Alice Rush reviews the fourth episode of Bates Motel Season 2…
The tension behind the scenes of White Pine Bay has always been quietly but surely bubbling away in the background but this week on Bates Motel sees some dramatic shifts in the status quo as well as seeing the Bates trying to come to terms with Norma’s confession of Dylan being Caleb’s son.
Obviously shaken up by this, Dylan turns to the bottle and drinks his way into unconsciousness for most of the beginning of the episode, rising only to warn Norman that Norma might be keeping secrets from him as well. Whilst the subject matter of this particular storyline is pretty heavy, the writers and actors do a good job of not letting it become ridiculous or a mockery. Vera Farmiga and Max Theriot, Norma and Dylan respectively, do a fantastic job of conveying the intense pain they both feel without it feeling too forced. This whole revelation certainly explains a lot about why the characters act like they do, with Norma initially so hesitant to let Dylan back into her life and Dylan feeling like he never belonged within the family, so much so that he decides to move out of the house at the end of the episode, unable to take any more lies or secrets. I feel he won’t stray too far from the Bates’, however, as this storyline is far from over, and for all the animosity he may feel towards Norma it is clear he still deeply cares about his mother.
Not as much as Norman though it seems, as he is extremely shaken up and angry throughout this whole episode, hinting at a further mental degeneration and more possible blackouts. Though Norma takes most of the centre stage this week, Norman’s experiences serve to shape him further into the violent character we know he turns out to be. The episode is fraught with the typical creepy-come-tender moments of mother/son bonding we’ve come to expect from Bates Motel, with an especially unnerving scene of Norman watching his mother get dressed for her date with Christine’s brother. His jealously at this date combined with his anger at both Caleb and Dylan, the latter for leaving, leads him into having another of his violent episodes in which he goes to confront Caleb. It is here we see the next stage of Norman’s psychotic journey as he begins to talk from the point of view of Norma, assuming her identity for a short time. After Caleb punches him and leaves Norman waits silently in a coffee shop till a worried Cody picks him up. It’s definitely a turning point in Norman’s story as we are reminded of the things he is truly capable of, however by providing the reasoning behind his attacks we are still able to connect and sympathise with him in spite of all the violence he has executed. Once again Bates Motel is proving its televisual worth as it is at once respectful of its source material and also vastly innovative and creative when it comes to giving a believable and dramatic backstory. As much as we like to think we may know the characters of the Bates’ this show turns our presumptions on their heads, instead serving us up flawed but empathetic characters of whom we can’t help but care for.
It’s not just the family who are suffering from high tension; Sheriff Romero also seems to have a lot on his hands this week. After meeting with Zayn and warning him to calm his actions, Zayn responds by burning Romero’s house down. It seems the temperamental peace of the town is well and truly at threat with Zayn refusing to play by Romero’s rules, instead favouring a direct and seemingly violent approach to dealing with problems. Whilst he does not echo the quiet and threatening nature of Abernathy from season one, Zayn will no doubt prove to be a thorn in Romero’s side for the foreseeable future, a future that hopefully deals with and addresses the consequences of having such a corrupt way of running a town. Hopefully this action steps up the heat within this storyline, as once again it feels a little dull compared to the family drama.
Whilst not as dramatic as the previous episode, this week saw some real character development as well as moving the plot of the town ahead a few paces. I’m looking forward to some drama outside of the centre family, as whilst this is the backbone of the story the scenes between the trio can often feel repetitive. It will be interesting to see how their nuclear troubles link in with the larger picture of the fragile town.
Alice Rush
Originally published March 27, 2014. Updated April 12, 2018.
