Speculation and Predictions

[Avaleigh]

Since we don't have a thread for our speculation and predictions I thought I'd make one.

Questions I've pondered that can start us off:

I'm curious to know how people think the show is going to end. Do people think it will end with the death of Norma or will we get to see the character remain via Norman's visions of her?

Will Dylan and Emma be apart of the final dead pool?

Will we see Norman kill in costume as "mother"?

Who will be the man that Norman kills along with Norma? Romero? This new teacher character? Caleb? Someone we haven't met yet?

What will be the incident that finally makes Norman snap on Norma enough to kill her? Furthermore will Norma and/or Norman ever cross that sexual line that they keep dancing dangerously close to?

Will Norma help Norman cover up any other murders or do we think she was serious when she said that she doesn't think she can do this anymore?

[queenanne]

Hum, in my mind, I think the series ends on someone verbally mentioning the events of the movie.

 

To which movie events they would be alluding, I cannot say, and I suppose it's also dependent a lot on how old Freddie Highmore is and looks at the time the statements are made.

 

Since the movie has "The Sheriff" figure, I do think it's possible Bates Motel-era-ending Romero is a bitterly regretful survivor who knows of and looks back upon the death of Norma and how poor Norman just ain't quite right anymore; but then again, they tricksied it up by introducing the new potential sheriff, so the Sheriff doesn't have to have any particular story resonance if they shake it up.  Plus, I kind of tend to think for "Mother" not to be discovered, there has to be a situation where none of the townspeople want to go near the motel anymore; but that also could happen simply if we have a situation where Norman drives people predisposed to be kind to him away, and I guess does not require a 100% knock-down, all-comity-ending argument between Romero and Norman.

[Avaleigh]

I think Norman is going to kill Caleb.

[BooBear]

As I guess we just heard the series will go 5 seasons... I see them getting Norman help in season 3 or 4... we (and they) will then think he is cured or a lot better... then in late season 4 or 5 we, the audience, will see him backslide into madness while no one else is noticing. Leading to the end.

 

I think perhaps the reason to get him help will be Caleb's death.

[Avaleigh]

I love that this is a prequel and we basically still have no idea what is going to fucking happen. 

 

Here are a few of my current guesses:

 

I think that Norma and Romero are the end game and that they're either going to want to move on and either sell the motel or leave Norman alone with it. Second guess is that they'll want to be together and that they'll want to live in Norma's current house but that Norman will think that they want to send him away for some reason. I think that the history with Romero's mother committing suicide is going to be part of what prompts Romero for wanting to take a firmer line when it comes to Norman and his issues.

 

Regarding Caleb, I feel like he's either going to die saving Dylan and/or Norma--or he's going to be killed by Norman when he wasn't doing anything wrong. I can't shake the feeling that Caleb is going to die in a way that feels unnecessary or in a way that is going to make me feel somewhat sorry for him. Not sure why. Maybe it's the pathetic factor. 

 

Another poster commented on how Dylan often has his hands in his pockets and I've noticed the same body language from Caleb. I wonder if that is intentional on the part of the director and/or actors?

[Avaleigh]

I have no idea if the rumors are true but I just read that Norman supposedly kills Bradley this season. 

 

If that's the case I'm curious as to what it is that's going to set him off. 

 

At first I was thinking that he'd be all furious about seeing Emma and Dylan together but I can't see why he'd take that out on Bradley...unless maybe Bradley brings up the attraction that she and Dylan had. (But they didn't have sex, right?) Even then I still feel like it would take something extra for Norman to go full on psycho on her. 

[Fable]

I have no idea if the rumors are true but I just read that Norman supposedly kills Bradley this season. 

 

If that's the case I'm curious as to what it is that's going to set him off. 

 

At first I was thinking that he'd be all furious about seeing Emma and Dylan together but I can't see why he'd take that out on Bradley...unless maybe Bradley brings up the attraction that she and Dylan had. (But they didn't have sex, right?) Even then I still feel like it would take something extra for Norman to go full on psycho on her. 

 

I haven't read or heard that, but I try to avoid spoilers, but it sounds likely, especially after Monday's episode. 

 

I don't know what will set him off, but I suspect he is going to go full-on "Mother" on her, and given the fact that he has stolen one of Norma's dresses, I won't be surprised if he is wearing it when he kills her. 

