Bates Motel – “The Box”

The Box – Season 2, Episode 9 – original air date 4/28/2014

It’s kinda funny to see Norma tiptoeing in the house, like a teenager sneaking home after a night with her boyfriend.  Here she is, worried that she will disturb Norman.  Little does she know that there is no Norman to disturb.

Of course we knew who took Norman.  That was no surprise.   This was set up well in the last couple episodes.  It’s also no surprise that Norma would freak out, and immediately go to Dylan.  How about that look on Norma’s face, when Dylan tells her what Nick Ford wants him to do.  Obviously she was expecting something a little less violent, but to watch her face, as she goes from shock, to horror, to acceptance and resolve, all in a few seconds, is frightening.    It is one thing to be willing to kill for your son.  It’s another to ask one son to kill to save another.

And let’s not forget that Norma is the one that really got Norman into this mess.  She is the one who got in deep with Nick Ford.  Granted, she didn’t know who and what he was, at first, but for her to blame Dylan for Norman’s abduction is pretty sad.  But even worse than that is the way Norma so icily dismisses Emma, rather than confide in her.   Emma embodies everything that the Bates family is missing, and needs to find in themselves.

The outcome of the Dylan/Nick Ford meeting was not a big surprise, but it was pleasing; I was beginning to worry that Dylan might not make it to season three.    This doesn’t change the fact that Zane really needs to go.

It makes sense that Norman’s confinement in the box would lead to an amplification of his mental problems.  And the big reveal finally confirms what we figured was the truth.  All in all, a very good episode.

Vera Farmiga deserves an Emmy nomination for her excellent work this season, don’t ya think?

 

 

Bates Motel – “Meltdown”

Meltdown – Season 2, Episode 8 – original air date 4/21/2014

You really have to feel for the Bates family.  (I would consider Dylan a Bates family member, even though he has a different last name.)  Any time it looks like things might be going well for one of them, you can be sure that disaster is waiting around the corner.

The writers have done a good job of building tension over the last couple of episodes, as the finale of season two draws closer.  This may be the best episode of the second season to date.

First off, Nick Ford is one serious dude.  There is no doubt that he means what he says.  Norma must be regretting that she ever struck up a conversation with him.  He wants Zane dead.  Who doesn’t?  It seems like even Zane’s own sister is tacitly signing off on getting rid of him.  So why in hell did she put him in charge in the first place?  She had to know what an idiot and a hothead he is.  So it would seem that there is a simple resolution here:  Dylan kills Zane, everyone is happy.  Of course nothing will resolve itself that easily on this show.

Sheriff Romero tries to get Norman to talk about what happened at Miss Watson’s house the night she died.  Norman’s shock about having sex with Miss Watson is not feigned, because of course he blacked out that night.   When will all the truths of that night be revealed?  Hopefully we will not have to wait until season three.

And let’s not forget that Norma’s crazy comes back with a vengeance.  Norma leaves her dinner date with George, partly because she feels so out of place, but also because she feels bad for Norman.  Then, when Norman coolly brushes her off, she becomes enraged, ultimately flying back to George’s arms, and barely managing to keep her panties on until she gets in the door.  What would a psychologist say about her behavior?  How much blame do we lay at Norma’s door for Norman’s condition today?  Did she trigger it?  She certainly exacerbates it.  And what of her own mental state?  The next two episodes should be good.  Here is hoping for some resolution.  Don’t leave us hanging for a year!

Bates Motel – “Plunge”

Plunge – Season 2, Episode 6 – original air date 4/7/2014

Poor Norman.  There he is, sitting behind the wheel of the family car, about to take his driver’s test, a significant rite of passage, when up storms his mom and rats him out to the driving instructor.  Says that he has been blacking out.  Under the circumstances, Norma is doing the right thing, but the timing of it makes it seem like a major betrayal.  But what led up to this moment?

Norman blacks out a second time in Cody’s presence.  Then they take a trip to the “swimming hole.”  While they are making out, Emma shows up with her pot-slinging boyfriend, and at Cody’s insistence they decide to hang out together.  First Emma’s guy jumps in the water on the rope swing, then Norman follows, and finally Emma.   The end results here were so predictable that I was really hoping the storyline would go in a different direction.  Emma has a scare in the water, Norman overreacts.  It is obvious that Norman has feelings for Emma, but are they romantic feelings?  It feels like any opportunity they had to become a couple has long since passed.  Like they are both above and beyond that kind of relationship.  Perhaps not.   When Cody shares with Emma that Norman has been blacking out, and we see the conflicted look on Emma’s face, there is no doubt that she is going to tell Norma.

Norma meanwhile has severed her ties with Nick Ford, after the councilman that she called a dick conveniently dies in a car accident.  Then Norma pursues the council seat for herself!  Hard to believe that would sit well with Nick Ford, but it would appear that he had something to do with her getting the council seat.  Norma has another encounter with George (Michael Vartan), and one has to believe a potential hookup is in the near future.  But the writers are also building the potential for a relationship with Romero and Norma.

Of course the writers had to throw in another one of those awkward hugs, that is just a little to affectionate for a son of Norman’s age to be having with his mother.  We seem to get one of these obligatory cringe-worthy moments every other episode.   It’s also cool to see Norman stuffing a crow.  In the movie Psycho, the room behind the office was filled with birds.

And Dylan is hooking up with the boss lady (Kathleen Robertson.)  Nothing good ever comes from that, does it?

And the episode ends with a moment of violence that seems to have Norman in hot water again.  How will this situation resolve itself?  Congrats to the show being renewed for a third season.  The ratings took a small dive but are now holding steady at around 2.25 million a week.  Not too shabby.