‘Bates Motel’ season 5, episode 2 preview: ‘The Convergence of the Twain’

Before we jump any further into this particular “Bates Motel” article, it feels right that we try to address a question that is currently on the minds of many: What in the world does that title mean?

“The Convergence of the Twain” is a famous early-20th-century poem written by Thomas Hardy, and it is one that describes the sinking and the wreckage of the Titanic. The whole sinking-ship parallel is an interesting one to draw with this show, mostly because of the sole fact that the story of one Norman Bates has been a sinking ship for far longer than we can express. There are many fragments that contribute to his demise, and even with Norma now dead, he will only continue to sink more and more into the ground as we get closer to the end of the season — also known as the series as a whole.

Now, let’s go briefly from the more metaphorical to the specific in terms of what is coming up next.

Synopsis – “Norman’s date goes awry; Romero’s frustrations boil over; and Chick gives Norman a gift.”

The idea of Norman’s date going “awry” may be the greatest understatement of all time; the fact that there is even a pretense of normalcy here is shocking in itself. Romero, meanwhile, may be one of the most frustrated people in the history of White Pine Bay just because of what he’s seen from Norman already and how badly he may want to make a further move.

Much like the slow sinking of a shop, we expect a descent for the remainder of “Bates Motel” that goes a little further and further into the water as we progress. This is not a show about a happy ending, so the anticipation comes mostly in enacting key moments, and seeing what kind of emotional resonance comes out of the closing minutes.

What do you expect to see on “Bates Motel” both next week, and for the remainder of this season? This is the spot where you share some of your thoughts in the comments! We’ll have further news soon.