Bates Motel (season 5)

Bates Motel (season 5)

Promotional poster and home media cover art
Starring
Country of origin United States
No. of episodes 10
Release
Original network A&E
Original release February 20 (2017-02-20) – April 24, 2017 (2017-04-24)
Season chronology

The fifth and final season[1] of Bates Motel premiered on February 20, 2017, and concluded on April 24, 2017. The season consisted of 10 episodes and aired on Mondays at 10 p.m. ET/PT on A&E.[2] The series itself is described as a "contemporary prequel" to the 1960 film Psycho, following the life of Norman Bates and his mother Norma prior to the events portrayed in the Hitchcock film. However, the final season of the series loosely adapts the plot of Psycho. The series takes place in the fictional town of White Pine Bay, Oregon.

Cast and characters

Main

Vera Farmiga, Freddie Highmore, and Max Thieriot (left to right) portray Norma Louise Bates, Norman Bates, and Dylan Massett, respectively.
Olivia Cooke, Nestor Carbonell, and Rihanna (left to right) portray Emma Decody, Sheriff Alex Romero, and Marion Crane, respectively.

Special guest

Recurring

Guest

Production

Casting

In June 2016, showrunner Kerry Ehrin confirmed the return of Kenny Johnson as Caleb Calhoun for the final season, in an interview with Deadline.com.[3] The following month, it was announced that Rihanna had been cast in the iconic role of Marion Crane.[4][5] In September 2016, Isabelle McNally joined the cast of the series, portraying the role of Madeleine Loomis, a young woman who resembles Norma.[6] That same month, Brooke Smith joined the cast as Sheriff Jane Greene.[7] In January 2017, Austin Nichols was cast in the role of Sam Loomis, a prominent role in both the source material and the film adaptation.[8] That same month, Ryan Hurst's return as Chick Hogan was reported.[9] In March 2017, it was revealed that series executive producer Carlton Cuse would appear as a police officer trailing Marion Crane.[10] That same month, Natalia Cordova-Buckley joined the cast as Julia Ramos, an attorney.[11]

Filming

The series was filmed on location in Aldergrove, British Columbia. At the beginning of the first season, a replica of the original Bates Motel set from the film Psycho was built on 272nd Street.[12][13] Freddie Highmore was tapped to write an episode for the season, as well as direct an episode, marking his directorial debut.[14] Max Thieriot and Nestor Carbonell were also tapped to direct an episode each for season 5.[15]

Production on the season began on September 16, 2016.[16] The series filmed its final scenes at the specially-built Bates Motel set in Aldergrove on January 25, 2017, and production began tearing the house down the following day.[17][18] Carbonell filmed his final scenes as Sheriff Alex Romero on January 27, 2017.[19][20] Filming officially wrapped for the series on January 31, 2017.[21] In February 2017, the Bates Motel exterior set in Aldergrove was subsequently demolished.[22]

