Review: Why Devil in Disguise' is better than most serial killer shows

"Peacock's eight-part dramatization is one of the better ones, and covers the reign of terror of 1970s killer John Wayne Gacy, the infamous contractor and creepy clown lover from Iowa responsible for at least 33 murders. It does something different by remembering Gacy's young male victims and turning them into flesh-and-blood characters. And it goes even one step further by documenting the harrowing experiences of those left behind with gaping holes in their hearts."

"Showrunner Patrick Macmanus' steadfast commitment to respecting victims and their family members and friends doesn't mean that he skimps on the squirm-inducing grisly details about the killer's crimes. But he refrains, for the most part, from showing the gore. Macmanus chooses to direct most of his attention to one case, the disappearance of 15-year-old Robert Piest. He went missing in 1978 during the Christmas season and his vanishing led police to crack open the case, and discover a nauseating graveyard buried beneath Gacy's house of horrors."

"Since this is indeed challenging material that could become unbearable to watch it's a must that its real-life characters come across vividly. All the actors make that happen, even those given smaller roles, such as Marin Ireland. In her portrayal of Rob's mom Elizabeth, she but turns into a walking zombie and clings to the unlikely hope that her son survived. It's a performance that tears you up and haunts you, as will Severance's Michael Chernus' depiction of a complex and predatory Gacy, an unrepentant killing machine."

Peacock's eight-part dramatization chronicles John Wayne Gacy's 1970s murders while centering the young male victims and the families left behind. The series humanizes victims by turning them into flesh-and-blood characters and documents the emotional fallout with a multi-tiered approach that increases poignancy. Showrunner Patrick Macmanus balances respect for victims with inclusion of grisly details, generally refraining from graphic gore. The narrative focuses on the 1978 disappearance of 15-year-old Robert Piest, whose vanishing led police to a mass grave under Gacy's house. Strong performances, notably Marin Ireland and Michael Chernus, bring emotional weight and haunting complexity to the material.

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