Abhiroop Das
Created by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan, ‘Monster: The Ed Gein Story,’ follows ‘The Jeffrey Dahmer Story’ and ‘The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story’ as the third entry in Netflix’s ‘Monster’ series. This biographical crime drama continues its exploration of serial killers’ lived experiences, this time shining a light on Ed Gein, a body snatcher turned serial killer who was criminally active in the 1940s and 1950s. The discovery of his acts spread tremors all throughout the American consciousness, which was then captured in the form of classic movies such as ‘Psycho,’ ‘Texas Chain Saw Massacre,’ and ‘The Silence of the Lambs,’ among many others. While the show details the mythology surrounding Ed, it also brings in a medical perspective on his tormented psyche. To that end, the show employs its creative license to add a greater level of depth to the narrative. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Ed Gein Hallucinates the Gruesome Killing of Nurse Roz Mahoney
Episode 7 of ‘Monster: The Ed Gein Story,’ titled ‘Ham Radio,’ follows a major shift in the life of the titular serial killer, as his arrest and subsequent declaration of insanity lead him to Central State Hospital for the Criminally Insane. Initially, his life there improved with the addition of the head nurse, Salty, who brought him an assortment of things ranging from magazines to women’s undergarments. However, things take a turn for the worse when Salty is replaced by Roz Mahoney, who immediately curtails Ed’s range of activity. Coldly treating him as nothing but a serial killer, Roz reigns over Ed’s time in the hospital with an iron fist, and this eventually takes a toll on the protagonist’s mind. Frustrated, he resolves to give Roz a brutal death, and plans that out by following her into the washroom. Once there, he attacks her with a chainsaw, gleefully taking her. While the sequence is harrowing in nature, its authenticity is seemingly disproven when Ed finds the head nurse alive and well the following morning.
Roz’s brutal dismemberment as performed by Ed is effectively confirmed to be a product of his mind when it is revealed that Ed has no access to a chainsaw within the hospital premises. That, coupled with the absence of any witnesses to the murder, further accentuates its imagined character. Ed’s invented scenario comes as one in a long string of hallucinations, enabled by what is later diagnosed to be his Schizoid personality disorder. Additionally, the murder sequence also has a creative flair to it. It particularly appears to reimagine the modus operandi of Leatherface, the antagonist in ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre,’ helmed by Tobe Hooper. While it is unlikely for Ed Gein, as presented within the narrative, to have access to the movie, the overlap likely points to the broader thematic point of the story, where violence and its mythologization in film have a symbiotic relationship
Ed and Roz End Up Developing a Healthy Dynamic
While Ed gradually comes to terms with the fact that he hallucinated Roz’s death, it also comes as a relief to him. Following the murder sequence, Ed feels a significant amount of guilt, and the fear of his relapsing into his old ways momentarily takes over his thought function. The confirmation of Roz being alive furthers his mental fracture and compels him to reach out to his psychiatrist. This comes as the first step in soothing his mind, as the presence of a professional helps the serial killer parse through reality and fiction. The exchange also helps him see Roz in a new light, as someone who is merely performing her duty as the head nurse. The initial image of Roz as an agent of ruthlessness is thus put to question, potentially being the product of Ed’s wrapped perspective and resistance to change. Over time, his relationship with the new head nurse sees a positive change, and that continues on to the final moments of his life.
In the finale of the season, Ed and Roz become close confidants, sharing several deeper insights into life. When the serial killer expresses dissatisfaction with the hospital’s atmosphere, Roz solemnly reflects on how medical institutions have changed over time, with help for people with mental health conditions steadily decreasing. This thread reaches its culmination when Ed is diagnosed with lung cancer. Notably, Roz is the person who breaks the news to him, which speaks to the depth of their relationship and how it has transformed over time. What begins as a dynamic built on a professional distance eventually begins to resemble a friendship, with the head nurse tapping into the humanity that lies alongside Ed’s criminal life. The imagined murder sequence, as such, can be reinterpreted as Ed’s psyche lashing out in the absence of proper care and companionship, which Roz provides.
Read More: Monster: Are Ed Gein’s Skin Suit and Face Mask Real, Prosthetic or CGI?
