessing.

Tennant has often said that the song was not meant to be entirely serious — it was intentionally over-the-top, theatrical, almost tongue-in-cheek. But in this new context, irony dissolves into tragedy. The song becomes a lament, a dirge about a man trapped between his desires and the crushing moral code of his time. Gein’s life, shaped by religious oppression and a pathological relationship with his mother, becomes the ultimate metaphor for how guilt can mutate into monstrosity. Murphy uses the song not just as a soundtrack, but as a lens: the series isn’t only about crime, it’s about moral transgression, about crossing a line so deep it feels biblical.

The original production of the song also adds weight to its use. “It’s a Sin” is filled with pounding synths, “orchestra hits,” and even a snippet of the Confiteor prayer in Latin, echoing the Catholic rite of confession. In the trailer, these elements underscore the images of Hunnam as Gein: quiet moments, sudden eruptions of violence, scenes of confrontation. It’s as though the music is Gein’s conscience — relentless, inescapable.

Murphy has always loved pop culture needle drops, and this one is no exception. He takes a dance floor anthem — one that has been played joyfully in clubs for decades — and reframes it as the score for one of America’s darkest nightmares. The effect is hypnotic: viewers are lured in by something familiar, only to find themselves staring into the abyss.

It’s hard not to think of the song’s original music video, directed by Derek Jarman, which depicted a literal inquisition, scenes of judgment, and allegories of the seven deadly sins. In some strange way, it feels like the song was destined for this exact use — to soundtrack the story of a man whose life was one long, twisted confession.

The trailer for Monster: The Ed Gein Story shows that Ryan Murphy hasn’t lost his touch. He’s not just re-telling a story, he’s creating an event, a meditation on morality, repression, and the way society manufactures its own monsters. By casting Charlie Hunnam and dropping “It’s a Sin” at the perfect moment, Murphy signals that this is going to be more than just another true crime series. It’s a morality play. It’s a cultural provocation. And if the trailer is already this powerful, missing the full series might just be the biggest sin of all.