Bates Motel: Season 2/ Episode 4 “Check-Out ” – Overview/ Review (with Spoilers)

Overview

With Norman on the verge of snapping, it seems Norma may not be the only person he can rely on bringing him back to normalcy.

Trigger Warning(s): Brief scenes of sexual assault

Review (with Spoilers)

With each passing episode, it seems we get closer and closer to Norman’s next breaking point, and we get to see him really crack this episode. But, not just in the way you expect, with him going psycho and all. He cracks when it comes to talking about himself and his personal life. For while Emma is still around, and ever curious, Cody seems to be what perhaps Norman needs. And alongside Norman finding a good balancer, Norma seemingly may have found one as well in Christine and George. But, as for Dylan, with things worse than ever between him and Norma, it seems he is still the odd man out.

Topic 1: Emma’s Feelings – Emma

After a drunken night at Bradley’s memorial, Emma wakes up with the boy whose name I don’t think was said once in the episode. However, what was said is the Emma certainly is still a virgin still, but there is a mutual desire between the two to end that. However, even with Emma moving on don’t think her friendship with Norman is being kicked to the wayside. You see, as the Bates family goes through turmoil, Emma seeks to understand what is going on. The issue is, no one wants to speak about it. Norman is cagey, Norma is an adult and with her icy blue eyes, what kid would really want to ask her an invasive question? So, all Emma can do is say she is here, in the office, as usual, not knowing that with each passing moment one scandal after another happens around her, with her getting no information to prepare.

Topic 2: A War on Multiple Fronts – Dylan

And she isn’t alone. With Norma’s reveal that Dylan’s father is also his uncle, all the progress Dylan and Norma made has been thrown out the window and seemingly choked to death. For, between him thinking Norman knew everything before him, and was likely laughing at him; adding in Caleb offering an alternative story in which he doesn’t deny messing around with Norma, but says someone else was the father; and then Dylan questioning if he was used just so her boyfriend would marry her, since she was pregnant by her brother; it leads to a big verbal altercation in which Dylan thinks the best thing to do is leave.

Topic 3: Someone to Stand by me Despite My Flaws – Norman and Norma

As for Norma’s side of the story, like Caleb, she doesn’t deny the truth but tries to spin it the best way she can. For just as her eyes can be cold and calculating, they can show that vulnerable child being sexually abused by her brother with seemingly no way out. But with her being pregnant with Dylan, she admits, she felt she was given an option, which she took, but she tries to justify this the best way she can. And perhaps the best argument is the unspoken one of imagining how things would be if she gave birth to her brother’s son and stayed.

And with her oldest son attacking her, this puts Norma into a depression that Christine seems hell-bent to drag her out of. For, between herself and George, there is some type of attraction to Norma which draws them both in, and even as Norma goes to hide in her shell, Christine seems ready to drag her into the light. Which, admittedly, I’m not sure if there is any ill intent, but George seems like a nice guy and so far is probably the best thing to happen to Norma in years, so I have my fingers crossed that everything turns out well.

Not just for her either. Norman’s new friend Cody seems to be the perfect mix between Emma and Bradley. She has Bradley’s edge, yet Emma’s kindness. The interest Emma has in him, but at the same time, the independence Bradley seemed to have at times. And though they aren’t dating, you can see Norman open up to her in a way which seemingly he wanted to with Bradley, but with her having her own problems to deal with, likely he perhaps felt too selfish to talk about himself. But with Cody, she asks and he strangely answers. She listens to him talk about his mom without judgment, and when Norman hints at what Caleb did, Cody is ready to beat Caleb’s behind to the point of scaring him away.

The way the episode ends, though, it may be enough to scare Cody away. I say this because though Norman can’t face Caleb with Cody, he decides to go there alone after Norma has her final argument with Dylan about how things came to be. And with that, Norman gets the feelings of helplessness trapped in his mind, and he faces Caleb to try to scare him away. And while all that happens is he gets his butt kicked, Caleb does leave. However, with Norman snapped and only Cody’s number on his arm, she is called to get him and perhaps the true test of their friendship has come. She has met zoned out Norman. And though she seems a bit frightened, she was there for him. Sort of like how Norman was there for Bradley. And though Cody can’t replace Norma, Norman at least is given a possible alternative.

Things to Note

Zane’s battle with the Ford family is heating up as he sends Dylan to pick up some guns from a man named Charlie, and Romero tries to step in to calm things. However, with Zane being a hothead, he doesn’t take kindly to Romero in his business so he burns his house down. At least he seemingly had a hand in burning his house down. It hasn’t been confirmed yet.