[peacheslatour]

From the preview I saw. Bradley is driving with Norman somewhere and he says something like "pull over, Mother wants to talk to you."

[SonofaBiscuit]

I'm not sure of the rules here since each forum is different, and I see that this thread allows spoilers, but it seems to be more for speculating, so I'm going to spoiler tag this stuff just in case (I'll remove the spoiler tags if someone tells me that's OK).

 

From this weeks Ask Ausiello column:

 

Question: After this week’s episode of Bates Motel, I’m definitely going to need some Dylan-Emma scoop. They hit me out of nowhere, but I love it! —Nancy

Ausiello: I’m with you, Nancypants. I am falling hard for that relationship, which, I was surprised to learn from showrunner Kerry Ehrin, was not preordained. “It was one of those things that came out of the organic life of the show and the actors and the storytelling,” she tells me. “It just started to make sense.” On the scoop front, look for the romance to take a swoon-senational turn in next Monday’s sensational finale.

 

Question: Bates Motel finale scoop, please? —Monica

Ausiello: Monday’s closer features the coolest, most significant Psycho homage to date.

[peacheslatour]

^^^^^^Awesome!  Oh god, I can't wait!

[editorgrrl]

On A&E's official blog, Emma snarked "At least he didn't push me into that pit!" after she dumped Norman. So I'm pretty sure that won't happen.

It's also very clear she's crushing hard on Dylan: http://www.aetv.com/bates-motel/emmas-blog/. My favorite line: "Those hound dog eyes and that scruff! I mean he could mix up his jackets every once in while."

Who will be the man that Norman kills along with Norma?

What will be the incident that finally makes Norman snap on Norma enough to kill her?

I've always thought Normero is endgame—he's the only guy with whom Norma hasn't slept. And unlike the rest, Alex looks nothing like Caleb. Also, Norma & Romero have great chemistry.

Edited May 9, 2015 by editorgrrl

[Mick Lady]

An aside...

 

peacheslatour! Thank you for the site "Heart of Haute" you recommended on another thread!

 

I'm going to be broke, but even my husband loves the look!!!

 

Sorry for the detour, but I wanted you to find this.

[peacheslatour]

An aside...

 

peacheslatour! Thank you for the site "Heart of Haute" you recommended on another thread!

 

I'm going to be broke, but even my husband loves the look!!!

 

Sorry for the detour, but I wanted you to find this.

You know that site was linked to me in a Bates Motel  thread on TWoP when I wondered where one could get some of the vintage looks that Norma wears.  I'm glad you like it!  My hubby likes it too :)

[Mick Lady]

You know that site was linked to me in a Bates Motel  thread on TWoP when I wondered where one could get some of the vintage looks that Norma wears.  I'm glad you like it!  My hubby likes it too :)

 

Hee! We both married to men with good taste! After all, they chose us!

 

I miss TWoP, and MBTV, but this place is just as wonderful!

 

I haven't seen the movie in many years, so I don't remember the finer points. Is it possible that Norman didn't kill Norma, and she died some other way? Murdered by someone else perhaps? One of you guys must remember. Also, why wasn't Norman arrested for the murder? Didn't he kill her lover too? Did the town just throw up their hands and say "Screw it. Norman did it, but who wants to bother searching the house"

 

I'll have to watch the movie this weekend...

 

Okay, I just checked out Wiki. Apparently, it was written off as a murder/suicide, until Norman confessed. But can we trust Norman's memory? Apparently, he only killed as his "Mother", and so far (as far as we have seen) doesn't remember these murders.

 

This would make a great twist! Norman thinks he did the murders, but he didn't. It was a murder/suicide! On top of that, what if he didn't kill Miss. Watson, and it really was Norma all along?!

Edited May 10, 2015 by Mick Lady

[radishcake]

Hey guys! Just a note to say that there is no need for spoiler tags in this thread since it's already tagged at the main level. :D

[peacheslatour]

In the movie the shrink asks the LEO's if they have any unsolved missing persons cases and they say "yes, two" and the shrink asks "young girls?" and the LEO"S say "yes" and the shrink tells them to drag the swamp (or he might have said drain).  "Mother" confessed to those as well.  I'm pretty sure Norman is a killer.

Also, I  swear when Norman was submerged in the tub and having all sorts of weird visions we see Norma bashing the dad's head with the blender.  What the hell?

