While there is no official news from A&E yet of a Season 4 for "Bates Motel," the fans and the producers both feel it is almost certainly an inevitability. Season 4 would most likely start airing early next year, 2016.

Season 3 left a lot of cliffhangers that would definitely be pursued in the 4^th season. Sheriff Alex Romero (Nestor Carbonell) has turned in the names of everyone in town connected with the drug trade. Alex warned Bob Paris (Kevin Rahm) so he could "escape." Alex shoots Bob in lieu of a prison sentence.

Caleb Calhoun (Kenny Johnson) has left White Pine Bay. In Season 4, fans are clamoring for Caleb to be back to provide support to Norma and Dylan.

Norma Bates (Vera Farmiga) finally decides that it is time to institutionalize her son, Norman (Freddie Highmore), who didn't greet this news with open arms. Norman ran away with Bradley Martin (Nicola Peltz), however, Bradley gets killed by Norman, who hallucinated that it was Norma doing the killing. Season 4 might see Norman getting admitted to a mental institution. While this might be what he needs, the strain this would put on his already shaky relationship with Norma remains to be seen.

There is no finality yet as to whether Emma Decody (Olivia Cooke) will get her lung transplant or not. Season 4 would surely explore this story arc. Fans are hoping for more Dylan Massett (Max Thieriot) and Emma, to the point that they hope these two would make it official, although everyone knows how Norman will react if he finds out about them. Of course, fans are hoping Emma would not die.

If Norman does get into a mental institution, this might give Norma the freedom to explore her feelings for Alex. He definitely has feelings for her, he killed Bob for her.

What is also sure to be explored in Season 4, is Norman's further deteriorating mental stability. Whether institutionalization will help him or make him worse, the following are expected by fans:

More blackouts for Norman – physical separation from Norma might tip him over the edge

More cross-dressing – Norman, when he cross-dresses, sees Norma and not himself any longer. This is moving closer and closer to the Norman Bates we know in "Psycho"

More taxidermy coming to life – Norman is only at his most peaceful when he is in the basement with his taxidermy projects

More craziness from Norma herself – proving once and for all, that Norman's craziness is rooted in genetics.

Here's hoping we get the formal news about Season 4. It would surely be a waste to end "Bates Motel" at this point in time.