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Netflix viewers ask same question about Ed Gein's mom after watching Monster series
Since its October release, Monster: The Ed Gein Story (Season 3 of Netflix’s Monster anthology) has drawn both huge viewership and sharp criticism.
The series, starring Charlie Hunnam as the notorious Ed Gein, has grabbed headlines not only for its graphic imagery and provocative storytelling, but also for historical liberties it takes with known facts about Gein’s life.
One of the recurring complaints from viewers on Reddit and other forums is that the show gives the impression people in Gein’s small hometown somehow didn’t know his mother had died. This has struck many as implausible, after all, Augusta Gein’s death in 1945 is part of the real Ed Gein history, and reportedly well-known.
What’s Fact vs. Fiction About Augusta's Death
In reality, Ed Gein’s mother, Augusta Wilhelmine Gein, died in 1945, when Ed was still young. Her death had a massive emotional impact on him, and the series does depict her demise and the subsequent deterioration of his mental health, per Netflix.
Where the series and viewer memories diverge is in how the community and characters are shown reacting. Some storylines in Monster imply that Gein goes to lengths to preserve his mother’s memory in secret, and that others might be ignorant or in denial about her death, leading viewers to wonder if the show is dramatizing or even inventing confusion for tension.
Reddit threads show people calling this “bad writing” or “historical inaccuracy,” arguing that in a tiny rural town, the fact of Augusta’s passing would have been common knowledge. They're all asking the same question: "How did no one know Augusta was dead?"
"This show is a mess of epic proportions. Don't try to make sense of it," someone wrote.
Another added: "I think it was more like a 'yeah, sure, how is your mom' kind of thing. They knew but didn't make a big deal out of it because they knew he was off."
Viewer Reactions: Impressed by the Horror, Frustrated by the Inconsistencies
Fans are split. On one hand, there’s praise for the performances (particularly Hunnam’s), the production design, and for exploring the darker psychological terrain of Gein’s life.
On the other hand, many complain that the series stretches the truth in ways that undermine its credibility. Augusta's death is treated with reverence in Monster, but some viewers feel the show soft-pedals the obvious consequences of the death on the community, or creates confusion about what characters know.
For example, viewers point out that if there was a funeral (which there historically was, Primetimer details) people in his life should know she’s deceased, not believe she might still be alive or seriously ill. These moments make them question whether the show is drama first and history second.
Creative License or Misstep?
According to background interviews, some of the creative team’s aim was not just to retell Gein’s crimes, but to explore how myth, memory, mental illness, and trauma distort reality, for Gein himself and for how he’s remembered, Netflix explains.
Netflix’s own explanation of Monster: The Ed Gein Story acknowledges that while Augusta’s death is a turning point in Ed’s life, some fictionalization is incorporated to emphasize emotional truths rather than precise historical detail.
That said, critics have argued that when shows take too many liberties, they risk misleading viewers who may assume dramatized scenes are factual.
Augusta’s death in Gein’s real life is a known fact, and many feel the series would have benefitted from greater clarity, especially when depicting what characters know and how those around Gein react.
Overall, Monster: The Ed Gein Story remains powerful, disturbing, and visually compelling, but the series’ handling of Augusta’s death is emblematic of a larger tension: how a dramatic retelling can shift from true crime to fiction.
For many viewers, the question lingers: If Augusta died long ago, and the town knew, why is she sometimes treated as though she’s still alive in dialogue or implication?
It’s a valid concern in a show that claims to be “based on real events.” As Monster continues to stir conversation, fans are demanding not just shock or spectacle, but clear boundaries between what’s history and what’s artistic interpretation.