The Arrow Reviews: Bates Motel, Episode #4

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

EPISODE 4: Trust Me. 

CHECKING IN: Norman (Freddie Highmore) and good old boy officer Shelby (Mike Vogel) get to “know” each other, Dylan (Max Theriot) is cut into the loop and Norma (Vera Farmiga) sees the hammer come down. And how was your freaking day?

THE ROOM: Twas another eventful time with The Bates last night, them poor saps can’t catch a break! Kill a rapist and see the never ending dominoes fall one by one by one. Sheesh! I particularly enjoyed this episode because it tossed all kinds of new zingers my way. Norma and Norman had their first “fall-out” in their relationship. So that’s the start of something new that can go to very dark places. And as we learned in the last episode, Norman has a tendency to black out and see and do things that he doesn’t remember (kind of like me after too much JD… I hate when that happens). So that’s a sly trick that the filmmakers have up their sleeve and hopefully they’ll use it full-on as we clock forward. I mean, with Norman being an unreliable protagonist, how can we the audience trust what we see? Did this or that truly go down or was it all in Norman’s twisted mind? There’s potential there! In terms of what was found in Officer Shelby’s basement though; I actually think it was real and that Shelby going on instinct moved his package to another secret place or just disposed of it entirely. Lets see if I’m wrong!

And speaking of Shelby, he was put to great use here! The casting of Mike Vogel is bang on for this role. His pretty boy looks acted as a potent contrast to the evil man that seemed to lie beneath. All I kept thinking when he popped up onscreen in this episode was: “The Devil in disguise”. Vogel got to shine here via his charismatic yet menacing show! His scenes with Norman oozed of underlying threat. Mucho effective! And another aspect that I really dug was that Dylan (Max Theriot) finally dropped his “tough kid” act and showed us his truer side: he’s a good dude in a f*cked up family.

Suddenly whom was once a quasi villain is now being portrayed as a would be hero! The key scene between Norman and Dylan was a moving one and both actors played off each other beautifully (that’s one thing that this show has in spades – acting that is beyond above the norm, definitely a main strength). Finally, Norma’s reaction to Norman getting some poon (oh yes, Norman got some play in this one, good for him) was pretty extreme. Lets just say that she didn’t take it too well. When compared to how Norman reacted when he found out his momma was getting boned by the law (“I’m not jealous, you’re my mother not my girlfriend”), we now have a good indication of whom will wake up their quiet incestuous relationship in episodes to come. It will be all Momma baby!

So yup, no complaints here! I had another fulfilling visit at the Bates Motel! Not only did it end on a WHOPPER of a cliffhanger (the only downside of watching a show on TV, is that you have to wait a week to see what happens next) but it also set up more potentially gripping scenarios to come. Now that Norma knows that Norman popped his cherry, will she get more nutso, hence becoming the mother that adult Norman so fears inthe PSYCHO movies? I have a feeling that poor sick Emma, who was absent in this episode, will get the bulk of Mama Bates punishment… and soon. Will Dylan, now aware of everything, gonna become a more active element in the many sordid subplots? And in light of the uppercut ending, how the hell will Norma get out of that one? Tum,tum,tum! Can’t wait for next week! Here’s a preview!

RANDOM THOUGHTS: So Norma has known about Norman’s hallucinations and black-outs for a while now. Hmmm. I’m telling you, Norman killed his own dad who was abusive and Norma covered it up. I’ll bet ya a beer!  

Shelby. What’s the dealio? Evil as the devil or misunderstood and a victim of Norman’s hallucinations? You know where my money is at!

Norma was a much better liar in this episode. Props girl!

RATING ON 10

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