‘Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy’ Peacock Limited Series
A story of one of America’s most notorious monsters and the systemic failure that enabled his crimes
Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy is Peacock’s newest scripted limited series inspired by the 2021 docuseries that aired on its platform. The series focuses on the period between 1972 and 1978 in the Chicago suburbs, where Gacy used his charisma and outgoing nature to lure his victims and fool an entire community in the process—portraying himself as a friendly neighbor, a respected businessman, and volunteer clown while secretly hunting dozens of young men and boys.
Devil in Disguise dives into the mind and the motivation of Gacy as he details his escapades. He came onto the police’s radar with the disappearance of 15-year old Robert Piest, a young boy whose case ultimately led to the capture and execution f Gacy. Michael Chernus plays the titular character, truly embodying the devil himself as you are drawn into a horrific story of loss, grief, and systemic failure.
The Price Paid From a Broken System
Devil in Disguise 8-episode series focuses on the cost to the families due to Gacy’s actions from the moment he was arrested to his 1994 execution. But more than just grief, the series highlights evil and its deception. The central theme of Devil in Disguise is how Gacy was able to go undetected for years by maintaining the façade of being a respected member of his community, a family man, and having the ability to charm his way out of any situation.
Additionally, Gacy exploited the way the law and the community viewed victims of the LGBTQ+ community. Often times, police did not take accusations of sexual assault between two men seriously, citing the law that “a man cannot rape another man” based on the old definition of “forcible rape” that focused on the “carnal knowledge of a female, forcibly and against her will.” This very bias and prejudice led to the institutional failure that allowed Gacy to destroy the lives of many who were vulnerable members of society.
We Live on Through Memory
Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy limited series is not a series set to retell the story of a monster. This series aims to continue to humanize marginalized victims of society—highlight institutional barriers and monsters who use their tricks to exploit the systems set to protect the victims. By bringing the stories of those lost to a new audience, Devil in Disguise honors the memories of the victims and their families by refocusing the viewer from their fascination with the devil to connecting and empathizing with the victims as human beings.
Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy limited series premieres Thursday, October 16 on Peacock. Check out the trailer below.