TV Review: Bates Motel S4, Episode #3 (Til Death Do You Part)

Last Updated on July 31, 2021

EPISODE 3: Til Death Do You Part

CHECKING IN:  Norma (Vera Farminga) and Sheriff Romero (Nestor Carbonell) get married (that was fast) while Norman (Freddie Highmore) gets to know his new home: the loonie bin.  

THE ROOM: Although not as intense as the last episode (they can't all be nail biters ya know), Til Death Do You Part was a lot of fun to watch. The bleak and circumstantial humor was cranked up in this one when it came to our new married couple: Norma and King Shit Romero. They didn't waste any time in tying the knot and their quick fix union made way for many funny, sweet and awkward moments (I freaking loved Romero's line "That's what alcohol is for…"); all maximized of course by Vera Farminga's and Nestor Carbonell's solid performances and the simply electric chemistry that they together.

FINALLY! It's on!

I gotta say it, I waited 3 seasons for this to happen (for these crazy kids to hook up) and I am appreciating the moment as much as I can. This is Bates Motel after all, hence now that they've consummated their marriage (off camera – for shame), we all know it's downhill from here! This f*cking show man, gotta love it! NOTE: Did you guys catch the nod to PSYCHO? Norma says to Romero: “Sooner or later I’m going to break my neck on those stupid stairs.” That is of course how "Mother" is said to have passed on in Hitchcock's classic. I smiled at that line! Clever stuff guys, clever stuff. On his end, Norman's been having a gay old time at the mental institution giving Freddie Highmore carte-blanche once again to go to town with his performance.

Seeing Norman trying to contain his anger i.e. twitching like an epileptic on cocaine in the name of being released form the bin was funny, scary and just plain weird all at once and the conversations he had with the chill psychologist were a treat to sit in on. Once again, Highmore had to hit some pretty intense notes in this episode and he nailed them hard with gusto. He has more meat to chew on this season and Highmore is knocking out of the park. Emmy baby! EMMY! Moreover, I'm starting to see the set-ups in terms of this particular subplot. Things like "Norman ratting out the kills and pinning them on his mother" which should start a war between the two. Or Norman's new "friend" in the nut house, I'm sure that dude will come in handy one way (help Norman escape) or another (gets whacked). Whatever the case, moves are being made, lets see where they lead!

 
Kids today… no respect!

Finally we got a bit more juice on the Dylan (Max Thieriot) and Emma (Olivia Cooke) adventure with Dylan wanting to go straight and that's where my qualms with this episode surfaced. #1 I'm kind of sick of watching Emma do nothing in this Season so far, give Olivia Cooke something substantial to do already! But worse of all is #2 the second Dylan gets back to the weed plant BAM his employee ditches him and BAM Chick (character that Caleb gave a beat down to last season) re-surfaces. Not only did I find these turn of events too convenient, even for Bates Motel, but bringing Chick back? Really?! hated that character then (played by Ryan Hurst), hate him now. I hope he doesn't last too long. All in all though, a solid episode! Got lots of smiles out of it. Looks like it will get messy next week! See ya then!

RANDOM THOUGHTS:  All right… are they gonna find the body of Emma's Mom in that pit or not? My money is on YES! You?

For some reason, I kept thinking that shrink had a hidden agenda. I don't trust the lad!

Norma's  "Olympic sobriety test" line cracked me up

How many episodes will Chick last? I say 3 tops. I sure hope it's not the entire season.

RATING ON 10

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