Characters
Well, a son is a poor substitute for a lover.
— Norman Bates · Psycho
Behind the line May contain spoilers.
Our reading
An editorial interpretation.
The speaker says a son is a poor replacement for a lover, treating two different kinds of closeness as if one might be swapped for the other. The remark carries an uneasy note of longing and dissatisfaction, with the comparison itself hinting at a relationship weighed by need.
Context reviewed