Edited May 10, 2015 by peacheslatour

[editorgrrl]

I swear when Norman was submerged in the tub and having all sorts of weird visions we see Norma bashing the dad's head with the blender. What the hell?

Since the box, Norman thinks Norma's a killer—not him.

[Mick Lady]

In the movie the shrink asks the LEO's if they have any unsolved missing persons cases and they say "yes, two" and the shrink asks "young girls?" and the LEO"S say "yes" and the shrink tells them to drag the swamp (or he might have said drain).  "Mother" confessed to those as well.  I'm pretty sure Norman is a killer.

Also, I  swear when Norman was submerged in the tub and having all sorts of weird visions we see Norma bashing the dad's head with the blender.  What the hell?

 

This fits my theory exactly! (Mick btw, thinks I'm insane. His reaction? "You didn't post that crazy idea, did you?!")

I'm running with it. Norma did kill her husband, but put the guilt on Norman. Norma actually killed Miss. Watson too. Don't ask me to explain how she got to Miss Watson's place, or even knew where she lived, these are small details I'll let you guys figure out. I'm just the big picture genius here..

 

So, when Norma and her lover die, it is a murder suicide, and that pushes Norman to become Norma, and kill in her memory!

 

The two missing girls from the movie? Can't be Bradley, everyone thinks she's dead already. So who else is going to die?

 

For the record, I am not going insane from losing Mad Men and Breaking Bad, or Saul and Vikings ending their season. I'm not, I swear.

Edited May 10, 2015 by Mick Lady

[editorgrrl]

The two missing girls from the movie? Can't be Bradley, everyone thinks she's dead already. So who else is going to die?

Norman Bates was 26 in Psycho, so I doubt we've met either of the two missing girls yet. But then again, I don't know how much earlier they disappeared.

Are the sequels canon? Because Norma has a sister, Emma, in Psycho II and III—but not IV.

Edited May 10, 2015 by editorgrrl

[gingerhorsesnaps]

So Entertaiment Weekly revealed that the season finale's body count will be between 1-3. Yikes!

 

Also, here are 10 teasers/hints about the finale. They're a little more specific (but not very detailed) than other information we've gotten, so I'm going to just link it just in case.

[Mick Lady]

From gingerhorsesnaps link;

 

 

Here are 10 teasers to get fans and viewers excited about what the Season 3 finale holds in store:

(1)  Not only does “Mother” make an appearance, she has a lot to say.

(2)  Sheriff Romero’s (Nestor Carbonell) entanglement with the DEA and Bob Paris (Kevin Rahm) gets thorny and takes a turn no one expected.

(3) It comes out that Emma (Olivia Cooke) is more scared of living, than dying.

(4) Norma (Vera Farmiga) finally believes Norman is seeing dead people, and takes matters into her own hands.

(5)  There is a smokin’ hot kiss, which is best described as:  tender, lingering and beautiful.

(6) Something very bad and very violent happens after that kiss.

(7)  Never forget that BATES MOTEL is more chilling thriller than romance.

(8)  A body is dragged into the basement.

(9)  There is still that undercurrent of desire between Norma and Romero — and things may be heating back up for them.

(10) Dylan (Max Thieriot) makes a decision that will change everything.

With those heart-clutching teasers in mind, be sure to tune in for the Season 3 finale of BATES MOTEL on Monday, May 11th at 9:00 p.m. on A&E.  Tick, tick, tick, time has run out for more than one person — time to say goodbye

 

So, I'm guessing 5, 6, and 8 are related? .

Edited May 10, 2015 by Mick Lady

[editorgrrl]

My speculation:

3. Emma doesn't want the lung transplant.

4. Norma finds out about Bradley—and we (the viewers) find out if she's a hallucination.

5. Dylemma kiss.

6. Something violent happens after the kiss. It doesn't say "because of"—just after.

[Fuzzy Logic]

I think #8 is in reference to Norma dragging an unconscious Norman into the basement (as seen in the preview).  'Body' does not have to mean 'dead body.' 

 

The very bad, very violent event of #8 is making me nervous for Emma.  I wish we knew if that actress was on board for next season.  I can see it now:  Dylan and Emma have heartfelt scene, Emma embraces a chance at living, BIG KISS, then - bam - bye, Emma.  Probably happening at Dylan's homestead construction site...after all, how many times has Emma mentioned how beautiful it is there?  Beautiful enough for a death scene, Emma?  Ugh.  Now I want someone to talk me out of this scenario.  Let's sacrifice a suddenly reappearing Caleb instead.

