Bates Motel

The standard question ... anyone watching?

I rolled my eyes when I first heard about the show. I figured it would last a handful of episodes and then get dumped. At a friend's suggestion, I decided to give it a shot (it's on Netflix). To my surprise, I really got into it. What sounded like a stupid concept (a show based on a young Norman Bates) actually works.

Season 2 started Monday, so it won't take long for anyone who wants to jump in and get caught up.

nope, not watching it.

I'm watching it, Wallace.

Lady Steel wrote:

I'm watching it, Wallace.

I figured you might be. If you weren't, I knew it would be a show you'd like. What's your take so far?

Wallace108 wrote:

Lady Steel wrote:

I'm watching it, Wallace.

I figured you might be. If you weren't, I knew it would be a show you'd like. What's your take so far?

I think Norman has blackouts and kills people.     

In regards to this week's episode, I really didn't need to see Norma during her gyne exam.  The way she looks at, touches, and controls Norman is very uncomfortable.  She gives me the heebie-jeebies.  Psycho!  

There were two semen DNA samples found in Blair Watson.  One was identified as belonging to Kyle, who is going to be charged with her murder.  The other sample belongs to someone who's DNA is not on file.  It could be Norman's, but it's hard to say.  They made Blair sound like she was a whore and could have been having sex with the Sheriff, as well.

Bradley is now a brunette and on her way to Boston to start a new life.  Dillon asked her to write a suicide note so he could leave it at the beach along with some of her belongings, so I'm wondering if we will ever see her again.

A war is starting between the two drug families, which should bring a lot of drama.

Now Norma's brother is in town.  He looks as nuts as she is, and he allegedly sexually abused her, so we should have some good episodes coming up.  I said "allegedly" sexually abused her because Norma is nuts, and who knows if she is telling the truth or not, although I think she probably is.  I'm just wondering if it was consensual.   

Lady Steel wrote:

In regards to this week's episode, I really didn't need to see Norma during her gyne exam.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who felt that scene was a little uncomfortable. I would have been OK with a quick scene, but it felt like we were treated to the entire exam.   

Lady Steel wrote:

There were two semen DNA samples found in Blair Watson.  One was identified as belonging to Kyle, who is going to be charged with her murder.  The other sample belongs to someone who's DNA is not on file.  It could be Norman's, but it's hard to say.  They made Blair sound like she was a whore and could have been having sex with the Sheriff, as well.

The sheriff is still a mystery to me. I can't figure out if he's good or bad. It wouldn't surprise me to discover that he was involved with Blair.

Lady Steel wrote:

Bradley is now a brunette and on her way to Boston to start a new life.  Dillon asked her to write a suicide note so he could leave it at the beach along with some of her belongings, so I'm wondering if we will ever see her again.

Nicola Peltz (Bradley) is the lead actress in the new Transformers movie, so I'm sure her schedule will be full with promoting the movie and the roles that follow. I wonder if her absence will be temporary or if they wrote her off the show. If she does return, I don't expect to see her back anytime soon (admittedly, I don't know anything about the Bates shooting schedule. For all I know, the rest of the season could already be filmed and Bradley's leaving has nothing to do with what's happening in real life with Nicola).

Lady Steel wrote:

Now Norma's brother is in town.  He looks as nuts as she is, and he allegedly sexually abused her, so we should have some good episodes coming up.  I said "allegedly" sexually abused her because Norma is nuts, and who knows if she is telling the truth or not, although I think she probably is.  I'm just wondering if it was consensual.   

The show is supposed to be about Norman and his journey to becoming the psycho we met in the original film. However, I find Norma to be a much more interesting character. Sometimes she seems a little crazy. Other times, her craziness is just her way of protecting her son, who she knows has issues. So do her actions stem from trying to protect Norman, or is she really crazy herself?

So, Norma's brother is Dylan's father. I did NOT see that one coming.   

Thanksgiving dinner should be fun.   

I kind of figured Caleb was Dylan's father from the start of the episode. I even commented that they looked alike.

Now I'm curious as to who this Nick Ford guy is, but I don't think he's a good guy. Leave it to Norma to continue to make bad decisions.

I felt so badly for Dylan this episode.  To know he is the "consequence" of incestuous rape absolutely devastated him.  But, of course, it had to be all about Norma.  I think she is telling the truth that Caleb is Dylan's father.  She found out she was pregnant and then used her boyfriend for a shotgun marriage to get away from her family.  I do wonder, though, if she had sex with her boyfriend prior to her finding out she was pregnant or if it was afterwards, which would have been pretty messed up.

Norman cuddling in bed with Norma totally creeped me out.  The way Norma looks at and touches Norman is so inappropriate and is causing Norman to have sexual feelings for her.  They both are showing jealousy and possessiveness of each other, as well.  Just so creepy and twisted.  

