What's Wrong with Norman

If someone's got an explanation to how did Norman know where is the house where he was supposed to look for the belt, I'd give it a 10....... This was so so lame.

What is wrong with Norman, indeed? A mighty fine question in an episode so aptly titled and one that features Freddie Highmore's Norman Bates showing his psycho tendencies even more. I enjoyed this episode very much, even if not everything makes a whole lot of sense. Freddie Highmore's portrayal as Norman Bates has been growing on me and I think he finally makes his break in this episode. The whole mystery of the Chinese sex slaves got an added twist here and it results in one heck of a cliffhanger. The show does well depicting the mental breakdown of Norman's, but the sexual overtones of the show continues. As you might remember, the premiere showed a very gruesome rape scene to Norma and here, we have Norman fantasizing his English teacher in various forms of bondage. Yeah, Norman is messed up. The relationship between Norma and Norman continues to get weirder and the relationship between Norman and Dylan actually gets a little tender when Norman tells Dylan that he cannot recall almost killing him with a meat cleaver.

In this episode, "What's Wrong with Norman," Norman is taken to the hospital after he faints during his English test after thinking about all these fantasies about his teacher. The tests come back negative, but Norma refuses to allow Norman to stay the night. Sheriff Romero and his deputies issues a warrant to search the premises, but apparently Norman kept Summer's belt. Dylan has a new job guarding a marijuana field, the same field that Norman and Emma discovered previously. Emma is obsessed with the marijuana field and Chinese sex slave mystery. She claims the sketch book they found showing what was going on is actually real thanks to a Chinese symbol they discovered in one of the rooms of the motel. Finally, we learn that Deputy Shelby may not be the person he seems as he may be holding on to a horrifying secret.

I really liked this episode. This episode is where we see for the first time that Norman is not in the right state of mind as we can clearly see the darkness that is within him. The one scene that pops into my mind is when he rages at Emma after she suggest they go to the police after they discover the sketch book and the symbol. It was really scary, and it all works thanks to Highmore's great performance. I did not buy his performance much at first, but this episode proves he might have the chops to pull this off. That cliffhanger the episode leaves us on is a dandy and it makes us wonder what will happen next.

My Grade: A-

»What's wrong with Norman?« would definitely be something I'd ask if Norman Bates was an orthodox TV character that had been introduced only two episodes ago. But since I'm referring to the Norman Bates that regards murdering residents of his motel in the shower and subsequently dumping them into a swamp as the essential constituents of a pleasant Saturday evening, making an unheralded tour through some bloke's house to recover a belt and then chancing onto what looks to be a sex slave is hardly worth a mention. Although, it actually kind of is, as Bates Motel uses it to demonstrate that it has remained the partially brainless programme we all remember not quite so dearly from its first two acts. I'll return to this subject matter in a twinkling, yet not to the question posed in the title of this episode because, believe it or not, there's this little flick called Psycho that explains it rather neatly.

Its prequel, Bates Motel, sensibly dedicates this instalment to character development in lieu of superfluous violence, which is especially exciting with regard to Norman, who is experiencing hallucinations of Norma conversing with him for what appears to be the first time. Blackouts, however, are evidently something that the young Mr Bates is familiar with, as is manifested through him being unable to recollect anything about making an effort to bump off his half- brother in the previous episode. In view of that, I can very well picture the programme revealing at some point that Norman is in fact behind the death of his father. That would elucidate his being so frantic when awaking at the beginning of the pilot before having actually discovered his old man in the garage, but would also change the concept of Bates Motel, which I took to be an explanation for Norman's descent into insanity, into simply showing a disturbed mind at work.

