Peacock's True Crime Series Honors Victims, Avoids Glorifying Notorious Killer

On October 16, 2025, Peacock premiered its new true crime series "Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy," which takes a unique approach to the genre. Unlike other shows that have been criticized for allegedly ignoring the victims, this limited series chose not to depict any of Gacy's murders on screen.

The series, which is based on the real-life case of the serial killer and sex offender who raped, tortured, and murdered dozens of young men and boys, instead focuses on the victims and their families. Each episode is named after one of Gacy's victims, and the show addresses the trauma inflicted on their loved ones. It also questions the investigative missteps and systemic failures that allowed Gacy to evade the law for so long.

According to the show's star, Michael Chernus, who plays Gacy, the decision to avoid graphic violence was a conscious one. "I was hesitant to even throw my hat in the ring for this job, initially. Because I didn't want to do anything that -- in any way -- glorified John Wayne Gacy," he said. The showrunner, Patrick Macmanus, echoed this sentiment, stating that the "last thing that we do in that show is excuse him."

Instead, the series aims to provide insight into the psychology of a psychopath without eliciting sympathy or empathy for the killer. As Chernus explained, "John Wayne Gacy is a part of the story because he has to be, he explained. "But I only want people to learn about him in so much as it maybe helps us understand psychopathy and maybe in some small way a TV show could prevent something like this from happening in the future."