'Bates Motel' Season 5 Episode 2 Spoilers: Rihanna Checks In; Showrunner Talks Marion Crane

By Denise See, Christian Post Contributor Friday, February 24, 2017

The upcoming episode of "Bates Motel" season 5 will see Rihanna checking in as Marion Crane. How long will she be able to stay alive?

As fans know, the character Marion Crane died in the original 1960 Alfred Hitchcock film "Psycho," and there is no reason to believe that the writers are going to let her live in "Bates Motel." Now that the A&E thriller is merging storylines with the cult classic, the anticipation is high for the shower death scene. However, viewers will get to know Rihanna's character first.

A promo clip for the next episode, titled "The Convergence of the Twain," has been released. It features Marion arriving at the eponymous motel to check in. She says she has been there before with her boyfriend, Sam Loomis (Austin Nichols), who is actually married to Madeleine Loomis (Isabelle McNally).

Asked about why Madeleine was created for the show, showrunner Kerry Ehrin revealed to TVLine that the decision has something to do with Sam's character.

"I always looked at Marion Crane's situation with Sam [in 'Psycho'] and was like, 'What is his issue? Why won't he just marry her?' I always in the back of my head thought that there has to be some other woman involved. And this was just an opportunity to tell that story," she said.

As for Marion, fans will be delighted to know that Rihanna will not just appear for one episode. This is because the showrunner wanted to explore her story more. In "Psycho," Marion's character was not really expounded on because it suited the style of the film. However, "Bates Motel" takes on a different method.

"Certainly as a woman it was appealing to me to try to tell the story of Marion Crane and give her a little more personal time," Ehrin told The Hollywood Reporter.

"Bates Motel" season 5 airs Monday nights at 10 p.m. EST on A&E.