Bates Motel Episode 105
“Ocean View”
Written By: Jeff Wadlow
Directed By: David Straiton
Original Airdate: 15 April 2013
In This Episode...
The morning after sleeping with Bradley, Norman is feeling pretty damn good about himself - until he goes home and Dylan casually informs him that Norma has been arrested. The boys go visit her in jail but she isn’t interested in their help. She is convinced it will all clear itself up, but really she is hurt that Norman wasn’t home when she needed him.
Against Mother’s wishes, Norman puts the deed to the motel up for Norma’s bail. Norma is quietly furious with him, and will barely look at him, even though he accompanies her to her attorney’s office. The attorney, Rebecca Craig, is preparing Norma’s defense, but she storms out Norma believes she doesn’t need a defense because she didn’t do anything. Mother and son fight on the way home, and she literally throws him out of the car and makes him walk. Dylan happens by and gives Norman a ride home on the back of his motorcycle, giving Dylan another chance to be the hero. Dylan is planning on getting his own place, and he hopes Norman will come live with him - regardless of whether or not Norma goes to prison.
Norma and Shelby meet late at night down by the shore. Shelby doesn’t think they should see each other for awhile - yet another chance for Norma to quietly seethe with rage. Shelby won’t let her leave: “I love you, you idiot.” He promises to find a way to fix all this. When he returns to the sheriff’s office, Shelby sneaks into the evidence closet and steals the carpet fiber they found in Keith’s watch. When Rebecca files a motion to examine the evidence, the cops discover the fiber is gone and they have no choice but to dismiss the case.
Norman has told Emma about seeing the sex slave in a “police officer’s basement” but declines to say any more. He also refuses to go to the authorities until after his mom’s legal case blows over. This isn’t good enough for Emma, who does some research on her own and discovers that Keith Summers has a boat under his name. She and Norman go investigate the boat and discover the sex slave hidden in a tiny cabinet. She comes out swinging but is easily subdued. The kids take her back to the motel and intend to clean her up. Norma sees the light on in one of the rooms and checks it out. She discovers the sex slave on the bed, Emma at her side, and Norman emerging from the bathroom. This does not look good. “This is the girl from the basement,” Norman insists. “Tell her.” Norma doesn’t want to believe it. She grabs the local paper and shows the sex slave a picture of Shelby. The girl confirms that is the man who imprisoned her.
Also: Dylan’s co-worker, Ethan, loans him some money so he and Norman can get their own place. While sitting in Ethan’s truck, a skeezy junkie comes up. He apparently owes Ethan’s employer some money, but the junkie is there to shoot Ethan in the neck. He scrams and Dylan does the best he can to staunch the bleeding while he races Ethan to the hospital. When a cop shows up to take Dylan’s statement, he disappears. On his way home, Dylan sees the junkie in an alley. He backs up, turns down the alley, and guns it, running over the junkie without a bit of remorse.
Finally: Norman has been waiting for two days to hear from Bradley. She hasn’t returned his calls or texts. Emma breaks the news to him: they aren’t “together,” it was just a “hookup.” She is a little bitter because she kissed him earlier and he rebuffed her advances.
Dig It or Bury It?
So are we all on the same page about Bradley and Norman not actually sleeping together? Okay, good. It does kind of raise the question about what else is a machination of Norman’s diseased mind - and what is real. And boy, Norma just gets crazier and crazier as the episodes go by. Good-crazy. The kind of crazy you love to watch. She is clearly a sociopathic narcissist.
Mother Dearest
When Norma is released on bail, Norman is waiting for her with a bouquet of flowers and a waiting cab - it’s almost like he is picking her up for a date. Later, when Norma confronts her son about not being there when she was arrested, she is jealous - she knows he was out “getting laid.” She is also hurt that Norman told Dylan their “personal business,” like a wife mad at her husband for sharing secrets.
Also, when Norma tells Norman that Shelby promised to take care of the fiber evidence, Norman gets pissed off. “What are you going to have to do for that?” he accuses. Norman clearly believes his mother is selling herself in exchange for protection. She would never willingly have sex.
Prophecies?
If you thought Norma was crazy before, wait until you see what happens when she discovers her boyfriend is trafficking sex slaves.