Bates Motel: Norman

"Norman" is the tenth episode of season four of the psychological thriller series Bates Motel, and the fortieth episode of the series overall. It was directed by Tucker Gates with a script written by Kerry Ehrin. It first aired on A&E on Monday, May 16th, 2016 at 9:00 pm. In this episode, Norman Bates is tasked with the reality that his mother is gone, and that he now has to make arrangements. Alex Romero is overcome with both grief and anger, and is determined to prove that Norman was responsible. But Alex has other problems as well as his own shadowy past comes back to haunt him.

Synopsis
Police and paramedics arrive at the Bates Motel. Norman Bates is taken to the hospital while his mother is taken to the morgue. It hasn't quite registered with him yet that his mother is dead. He seemingly has no memory of releasing gas into the house. Alex Romero arrives just as Norman is being discharged. The two exchange heated words and Alex pins him to the wall by his throat and threatens to prove that he murdered his mother.

Norman takes it upon himself to handle all of the funeral arrangements. He speaks with a man named Justin Wilcock who asks if he would like an open casket funeral and tells Norman to select something for his mother to be buried in.

A detective named Chambers speaks with Alex Romero. She asks him about his relationship to Norma, and Alex tells her that she might get better leads by talking to her son. She goes to the Bates residence and talks with Norman, who is pulling out a dress for his mother. Norman says that Alex drove his mother to the point of taking her own life, but it is clear that Chambers suspects that something else is at play here.

Alex goes to the morgue and asks to see his wife's body. They are reluctant to entertain this unorthodox request, but Romero finds the drawer himself and pulls it open. He says his final solemn goodbye and puts his wedding ring on her finger. The funeral service takes place and oddly, Norman is the only guest in attendance. He sees the ring on his mother's finger and removes it. He then offers up his own eulogy, but has an emotional break where he begins defaming God, much to the chagrin of the attending priest. Alex Romero enters the chapel and Norman tells him to leave. He then hands him the wedding ring. Alex takes it then punches Norman in the nose. He leaps upon him and continues to punch him as Wilcock's son tries to pry him off. Romero then leaves the chapel.

Romero then goes to the sheriff's station to retrieve his gun from a locker box. As he exits the station, members of the DEA are there to arrest him. He scoffs at this, indicating that there is no evidence of any wrongdoing. The officer tells him that they are arresting him for lying to a federal officer.

That night, Norman Bates goes to the freshly dug grave at the cemetery and disinters his mother. He brings her body back to the motel and places it on the couch. He beckons to her to open her eyes, convinced that she has been faking being dead this entire time. When she fails to open her eyes, Norman super-glues them open. Her eyes are opaque and lifeless. Chick Hogan stops by the house to offer up some enchilada casserole that he made himself. Despite his problems with Norma in the past, he actually liked her, and expresses his condolences to Norman. He looks past Norman towards the couch, but if he sees Norma's body, he gives no note of it. He tells Norman to do what he needs to do and says goodbye.

Dylan Massett call Norman on his phone. He doesn't know about his mother's death. Norman tells him that this is the last time the two will likely speak to one another. After abruptly hangs up on him.

Norman then fantasizes about having the perfect Christmas. His dog Juno (alive in his hallucination) is present, a beautiful decorated Christmas tree stands in the family room and his mother, alive and well, sits at the piano playing "I'll be home for Christmas". Norman sits on the seat next to her.

Crew

 * Scott Kosar - Producer
 * Erica Lipez - Producer
 * Christopher Nelson - Producer
 * Tim Southam - Producer
 * Jamie Kaye Wheeler - Producer
 * Tom Szentgyorgyi - Consulting producer
 * Justis Greene - Producer
 * Steve Kornacki - Executive producer
 * Alyson Evans - Executive producer
 * Vera Farmiga - Executive producer


 * Tucker Gates - Executive producer
 * Kerry Ehrin - Executive producer
 * Carlton Cuse - Executive producer
 * Cory Bird - Co-producer
 * Heather Meehan - Co-producer
 * Pete Whyte - Associate producer
 * Mark Wolper - Consulting producer
 * Roy Lee - Consulting producer
 * John Powers Middleton - Consulting producer

Notes & Trivia

 * Bates Motel was developed for television by Carlton Cuse & Kerry Ehrin and Anthony Cipriano.


 * This series is based on characters from the novel Psycho by Robert Bloch, and as portrayed in the theatrical film Psycho.


 * This episode is rated TV-14. It contains violence and strong language.


 * This episode aired in the United Kingdom on the Universal Channel on June 7th, 2016.


 * This episode had a viewership of 1.498 million people, which is up by .093 from the previous episode. It scored .52% in the 18-49 age demographic.


 * This is the finale episode for season four. It had a special running time of sixty-seven minutes.


 * This is the fifteenth episode of Bates Motel directed by Tucker Gates. It is his second episode from season two of the series. He previously directed "A Danger to Himself and Others".


 * This is the nineteenth episode of Bates Motel written and/or co-written by series co-creator Kerry Ehrin. Kerry previously worked on "Forever".


 * This is the second episode of Bates Motel that Emma Decody does not make an appearance in. She was also absent from "The Vault". A scene was filmed for this episode with Dylan and she laying in bed together, but it didn't make the final cut into the episode.


 * This is the tenth appearance of Chick Hogan on the series. He appeared last in "The Vault".


 * The word "shit" is used twice in this episode; once by Alex Romero and once by Norman Bates. This is the first time that Norman has ever used profanity on the series.

Bloopers

 * The DEA agent levels a charge of perjury against Alex Romero. He would actually be charged with obstruction of justice or lying to a federal agent. A perjury charge only applies in a courtroom when a witness is under oath. The DEA agent should have known this.

Quotes

 * Norman Bates: What are you gonna do, kill me in the hallway?
 * Alex Romero: No, I'm gonna prove you did it, you piece of shit.

....
 * Norman Bates: I just can't believe she left. She was not supposed to leave me. And I know that they say God has a plan and that we have - and we have to trust that, we have to trust in the plan. Well, it would be nice to know what the hell that plan is. I guess nobody thought telling me that would be important. I'm just supposed to figure this shit out by myself!