Episodes

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateU.S. viewers
(millions)
411"Dark Paradise"Tucker GatesKerry EhrinFebruary 20, 2017 (2017-02-20)1.34[23]
It has been two years since the death of Norma. Norman is now living alone and running the Bates Motel. He stays with "Mother", whom he believes faked her death, while he is secretly keeping Norma's preserved corpse in the basement of the house. Meanwhile, Dylan and Emma are now married with an infant daughter, and are unaware of Norma's death. Caleb shows up at their house, much to the stress of Dylan. Later, Emma asks Caleb to leave for Dylan's sake. Elsewhere, Romero is in prison and is denied parole. Romero sends a hitman to kill Norman, but Norman murders him instead and later finds his wallet but remembers nothing. Norman also meets Madeleine Loomis, who resembles Norma. She asks Norman to attend a small business meeting in town, which he agrees to, but "Mother" refuses to let him drive due to his blackouts. "Mother" then reveals the murder to Norman, as they decide to dump the corpse in a lake. While disposing of the hitman's body, the man's phone rings. Norman answers it to hear Romero's voice.
422"The Convergence of the Twain"Sarah BoydAlyson Evans & Steve KornackiFebruary 27, 2017 (2017-02-27)1.28[24]
Norman visits Romero in prison where he angrily tells Norman he says he will come for him when he least expects it. Norman goes to dinner with Madeleine, her husband Sam, and her friend. "Mother" follows Norman to the restaurant and asks why he is having dinner with a girl who looks so much like her. Chick proposes a business offer to Norman: performing taxidermy and selling the animals on, to which Norman agrees. Caleb leaves a note for Dylan and returns to White Pine Bay, looking for Norma. When he cannot find her, he checks himself into a motel, and is informed that Norma committed suicide over a year earlier. He goes to see her grave, where he breaks down with grief. Later, he and Chick have an altercation in a bar. Caleb says he knows it was Norman who killed Norma, because she would never commit suicide, and vows to get revenge. He goes back to the Bates house, but cannot find Norman, and discovers Norma's frozen corpse in the basement. Norman, dressed as "Mother", then attacks Caleb. Chick, witnessing this, stands shocked.
433"Bad Blood"Sarah BoydTom SzentgyorgyiMarch 6, 2017 (2017-03-06)1.28[25]
Caleb wakes to find himself chained to a post in the basement of the Bates house. Norman, as "Mother", visits him to recount their history. This causes Caleb to slowly lose his mind. Chick, now fully aware of Norman's mental condition, remains at the house to research his true-crime novel. Madeleine admits her troubled marriage to Norman, and they become friends. Meanwhile, Romero is granted a transfer, following his prison fight. He escapes custody, only to be shot while trying to steal a car from a farm. "Mother" insists that Norman should kill Caleb, but should do it before Norman blacks out, as she cannot kill him. Norman ultimately sets Caleb free, but "Mother" chases him into the road, where a distracted Chick hits him with his car.
444"Hidden"Max ThieriotTorrey SpeerMarch 13, 2017 (2017-03-13)1.25[26]
After killing Caleb, Chick takes the body for burial. The new sheriff is informed about Jim Blackwell skipping parole and calls at the Bates house to question Norman, saying that Blackwell had the house address and was in the same prison as Romero, who has also escaped. Romero escapes and tends to his gunshot wounds, before showing up at Maggie Summers' house. Chick tries to move his belongings into the Bates house, only to be turned away by Norman. The sheriff visits the motel again and asks to look at the guest register. Norman and "Mother" go search for Blackwell's car in hopes of disposing it. Norman asks Chick about how to get rid of a car, and mentions that "Mother" is out of control. Later, Madeleine invites Norman over to her house for dinner since Sam is out of town, and while baking together, they kiss. "Mother" then appears and he visualizes Madeleine on the floor with her throat slit. He runs back home, arriving to a dark and empty house.
455"Dreams Die First"Nestor CarbonellErica Lipez & Kerry EhrinMarch 20, 2017 (2017-03-20)1.36[27]
Norman awakens to find no sign of his mother anywhere but notices scratches on his shoulder. Sheriff Greene informs him that Romero may have escaped prison to settle unfinished business. A bartender from the White Horse Bar informs Norman that his car has been left in the parking lot overnight. When Norman goes to collect it, the bartender seems to recognize him. Norman finds lacy underwear on the backseat. In Seattle, Dylan tells Emma why he is no longer in contact with Norma, revealing that Norman is sick and was with Blair Watson the night she died. He also says that Audrey checked into the motel and never checked out. Emma later discovers Norma "committed suicide". Also in Seattle, Sam meets with his mistress, Marion Crane. She later goes on the run with $400,000 after her boss gives her the money to deposit, and Madeleine confronts her husband about the affair. Norman encounters Dr. Edwards and is faced again with reality that he assumes his mother's persona. He later returns to the bar and is confused when the patrons recognize him. In the bathroom, a man attempts to seduce him; Norman panics and has a flashback of "Mother" and the man having sex in a car. He bolts from the bar and arrives home as Marion sees the sign to the Bates Motel.
466"Marion"Phil AbrahamCarlton Cuse & Kerry EhrinMarch 27, 2017 (2017-03-27)1.30[28]