[Mick Lady]

editorgrrl, I think you're on to something with #4.

 

But what if Bradley is alive, but Norma doesn't believe Norman, if he's the one to tell her?

 

Wasn't there a part in the spoiler where Norman and Emma are in the car and Norman says something along the lines of "Mother wants to talk to you"?

 

This blows my whole (wild) theory out of the water,(Norman has yet to kill anyone), so I'm torn about this.

 

I'm gonna miss this damn show, and all the wonderful people who post here!

[gingerhorsesnaps]

The very bad, very violent event of #6 is making me nervous for Emma.  I wish we knew if that actress was on board for next season.  I can see it now:  Dylan and Emma have heartfelt scene, Emma embraces a chance at living, BIG KISS, then - bam - bye, Emma.  Probably happening at Dylan's homestead construction site...after all, how many times has Emma mentioned how beautiful it is there?  Beautiful enough for a death scene, Emma?  Ugh.  Now I want someone to talk me out of this scenario.  Let's sacrifice a suddenly reappearing Caleb instead.

 

ooof I can see it now...Chick goes to the site to get revenge for the beat down he got last time, some kind of fight happens, and poor Emma ends up being the innocent bystander.Though I do remember reading that Carlton Cuse said that Dylemma fans would be happy with future episodes about a week or two ago...but I suppose it's possible that he was excluding the season finale when he said that lol. Now I'M nervous!

Edited May 11, 2015 by gingerhorsesnaps

[editorgrrl]

The very bad, very violent event of #8 is making me nervous for Emma. I wish we knew if that actress was on board for next season. I can see it now: Dylan and Emma have heartfelt scene, Emma embraces a chance at living, BIG KISS, then—bam—bye, Emma.

Probably happening at Dylan's homestead construction site...after all, how many times has Emma mentioned how beautiful it is there? Beautiful enough for a death scene, Emma?

Ugh. Now I want someone to talk me out of this scenario. Let's sacrifice a suddenly reappearing Caleb instead.

I think you talked yourself out of it at the end there. Remember Uncle/Dad Caleb falling & bouncing off that expensive timber he forced upon his nephew/son? Another poster said he looked just like Family Guy's Peter Griffin.

That was the most tragic scene to ever happen at Dylan's farm.

[SonofaBiscuit]

Hmm.  I wonder what decision Dylan makes that changes everything.  

 

I'm wondering if the very bad violent thing that happens has something to do with that Chick guy getting ripped off.  Maybe he's going to beat the crap out of either Caleb or Dylan.  Or the very bad violent thing could involve Bradley.  I think that she's a goner for sure...her appearance last week seemed pretty pointless.  Whatever happens, I think that it's likely that Bradley, Bob, and maybe Caleb all wind up dead.  Dylan might get beat up, but I think that he's safe, and so is Emma.  

[turbogirlnyc]

Hmm. I wonder what decision Dylan makes that changes everything.

I'm wondering if the very bad violent thing that happens has something to do with that Chick guy getting ripped off. Maybe he's going to beat the crap out of either Caleb or Dylan. Or the very bad violent thing could involve Bradley. I think that she's a goner for sure...her appearance last week seemed pretty pointless. Whatever happens, I think that it's likely that Bradley, Bob, and maybe Caleb all wind up dead. Dylan might get beat up, but I think that he's safe, and so is Emma.

*crosses fingers* Please let Dylan & Emma make it through this season alive! Caleb, Bradley, Chic & Bob Paris are totally disposable at this point.

[Solzhenknitsyn]

My specific predictions, based on gingerhorsesnaps' link:

 

(1) Mother has a lot to say about sex and bad girls. She articulates the standard for Norman's future victims. First up: Bradley.

(2) Bob Paris offs the DEA agent and tries to pin it on Romero. Romero offs Paris, but remains under suspicion for the DEA agent's death.

(3) Emma finds out that Dylan risked his life for her lung transplant. This scares her, because she doesn't want to admit that she digs him. She tries to reject the money.

(4) Norman goes into a homicidal trance and kills Bradley. Norma witnesses it. Norma knocks Norman unconscious, dumps Bradley's body in the swamp, and concocts a bizarre cover story for Norman.

