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Bates Motel: Primer and Homebase

Welcome to the homebase for the A&E series, Bates Motel. Each week you'll find a thread for the newest episode, so we can discuss its twists and horrors together.
First, a primer.
Bates Motel is a modern day prequel to Hitchcock's Psycho, centering on Norman and his mother, Norma, as they move to the titular motel in a coastal Oregon town. Norma is hoping for a new start for herself and Norman after her husband's death, and buying and running the run-down motel is her plan. Of course, there are plenty of unforeseen complications, especially since the town has a touch of Twin Peaks strangeness and corruption to it.
I know what you're thinking. A Psycho prequel? Really? Two things should convince you to give the show a shot: its pedigree and its cast. Among others, the series is (executive) produced by Carlton Cuse (Lost) and Kerry Ehrin (Friday Night Lights). It both builds intrigue and mysteries while creating complex characters. And then it scares the crap out of you.
Cast/Characters (As of Season 2)
Vera Farmiga plays Norma Bates.

She's high-strung, cloying, yet honestly put-upon and sincerely caring. She's smart but vulnerable at times. You may not be able to stand her at all, and you may deeply sympathize with her, all within one episode.
Freddie Highmore plays Norman Bates.

Like Norma, you might feel sorry for Norman or be terrified or horribly creeped out by him in the space of a breath. Often he's simply a normal teenage boy by all appearances, crushing on girls, wanting his own space, sneaking out late at night. Buuut then there's the blackouts and weird stuff he keeps under his bed...
Max Thieriot plays Dylan Massett.

Dylan is Norma's other, older son, and Norman's half-brother. He's more of an outsider, and drifts into town and into their lives against Norma's wishes. He clashes with the family, especially when he urges Norman to live his own life, but he proves indispensable, too.
Olivia Cooke plays Emma Decody.

Emma is a smart, inquisitive girl in Norman's class who quickly develops an interest in him. She has cystic fibrosis and sees Norman's own strange health issues and outsider-y status as something akin to hers.
Nestor Carbonell plays Sheriff Alex Romero.

