A&E has renewed Bates Motel for a third season for 10 episodes. Production will begin this fall.
Season two is currently airing on the cable channel and is averaging 2.33 million viewers each week. That’s down about 15% when compared to the first season’s viewership average.
Here are the details:
A&E GREENLIGHTS HIT ORIGINAL SERIES “BATES MOTEL” FOR A THIRD SEASON
NETWORK ORDERS 10 EPISODES FROM EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS CARLTON CUSE AND KERRY EHRIN
NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 7, 2014 – A&E Network has picked up a third season of the critically acclaimed original series “Bates Motel,” it was announced today by David McKillop, Executive Vice President and General Manager, A&E Network.
“The incredible writing team and talented ‘Bates Motel’ cast has made this series one of the most compelling original dramas on television,” said McKillop. “The brilliant twists and turns of the past two seasons keep its loyal fan base coming back for more. We are so proud of the show.”
Season two premiered on March 3rd with 4.6 million total viewers and delivered 2.6 million adults 18-49 and 2.2 million adults 25-54 (based on Live+7 viewing). “Bates Motel” continues to be A&E’s #1 drama series of all time among adults 18-49.
Season three of “Bates Motel” will begin production this fall on 10 episodes.
“Bates Motel” is a contemporary prequel to the genre-defining film Psycho, and gives viewers an intimate portrayal of how Norman Bates’ psyche unravels through his teenage years. Series stars Vera Farmiga in her Emmy-nominated role as Norma Bates and Freddie Highmore as Norman.
New episodes of season two of “Bates Motel” currently air every Monday at 10PM/ET.
“Bates Motel” is produced by Universal Television for A&E Network. Carlton Cuse and Kerry Ehrin serve as executive producers for Carlton Cuse Productions and Kerry Ehrin Productions respectively.
About A&E Network
Now reaching 100 million homes, A&E is the home to 100% original content that inspires and challenges audiences to BE ORIGINAL. A&E offers a diverse mix of high quality, uniquely immersive entertainment ranging from the network’s original scripted series, including “Bates Motel” and “Longmire” to signature non-fiction franchises, including “Duck Dynasty,” “Beyond Scared Straight” and “Storage Wars.” The A&E website is located at aetv.com. Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/aetv and Facebook at facebook.com/AETV.
What do you think? Have you been watching Bates Motel? How long do you think this series should run?
LOVE this storyline. ENJOY the show. INTERESTED in the characters. ABSORBED in the writing. great show. keep it for as long as the story can be told…
It should run forever
Only 10…what is going on with networks 10 shows is not enough….20 a season would bet better……..You just get interested and then boom over…then you have to wait almost a year for next season and you forget everything and have to watch the previous season on netflix etc…to refresh your memory
Yes, 20 low-rated episodes that lose money to the network would be much, much better indeed… Let’s make it 30!!!
I do realize you’re a fan of the show (one of the few but I assume brave! 🙂 ) but you should just be thrilled they’re making more of a show they really should be replacing.
It’s a boon to you. 🙂
Rita, we’re not judgemental around here. It’s ok that you like the show. We do too. I’m just confused as to why you keep putting it down as if it bothers you to be a Bates Motel fan. You being a fan is the only reason I can come up with for you still hanging around this thread. I don’t like certain shows, so I don’t go and talk to the people that do like the show about why it shouldn’t be on the air. That being said, it’s a GREAT show and I too hate waiting so long for… Read more »
Well said…Rena Moretti really needs to move on….We all love the show…if Rena does not like the show then why bother us…….http://disqus.com/facebook-100004360776732/
All negative
You seem to be confusing this information site with a fan board.
If you don’t like to be reminded that Bated Motel has poor ratings, then don’t read my posts.
I am not about to give you a heckler’s veto just because reality doesn’t match with your admiration of this show. Sometimes, show you like are not hits…
Using the “heckler’s veto” comment again huh? …..tired.
What an amazing series, give it to me time and time again
This is the best show I have ever watched. Can’t wait for Mondays to come so I can watch bates motel. I wish it came on earlier like at 8 or 9pm but if you have to air the show at 10 then so be it. My favorite show ever!
The series Bates Motel is a terrific hit, I didn’t think I would like it when it first aired but, it is outstanding. Hopefully A&E will keep this show running for many a year. The suspense and drama are outstandingly refreshing compared to many other new shows. Please keep Bates Motel on for many years, thank you.
Fans of the show may like it and think it’s “terrific” and it’s all to the good, but it’s not a “hit”, not by a long shot.
Sorry to disagree with you but, Bates Motel is a hit, a very big hit. You were/are misinformed for some reason. Everyone is talking about it and many people would love to see a movie in the theaters with the all the cast included. Maybe A&E would consider a movie, let’s hope so.
Honestly, some people don’t even know that cable shows’ viewership figures are a lot smaller than broadcast shows’ viewership figures (over 2 million compared to 8 to 10 million). Anyone wants a cable show with broadcast-level viewership, let’s see what the broadcast-network-bashing “Rena Moretti” thinks of “The Walking Dead”. Its most recent season (its 4th) averaged a 6.5 rating in the 20-50 demo with almost 14 million viewers.
Frankly, if cable shows’ viewership figures were the same as those of broadcast shows, we’d all be living in the People’s Republic of China, or maybe India.
Actually, you have just demonstrated why it’s not a hit. The Walking Dead is on cable, and its a hit. It has 5 times the viewership of Bates Motel.
Hit shows on cable can get from 7 to, well… 15 million viewers.
Cable shows don’t have to have low ratings. Those that do are not hits, no matter how many times their network’s PR call them that.