(5) - (7) Romero and the DEA agent kiss before Paris offs her. OR, Romero and Paris kiss before Romero offs him. OR, Romero and Norma kiss. As Romero staggers away, blinded by the sheer intensity of the kiss, Norman offs Bradley, etc. (see (4), supra). OR, At the pot farm, Dylan and Emma kiss. Then Chick shows up.

(8) Norma's bizarre cover story involves Norman knocking himself unconscious while cleaning out the basement.

(9) Romero tells Norma that Paris is dead. She says, "Thank you for offing him. I knew you'd come through for me." They stare longingly at each other.

(10) Chick starts shooting at Dylan, Emma, and Gunner. Caleb shows up and starts shooting back. At a crucial moment, Dylan decides to save Emma rather than Caleb. Caleb dies to protect his son, thereby finding redemption. Emma realizes that life is precious and accepts the lung transplant after all. Viewers weep. :)

Edited May 11, 2015 by Solzhenknitsyn

[Mick Lady]

I'm not sure of the rules here since each forum is different, and I see that this thread allows spoilers, but it seems to be more for speculating, so I'm going to spoiler tag this stuff just in case (I'll remove the spoiler tags if someone tells me that's OK).

 

From this weeks Ask Ausiello column:

 

Question: After this week’s episode of Bates Motel, I’m definitely going to need some Dylan-Emma scoop. They hit me out of nowhere, but I love it! —Nancy

Ausiello: I’m with you, Nancypants. I am falling hard for that relationship, which, I was surprised to learn from showrunner Kerry Ehrin, was not preordained. “It was one of those things that came out of the organic life of the show and the actors and the storytelling,” she tells me. “It just started to make sense.” On the scoop front, look for the romance to take a swoon-senational turn in next Monday’s sensational finale.

 

Question: Bates Motel finale scoop, please? —Monica

Ausiello: Monday’s closer features the coolest, most significant Psycho homage to date.

 

Most significant homage? I'm thinking Bradley's car goes into the swamp. Isn't pulling Marion's car from the swamp one of the last shots in Psycho?

[turbogirlnyc]

Most significant homage? I'm thinking Bradley's car goes into the swamp. Isn't pulling Marion's car from the swamp one of the last shots in Psycho?

Not sure about the movie as it's been a long while. But if that's the case, awesome guess and/or speculation!

[Mick Lady]

Not sure about the movie as it's been a long while. But if that's the case, awesome guess and/or speculation!

 

Why, thank you turbogirlnyc ! You've just made my day

[BatmanBeatles]

 

Isn't pulling Marion's car from the swamp one of the last shots in Psycho?

Yes.

[Avaleigh]

Good job for calling what the homage would be, Mick Lady!

 

As for my predictions for next season I think that Norman is going to get increasingly confused and that vision Norma is going to become more and more of a character. I think it's possible that vision Norma will say and do a bunch of things that Norman wants of the real Norma and that Norman will be confused, frustrated, and angry when the real Norma isn't behaving in the way that he expects her to. 

 

I also think that Norman will have problems with Dylan and Emma and that Norman will respond by firing Emma from working at the motel. He'll become more and more isolated this way and consequently spend more time with "mother". 

[Miss Chevious]

When is Norman making the peephole in the office? Maybe next season.

[Potanical Pardon]

Hmm, the way this is going it looks like it's going to be Norma becoming more and more afraid of Norman and distancing herself from him (as much as she can, though she will still be drawn towards protecting him) while Norman sees Norma's behavior towards him as un-Motherlike and starting to believe Norma's the fraud while Mother is the genuine article. I'm sure Norma will try to figure out how to get him committed or whatever, but the costs and being afraid to lose the Motel, getting into trouble as she always does, and whatever other reason Norma gives herself will make her rationalize somehow keeping him out of any institutions.

 

If Psycho is still totally canon, then the psychiatrist's narration should still hold true mentioning how Norman killing Norma and Chet/boyfriend was the only kill Norman admitted to participate in with the strychnine. But the show's looking like end-game has a Norma vs. Mother ending. I suppose it can be argued that Norman would still be trying to protect Mother (however he/they rationalizes it being actually meaningful) by taking the blame.

 

I guess "Chet" can be Romero. It's not a dealbreaker for the showrunners to change that character's name. He's in the circle now of knowing Norman's capable of murder, though not completely in yet knowing about the insanity stuff, but I can see him finding out and inviting himself to move in with Norma to both protect her and play along with whatever ridiculous plan she has since he's forever whipped by her manipulations.

