Norman Bates quotes from Bates Motel

Norman Bates

Do you ever have the feeling that you've had the same nightmare over and over again, but that you can't remember it? You just remember the feeling of it.

Norman Bates

I know that she can be so stubborn sometimes. I- it's just because she gets hurt so easily, and I-I know that the two of you had that terrible fight before we moved from Scottsdale, but I just I think this could be a new beginning, Dylan, for all of us. And we're not a family without you, Dylan, and so I just really think we should start over and, uh, and be together and and that I guess the real reason that I'm calling is, I would love it if you could come over for dinner.

Dylan Massett

You're a damn joke, Norman. You let that bitch run you like a puppet.

Norman Bates

She doesn't run me. She cares about me. And she's not a bad person, she's just not perfect! At least she tries, you son of a bitch!

Dylan Massett

You don't get it, do you, Norman? She's ruined you.

Norman Bates

This is all a little peculiar.

Emma Decody

No. You know what's peculiar? A 17-year-old boy using the word "peculiar".

Norman. I probably shouldn't be telling you this, but my daughter has quite a crush on you. And you seem like a nice kid. And I know you know she has a lot of, um, problems. She's not strong, and she's very young. Just a regular girl in many ways. So please be decent.

Norman Bates

I am decent.

Norman Bates

You had every right to defend yourself.

Norma Bates

But I didn't defend myself. I killed the crap out of him!

Norman Bates

Whatever.

Norma Bates

Did you just "whatever" me?

Norman Bates

You don't just walk away from your parents.

Dylan Massett

Of course you do. We all do. I mean, isn't that the point?

Norman Bates

You look kinda pathetic.

Emma Decody

Really. I was just thinking how glad I am that I don't have to get all dressed up and go. What a pain.

Norman Bates

You should go.

Emma Decody

No one asked me. I dunno, it doesn't do anything for my pathetic quotient.

Norman Bates

You want me to go with you?

Emma Decody

No. That's silly. That's more than silly. That's tragically lame.

Norman Bates

Oh, I don't mind. I'd like to.

Emma Decody

Oh, please. You're just asking because you're my friend and you feel sorry for me.

Norman Bates

[smiles] Well, yeah.

Emma Decody

[smiles] Okay, jerk-off, I'll go with you.

Norman Bates

MOTHER!!

Norma Bates

What?!

Norman Bates

I need some black socks.

Norma Bates

Well did you check in your drawer?

Norman Bates

[sarcastically] Oh, it never occurred to me to look in my drawer! Hmm! Well what am I supposed to do!? I can't go to this stupid dance wearing white socks with a suit!!

Norma Bates

Well I don't know where your stupid black socks are! It's not my fault you decided to go last minute to a dance! What am I supposed to do, guard some black socks!?

Norma Bates

I-I know I've said a lot of things, but this is the truth. And I want someone to know the truth about me in this world, and I'd like that to be you, if you're okay with that.

Norman Bates

Yeah, of course I am.

Norma Bates

My brother used to make me have sex with him when I was, like, 13. And it went on until he moved out. Oh, I know I shouldn't have told you. I shouldn't have told you. It's just you're the person that I'm closest to in this world.

Norman Bates

I understand, mother.

Norma Bates

When I realized just how messed up that was, I couldn't tell anyone. We had so much trouble. There was no money. My mom was already checked out of her body. My dad was insane. He was so violent. I knew that if I told my dad, he would kill my brother, so I never told. One day, when my dad was supposed to be at work, my brother was doing things to me, and I heard the front door open and it was my dad, home unexpectedly. And I was so scared that I jumped up so fast. And the hot iron fell off the ironing board, and it hit my leg.

Norman Bates

I'm so sorry, mother.

Norma Bates

Anyway, you know, it-- it doesn't really matter, right? It was a long time ago.

Norma Bates

You're a teenager, it's summer. You should be out, I don't know, playing baseball or going to swimming holes or something normal.

Norman Bates

I don't think mourning the death of someone who had been special to you is particularly abnormal!

Norma Bates

Oh, I am just a little concerned that you seem obsessed with...[looking at Norma's taxidermy animals]...morbidity or something. I mean, you spend your days equally mooning over a dead teacher and taking apart dead animals. It's just weird.

Norma Bates

Look out there. We did that. All those cars, all those people out there in our motel, all of them, every single one, found us driving along the main road. Remember that first night we got to turn on the "No vacancy" sign?

Norman Bates

Uh-huh.

Norma Bates

You remember what that felt like?

Norman Bates

Yeah.

Norma Bates

We started over. We came here to do it, and we did it, and I'm not letting anyone take that away from us, okay? I will figure it out.

Cody Brennan

You do errands for your mom. Well, aren't you a dying breed.

Norman Bates

Yeah, I, uh I guess we're all doing that, too.

Cody Brennan

What?

Norman Bates

Dying. You know, I mean, once we're born, that's what we're doing, right?

Norman Bates

What the hell do you think you were doing telling her to do that?

Cody Brennan

I didn't know-

Norman Bates

She could've died and it would've been your fault!! Everyone isn't just some toy for you to play with!!!

Cody Brennan

...

Listen man, she didn't know-

Norman Bates

Shut up and stay out of this!!!