Norman greets Marion, who registers to stay at the motel under a fake name. Emma informs Dylan of his mother's death and he angrily phones Norman to ask why he was never told. As Norman and Marion eat in the motel office, they talk about parents, before Sam rings. Later, as she undresses for her shower, Norman spies on Marion through a peephole. Unable to get Sam off her mind, she asks Norman for his address, leading Norman to revealing that Sam is married. When she shows up outside of his house, she sees Sam and Madeleine fighting. She then smashes his car windows, and when Sam goes outside after hearing the commotion, Madeleine locks him out after throwing her glass of wine over him. Marion returns to the motel to pack and while "Mother" tries to goad Norman into getting rid of his guest, he decides to let Marion leave town unharmed. As Norman and "Mother" argue over this later, with "Mother" bringing up Norma's life with his father, Sam shows up to see Marion but finds her gone. After failing to get in contact with her, Sam decides to clean himself up in the shower. Norman enters the room with a knife and heads into the bathroom. He pulls back the curtain and stabs Sam to death.
477"Inseparable"Steph GreenStory by: Freddie Highmore & Erica Lipez
Teleplay by: Freddie Highmore
April 3, 2017 (2017-04-03)1.26[29]
Moments after killing Sam, "Mother" tells a shocked Norman to dispose of the body. At the lake, Norman sees police pulling a body out. After getting rid of Sam's car, Norman returns to the motel, where Sheriff Greene says that Jim Blackwell's body was recovered along with several others. After she departs, Norman thinks the police will investigate the house and decides to bury Norma's corpse in the woods. Meanwhile, Romero recuperates at Maggie Summers' house. Maggie believes he wants revenge for Norma's death. Dylan arrives at the Bates' house and says Norman should have told him about Norma's death. When Dylan goes to the pharmacy to pick up a prescription for Norman, a pharmacist informs him that Dr. Edwards has been missing for over a year and is presumed dead. Dylan returns home and meets Madeleine, who is worried since Sam never returned home the previous night. He tells her that Norman has mental issues, which she was not aware of. Having been told by "Mother" to send Dylan away, Norman prepares a meal for both of them. Dylan says he met Madeleine before asking if Sam was there the previous night. He encourages Norman to take his medication but "Mother" takes over, saying that "she" can only love one son and hits Dylan over the head with a glass. Norman intervenes and Dylan watches him struggle with himself. Norman comes to, dials 911 and confesses to Sam's murder.
488"The Body"Freddie HighmoreErica LipezApril 10, 2017 (2017-04-10)1.23[30]
Norman is anxious to be arrested, fearing "Mother" will try to prevent it. Sheriff Greene takes him to jail, while Dylan promises to find him a lawyer. Greene interrogates Norman, who proves to be inaccurate, and she thinks he just wanted attention. He is given medication, but "Mother" forces him to vomit it out and takes control of him. "Mother" ultimately blames Madeleine for Sam's murder and reveals Norman confessed to take the fall for her. Audrey's body is identified as the second victim in the lake; Greene informs Dylan, hoping he will not protect Norman. Meanwhile, Romero finds his gun and returns to the Bates' property. Chick, who has set up his writing desk in the house's basement, is killed by Romero after mocking him. The well with Sam's body is found, and Norman, with "Mother" still in control, is charged with three murders.
499"Visiting Hours"Olatunde OsunsanmiScott KosarApril 17, 2017 (2017-04-17)1.22[31]
Norman is fingerprinted, and his attorney suggests entering an insanity plea. Emma arrives to see Dylan but is unable to forgive him for taking Norman's side; Dylan is torn about whether to attend Norman's preliminary hearing. Norman learns he could be put to death if convicted. Unable to cope with hearing the evidence presented to the court, both Madeleine and Dylan walk out. She asks him how he can live with himself after everything that Norman has done. Emma collects her mother's ashes and visits Norma's grave. After scattering the ashes, she decides to return to Seattle, but not before going to say goodbye to Norman, who is still being possessed by "Mother". Meanwhile, Romero discovers where Norman is and, in spite of Maggie's pleas, takes Regina hostage and forces the other officers to release Norman. He begins to strangle Norman, but stops and instead forces him into a car, where he orders him to take him to Norma's body.
5010"The Cord"Tucker GatesKerry Ehrin & Carlton CuseApril 24, 2017 (2017-04-24)1.41[32]
"Mother" leads Romero to the spot in the woods where Norman has buried Norma's body. After violently beating Norman, Romero uncovers Norma's body and mourns over it. Norman uses the distraction to subdue Romero with a rock and shoot him twice with his own gun. Before Romero dies, he taunts Norman that he murdered his own mother and that he will never be able to escape from that. "Mother" appears to Norman and tells him that, with Romero's death and since he now knows everything, there is no one left to protect him from, and she leaves him. After awakening from a beautiful dream in which he and Norma are reunited, Norman regresses to the events of their original arrival at the motel. He takes Norma's body back to the house, re-opens the motel, and phones Dylan to invite him for dinner. Dylan does not inform the police, despite Emma's pleas over the telephone. Getting a gun from his old friend Remo, Dylan goes to the house that night to confront Norman. After seeing Norma's corpse at the dinner table, Dylan begs Norman to turn himself in and face reality. Norman, unwilling to live without his mother and knowing that he would never survive in either prison or a mental institution, calmly picks up a carving knife and charges at Dylan, who is forced to fatally shoot him. Norman dies thanking Dylan, and is reunited with Norma in death. He is buried beside the re-interred Norma. The motel and house are eventually sold, and Dylan and Emma make a new and happy life together with their daughter in Seattle.