 

Also, I really hope the fallout from the Paris stuff includes Romero losing his position, doesn't matter if he's fired or not re-elected. I also can't imagine that his father won't be coming back into the narrative somehow causing trouble. That way we can get Arbogast to enter the show as the town's finally honest and clean sheriff...who can later be framed and disgraced by the corrupt town businesses so he can be a PI by the time of Psycho. No changing his name, which would be a dealbreaker.

 

ETA: Upon post fact-checking, I now realize "Chet" was never in Psycho, but was created in Psycho IV retroactively. Neither was the strychnine. I also rewatched the ending of Psycho, and it's not exactly stated that Norman admitted to killing Norma and "a man" she met. The psychiatrist did begin his "Here's what happened" with not being able to get Norman to say anything/admit anything to him, as well as saying how Norman was now fully taken over by the dominant Mother personality. So that means that according to Mother, Norma and an unnamed man who may or may not be her boyfriend/Romero/whoever were killed by Norman. Mother's inner monologue at the end mentions how horrible it is to have to lay all the blame on Norman to the cops, but that she had to. And yes, my brain hurts trying to figure out how Mother could explain to the psychiatrist her own murder without realizing that it doesn't make any sense even in her believed reality. So yeah, amazingly the doctor was able to parse through Mother's blame of Norman for all crimes that the Mother personality did all the killing while Norman did the clean-up/cover-up.

Edited May 13, 2015 by Tandaemonium

[editorgrrl]

 I rewatched the ending of Psycho, and it's not exactly stated that Norman admitted to killing Norma and "a man" she met. The psychiatrist did begin his "Here's what happened" with not being able to get Norman to say anything/admit anything to him, as well as saying how Norman was now fully taken over by the dominant Mother personality. So that means that according to Mother, Norma and an unnamed man who may or may not be her boyfriend/Romero/whoever were killed by Norman. Mother's inner monologue at the end mentions how horrible it is to have to lay all the blame on Norman to the cops, but that she had to.

 

And yes, my brain hurts trying to figure out how Mother could explain to the psychiatrist her own murder without realizing that it doesn't make any sense even in her believed reality. So yeah, amazingly the doctor was able to parse through Mother's blame of Norman for all crimes that the Mother personality did all the killing while Norman did the clean-up/cover-up.

 

This makes a lot of sense. Norma stabbed Keith Summers to death, and Norman helped her dispose of the body in the lake. Now Norman helps Mother dispose of her victims—and he even had a "flashback" of Mother clocking his father with a blender. (Which happened before the rape/murder.)

[Avaleigh]

I forgot about the peephole. Yep. That's the next creepy step. In fact, I wonder if somebody finding out about him making and using the peephole is going to lead to some shit. Whether it's Norma, Dylan, Emma, or a guest of the motel, I feel like somebody will find out about that and that Norman/"mother" won't respond well at all. 

 

I also think that while it's true that vision!Norma and Norman are getting closer, it won't be surprising if they end up having difficulties as well because of vision!Norma's level of aggressiveness in general. Vision!Norma is more obvious with the sexual angle between her and Norman and while Norman seems to be rejecting it now I think at some point this is going to change and that this is all going to lead to the masturbatory fantasies that the character ends up indulging in. I won't be surprised if somebody (likely Dylan or Norma) catches Norman masturbating without having any idea that it's even more messed up than what they're already thinking.

 

I'm still unclear as to whether or not Norman understands that he's hallucinated Norma at times. In the finale he seemed like he legitimately had no clue that vision!Norma was a hallucination. In the scene where Norman imagines her in the basement though and she seems like she's about to kiss him, he freaks out and it's like he knows that she isn't really there and that this is part of his increasingly sick imagination. The reason I bring this up is I wonder if Norman will ever kill vision!Norma only to have her pop back up again as though it didn't happen. I wonder if Norman could get to the point where he's so far gone that he ends up attacking Norma thinking that he's attacking one of his hallucinations only for it to turn out to be her. 

 

Anyway, just throwing some stuff out there. This is definitely the show I'm going to miss the most while it's away. 

[Orion]

Super excited that they have started filming for Season 4.

 

Looks like we are going to get to see Emma in the hospital after her transplant.