To G.T.: I am not “misinformed” at all. I am actually very well informed, but not by network PR releases which don’t inform but obfuscate.
Well, actually you never understand anything, A&E is a cable network, too. Lifetime is a cable network. TBS is a cable network. MTV is a cable network. Not every network has the exact same standards of success.
I am so sick of this “Rena Moretti” always complicating things on this site bashing American scripted TV, network or cable.
No one will be banned from this site as long as they engage in respectful conversation. Disrespectful behavior like name calling is not tolerated. Agree to disagree and move on.
I do appreciate the effort for no name calling. Once it starts, very little of substance can be exchanged.
Jim J. Terrell: There’s really nothing “complicated” about it, although you do have to take context (promotional budget – lead-in etc…) into account a show with no audience is generally called a flop in the real world (a “hit” in the PR releases until the moment it’s canceled). What you say about “standard of success” is actually not really something applicable as every network calls what they have on the air a “hit” and declares that’s their standard. You have to have a real standard, and as you pointed out yourself Walking Dead is on cable and has 5 times… Read more »
Wow, I can’t believe that The Bates Motel has generated so much……..controversy? It’s a hit…..No it’s not….Yes it is…..No it’s not, and on and on and……on. Why is the show being dissected like this? In plain, simple English, it is a terrific show with a great following. It’s being renewed for a third season and hopefully many more. The show is not a flop as one person has stated on here but, she doesn’t get it. All the people I know here and other states love it. So the…..person on here who has a beef about the show and is… Read more »
G.T.: Maybe you can’t believe it, but you’re the one who still claims that Bates Motel is a hit in spite of the evidence of the actual ratings. My “beef” with it isn’t so much that I don’t like it (I find it creatively pointless to be honest) but that it (and many other shows) keep being called “hits” when they’re not. The fact network PR keeps mis-using the word “hit” to signify “show we haven’t canceled yet” does not make it right. I’m glad for you that they renewed a flop you like (I loved it when ABC renewed… Read more »
I too wish it could run for more than 10 episodes at a time . if other shows can do it why not this one. but even so , I will be eagerly waiting for the season 3 to begin . I don’t care what anyone says my friend and I can’t wait to watch Bates motel every monday night. It is one of the most interesting shows going and I expect it to be around for a long time. I think the actors and actresses do a fine job.
I love this show, and hope it continues with season after season for many years to come
Soo glad it has been renewed for season 3. Can’t stop watching, love the characters and plot twists. Hope it continues doin well in ratings so we can be guaranteed a season 4 and beyond! Think Norma still has alot of life left in her, LOL.
The point I’ve made, and will make again is that it’s NOT successful in the ratings.
A&E executives are renewing it because if they don’t renew shows, then the absent manages above them might notice that the PR releases are empty hype.
Glad at least some people will enjoy it though. 🙂
At least several more seasons. Mr. Highmore and Ms. Farmiga both deserve highest accolades and recognition for bringing this unique and compelling prequel to a story that so many of us thought we knew.
Rena, just because you don’t like the show doesn’t make it a flop. I find it very interesting and the acting is a lot better than on most programs!
Of course not Rose. The bad ratings is what makes Bates Motel a flop.
I wonder why some would call it a flop despite the FACT it got RENEWED.
The time when only hits were renewed is long, long gone (sadly). Now shows are renewed as part of a communications strategy (no I’m not making this up – I’d never have thought Hollywood would become that dumb). Today, shows are renewed to communicate that you should watch them because they’re hits (when of course they’re not since you wouldn’t have to do that if they were hits) and to try and pretend you have hits to corporate masters who think that if it’s in a news report a show’s a hit then it must be as good as it… Read more »
Doesn’t anyone at tvseriesfinale care about publishing the right numbers?
Bates Motel premiered to 3.1 million viewers (not 4.6 – not even close) and is now down to 2.2 million.
Please take the time to check what the PR release says. Those people just make numbers up by adding Lord know what to make them look less embarrassing.
In the real world A&E renewed a flop just because…
Sad and upsetting once again if you like good TV.
Awesome! But c’mon A&E, order more than 10 eps per season!
I love the show, but why bother with only 10 episodes?…..With only 10 shows you have to wait almost a year for the show to return…what happened to the days of 25 to 30 episodes per season and only a few months like 3 between seasons..With such a long spell with no new shows, you kind of forget about it……Shame….!!!
Bates Motel is a great program. It deserves a long run.
I’m sorry to say that few people share your devotion to it. It’s yet another flop that keeps being renewed.
But you may get your wish, since one you renewed it twice, why stop? The press will now call it a it (after all they can’t be bothered to check the actual ratings!)
Rena, maybe you should find something decent to watch to take your mind off Bates Motel (which I personally think is a great show like “Homicide: Life on the Street” of old, which is why I’m afraid it won’t be around for long. Great shows rarely are). I’ve been scrolling down this long list of comments and every time someone says something good about it, you can’t help but throw in your two cents. We don’t care if it’s not a “hit” among the general public (like Kardashians, all the “Real Housewives” shows, or anything else) as long as it… Read more »
Shawn: Sorry if you are upset by reading an opinion you disagree with (well, that Bates Motel isn’t a hit is really a fact but anyway, moving on…), however, I’m not about to give you a heckler’s veto. Perhaps, instead of insisting only reading things you agree with, you could check out the data and you’d learn something. There are way worse things in the world that learning a TV show isn’t really a hit even if the press uses the word… And if you’re worried the network will realize it’s not really a hit by reading this, don’t worry,… Read more »
Guess I should’ve seen all that comin’.