Until my hypothesising is proved veracious or fallacious, I'll limit myself to commending Freddie Highmore's acting, which noticeably improves with every new episode. Nevertheless, there is an unmissable qualitative disparity between the scenes set in the Bates household, for instance Dylan and Norman's tête-à-tête in the sitting room, and any other moment of "What's Wrong With Norman". I'm not dramatising; there is clumsiness to be found in either writing, acting, or directing at truly every other point of the episode, from Norman talking to his lady friends, Norma necking with Bad Pun Cop, to Dylan shooting pheasants with the guy crying at strip clubs.

Unsurprisingly, I'm not a devotee of clumsiness, but, and this is doubtful to cause significant fluctuations in the surprise department, I wholeheartedly prefer it over whatever it was that this programme was doing at the closing stages of "What's Wrong With Norman". This, let it be noted, excludes Norman's imagination ordering him to implement Operation Belt, and includes everything that takes place from that point on. Firstly, if Shelby cracking jokes as dreadful as "the air in Arizona" hadn't made him dubious enough already, there's the Detective Story 101 rule that the person about whom every feature seems to be wonderful is hiding a skeleton in their cupboard – or their hidden rape room in the basement, in this case. While this is also something I could've lived with (to be clear: I'm speaking of the lazy plot device, not the rape room), the pseudo-suspenseful manner, in which director Paul Edwards sets this really not very stately twist up eventually stopped me from granting the episode a positive grade.

"What's Wrong With Norman" then ends with a cliffhanger about as thrilling as the ones from Planet Earth, owing to the terribly restricted potential outcomes for Norman. The audience being able to rely upon characters retaining the degree of bodily soundness and aliveness that is displayed in the source material is just an unpreventable drawback of doing a prequel. But I shan't lose faith in Bates Motel that easily – after all, this episode did reveal a glimpse of how good it could still become.

Twelve cabins, eight notations: • I'll go out on a limb here and assume that Dylan doesn't tuck a napkin into his collar when eating. • If Bates Motel would ever want to get phenomenally self- referential, how about having Norman watch a film starring Anthony Perkins? • Norma has a blue case for her mobile phone – how old is she? 15? • Furthermore, how did she not see Bradley walking right next to her? Does she have tunnel vision? • »You can't just walk into my house.« - »Actually we can.« - If nothing else, Sheriff Romero is made a bit less bland in this episode before it inevitably transpires that he is the 'good cop' in White Pine Bay. • Unless you're ministered to in Pandora, blue-labial doctors are decidedly terrifying. • »Mother?« - »Nope, it's just Chuck Testa.« • In keeping with the mother subject, Dylan has become a hundred times more likable by being the first character on this programme to tell Norman how ridiculous he sounds when calling his mother that way.

"What's Wrong with Norman" the third episode of Bates Motel's first season, directed by Paul A. Edwards and developed by Carlton Cuse, Kerry Ehrin, and Anthony Cipriano, intensifies the psychological tension and dark mystery that define the series. This installment delves deeper into Norman Bates's fractured psyche, while expanding the narrative's exploration of family dysfunction, small-town secrets, and the creeping darkness beneath the surface of White Pine Bay.

The episode opens with Norman (Freddie Highmore) fainting during an English test, triggered by disturbing fantasies involving his teacher and his mother. This physical collapse serves as a visceral manifestation of his internal turmoil and escalating psychological instability. Highmore's performance here is particularly compelling, capturing Norman's confusion, fear, and vulnerability with subtlety and depth. His portrayal conveys a young man caught between innocence and emerging madness, a duality that lies at the heart of the series.

Norma (Vera Farmiga) responds to Norman's hospitalization with a mixture of concern and control, refusing to let him stay overnight despite medical advice. This decision underscores her protective but often suffocating role in Norman's life. Farmiga's nuanced performance reveals Norma's complex motivations-her fierce maternal love intertwined with denial and desperation. The episode further explores their fraught relationship, highlighting moments of tenderness shadowed by underlying tension.