As sheriff, Romero and Norma butt heads as she struggles to accomplish what she wants with the motel and deals with, er, other complications. Given the town's penchant for ongoing shady activities, Romero is someone who is tough to read.
You can stream Season 1 episodes on Netflix, Amazon, and at the A&E site.
The second season begins Monday, March 3rd! Episodes air at
2.05 The Escape Artist
Re: 2.05 The Escape Artist
During the last week, it had occured to me that considering his house got just burned down, Sheriff Romero might move into the Bates Motel for a while, and lo and behold, he did, which was great to see and offered the chance for more scenes between him and Norma, each of which was golden. They were last season, too, but the emotional power has somewhat shifted, due to Norma not being desperately afraid anymore (well, not of Romero, anyway) and Alec Romero being somewhat rattled due to having an escalating drug war in town. Which makes for more equality and I must admit that somewhere around the time she bossed him into letting her disinfect his cuts, I realized I ship them a little. Not least because he hasn't made any attempt to blackmail her into anything so far and he's so openly morally ambiguous, unlike Vartan's character where you're waiting for the other shoe to drop. Also, there's definitely chemistry, and she's relaxed enough around him now to tease him into a smile. Mind you, given the looming Psycho future I should not wish for anything, because it would mean Romero would end up dead (and that relationship could even become the ultimate trigger for Norman), but still. They're just great fun to watch together.
Meanwhile, we find out what Nick Ford, aka one of the two big drug lords in town, wants from Norma, which is a facade for a move gainst the bypass. (What Ford has against the bypass, I don't know, considering that the drug trade would presumably benefit, too, but I guess we'll find out.) While what he asks Norma to do - file an injunction based on an environmental assessment he's had prepared - is a seemingly harmless and even smart move from her pov, it is of course just the first step and makes her beholden to him. Not to mention that before the episode is over, she finds out via Romero the city councilman who was the leader of Team Bypass just got killed, which is a drastic illustration (in case one is needed after Romero's warning) just what her new ally is capable of. (Something Norma is not yet aware of is that in addition to being a drug lord, Nick Ford is also the father of the late Blair Watson. I wonder whether Norman still has those pearls in the house? Because Nick Ford is bound to recognize them.)
Norma meets Cody, and it's mutual dislike on first sight, which was to be expected. (Though to be fair, even less neurotic parents than Norma would have objected to Cody's behaviour.) What was more interesting that Norma's slight detour in her conversation about Cody with Norman late in the episode - that line about girls trapped in unbearable circumstances being doomed and taking others with them - is an obvious self reference/projection. Now the audience knows, though Norma does not, that Cody does, in fact, live in an at least emotionally abusive domestic situation, due to the scene with her father. Which makes Norma's and Cody's mutual objections to another among other things a case of "takes one to know one", which in a different way is also true for Norman's and Cody's being drawn to another (which otherwise would happen a little to fast for me to believe it). I do wonder when the other shoe is going to drop with the Cody situation, though not for Norma's reasons but because if Norman had a functional sexual relationship, he would presumably get through his hangups before they become murderous (if they haven't already), and he wouldn't have his Psycho ending. Which means Norman telling Cody that he had previous blackouts will probably come back to haunt him instead of being therapeutic.
Given what an idiot Dylan's immediate superior was, it should have been obvious the reason why he had his position was that he was related to someone higher ranking. Dylan saving his life not in a small part to being in a suicidal mood results in Dylan finally meeting the head of the drug organisation he works for, who turns out to be the idiot's sister as well as the Overlady of that particular cartel. Which, as I said, was a refreshing twist; we already had enough evil powerful men in town. Of course, this will involve Dylan even deeper in the ongoing escalating drug war, while Norma has just gotten involved with Nick Ford (whom I don't see taking an "okay, that was that, bye, Nick" for an answer). Sheriff Romero undoubtedly will follow through with his threat that this was just the beginning to the idiot after having beaten up same, which considering the idiot is the Overlady's brother will put him on the hitlist of Dylan's organisation. And there's the ongoing ticking time bomb of the Norman-and-Miss-Bates open question. In short: the plot thickens, indeed.
In other news: the scene between Emma and Norma was lovely. Emma does bring out the best in Norma, possibly because a) they're not related, and b) Emma also doesn't remind Norma of herself, but it still made me wonder what kind of mother Norma would have been to a daughter.
Re: 2.05 The Escape Artist
When Norma warns Norman about Cody and "the wrong sort," in addition to the projection, I also found it ironic given the sort she's unwittingly gotten involved in. Though at this point, what with the happenings of last season, how could she be surprised?
I love all Emma and Norma's scenes. Most Heartbreaking of this episode goes to Emma asking Norma what first times are like. Yikes. I'm personally waiting for the other shoe to drop with Gunner, given his work, but desperately wanting happiness for Emma.
About a second before Cody goes into her house I called alcoholic dad. It's an interesting twist that even if Cody and Norma share a crap childhood, Cody certainly has a different way of dealing with things that seems more head on. When Norman says he feels safe with her (which IS awesome), I don't know if it's to do with Norma or with Cody's overt toughness. She is someone that he immediately trusted, and he doesn't need to protect her. But who knows what will happen here.
