Alice Rush reviews the third episode of Bates Motel season 2….
After last week’s reveal that Norma’s sexually abusive brother, Caleb, has arrived in town tensions are running high this week when he attempts to make contact with the Bates’, much to Norma’s horror. The outfall of Bradley’s fake suicide is also tackled this week as well as introducing some new characters who are possible allies for Norma, though if anything is clear from season one the inhabitants of White Pine Bay are not likely to be telling the whole truth.
The introduction of Caleb definitely provides the main drama for the episode with Norma throwing him out of the house as he tries to make contact and Dylan taking pity on him, seeing him as another mistreated male in Norma’s life. With Dylan lacking a strong male influence in his life he connects with Caleb and even subs him some money, though this trusting act may have been a little premature with the big reveal of the episode being that Caleb is actually Dylan’s father. No doubt this will have huge repercussions for the main characters throughout the rest of the series, especially Dylan as he will have to come to terms with the psychological impact of being a product of sibling incest. Heavy stuff, yes, but if handled correctly and in a sensitive manner I think this could be a fantastic concept for the Bates family backstory and definitely fuel some real fireworks later on in the season.
The rest of the episode is quite tame in comparison to the shock ending, though some new plot points are nicely set up. It’s not all bad news for Norma as though she doesn’t get a part in the musical she makes friends with the former director who invites her to a party where she meets new and seemingly less judgemental townspeople than she has been used to. It’s a small victory but it’s a great sight to see Norma have normal interaction with friendly and well to do people with a possible love interest on the cards.
The same goes for Norman who attends a memorial beach party for Bradley and finds that Cody, a girl whom he met at the grocery store and who is also a part of the play he has a part in, is also in attendance. She’s quite a marked difference from Bradley, preferring a more ‘live fast die young’ idea of life, but there seems to be something darker lurking beneath the surface, especially when Norman presses about her relationship with her dad. Not a great deal else happens for the rest of the characters this week, with the focus of the episode firmly set on Norma. Dylan and his drug dealing friends find some of their colleagues dead and the new boss Zayn seems intent on revenge, but even this storyline seems tame in comparison to what’s going on in the Bates’ personal lives.
Overall it was a good episode with a strong ending and I’m definitely looking forward to the outfall of Norma’s confession, however sometimes within ‘Bates Motel’ I do feel that some storylines are just a little too weak when standing up to the family drama. Of course this dysfunctional relationship is at the heart of the show, but the threatening aspect of the town and the sinister goings on are sometimes not felt as strongly when they could provide a really effective backdrop for the programme. However the season is still in its early stages and if the first season is anything to go by Bates Motel a slow build up to climactic ending is definitely worth the wait.
Alice Rush
Originally published March 19, 2014. Updated April 11, 2018.