Norma is really starting to psychologically spiral downward, and it's going to get worse as the new bypass comes to fruition and her business is affected financially.  It will lead to her becoming abusive of Norman as things go downhill.

Norman got his schizo going on this episode and channeled his inner Norma while confronting Caleb.  Love it! I think we're going to see Caleb again.

Pot cupcake guy is kinda cute. I hope he does hook up with Emma.

I don't trust Norma's new boyfriend, Cody.  He's trying too hard to have a relationship with her when she clearly doesn't seem to be interested.  I think there's something up with that.

What in the world was going through Zane's head to think it was okay to burn down Sheriff Romero's house?  He's simply too dumb to live.  Seriously.

I agree with everything you said, LS. Well, except about the cupcake guy being cute.   

Also, I have a slightly different view of the Norma and Dylan situation. I felt worse for Norma than Dylan. While I understand his shock of finding out who his father is, it really doesn't change anything about who he is. Plus, it helps him understand, as he said himself, why he was on the outside of the family. But lately, Norma has accepted him and has made him part of their family. She wants him to stay. From my perspective, Dylan is making it all about him and isn't considering everything that Norma went through, and he isn't processing why she had a difficult time accepting him. Norma is the one who had to suffer through the abuse and then had her life changed with the pregnancy. Beyond the initial shock, finding out the truth doesn't change Dylan's life in any way. I understand him being upset, but I think Norma is the wrong person to take it out on. He was more understanding and defensive of his father, who created the whole mess, than he was of Norma, who was also a victim.

As for Norman cuddling with Norma ... uh, yeah. Far from normal. Hmmmm ... Norma, Norman, normal. Not exactly an accurate play on words.  

Wallace108 wrote:

So, Norma's brother is Dylan's father. I did NOT see that one coming.   

Thanksgiving dinner should be fun.   

I had trouble sleeping after that episode because my brain couldn't quite comprehend what just happened in those final 2 minutes....

Yea, the dude playing Norman is doing a great job of playing a sick psychopath (I hope he is playing). When the gentleman caller came to pick up Norma for the date and Norman had that possessiveness in his questioning and tone (most kids his age would be loving their parents leaving).

This show does a fantastic job of keeping things fairly simple (character wise) but keeps you in suspense with the whole "you never know what could happen next".

Whyant5 wrote:

This show does a fantastic job of keeping things fairly simple (character wise) but keeps you in suspense with the whole "you never know what could happen next".

When I first saw previews for it, I thought it looked stupid and figured it would get canceled after a handful of episodes. I didn't bother watching it until after the first season ended and a friend talked me into watching it on Netflix. They've done a great job of creating characters and stories beyond the motel and Norman, yet still keeping the main story on track toward it's inevitable conclusion.

I didn't realize until I started watching it, but the showrunner and executive producer of the show is Carlton Cuse, who was the executive producer of Lost. So we know the story lines are going to be fantastic. And this time, he can't possibly screw up the ending.   

Wow, this latest episode really amped up the sex.

Whyant5 wrote:

Wow, this latest episode really amped up the sex.  

Yep. And I guess the ladies really do love the bad boys. Or in this case, the psycho boys.   

Wallace108 wrote:

Whyant5 wrote:

Wow, this latest episode really amped up the sex.  

Yep. And I guess the ladies really do love the bad boys. Or in this case, the psycho boys.   

No kidding. Aside from the gal that left, he scored the hottest broad (IMO) on the show. Guess it pays to not take your meds.    

Unless it's Viagra.    

Well, now that Norman's DNA has been linked to his dead teacher, it'll be interesting to see where they go with the storyline.

WOW. This last episode REALLY amped up the creepy. Yowza. 2 left... can't wait to see what happens.

Bates Motel. I binged watched it over the weekend to get caught up. Let's chat Wally!

Has anyone noticed that Norman might be the most normal person on the show.

I have a feeling we haven't seen the last of that flash drive story line. That deal Norma made was way too easy.

Lol him or Dillon (aside from how he was created).

I think the flash drive story line is going to be back. It came out of nowhere and went away too quickly.

I somehow got away from watching this show this past year. I'm going to have to get caught up when my 4 day weekend comes around.

Lady Steel wrote:

I somehow got away from watching this show this past year.  I'm going to have to get caught up when my 4 day weekend comes around.

What I like about the show is that every episode is solid. It's not epic, but it's consistently really good.

I just poured myself a beer and I'm about to go watch the episode from Monday. Apparently it was a REALLY good one.

SteelersYak wrote:

I just poured myself a beer and I'm about to go watch the episode from Monday.  Apparently it was a REALLY good one.

Yep, it was a great episode. Things are starting to develop that will lead us to where we know we're going.

I don't know how this show is doing in the ratings, but people who like dark shows really need to go back and watch this.