 

 

https://twitter.com/solace76/status/675353226250612737/photo/1

[FurryFury]

They've cast Jaime Ray Newman as Alex's ex who still carries a torch for him. Intriguing. I like the actress, but, for some reason, think she'll play a psycho of some sort (it's not like the show needs any more though...)

[Avaleigh]

Regarding a potential spoiler mentioned in the episode 7 thread, (I'm spoiler tagging just in case even though this is all pure speculation)

 

Yeah, there's no way in hell that Norman won't flip out at the idea of Norma having another child. He'd flip and never get over it. He's already jealous of Dylan and Dylan wasn't even the favorite child.

 

I feel sorry for Norma because I know she wants to be able to have the chance to have a child with a man that she's actually in love with and start over and actually experience a happy and complete family for once in her life. At the same time, based on everything that is going on in her life and Romero's I feel like it doesn't necessarily seem wise for them to bring a kid into that situation. Still, I sympathize with her wanting the chance to finally do it right and be happy.

 

I still struggle with how suspicion won't zero in on Norman right away. He just doesn't seem like he'd be able to cover his tracks by committing a murder in the home. (I'm assuming it happens in their house or at the motel.) Plus, the original Psycho movie had the benefit of taking place in a time before DNA and a bunch of other things that would be instant tip offs. I'd initially assumed that Romero's ex was brought on because she's somehow going to end up being framed for double and that will be the thing to take the heat off of Norman, but then I remembered that according to the original movie it's supposed to look like a murder suicide with IIRC Norma being the one to kill her new husband/lover. (I can't recall if they were supposed to have been married in the original film. 

 

I further speculate that Dylan will continue to be suspicious about what happened with Emma's mother but won't have proof and will initially keep quiet for that reason. I think it's going to take another incident of weirdness or violence to get Dylan to talk about what he knows. Once Dylan has the suspicion in his mind, how does it go away to keep Norman from being caught since we know Norman ultimately gets away with it until he kills the people in the original Psycho movie. To me this suggests that Dylan is either killed or chooses to flee and never say anything. Knowing what a good guy Dylan is (drug dealing aside) I can't believe that he'd refrain from telling the police what he knows if he genuinely suspects him of murder. I think that Dylan will outlive Norma but I don't think he's making it out of this show alive. 

 

I'm on the fence about how Emma will die but I can't see her surviving for the same reason I can't see Dylan surviving. I think that Emma's chances for survival are greater than Dylan's but not much. It depends on what all she knows but if she knows too much, 'Mother' is definitely going to see her as a threat. 

[X2 No Relief]

I love Bates Motel, but now it's getting to the point where I'm depressed when I watch because I can see everything starting to unfold and it isn't going to end pretty. This all started when Norman killed off Bradley in last season. Unfortunately we all know how Bates is going to end because we've seen Psycho. And that kind of makes me upset, I would have rather been surprised. I like Dylan and Emma. I don't think they deserve to be killed, but it looks like everyone is going to be killed off. And I guess that will be the finale of next season, right? Next season is schedule to be the finale with the network I'm assuming?

 

Is there any upside? I feel like right now I'm watching a sick serial killer movie. I mean of course that's what Psycho is, though I thought Psycho was somewhat comical, but this has even more depth than Psycho and is almost starting to become offensively disturbing. Are there any other possible outcomes than Norman just killing the rest of the characters one by one? I'm disturbed, but I'm not surprised anymore. That's the problem. Just disturbing, yet very predicable. 

[Fable]

I'm probably being delusional, but I am guessing that none of the key players will die before all is said and done.  If Norma, Romero, Dylan or Emma meet their demise, I think it will be in the last few episodes of the series, and further, I'm not even sure any of them will die at all during the series run.  I think the show runners may end it with a question mark, leaving us to speculate on how things turned out the way that they did.  

[peacheslatour]

Well, I guess when you go into a show, knowing the outcome in advance there will be predictability. I don't know what else we should expect.

[truthaboutluv]

33 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

Well, I guess when you go into a show, knowing the outcome in advance there will be predictability. I don't know what else we should expect.

This. Because if the writers tried to flip the script or I don't know drag out forever Norman's being full on batshit, Norman Bates we meet in Psycho, many people would call foul. I remember some people saying it would be a copout after Season 1, if the writers made it so that Norman didn't kill Ms. Watson, since the season ended on a cliffhanger. Some felt to do that would be betraying what we the audience all know is eventually going to happen with him and who he eventually becomes. The reality is we're watching a show about the earlier years of a character that we know to have eventually become so batshit crazy that he was killing people as his mother who he'd long murdered and had stuff in a rocking chair.