Reception

Critical response

The season has received positive reviews from television critics. It received 81 out of 100 from Metacritic, based on 8 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[33] Review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported that 8 out of 8 critical responses were positive, averaging a 100% rating.[34]

Ratings

Overall, the fifth season of Bates Motel averaged 1.29 million viewers, with a 0.5 rating in the 18–49 demographic.[35]

No. Title Air date Rating/share
(18–49)
Viewers
(millions)
DVR
(18–49)
DVR viewers
(millions)
Total
(18–49)
Total viewers
(millions)
1 "Dark Paradise" February 20, 2017 0.5 1.34[23] 0.5 1.19 1.0 2.53[36]
2 "The Convergence of the Twain" February 27, 2017 0.4 1.28[24] N/A N/A N/A N/A
3 "Bad Blood" March 6, 2017 0.5 1.28[25] 0.5 1.31 1.0 2.60[37]
4 "Hidden" March 13, 2017 0.4 1.25[26] 0.6 1.38 1.0 2.63[38]
5 "Dreams Die First" March 20, 2017 0.5 1.36[27] 0.5 1.35 1.0 2.71[39]
6 "Marion" March 27, 2017 0.5 1.30[28] 0.6 1.38 1.1 2.68[40]
7 "Inseparable" April 3, 2017 0.4 1.26[29] 0.6 1.40 1.0 2.65[41]
8 "The Body" April 10, 2017 0.4 1.23[30] 0.6 1.34 1.0 2.57[42]
9 "Visiting Hours" April 17, 2017 0.4 1.23[31] 0.5 1.33 0.9 2.56[43]
10 "The Cord" April 24, 2017 0.5 1.41[32] 0.4 N/A 0.9[A][44] N/A

References

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  2. Snetiker, Marc (January 3, 2017). "Bates Motel sets final check-in date". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved January 3, 2017.
  3. Grobar, Matt (June 15, 2016). "'Bates Motel' On Set: Showrunners And Stars On Freddie Highmore's Writing Debut". Deadline.com. Retrieved December 28, 2016.
  4. Petski, Denise (July 22, 2016). "Rihanna To Play Iconic 'Psycho' Role In 'Bates Motel' Fifth & Final Season – Comic-Con". Deadline.com. Retrieved November 15, 2016.
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