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"The Man in Number 9" is the seventh episode of the first season of Bates Motel. It aired on April 29, 2013.

Synopsis[]

As the Bates Motel welcomes its first guest, Norman learns that even popular girls come with many complications.

Summary[]

Bates-episode7

Romero arrives at the motel, and takes the smoking gun away from Dylan; however, instead of arresting him, he leads Norma, Norman, and Dylan into the house to ask them what happened. Norma tells him the full story of everything that went on since they moved in, while Romero patches up Dylan's arm wound. Romero mysteriously decides to change the story and tells them that they are not to tell anyone what really happened. Instead, his version will go on the record: he caught and killed Shelby in a gunfight when Dylan had actually done it. Norma is relieved, but Dylan is frustrated that he won't get any credit for killing Shelby. The next morning Norman has vivid dreams of him and Bradley sleeping together in his bedroom, showing that he does want to continue an intimate relationship with her. She worries that Norma will hear but he reassures her saying to, "trust me ". They continue for a few moments until interrupted by Norma opening the door asking what Norman is doing. That is when it is revealed to be a dream, a rather interesting dream as we see Norman make some "adjustments" under the covers while Norma opens the curtains, admiring the birds. They continue a casual conversation.

Dylan informs Norma that when his arm heals, he is going to move into the house that he bought, and still wants Norman to come with him. Outside, he meets Jake Abernathy, who asks where Keith Summers is. Dylan informs him that Keith is dead, and Jake drives away. Jake later tries to get into the motel, but can not due to not having a key. Norma says that the motel is still under renovation, but she can give him the key and let him be the first guest if he doesn't mind the renovation. He accepts.

Bates-motel-season-1-episode-7-the-man-in-number-9-1

Emma wants to see Norman, but he asks Norma to tell her that he isn't feeling well. Norma eventually gives in and tells a disappointed Emma, but decides to take Emma on a car ride with her to cheer her up. Emma mentions Bradley to Norma, causing Norma in a panic to ask for more information. Emma tells Norma about Bradley, but Norma assumes that Emma is overreacting and says, "She's a teenage girl, she can't really be all that". Emma says that Bradley has a yoga class in town that day, and Norma decides to go and watch to see if Emma truly was overreacting. She is shocked to see that Bradley is the same girl who showed up at the door one day asking for Norman, and has a mental image of Bradley and Norman having sex with one another. She hires Emma to work at the motel.

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Norman finds a stray dog and names it "Juno", growing close to it very quickly. Norma and Norman talk about dogs before the conversation turns more serious. Norman angrily leaves and goes to Bradley's house, where Bradley tells him that they aren't a couple and that she doesn't "feel that way" about him. Rage clearly swells up inside him, and he runs off, but Bradley runs after him and embraces him in a hug. He goes home, and is devastated to see Juno be hit by a car. Norma tries to comfort him, but he tells her to go to Emma's house, as her father, Will Decody, is a taxidermist. Norma agrees after a moment and runs to the car, while Norman cradles a dead Juno in his arms, crying.

Cast[]

Main Cast[]

Guest Stars[]

Also Starring[]

Notes[]

  • This episode was watched by 2.99 million viewers.
  • While arguing with his mother, Norman says that he's nearly 18 years old, meaning that he was born in the fall and in the final season episode The Convergence of the Twain it is revealed that the majority of this season took place in 2012.
  • When Norman storms off from Bradley's house, it appears that he breaks the fourth wall right before she finally catches up to him.

Episode Guide[]

107 Episode Guide 1

Sheriff Romero responds to Norma's 911 call and finds Deputy Shelby dead on the steps of the Bates Motel. He goes inside with Norma, Norman and Dylan and tells them what the new story will be. He discovered that Shelby and Summers were involved with some shady business, and he put an end to it. Dylan is annoyed at not having his efforts acknowledged, but Norma and Norman are delighted to have their troubles behind them.

Despite the nice breakfast Norma makes for him, Dylan says he's still moving out. He takes out the trash and finds a strange man looking at the motel who asks him about Keith Summers. Dylan tells him that Summers is dead, and the man drives away.

While working outside, Norman discovers a stray dog. He tries to lure it to him with food, but the dog runs away. At school, Norman sees Bradley. They talk briefly, but she seems distant.

