10 Amazing Horror TV Shows With Soul Destroying Endings

Norman Bates was already a strangely sympathetic character, and the hit series that acted as a prequel to both the Psycho book and subsequent film only aided that view.

Freddy Highmore’s stellar performance made audiences see that Norman, whilst certainly far from innocent, was far more complex than the original story let on. His increasingly bizarre relationship with his mother Norma (played magnificently by Vera Farmiga) became something of a tragic love story, with only one way for them to be together becoming more and more apparent.

Knowing who, and what, Norman would become lurked in the background of the whole show, making his descent into madness feel sadly inevitable. Hence, his death and the fact he was incredibly at peace with his demise was fitting – it felt like that was always going to be his fate and Norman knew he wouldn’t be able to live without his mother.

This aspect of the show felt very Hamlet-esque (particularly the part about wanting to bang your own mum), and after everything that Norman had been through, it was a total gut-punch to see him have such a tragic end. His last words, a rushed ‘thank you’ to his own killer, hurt because viewers knew Norman couldn’t survive without his mother, and could only really exist with her in his life. That being said, he was a pretty awful person, but the fact his fate was sealed due to his nature echoes ancient myths. Not bad for a little show about a motel.