Bates Motel: Season 2/ Episode 2 “Shadow of a Doubt ” – Overview/ Review (with Spoilers)

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Overview

The girl of Norman’s dreams fades into the distance, but her blood trail points in so many directions.

Trigger Warning(s): Intro showing Ms. Watson, after being murdered

Review (with Spoilers)

In another episode in which Emma seems more like a reoccurring role than regular, Norman deals with Bradley’s issues the best he can, as Norma tries to deal with Norman’s the best she can. Meanwhile, the town has another murder on their hands, and though someone is arrested for Ms. Watson’s murder, Gil’s murder by Bradley has no suspects, so new character Zane, or Zayn, thinks the Ford family did it. Leading to a possible drug war in the future.

Topic 1: All the Issues One Girl Caused (Bradley, Norman, and Dylan)

With Gil’s murder comes a new character named Zane, or Zayn, who is ready to reassert himself in the family. According to Remo, Zane is the type who doesn’t belong in the business and already got incarcerated once due to his idiocy. But, with him being the brother to the boss, he has a place, and unfortunately with said power he decides to murder someone of the Ford family to send a message.

Meanwhile, Norman is hiding Bradley in his basement and seemingly trying to play her white knight. But, while she is thankful, even when they have what seemed to be an almost kissing scene, things remain platonic. And, with her name not really focused on in terms of being the killer, she plans to head to Boston to start anew. Which doesn’t make sense since she, I think, isn’t even 18 yet so how will she take care of herself? But overanalyzing that nonsense isn’t going to get us anywhere.

What is known though, is that seemingly Dylan is going to make it seem like she killed herself to cover her tracks, and though I think only the town will think that, not Norman or Dylan, there is a chance Dylan may keep that a secret from Norman, if just so he’ll think she is dead and will move on. Which would be nice since, between Emma, and this random girl at the market, I wouldn’t mind a new love interest for Norman.

Topic 2: I Know What You Did Norman (Norma)

Between Norman talking about blacking out the night Ms. Watson died, a pearl necklace, and worries that he is becoming distant, Norma tries to get closer to her son and he starts to push away again. But, being that Norman is a mother’s boy, he finds himself back in her grasp. Thing is, while watching Norma obsess over her son, you do wonder what she could possibly do if Norman did actually leave? Emma runs the motel, it seems, and Norma just goes around looking for something to do. And perhaps the writers were thinking this was a problem because between her brother arriving, and her auditioning for South Pacific, it seems Norma will have less reason to focus solely on Norman. Especially since someone was arrested for the murder of Blair Watson.

Topic 3: The Unfolding Mystery that was Blair Watson

Who you may ask? Well, his name is simply Kyle. He is someone that got away with murdering before, and due to his semen, along with another man’s, being in Ms. Watson, he is a prime suspect. But I must admit, the more we learn about Ms. Watson, the more I hope for some flashbacks. Between her dad showing up, what Kyle says, and everything we heard in the first episode, I sort of want to see this side to her, we never got to see, through Norman’s eyes.

Overall

Be it because of the first season, us being familiar with the story through previous works, or something I can’t put my finger on, Bates Motel feels like the type of show which always seems to be waiting for the right moment to freak you out or just make your eyes pop. In the first season it came in numerous forms, like with the scene with Norma and Keith Summers; then you had when Norman nearly killed Dylan, and I have to admit, I am jittery waiting for something big like that to happen. For, to me, Bradley killing Gil wasn’t that “Oh My God” worthy. And with them possibly writing her off, it just seems like a good send off more than something to really give you that “What will they think of next?” type of moment. But, even with this criticism, I remain in love with the show. Especially because of Highmore who, through Norman’s love for Bradley and his mom, puts on such a wonderful performance. Farmiga though is starting to feel like hit and miss to me, though, but with Norma being over the top, it is hard to really say it is her because it really is the character.