Norma stops at a local restaurant to do some networking, but the owner doesn't want to associate with the Bates Motel's already tainted reputation. Norma returns to the motel and is morosely reviewing her lack of reservations when she spots a man trying to get into room 9. She confronts him and learns that his name is Jake Abernathy and he had a standing reservation at the Seafairer. She gets him a new key and he enters room 9.

Dylan returns home and offers to get Abernathy's info. He grills Abernathy but only learns that he works in "sales" before the creepy man pays in cash and shuts the door. Dylan brings the cash to Norma who is busy trying to scrub Shelby's blood from the stone walkway. Dylan tries to convince her it's futile, but she's determined to save the motel's reputation, and tired of being reminded of Shelby and his gruesome end.

The next day, Emma stops by to see Norman, but he doesn't want to hang out with her. Norma asks Emma if she would like to help her run some errands instead. As they drive, they talk about Norman and Emma tells Norma about his crush on Bradley. They go to spy on Bradley at her yoga class, and Norma is shocked to discover that this girl is, as Emma states, "A locomotive of sexual energy."

That night, Norman tries to convince his mother to let him keep "Juno," the stray dog. She reluctantly agrees, then says they need to talk. She tells him that sex is a serious thing and he shouldn't be "screwing" Bradley. Norman insists that he truly cares for her, and that they're together. When Norma scoffs at him, Norman storms out of the house.

Norman goes to Bradley's house where he pours his heart out to her, only to discover she doesn't feel the same. He leaves, and Bradley follows. Norman seems to be in a trance, repeating phrases his mother said earlier about Bradley. She catches up to him and he tells her that he doesn't think she's a nice girl. Bradley hugs him and the tension is dispelled. Norman runs home.

As he approaches the motel, he sees Juno across the street. Juno runs to Norman and is hit and killed by a passing car. Norma runs out, thinking Norman may have been hurt. He is fine, but he tells her that he's going to see Emma's dad, the taxidermist, because he can "fix dead things." Norma refuses until Norman breaks down and apologizes, saying that she was right about everything. She goes to get the car as Norman clutches Juno to his chest.

Production Notes[]

107 Production Notes 1

Juno stay! Staaaaaaaay!

The director and producers met with several potential "Junos," but the determining factor was based on the availability of existing "stuffies" (dog dummies) since the poor pup gets run over in this episode. To build a stuffy from scratch would have taken too long, but luckily there were a couple existing stuffies in town. One option matched a german shepherd, and the other matched a terrier, so production worked backwards and auditioned some real life dogs that looked like the stuffies. Ultimately, they ended up casting a talented terrier named Boomer.

107 Production Notes 2

Make sure you pronounce it correctly. Chances are he's standing right behind you.

Jere Burns, who plays the creepily composed Jake Abernathy (aka, the Man in Room 9) got his big break playing a very different kind of character. He starred opposite Judd Hirsch in the sitcom "Dear John," in which he played hilarious sleazeball, Kirk Morris. You may know him better from his more recent grim and gripping performances on Breaking Bad, Burn Notice, and Justified, but do you know how to pronounce his first name? Should you happen to meet him, make sure to say, "Hi, Jerry!"

Sheriff Romero, played by Nestor Carbonell, really saves the day for the Bates family. By creating an official story covering both Keith Summers' and Deputy Shelby's deaths, he gets Norma off the hook, but one question remains; seriously, is he wearing tons of eyeliner or what?

107 Production Notes 3

Gaze... so intense... getting... lost... in... his... eyes...

This question was posed by Carlton Cuse himself on a "Lost" press tour when he referred to it as the true mystery of the series. In interview Carbonell denies wearing any kind of eye make-up with a laugh, saying, "When I was a little kid, I was about five years old and living in Mexico, and I remember my mom's friends would come over and say, 'Oh, look at his eyelashes!' I got such a complex about it that I ended up taking scissors to them once, and my mom stopped me and said, 'What are you doing?'" Happily, he has since come to terms with his eyes, saying, "What are you gonna do?"


Videos[]

Gallery[]

Promotional Pictures[]

Behind the Scenes[]


Season 1
#101 "First You Dream, Then You Die" #106 "The Truth"
#102 "Nice Town You Picked, Norma..." #107 "The Man in Number 9"
#103 "What's Wrong With Norman" #108 "A Boy and His Dog"
#104 "Trust Me" #109 "Underwater"
#105 "Ocean View" #110 "Midnight"
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