Bates Motel Season 1 Episode 05.

! This is a warning if you haven't seen this episode yet turn back now, there will be spoilers ahead. This is a personal reviewing and all my points are opinion unless stated otherwise!

As the show opens from a very striking scene and I'm not sure whether its Freddie Highmore creepy face or it was done on purpose but the way Norman goes to stroke Bradley's hair is just so striking, he goes to touch but there is hesitation, why would he hesitate? why would he stroke her head ? There is a constant thought going on in my mind that he is envious of the people who committed the crimes in the 'manga' book they found, the way he treats the women in his life is with up most respect whilst you can see the thoughts going on in his head.

Once we bypass this whole sex-capade we get to the follow on from the previous episode, Norma's imprisonment. Vera Famiga/Norma Bates as always shines as she forces Norman to want her attention she pushes and pushes him away to the point that he is constantly attempting to gain back her love. she is so reluctant to even talk to them, she even goes to the point of screaming Norman out of the car. This when he states he is "scared of her" she amps it up and pulls him out and drives off. All of this is very clever and also linking in to the infatuation with his mother that we see in psycho, she is a very smart woman and is a master at manipulation. she does it with everyone especially Norman and Zack due to Dylan being resilient, she is almost childish how she acts with people when she is in a 'mood'.

All throughout the episode while going through the relationship drama, friendship and sex slave side, Norman is thinking is hoping about his mother and what she will do to him, she almost drives him to breaking point then pulls back her master plan. By this I mean her pushing and pushing him then suddenly towards the end she embraces him with so much joy and love making Normans eyes light up as his mother loves him once again. All of this is pointing further and further towards Normans obsession and love for women in his life.

The drawbacks of the episode have to be the teen drama and the stupid crime drug dealer aspect nobody cares if a random dud we barely know gets killed, there is no impact, it is pointless. but low and behold they keep on putting it in, it draws straight away from the real story we all tune in to see, ya know the one its based off. However the teen drama side can be forgiven as we can tell that its pointing towards Normans behaviour but i just cant see where the drug dealing is going, why is it even there?  if anyone has any theories I'm happy to hear.

Speaking of the book this episode is where things start to heat up and it seems that there is almost a club that was selling these girls out as there was Keith Summers and also Zack Shelby which we found out in E03 so one of the biggest questions of the episode is who else is in this 'club'? So back to the book, After Norma gets arrested Norman goes to trade the deed to post bail and tells Emma that he found the girl from the book but she cant ask any questions at all. Later she takes it upon herself to do some googling and finds that Keith Summers actually also owned a boat (how she found it so quick still baffles me), so to quickly wrap up she tells Norman and they go on a sex slave hunt in the boat to find her, they do and the scene is so so flat there was a slight suspense which they open the locked door to see emptiness but the what do you know they find her in another door and she falls/charges out in a rage, it was just so emotionless and dull for what could have happened there.

Norman and Emma try to show  Norma about the girl and this is where some real cinematography and emotion come into play excessively helped by Vera's acting as the pure disgust Norma has with Norman is so forceful until the Asian girl tells the truth then all is revealed and the shaky fast paced camera movements matched with Vera's acting make this scene so shocking and intense that it is a true climax to end the episode on.

In Conclusion.

I believe the overall episode was good but not great. Excellent climax with some more fantastic acting from Vera and Olivia but as usual the drug dealing brought it right down as well as the cop helping out. Too many bland scenes. Having said that it was still gripping with some beautifully use of light (for a TV episode).

Speculation Time?
This is where is speculate what will happen in the next episode from the preview.

I think Norman is going to get his Psycho on by trying his luck to kill or trap Zack with the use of his mother what appears to be whoring herself out while Norman objects. I think the next episode will be the most exiting yet with constant action and suspense and hopefully a murder.

Thank you for reading this and tune in next week for episode 6, bye.