A key narrative thread involves the police's search of the Bates residence, prompted by suspicion surrounding the family's involvement in the disappearance of Keith Summers. The discovery that Norman has kept the belt of his mother's rapist hidden under his bed is a chilling revelation, symbolizing his psychological entanglement with trauma and violence. The scene where Norman breaks down, repeatedly asking "What's wrong with me?" is a standout moment, showcasing the show's skillful handling of mental illness without resorting to caricature.

The episode also advances the subplot involving Dylan Massett (Max Thieriot), Norman's troubled half-brother, who begins working as a guard on a marijuana grow operation linked to the town's darker undercurrents. Dylan's interactions with his new environment and his brother Norman reveal familial tensions and contrasting coping mechanisms. His character adds a rebellious and volatile energy that contrasts with Norman's internalized struggles.

Emma Decody (Olivia Cooke), Norman's friend, becomes increasingly involved in the mystery surrounding the sex slave operation uncovered at the motel. Her obsession with the sketchbook and the Chinese symbol found in the motel's rooms adds a layer of intrigue and expands the narrative's scope beyond the Bates family. Emma's curiosity and determination serve as a counterpoint to Norman's retreat into his psychological labyrinth.

Stylistically, the episode maintains a brooding and suspenseful atmosphere, with Paul A. Edwards's direction emphasizing claustrophobic interiors and shadowy compositions that evoke a sense of unease. The muted color palette and careful framing reinforce the series' thematic focus on hidden darkness and fractured identities. The editing balances moments of psychological intensity with narrative progression, while the sound design and score subtly underscore the emotional landscape.

"What's Wrong with Norman" explores the emergence of mental illness, the legacy of trauma, and the blurred boundaries between reality and delusion. Norman's psychological fragmentation is portrayed with sensitivity and complexity, inviting viewers to empathize with his plight even as they sense the danger beneath. The episode also examines family loyalty and secrecy, as Norma and Norman navigate the consequences of past violence and present suspicion.

Critically, the episode was praised for its strong performances, especially from Highmore and Farmiga, and its deepening of the series' psychological and narrative complexity. Some critics noted the sexual overtones and dark themes as challenging but acknowledged that these elements contributed to a compelling and unsettling portrait of a young man's descent. The cliffhanger ending, revealing a secret in the deputy's basement, effectively heightens anticipation for subsequent episodes.

"What's Wrong with Norman" is a pivotal episode that solidifies Bates Motel's identity as a psychologically rich and suspenseful thriller. Through layered performances, evocative direction, and intricate storytelling, it immerses viewers in a world where trauma and madness intertwine, and where the search for identity is fraught with danger and darkness.

Bates Motel: 'What's Wrong with Norman' (2013)

Rating: B+

A&E's "Bates Motel" mini-series is basically going to be re-working PSYCHO IV. If you've seen that film then you know it shows what was going on with Mrs. Bates and Norman before the events in the original Alfred Hitchcock film. While that prequel wasn't perfect, it at least put a nice wrap-around story to the original film.

The third episode finds Norma (Vera Farmiga) and Norman (Freddie Highmore) once again being stalked by the local sheriff who is still trying to prove that they are behind a local man's disappearance. As all of this is going on Norman continues to try and build a relationship with two different girls with both of them needing something different. This episode also finds Dylan Bates (Max Thieriot) learning what his new job is going to be.

Thankfully this third episode is a major step up from the previous one and this one here contains probably the best writing of anything up to this point. I think there were a lot of very strong points here including the terrific scenes where we see some relationships building stronger. There's a very good sequence between Norman and Dylan that actually works perfectly well for both characters. We also get a sequence where we see that Norman is slowly losing his mind and the way this is handled was perfectly done. I also thought the tension in the relationship between mother and son is growing more weird by the moment. The film takes a few new twists in regards to the disappearance, which I won't ruin but it's certainly interesting. With that said, the search for the missing girl just doesn't seem to be working and this too leads to something rather silly. Still, the ending is quite good and it certainly makes you want to see what's going to happen next.