Ed Gein: The Monster Who Was Made, Not Born
- Binge Living
- Oct 13
- 3 min read
I just finished watching the new Ed Gein: The Real Monster series — and I’m still thinking about it. The show blew me away. Not just because of the gruesome storytelling or how it inspired iconic horror characters like Psycho’s Norman Bates, Leatherface from Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and Buffalo Bill from Silence of the Lambs — but because of how deeply it made me reflect on the making of a monster.
It’s unsettling, yet fascinating, to see how many killers drew inspiration from Ed. And even more disturbing to realize that most of these men weren’t born evil — they were shaped that way. The show makes you look closer at their pasts, at the trauma, at the mother wounds that never healed.
Take Jerry, for instance, whose obsession with heels was linked back to Ed’s story. Or Ed himself — a schizophrenic who couldn’t distinguish between real and unreal, between love and control. His childhood was suffocating: an abusive mother, constant humiliation, forbidden desires, and that one haunting phrase — “Only your mother could love you.”Imagine growing up with that echoing in your head.
As the show progresses, it’s heartbreaking to realize that Ed’s monstrous acts were his twisted attempts to seek love and acceptance — especially from his mother. His crimes, as horrific as they were, stemmed from a deep psychological void. He was conditioned to believe affection was forbidden and sex was sinful. When denied normal human connections, his trauma found its way through horror.
And that’s what hit me the hardest — how much of who we become is rooted in our childhood. As a pranic healer, I’ve often heard my teacher say that our parents inflict the deepest wounds without realizing it. Words like “you’ll never succeed,” “you ruin everything,” or “you’re unlovable” don’t just fade away — they stay buried in our subconscious, manifesting years later in strange ways.
I’ve seen this in my own life too. Some things my parents have said in anger when I was little... actually came true. I won’t go into the details, but I’ve learned that words hold power. Energy moves with intention, and the mind stores it all — waiting for the right (or wrong) time to show up.
Watching Ed Gein reminded me of that — that monsters aren’t always born in the dark; sometimes they’re created in the light of their own homes. It’s a disturbing truth, but also a reminder for all of us: be mindful of what we say, especially to children. Words can heal or destroy — and sometimes, they decide the story of a life.
And honestly, Charlie Hunnam’s portrayal of Ed Gein was absolutely brilliant. The way he disappeared into the role — it didn’t feel like acting. His quiet voice, that fragile yet unnerving tone, felt like a man permanently haunted by his mother’s ghost. Even his body — lean, uncomfortable, twitchy — carried that psychological tension perfectly. You could see how Hunnam’s physical transformation, losing weight and dulling his natural charm, allowed him to melt into Ed’s loneliness. The way he danced — that eerie, half-trance moment — was pure madness and heartbreak combined. It wasn’t exaggerated, it was disturbingly human. For me, that’s what made this show unforgettable — he didn’t play a killer, he became a lost boy who never grew up, still begging for his mother’s love.
Thanks Netflix for always bringing such great horror miniseries on the platform!
