Bates Motel: Recap of Episode 3.05 – The Deal; First Details on Episode 3.06 – Norma Louise
Previously, on “Bates Motel”: Norma attempted to unlock the secrets of the thumb drive Annika passed on before, well, Annika passed on – even involving Dylan to assist; a group of shadowy thugs descended upon the Bates Motel in search of the device, going so far as to ransack the office and threaten Dylan, who eventually hid the drive at his farm; Dylan also had a heart-to-heart with Caleb about the event that tore him and his sister apart; and, in the previous episode’s final scene, Norman discovered that Caleb was hiding out at Dylan’s farm and promised to tell Norma, threatening to destroy the relationship Dylan has tried so hard to build with her.
Tonight’s Episode 3.05 (“The Deal”) begins with Dylan avoiding his inevitable confrontation with Norma, even as she’s run off the road by one of the men who’d threatened her son the previous evening. Her attacker points out that she has something that belongs to one Bob Paris, who runs the Arcanum Club – and that Norma should meet with him soon.
Dylan eventually returns home, only for Norman to tell him that he’d already spoken with Norma and had spilled the beans about Caleb. Not long after, Dylan is contacted by the hospital to inform him of Norma’s accident. Upon his arrival, he apologizes to his mother – only to realize she has no idea about Caleb.
Romero continues his investigation into the pair of recent murders that have plagued his town and eventually takes a meeting with Paris, who readily admits that he’s missing the all-important thumb drive and suggests that it would be best for Romero to retrieve it from Norma for him.
Dylan confronts Norman about the revelation (or lack thereof) concerning Caleb, pointing out that Norma has no idea about it. Norman insists he told her, but Dylan states that it doesn’t matter as he plans on telling Norma himself anyway. Norman eventually speaks with his mother, gently prodding to see if she remembers him telling her anything important earlier that morning – only to discover that he may have had another blackout and had hallucinated the entire conversation.
Dylan’s housemate and fellow grower Gunner discovers the hidden drive and, in his boredom, cracks the password and opens the files within – revealing a financial ledger that appears to detail the illegal revenue from the drug trade that could take down several of the town’s more prominent and wealthy members. Dylan tells Norma, who races to Romero and admits that she has the device. She points out that she wants to meet with Bob Paris and attempt to trade the drive – but not without getting something in return for her trouble. There’s some great acting from Farmiga in this scene, as she breaks down while discussing all this town has done to her and why she deserves something for that.
Romero, though wary of her plan, accompanies her to the meeting with Paris, where Norma demands the man’s help in rerouting the bypass to better accommodate her business in exchange for her silence regarding the drive’s contents (also, she wants a billboard… and a pool… with a jacuzzi). Paris agrees to everything, delighting Norma even as a still-concerned Romero watches on.
All’s well for Norma by episode’s end, until her sons sit her down to reveal the truth about Caleb and his whereabouts. The revelation that Dylan had been harboring her brother (and the fact that Norman now seems to be supporting his big brother’s decision) drives Norma a bit mad, sending her into a rage that sees her packing up in a hurry and leaving her boys – and possibly her entire life – in her rearview mirror.
It’s another solid episode this week, showcasing some great acting while furthering the plot in interesting ways. At this season’s midpoint things appear to be reaching the boiling point with every character, which will surely play out in fascinating ways. It was nice to see Dylan take a bit of the spotlight this week as well, as the interesting character is occasionally underused (or used regrettably, as with last season’s drug trade subplot). Here’s looking forward to the next installment, Episode 3.06, “Norma Louise.” Check out the synopsis below.
“Bates Motel” Episode 3.06 – “Norma Louise” (airs 4/13/15)
Norma considers a life outside of White Pine Bay, leaving Norman in a vulnerable position. As Dylan and Emma bond over helping their friend through a rough night, Caleb makes a difficult decision, and Romero is confronted by a new threat.
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