This can't go anywhere but a very dark and depressing place. Yeah, I get that it is sad and sucks because we got to meet Norman as a seemingly decent kid. Sure he snapped and murdered his father but dude was an abusive asshole and Norman had no awareness of doing so. So it sucks to see him descend completely into madness where he's now full blown dangerous, violent, manipulative and a killer. But as the post above says, we all knew what the outcome would be before the first episode aired. 

Edited April 27, 2016 by truthaboutluv

[X2 No Relief]

So are all characters going to get killed? Any chance that Dylan makes it out and has his own spin off?

[truthaboutluv]

While I can see Dylan surviving (except I'm not sure how that would work because we know Norman eventually murders Norma and likely Romero and Dylan knows Norman is unstable so I can't imagine he would not be suspicious that Norman did it. Of course I guess then it's a matter of proving it), I'm not sure there is anything compelling enough about his story that would warrant a spin off. And I like Dylan. 

[peacheslatour]

15 hours ago, truthaboutluv said:

While I can see Dylan surviving (except I'm not sure how that would work because we know Norman eventually murders Norma and likely Romero and Dylan knows Norman is unstable so I can't imagine he would not be suspicious that Norman did it. Of course I guess then it's a matter of proving it), I'm not sure there is anything compelling enough about his story that would warrant a spin off. And I like Dylan. 

All I can do is go back the source material "Psycho", the book by Robert Bloch about Ed Gein. Ed Gein had a brother who died under mysterious circumstances. If Norman kills Dylan, it will have to be before he murders Norma and Romero. If it's like the book, Norman will not be suspected because it happened while they were fighting a brush fire on their property and the authorities called it heart failure, however it was reported later that he had bruises on his head. The authorities only looked at Ed for it after they discovered the other murders.

[Avaleigh]

I'm still leaning towards Norma and Romero dying before Dylan. I can see Norma still stubbornly sticking her head in the sand if Dylan were to die mysteriously but not Romero. He already basically has Norman's number. He doesn't know quite how bad it is but he isn't under any illusions about Norman's violent side. I feel like he'd be all over Norman and that Norman would be committed or arrested again faster than he could blink. 

I think from a storyline perspective it makes sense for Norma and Alex to accidentally die (or maybe it's seen as a suicide) and Dylan (and possibly Emma) being adamant but unable to prove that something isn't right and that Norman was likely involved. 

I'm still confused about the angle that they're going with regarding Romero's ex lover. At first I thought that she would somehow be implicated in the deaths of Norma and Romero but now that they gave us that line about the gas, I don't see how she could be thought to be involved in that for a multitude of reasons. 

My other thought is that she's going to cave and implicate Romero and if Romero has a trial (and possibly murder) hanging over his head that this will be the ostensible reason for the double suicide or murder/suicide only of course it'll be Norman who ends up killing them. 

I will say that I'm less convinced than I was this season that Norma and Romero will die this season since we only have a couple of episodes left. I just remembered that we still have the death of the psychiatrist (assuming that happens) and I feel that it's unlikely we'll get three murders in two episodes. 

I agree too that it seems likely that Norma could be pregnant. It would be just like this show to give her that bit of hope and happiness only to have everything ultimately be snatched away by another one of the men in her life. 

Edited May 3, 2016 by Avaleigh

[Guest]

I've been dreading the death of all these good characters but now I'm flashing back to a Lost podcast where Carlton Cuse talked about Sawyer killing a tree frog and how they're very careful with animal deaths because viewers are easily turned off, so they couldn't kill Vincent the dog, for instance.  I can't see that show runner having Emma get murdered by Norman right after a successful lung transplant.

So now I'm thinking we'll fear for Dylemma for a bit but in the end they'll escape to Washington, probably in a huff over Norma not facing the facts about Norman probably having killed Emma's mom.  And they'll sever all ties, conveniently saving their lives and allowing Norman to get away with killing Norma. 

And ditto for Romero.  He's too likable to be Norman-fodder.  So I'm guessing he'll go to prison and be conveniently out of the picture when Norma dies. It won't match the movie but who knows, maybe Norma has another lover coming once Alex is shipped off, one we won't like as much and won't mind seeing killed.