It may be a prequel to Hitchcock’s classic, but Norman Bates has already gone psycho, his...uh, career path very much falling into line with what cinema history has pre-determined it to be. His mother, Norma (Vera Farmiga), is already dead at his hands, and his blackouts (AKA assuming Mother’s personality and dressing in her clothing) are becoming more frequent, yet through it all he’s convincingly conveying normalcy to the world outside of his iconic home. Well, as normal as Norman Bates ever seems.
Bates Motel is getting ready to launch its fifth and final season of ten episodes, which theoretically should in many ways dovetail Freddie Highmore’s Norman with Anthony Perkins’. Helping to accomplish that will be the addition of two characters who appeared in 1960’s Psycho: Sam Loomis (played by The Walking Dead’s Austin Nichols now, John Gavin in the film) and Marion Crane (Rihanna now, Janet Leigh then). It’s the romance between Sam and Marion that ultimately ends up revealing the truth about Norman Bates to the world, as “Mother” murders her in one of the motel room’s showers and Sam investigates her disappearance.
Given the history of this series, there will still be numerous twists en route to Marion's shower.
Bates Motel returns 20 February on A&E in the US, April TBA in the UK.