The fourth season of Bates Motel aired from March 7 to May 16, 2016. The season consisted of 10 episodes and aired on A&E. The series itself is described as a "contemporary prequel" to the 1960 film Psycho, following the life of Norman Bates and his mother Norma prior to the events portrayed in the Hitchcock film. The series takes place in the fictional town of White Pine Bay, Oregon.
The season received critical acclaim from television critics, and was nominated for two Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards. It also won three People's Choice Awards for Cable TV Drama, Cable TV Actress (Farmiga), and Cable TV Actor (Highmore). Bates Motel fourth season maintained consistent ratings throughout its airing, with the season premiere drawing in 1.55 million viewers and the finale totalling 1.50 million. The season was released on Blu-ray and DVD on October 18, 2016.
Cast and characters
Main
Vera Farmiga as Norma Louise Bates Freddie Highmore as Norman Bates Max Thieriot as Dylan Massett Olivia Cooke as Emma Decody Nestor Carbonell as Sheriff Alex Romero
Recurring Damon Gupton as Dr. Gregg Edwards Jaime Ray Newman as Rebecca Hamilton Andrew Howard as Will Decody Terence Kelly as Dickie Bolton Ryan Hurst as Chick Hogan Marshall Allman as Julian Howe Kelly-Ruth Mercier as Nurse Penny Aliyah O'Brien as Regina Karina Logue as Audrey Ellis Fiona Vroom as Vicki Monroe Craig Erickson as Howard Collins Anika Noni Rose as Liz Babbitt Louis Ferreira as Doctor Guynan David Cubitt as Sam Bates Luke Roessler as Young Norman
Guest Kevin Rahm as Bob Paris Keenan Tracey as Gunner Alexia Fast as Athena Alessandro Juliani as Interviewer Lindsey Ginter as Mac Dixon Kenny Johnson as Caleb Calhoun Gina Chiarelli as O'Sullivan Carmen Moore as Grace Wei Jay Brazeau as Justin Willcock Molly Price as Detective Chambers
Production Casting Ryan Hurst returned to the series as Chick Hogan, a recurring character throughout the third season. Damon Gupton was cast in the recurring role of Gregg Edwards, a doctor at Pineview Mental Institution. Jaime Ray Newman played a major recurring role throughout the season as Rebecca Hamilton, a former girlfriend of Romero.
Filming The series was filmed on location in Aldergrove, British Columbia. At the beginning of the first season, a replica of the original Bates Motel set from the film Psycho was built on 272nd Street. Nestor Carbonell directed one episode of the fourth season. Principal photography for season 4 began on November 30, 2015 in Vancouver and surrounding areas, and concluded on April 6, 2016. Highmore wrote the eighth episode of the season.
Episodes
Reception Critical response The fourth season of Bates Motel has been met with critical acclaim. The season holds a 100% positive rating on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 17 responses from television critics.
Ratings Overall, the fourth season of Bates Motel averaged 1.45 million viewers, with a 0.6 rating in the 18–49 demographic. A Cable Live +3 data is used here as Live +7 was not made available.
Awards and nominations
In its fourth season, Bates Motel was nominated for 17 awards, winning three. Year Awards Category Nominee(s) Result Ref. 2016 68th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards Outstanding Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series John S. Bartley Outstanding Music Composition for a Series Chris Bacon 20th Online Film & Television Association Awards Best Music in a Series 7th Critics' Choice Television Awards Most Bingeworthy Series Bates Motel Gold Derby Awards Best Drama Series Best Lead Actor in a Drama Freddie Highmore Best Lead Actress in a Drama Vera Farmiga 18th Women's Image Network Awards Best Actress – Drama Series Poppy Awards Best Actress in a Drama Series 43rd People's Choice Awards Favorite Cable TV Actress Favorite Cable TV Actor Freddie Highmore Favorite Cable TV Drama Bates Motel Fangoria Chainsaw Awards Best TV Actor Freddie Highmore Best TV Actress Vera Farmiga 43rd Saturn Awards Best Action-Thriller Television Series Bates Motel Best Actor on Television Freddie Highmore Best Actress on Television Vera Farmiga The listed years are of television release, annual ceremonies are usually held the following year
References
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