True crime dramatizations continue to dominate the current entertainment landscape. In 2025, audiences have witnessed programs like *Apple Cider Vinegar*, centered on Australian fraudster Belle Gibson, and *Good American Family*, which explores the story of Ukrainian orphan Natalia Grace and her adoptive family.

Next up is Peacock’s limited series *Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy*, starring Michael Chernus from *Severance* in the role of one of America’s notorious serial killers. Between 1972 and 1978, John Wayne Gacy abducted, assaulted, and killed 33 men and boys, interring 26 in the crawlspace of his residence. Dubbed the “Killer Clown,” he represented himself at events dressed as Pogo the Clown.

In light of the backlash against true crime shows such as Netflix’s *Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story*, the producers of *Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy* intend to avoid glorifying the murderer. “I didn’t want to be part of something that celebrated John Gacy,” Chernus shared with *Vanity Fair*. “I didn’t want to depict explicit violence or sexual violence.”

As reported by *Vanity Fair*, the series does not portray the killings. Showrunner Patrick Macmanus (*The Girl From Plainville*) emphasizes the focus on the victims’ stories beyond their tragic ends. “We aimed to showcase the lives of the victims without linking them to Gacy,” Macmanus told *Vanity Fair*. “We wanted viewers to recognize more than just a name or statistic, more than a life connected to this tragedy.”

*Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy* also stars Gabriel Luna, James Badge Dale, Michael Angarano, Chris Sullivan, and Marin Ireland. The series debuts on Oct. 16 on Peacock.