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"Goodnight, Mother" is the second episode of the fourth season of Bates Motel. It aired on March 14, 2016.

Synopsis

Norma and Norman each think that the other has committed a terrible deed. Dylan thinks about his future with Emma. Romero makes a choice that has a dramatic impact on the Bates family.

Summary

The following morning, Norma phones Gregg Edwards with a request to have Norman admitted to Pineview under his care. She then tells Norman that he had another blackout and fell asleep. He questions her about her leaving him locked in her bedroom but she lies, telling him she went to buy groceries and says she will prepare breakfast. While he's washing his face, he pictures Norma attempting to bury Audrey Decody before dragging her body down to the basement and placing it in the freezer but when Audrey opens her eyes, he snaps back to reality. While having breakfast, he wonders why Norma is being so secretive and she just tells him to eat his breakfast.

At the hospital in Portland, Emma's tube is removed so that she can start breathing unaided. She has a bit of difficulty at first but then relaxes. Norman approches Norma with the suggestion of watching a film but she tells him she needs to go down to the motel since a guest checked out and she hadn't time as she was looking after him. He says he didn't see anyone down there and she tells him he was blacked out for 24 hours, before saying she'll be right back.

Norman heads down to the basement where he finds his taxidermy out and approaches the freezer, only to find it empty. When Norma returns, she goes down to the basement where she finds Norman next to the freezer. She questions why the taxidermy is out and he suggests that it's because someone took them out to make room for something else - something bigger. He tells her he knows why she locked him in her room and she tells him she told him why, but he says she needs to start being honest with him so that he can get her help. He asks her where she put Audrey and says he knows she had her in the freezer. Norma says she checked out and Norman says she probably hid her luggage somewhere. He tells her that he will always love her and that he thinks she needs to let him handle things from now on. She reassures him that everything will be okay and hugs him.

Romero calls to the house as he wanted to check if everything was fine. Norma says it is and he reminds her that she showed up at his house and proposed to him for insurance. She dismisses it as a silly request and he tells her she has to get the pit filled in as it's dangerous. She says she needs to get Norman into Pineview and Romero asks her if she's afraid of being in the house alone with him, saying that if she's scared she should let him know. He goes home and removes some money from under the fireplace. He heads to Pineview where he meets with Vicki Monroe, who tells him about the waiting list. He says that Norman has to be admitted, and gives her the money, telling her that after a couple months Norman can be added on his insurance. When Vicki asks if Norman is related to him, Romero says that he is marrying Norma.

As Norman reads from "Great Expectations", Norma looks out the window at the pit as she has a vision of Audrey being buried before stopping him reading. She advises him to head upstairs and rest as she has chores to do and he tells her he can help her, but she says she can manage on her own. Heading outside, she climbs down into the pit, trudging through the dirty water, and comes across a glove. A car pulls up as new guests arrive and Norma climbs up out of the pit to be confronted by Norman, who asks what she was doing.  He says he will check the new guests in before they get into an argument and he grabs her arm. He tells her he needs to protect her and that she should go up to the house and change, saying he's not above making a scene.

As Norman checks the new guests in, Norma receives a call from Romero, who tells her that he has managed to get Norman into Pineview and he'll marry her if she still wants him to. Norma says she doesn't know how to thank him and he tells her that Pineview are sending some papers. Since Norman is eighteen he needs to sign a consent form, saying he gave them the motel fax number and Norma realizes Norman is down there. As he finishes checking the guests in, the papers come through and when they leave, he hears the sound of the fax machine and finds the forms.

As Will and Dylan have a coffee, Dylan asks him about his time as a professor and says that he never got to go to college. Will wants to say thanks for him being there for Emma and if she makes it through her ordeal she is going to have a future. He also mentions that if the two of them are going to be together he has to think of something else than selling pot as he's too good to be doing that. Dylan goes to see Emma, who says she feels better and thanks him for coming. He says she can do anything now and tells her he has to get back to the farm. She asks if he'll be back and says she wants him to come back.

As Norman sits in the office looking at the consent forms, he hallucinates his father who says that Norma has always been crazy. Norman tells him he's not really there, asking him to leave, as he has a memory of striking his father with the blender. Sam says he didn't kill him but Norman says he did like Norma had told him. Sam says it was Norma who killed him and that she lied to him. He tells Norman that he needs to control his mother before she destroys him. Norman leaves to go back up to the house and Norma, who has been waiting for him to leave, goes in but finds that the papers have already arrived and that they're gone.

When she arrives back at the house she finds Norman in the kitchen and he asks where she's been. She decides to prepare dinner but he refuses to leave her alone as he doesn't trust her, believing she's not in her right mind. As Norma eats her dinner, he sits in silence opposite her and starts to creep her out. He approaches her, saying there's something dark in her and it needs to be stopped. He says he knows she killed Audrey and attempted to cover her tracks in the pit. He also believes she killed Blaire Watson and Bradley since she was jealous of them as well as killing his father. Getting angrier, he says she's trying to blame him so that he can be locked up and he won't allow her to do that. She flees from the table and he chases her upstairs. She runs into her room but can't find the gun under her mattress. Norman has it and Norma asks him to give it to her. He says he can't and she cautiously approaches him, trying to kiss him as she reaches for the gun. However, he refuses to give it over and Norma runs into Dylan's room, barricading herself as she phones Romero for help.

Sometime later, she emerges from the room and checks if the coast is clear as she heads downstairs. She finds the laptop turned on, playing a DVD, and grabs a scissors. Going down to the basement, she comes face-to-face with Norman, who tells her the best way to get to her was to ignore her. He says he found the consent forms and that he's not going to let her lock him up as he's not the one doing crazy things. She tells him he has to trust her but he says he doesn't. She says Pineview is a nice place and all he has to do is sign the consent forms but Norman says he can't leave her to run amok. He aims the gun at her, and from his line of speech, he intends on killing himself and her so that they'll always be together. As Romero arrives, Norma apologizes to Norman and says she had to contact him. She takes the gun and tells Romero he won't sign the papers. As Norman is being led away, she grabs the forms and runs after him, pleading with him to sign the forms. After a few seconds, he finally does and Romero takes him away.

Cast

Main Cast

Guest Stars

Also Starring

Notes

  • This episode was watched by 1.45 million viewers.

Music

Song Title Performer(s)
Chicago Style Bob Hope & Bing Crosby

Videos

Gallery

Promotional Pictures



Season 4
#401 "A Danger to Himself and Others" #406 "The Vault"
#402 "Goodnight, Mother" #407 "There's No Place Like Home"
#403 "'Til Death Do You Part" #408 "Unfaithful"
#404 "Lights of Winter" #409 "Forever"
#405 "Refraction" #410 "Norman"
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