Following a shocking yet unsurprising case of family secrets unveiled last week, the shockwaves within the Bates family were bound to be reverberated from wall to wall and this week the aftermath was certainly felt by all, both inside and outside the family.
After a party last week that introduced further players into this ever twisting tale, we were dealt with the morning after as both Dylan and Emma were forced to tackle the consequences of the events of the previous night. Very much on different ends of the spectrum, Emma’s night of drunken mishap would result in a quickly duped possible sexual encounter – much to her delight – while Dylan was facing his actions of taking to the drink after finding out about his father, Caleb.
While this pair were certainly worthy of their screen time this week, in light of the show brilliantly looking to flesh out the individuals who as of late haven’t received the spotlight treatment, we still got a huge bite of the Norma and Norman pie, once again matching the bitter mood of their lives with a delicious treat of both Vera Farmiga and Freddie Highmore’s continuing inspired performances.
Norma’s handling of Caleb’s appearance has acceptably been far from easy, the topic of incest and rape one that is never easy for a show to tackle, but in such a show it is handled with utmost respect and emotional angst. Wracking her brains over her past, Norma was somewhat forced into a date with the smooth and worryingly friendly George, instigated by her newfound friend Christine. These new figures in her life may spring her into a refreshing mindset but there could be more than meets the eye with these people.
Norman, on the other hand, is still finding it difficult to maintain friends and even his own stable mindset; this week proving the biggest indicator that he is transforming into the monster we all know is boiling up inside. Jealous and boiling over at the sight of his mother looking to spread her wings, Norman would further his relationship with Coy but soon showed his darker side as Highmore aced the whole devilish look of Norman Bates countless times this week.
Bates Motel is cleverly weaving a full-blown character study on the town of White Pine Bay while still focusing on the sole purpose of eventually delivering to us the fates of the Bates family members. This week we finally saw both Emma and Dylan get the focus they needed and they are certainly characters who deserve their own specific ongoing stories to keep things fresh and absorbing to viewers.
With their respective stories slowly progressing, the key figures of Norma and Norman and their ongoing scenarios are always gripping, the parallels between the two uncanny and their slow separation in both life and mental state clear for all to see. The tangled web of the Bates family is beginning to spin and become more intricate, but with so many interesting and captivating sideline characters waiting to pounce, this is one show that deserves all the plaudits.