That scene between Norma and Romero was very shippy, wasn't it? The way he looks at her for a moment definitely expresses interest.
Re: 2.05 The Escape Artist
Indeed. And I think if he hadn't been getting laid right then, Norman would have answered had he seen who was on the phone.
Though at this point, what with the happenings of last season, how could she be surprised?
Other than being the Queen of Denial, I think she is aware of what Dylan said a few episodes ago, everyone in this town is somehow involved in the drug business, but tries to ignore it. Or perhaps even tells herself that her livinghood depends on the bypass not happening, and as long as Nick Ford doesn't ask anything bad or illegal (which he didn't), it's okay to ally with him. The fact that she brings his name up to Romero to begin with shows that whatever she tells herself, it doesn't completely shut up an inner warning, though alas, she asks the sheriff after, not before.
. Most Heartbreaking of this episode goes to Emma asking Norma what first times are like. Yikes.
I just found a great description of this scene at the AV Club review:
It’s a wonderful scene, and a great example of how smartly the show use subtext to create strange, contradictory feelings. On the one hand, there’s Emma, who has her head in the right place, is a bit nervous about sex, but is making choices for herself and stands chance of being a part of something really healthy and satisfying. On the other hand, you have Norma, who was repeatedly raped by her brother as a child, and who gave birth to her brother’s son. Norma doesn’t have any happy memories of her first sexual experience, and Farmiga plays the exchange so well that you can’t ignore the fact that Emma’s questions (meant innocently) are bringing back some ugly memories, memories that have been swirling around ever since her brother’s brief appearance back into her life. But at the same time, it’s still possible to be excited for Emma, and to appreciate how Norma manages to give her sensible advice without letting things get too weird. I’ve seen plenty of shows do the “younger woman asks older woman for dating/sex advice,” but few that managed to maintain both the optimism of the younger woman and the direct knowledge of the suffering of the older without contradicting either. It’s kind of remarkable to watch.
She is someone that he immediately trusted, and he doesn't need to protect her.
Which I can see being appealing in itself, after Bradley emotionally going to pieces and of course with the ongoing high wire situation at home. Also, she took care of him when finding him at his most vulnerable (also his most dangerous, but neither of them knows that yet). So that marks her as a protector. Mind you, it just occured to me that Norman told Cody not about the rape but he did tell her about Norma's brother frightening her and being "bad". Can you imagine if Cody - with her bluntness - brings that up to Norma?
On the other hand: having sex with a guy who just told you he has repeated blackouts during which he doesn't remember what he's been doing is, well, just this side of self destructive... OR: maybe Cody hopes Norman will help her against her father the way she was willing to help him against his uncle? OR: even darker: maybe she needs a fall guy. (Theoretically, if Norman should wake up next to her father's dead body, how would he know this wasn't another blackout?) I hope not, of course.
That scene between Norma and Romero was very shippy, wasn't it? The way he looks at her for a moment definitely expresses interest.
You could see him thinking "you may be high strung and this side of crazy and generally a mess, but damm, you ARE a gorgeous woman". In addition to being shippy, it also was funny - one of the great things about the show is that with all the darkness of its themes, it also has this great sense of humour. And Norma being nostalgic about hitting the real estate agent with her bag in response to Romero beating up a drug lord was a case in point.
Hey, did you see Bryan Fuller's tweet?
Re: 2.05 The Escape Artist
Lol, yeah, I chuckled at Norma talking about smacking down the real estate guy with her purse.
No, what tweets Bryan Fuller? Is he a fan?
Re: 2.05 The Escape Artist
re: Norma's determination to fight the bypass - I think it's easy for us to see this as amusingly quixotic and/or foolish, but if one thinks about it, it really is an existential question for her. S1 established she can't sell the motel again. Which means that if the bypass happens (or rather: when the bypass happens, going by Psycho), the motel will lose its customers and Norma will end up completely broke. She'd have to start from scratch again, and as what? Cleaning lady? If she married as a teenager directly from high school, I doubt she ever had a job that would provide her with references.
Re: 2.05 The Escape Artist
I understand what's at stake re: the bypass, and I'm not seeing Norma's current actions as quixotic. More like a progression. She has been more suspicious and skeptical in the past, with good reason, especially given what happened with Shelby. But she is being less suspicious now, and I think that's not only because of what's at stake for her. From the start of the season they've shown how much better life has gotten with the motel being booked (upping the stakes). Shelby's behind her, and we know how Norma likes to "move on" and shove the past down into a deep, dark hole. And now she's got what appears to be a decent woman seeking her friendship, despite her resistance. The most significant worries she's had (beyond the bypass) are personal (Norman and Mrs. Watson, but that appears to have been solved; and then her brother and Dylan...on the backburner for the moment).
Nick Ford lands in her lap; she goes to see him and he has A YACHT and personal assistants and guards...which should raise an eyebrow. He talks about how she can fight the bypass where he can't, going on about how nice and innocent a woman she is. He hooks her up with some guy who has a report ready to go. And then the councilman dies in an "accident." So, yeah, I do think Norma has been suspending her suspicions where she might not have before for a variety of reasons. It doesn't make her a fool, just back-up-against-a-wall and hopeful.