Monster: The Ed Gein Story opens by presenting its central theme: are monsters created by nature or by society? Co-creator Ryan Murphy suggests that in Ed Gein’s case, the answer is probably a combination of both. The series challenges viewers to examine their own role in creating cultural fascination with violence. By blending Gein’s personal history with the media that later sensationalized him, the show asks audiences to reflect on how stories, films, and images shape our understanding of monstrosity.
The series places extraordinary weight on Gein’s relationship with his mother, Augusta. Her controlling behavior, strict religious beliefs, and emotional abuse isolate Ed from the outside world. The accidental death of Ed’s brother Henry further destabilizes their bond, deepening Augusta’s resentment and intensifying Ed’s detachment from reality. Charlie Hunnam, who plays Gein, describes how Ed even affected a particular voice to become the daughter his mother wished she had. Augusta’s death leaves Ed stranded in his delusions and becomes the catalyst for his descent into grave robbing and violent obsession.
After Augusta’s death, the show depicts Ed’s sense of abandonment turning into fixation. His grief transforms into a compulsion to retrieve bodies from graves, which eventually leads to the creation of household items made from human remains. The famous drawer filled with preserved vulvas is one of several disturbing images that illustrate his need to rebuild a version of feminine presence. His crimes grow more grotesque as he retreats further from reality. The series uses these moments not only for horror but also to show how his world became entirely shaped by delusions.
Monster: The Ed Gein Story (Netflix)Adeline’s Influence and Missed Opportunities Shape Ed Gein’s Path Toward Violence
Ed’s relationship with Adeline Watkins introduces a layer of ambiguity. Adeline is loosely based on a real woman from Plainfield, although historical information is limited. The show acknowledges that she may or may not have genuinely been involved with Gein. Writers Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan considered revealing her as a hallucination, and Charlie Hunnam interprets her partly as a fantasy figure. Adeline exposes Ed to darker imagery, including the crimes of Nazi war criminal Ilse Koch. Her own psychological unraveling mirrors Ed’s, reinforcing the idea that the images we consume can transform us in alarming ways.
The series highlights how Gein’s crimes influenced some of the most enduring works in the horror genre. Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho appears prominently, along with author Robert Bloch’s inspiration for Norman Bates. The show also explores how Gein shaped Tobe Hooper’s The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and Thomas Harris’ creation of Buffalo Bill in The Silence of the Lambs. Murphy argues that although many people know these iconic characters, few realize that Ed Gein provided much of the blueprint. This section underscores how a relatively unknown criminal became one of the most significant cultural influences on American horror.
The series shows Ed repeatedly approaching moments that could have stopped his violent path. His proposal to Adeline, his attempt at babysitting, and brief connections with local women suggest possible routes toward normalcy. However, each opportunity collapses under the weight of his mental instability. The fictionalized murder of Evelyn and the later killing of Bernice Worden ultimately led to his arrest. Bernice’s son, who works as a local deputy, discovers her mutilated body in Ed’s barn. Ed’s confused state during his crimes becomes a key point in his trial, which results in his being sent to a mental institution instead of receiving a death sentence.
Monster: The Ed Gein Story (Netflix)Ed’s Diagnosis, Delusions, and Lasting Cultural Influence Reveal the Series’ Emotional Core
Episode 7 provides the emotional core of the series when Ed receives a diagnosis of schizophrenia. This moment gives context to his hallucinations, memory gaps, and disordered thinking. Hunnam describes the scene as deeply moving, and Murphy calls it the moment that the entire season had been building toward. The series raises the question of whether Ed’s crimes might have been prevented if he had received appropriate treatment earlier in life. It also criticizes the modern decline of mental health institutions and the shrinking support available to individuals in crisis.
The series uses Ed’s ham radio as a narrative device that allows imagined conversations with figures such as Ilse Koch and Christine Jorgensen. Through these interactions, the show clarifies that Ed’s desire to inhabit the female form was based on gynephilia rather than transgender identity. Christine’s imagined dialogue helps correct long-standing misconceptions that violent behavior and gender transition are connected. These sequences also reveal how images of atrocities, tabloid crime culture, and sensational storytelling shaped Ed’s unraveling psyche. The show emphasizes that exposure to harmful content can distort fragile minds.
As Ed approaches death, his fantasies shift from violence toward delusional heroism. He imagines helping the FBI track Ted Bundy, and he later envisions a gathering of killers who praise him for inspiring their own crimes. The scene is unsettling because Ed feels validated rather than repulsed. The creators originally considered ending with a hallucination of Augusta, but instead chose a surreal sequence inspired by All That Jazz. This finale shows how deeply Gein’s legacy penetrated the collective imagination of both real criminals and fictional villains.
The final scenes connect Ed’s death to the ongoing fascination with his story. Teens attempt to steal his gravestone, referencing real events, but flee when they sense the presence of the infamous characters he inspired, including Norman Bates and Leatherface. The series closes with an image that mirrors the ending of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, reinforcing the idea that Gein continues to haunt American culture. A last flashback to Augusta telling young Ed that only a mother could love him captures the tragic essence of his life. The show ends with a reminder that his story is not simply about one man but about the many forces that contributed to his creation and the culture that still echoes his darkness.
