Was a Bates Motel season 6 possible?

Was there a chance of a Bates Motel season 6 ever happening on A&E? As we gear up for the upcoming series finale airing on Monday night, we do think that this is a fair question to ponder.

Now that we’ve said that, we do also think that we know the answer — there was no reason for it to ever come to pass. In some ways, we’re surprised that we even got a season 5 in the first place. Our feeling when the show first started was that we’d be lucky to get three or four years of it, just because you were dealing with subject matter so specific. There were only so many ways that the show could’ve ended, and as a result of that, it really made little to no sense to go beyond season 5.

Could the network have still pulled the plug on it? Sure, in theory they could make the show go on for however long they want since they are the broadcasters … but they also would’ve had to try and convince the writers and cast to do that, as well. Maybe you could slow-play Norman where he did more and more killing and lingered on Marion Crane even longer. Or, maybe you could stretch out the time following Marion’s death.

In the end, you could play the coulda-shoulda-woulda game with Bates Motel forever, but we still feel that this was the right time. You’re ending the show while it’s still relevant, and while it makes sense and the pacing is still tight. We hope that it will be remembered as one of the creepiest shows of its time, and also proof that you can reinvent an adaptation and still make it every bit as smart and fascinating as the original. Typically, you wouldn’t think that Alfred Hitchcock is the sort of material you would touch, but kudos to Carlton Cuse and Kerry Ehrin for putting forth the effort and delivering something that is certainly interesting and then some.

Do you think that a Bates Motel season 6 should happen on A&E? Now is the chance to share some of your thoughts in the comments!