Age of The Nerd
(AOTN) Psycho and Bates Motel have finally collided in what is the final season of A&E’s Bates Motel, starring Vera Farmiga and Freddie Highmore as the mentally troubled young motel manager whose evil alter ego could endanger everybody that dares invade the life of “mother” and son.
After the events of the season 4 finale, Norman Bates is back at home after receiving psychiatric treatment, except this time he has the frozen corpse of his mom, Norma Bates to keep him company after he attempted to kill himself and her. Former Sheriff, Alex Romero was locked up on perjury charges, eventually escaping prison to go after Norman after he killed the one woman that could have potentially see his life result in some kind of salvation. After being beaten in prison and shot while on the run, will Romero make it to the Bates Motel to finish what he started?
Dylan and Emma have settled into a quiet life in Seattle. His father, Caleb came knocking and needed a place to stay for a while but Emma had to build up the courage to ask him to leave. After all that has happened in the past three seasons, Dylan felt that the only way forward was to maintain distance. Caleb obliged and made his way to Norman’s home, startled at seeing the place deserted at first despite Norma’s car parked up outside the house.
After receiving the news that his sister was killed and rival Chick Hogan confirming so, Caleb worked out that Norman must have surely been the one responsible. Breaking in and shouting for Norman later the same evening, he was knocked unconscious while standing in the basement and staring in terror at his sister’s dead body laid in her rocking chair. Unfortunately for Norma/Norman, Chick stumbled upon the scene but the two quickly came to an agreement that allowed the former crook to stay at the motel with “Norma’s” consent.
Caleb met a sudden end when he was put to death by the sight of Chick’s oncoming car when Norman sent him scurrying after he tired him up in the basement. This show never promised any happy endings for anybody.
A case of infidelity unwittingly involved Norman when a married guy turned up requesting a room for himself and a secret mistress. As it turned out he happened to be the husband of the girl, Madeleine, that Norman met in a paint shop early in the season. Eventually he confessed to be none other than Sam Loomis! He was the character made famous in the original movie that ultimately helped reveal Norman’s terrible secret.
Madeleine and Norman hit it off almost immediately despite delaying their lust for one another. The two eventually got close enough and they eventually fell into a passionate embrace, but as always “mother” arrived on the scene to disturb the proceedings, sending Norman dashing out of fear that “Miss Bates” would cause harm to his new love interest!
Adding to Norman’s problems, Sheriff Greene made inquiries concerning the disappearance of a certain Joe Blackwell, the guy that was sent on a mission by Romero to shoot and kill off Norman in events that occurred between the season 4 finale and the final season’s first episode. Norman as “mother” ended his life and hid his car in some bushes but it probably will not be long before Greene turns up the heat a notch or two.
Fans waiting for the arrival of famous shower movie victim Marion Crane will have to anticipate her entrance for a little while longer as events unfold. We were given a glimpse of what many viewers think was her in the season’s first episode but things will surely ramp up within the next couple of weeks! Whether we will get to see the show’s own version of the shower murder sequence is not known at this point and nothing has been hinted at by producers.
Nods and references to Alfred Hitchcock’s classic have made themselves known, some of which have been imitated for this version of the narrative. What is surprising is the shockingly low amount of outcries by Psycho worshippers that this final series of episodes are, when looking at the bigger picture, a reboot of the movie! Character names and events are vastly different, as are the alterations to the story, but this is still essentially a television redo. The interrogation sequence between Norman and Greene in Monday’s episode is one jot of proof. Perhaps the dreadful 1998 remake starring Vince Vaughn has made fans simply not give a stuff.
Still, Bates Motel has become a riveting piece of television during the last couple of years after making a strong entrance back in 2013. Seasons 2 and 3 may have contained little inspiration to maintain viewership but at least the series is being allowed to finish the story it wants to tell, unlike NBC’s superior Hannibal series which was cancelled after it’s third run.
If you have been watching since the very beginning then there is no doubt that you will probably be interested enough in continuing watching the show to it’s very end. But may this article be so bold enough to suggest that if you skipped out during the show’s second and third seasons that you check back in and get yourself comfortable.
Afterall, the timing could never be better!
