Preview: Bates Motel Season 3 – Episode 1: A Death in the Family

Jinx |

Mar 6, 2015

As a longtime fan of the Psycho franchise, encompassing everything from Robert Bloch’s novels to the film franchise inaugurated by Alfred Hitchcock, this writer had initially anticipated A&E’s contemporary prequel/reboot television series “Bates Motel” with an equal mix of excitement and dread. Fortunately, the first season was stellar – boasting handsome production values, sharp writing, and a perfect cast spearheaded by the exceptional Vera Farmiga and Freddie Highmore (essaying the roles of Norma and Norman Bates, respectively).

It was a shame, then, when the show’s sophomore season was a bit of a stumble. The storytelling focus shifted from wicked Psychodrama to a melodramatic mix of primetime soap and dull crime drama (while Max Thieriot’s Dylan Bates is an interesting addition to Norman’s tale, the increasingly lame “pot wars” subplot he’s been saddled with is typically anything but). Though the second season eventually found its footing and ended on a high enough note, it left a lingering question in this fan’s mind – will “Bates Motel” return to its former glory or continue to hobble along its highs and lows before reaching its foregone conclusion?

If the first episode of the third season is any indication, the show has properly course-corrected and appears to be on the right path, even though the writing still isn’t quite yet up to par with the best of the initial season’s teleplays.

The Season 3 premiere (titled “A Death in the Family”) starts out on a creepy enough note with Norma and Norman in bed together – mother and son slumbering with their arms around each other. Dylan catches them and confronts Norma – pointing out that the behavior she sees as perfectly innocent is inappropriate, if not downright harmful to Norman. This begins a rift between mother and son, one that widens when Norma insists that Norman return to school, even though the latter is still dealing with the fallout of his role in the murder of his teacher (dealt with at length during the previous season).

The remaining bulk of the episode is spent setting up plot lines that one presumes will drive the rest of the season: Sheriff Romero (Nestor Carbonell) and Dylan consider how to best maneuver in the drug business now that their town’s pot industry has been shattered; Dylan’s father/uncle Caleb (Kenny Johnson) returns, hoping to have a relationship with his son; Norma receives news of her reportedly insane mother’s passing, which dredges up complicated emotions for her; motel clerk and Norman’s best friend Emma receives some distressing news, even as her relationship with Norman deepens; and a beautiful customer named Annika (played by “Revolution” star Tracy Spiridakos) arrives at the motel, igniting in Norman the darker impulses that will eventually make the young man notorious.

It’s a busy episode, to be certain. Still, for all its activity, there is a surprising lack of urgency for any of the proceedings. The previous season openers were fraught with tension, while this ep is mostly a parade of sequences with little in the way of momentum or suspense (except, perhaps, for its closing moments). The episode is hardly unwatchable, but it never feels as enthralling as it should.

Still, there’s a lot to love here. Farmiga unsurprisingly impresses with what has become the talented actress’ signature character, Highmore continues to rise to the challenge of making Norman Bates his own, and the rest of the cast puts in solid and admirable work. In addition, the episode is well directed by “Bates” veteran Tucker Gates, while the show’s mix of drama and black humor remains in fine form.

Is “A Death in the Family” perfect? No. But it’s a solid enough start to what one hopes will be a strong season for this still-promising series. It’s worth noting that the episode’s quietly ominous ending seems to hint that “Bates Motel” is now firmly on the path to arriving at Norman’s inevitable destiny. Here’s hoping it gets there with a steadier gait than it’s had thus far.