The Good Boy Box
Jeffrey Dahmer tells his interrogators how he became a serial killer.
In the second section, Jeffrey is questioned about his motive for killing the hitchhiker. He claims that he just wanted to feel like a monster and that it was something that he enjoyed doing. He also claims that he didn’t think anyone would believe him if he told them what happened.
The Dahmer story is complex and difficult to follow, but it’s clear that he has a lot of guilt and regret for what he’s done. He tells the officers that he believes he was born to be a serial killer, and that he doesn’t believe anything took place that made him the way he is. It’s unclear if Dahmer is trying to downplay the suffering he endured at the hands of his parents or if he genuinely believes that they had nothing to do with how he turned out.
Jeffrey claims that after killing the hitchhiker, he went 9 years without killing anyone despite the urge that frequently clouded his thoughts. He tells them that he managed to suppress his unconventional fantasies.
Jeff’s psychologist told him that he has a condition called Splanchnophilia, which is characterized by a person’s sexual arousal toward internal organs and viscera. One of the aspects of Jeff’s condition, which he mentioned to the psychologist, is that he enjoys the way organs shine.
Jeff says that he waited nine years after his first murder to commit another killing because he wanted to be a good boy. ..
We can’t help but wonder if he tried to be a good boy, and if he had been fruitful in repressing his impulses for 9 years, why did he start killing again? And what went wrong?
Jeffrey wants to be in the honor society picture, but when he sneaks in because he isn’t allowed to be there because of his GPA of only 2, his photo is covered in black ink, leaving him feeling left out, angry and hurt.
Jeff’s father returns home to find his recently wed wife and children in disarray. His father is disappointed with Jeff when he finds the house in disarray and finds alcohol lying around. His father ultimately accuses Jeff’s mother of abandoning him without supervision, food, or protection.
Jeff’s father is unhappy with his son’s academic performance, too. When he asks if Jeff has enrolled for college, Jeff informs him that he hasn’t because people who enrol typically have strong GPAs. ..
Jeff’s father doesn’t comfort him or make an effort to motivate the guy.
Jeff’s father fails to support him in getting through his difficulties with his fantasies. He disappoints Jeff once more and offers to get him enrolled in a reputable college so he can study science instead of just having a conversation with him. ..
Jeff’s father summoned him to college after Jeff’s poor academic performance and expulsion. Jeff’s father enlisted him in the army after being disappointed in him. His father continued to move him from one place to another and expected him to somehow transform, instead of attempting to determine the underlying cause of his issues or engaging in a conversation with him. ..
Jeff is chosen to join the army as a medical specialist, and his father appears to be proud and happy with him. As a medical specialist in the army, Jeff gains knowledge of various medications used to treat injured soldiers, which he later abuses during his killing sprees.
Jeff is transferred to Germany, and his father appears to be overjoyed because he is doing so well at work. However, a few years later – perhaps as a result of alcohol abuse or because he attempted to forcibly engage in unconventional sexual relations with a fellow soldier – Jeff is removed. Even after this incident, his father chooses not to speak with him and instead sends Jeff to live with his grandmother.
Jeff’s grandmother is a nurturing and supportive woman who makes an effort to support and encourage the boy. She is extremely polite in her request that he give up his bad habits and is very kind to him.
Jeff’s grandmother shows him a box filled with memories of his father’s accomplishments. He tells her that he wishes he had one like that, filled with memories of his own accomplishments. ..
Jeff’s grandmother’s advice to him is not sensible. She advises him to attend church and find a nice girl to date in order to resolve his issues. Jeff is fascinated by organs and becomes sexually aroused by them, so he starts working as a butcher.
Jeff was seen stealing a mannequin in an earlier episode. In this episode, he tells his grandmother not to go into his room because he likes to make his own bed. This episode picks up the storyline that was left on a cliffhanger. ..
Jeff’s grandmother confronts him about the male mannequin he stole from the store. She believes that he might be gay and she advises him to attend church in order to overcome his homosexual tendencies. Jeff becomes furious and begins to yell at her.
Jeff eventually apologizes to his grandmother and tells her that he’s not gay and was just looking for a friend. When his grandmother tells him not to curse, he assures her that he won’t do so in the future. She informs him of an upcoming state fair and its addition of a beer tent, which excites him and prompts him to attend. ..
Jeff’s state fair experience led him to drink more than he had in the past, and he ended up flashing and peeing in public. This led to his employer firing him, and he is now unable to return to his old job.
Jeff is hired as a doctor’s assistant in a clinic after serving in the military as a medical specialist. He steals the clinic-donated blood and consumes it. ..
Jeff Dahmer met a man at a gay bar and they went to a bathhouse after the man asked him out. The man tried to make love to Jeff, but Jeff was into unconventional forms of sex, so he didn’t particularly enjoy it. Jeff lied to the guy saying he had a lack of experience, he asked the guy if he could lay in bed with him for a while. The next morning, when the guy must depart, nothing happened between them.
Jeff began taking men to the bathhouse regularly after this incident in which he drugged them and then left them there. He was eventually blacklisted after many such incidents. ..
Jeff meets a guy when he goes back to the gay bar. He dances with him before eventually asking to take him to a hotel. The guy suggests going to the bathhouse instead because it would be less expensive, but Jeff insists on the hotel. Upon entering the room, Jeff makes an attempt to drug the guys’ drinks, but by accident Jeff consumes it himself. In order to rectify the situation, Jeff forces himself to stay awake and drugs the guys’ drink. The following morning, the guy is dead and lying next to Jeff.
Jeff is shocked and saddened when he learns of the man’s death. He had not intended for it to happen, but after regaining his composure, Jeff cunningly packs the dead body in a suitcase and takes it to his grandmother’s home. He places IT in her basement and leaves it there. He asks his grandmother if she will go to church the following day, using this as a pretense to dispose of the body then. ..
Jeff removes the box his grandmother had shown him earlier in the episode, which contains memories of his father’s accomplishments. He kisses the corpse intimately and locks the box with the head inside. This could imply that Jeff considers killing the guy and storing his head to be an accomplishment, given that the box contains memories of his father’s accomplishments.
The Episode Review
The episode’s plot is very practical and leaves room for interpretation, which heightens the realism. One could argue that Jeff’s behavior was influenced by genetics, the fact that his mother took too many pills while she was pregnant, or the chaos in his family, including his parents’ chaotic marriage, their subsequent divorce, and their neglect towards him. All of these factors or any combination of them could be the cause. ..
The lack of definitive answers provided where there may be several potential answers makes it more stimulating and enjoyable to watch. ..
Despite some sequences in the storyline that end up making you uneasy – like when Jeff consumes blood – you find yourself rooting for him and feeling sorry for him in equal measure. Despite the abhorrent things he does, it’s impossible not to feel empathy for Dahmer.
The actors are excellent in their portrayals of the characters. This helps to add to the top-notch script by bringing Dahmer’s story to life and by making it seem realistic.
