'Bates Motel' S04E08 Review
Last night on 'Bates Motel', Norman finally came home from the mental institution, much to the chagrin of Alex and Dylan.
After seeing the newspaper clipping with the announcement of Norma and Alex's wedding, Norman is enraged at the fact that they have wed and are intimate. A quick scene of Rebecca leaving for Indiana shows her being apprehended by the DEA where they also drop Alex's name, so look for this legal situation to come to a head in the next two episodes.
Norma struggles with telling Norman about Alex for most of the episode, and Norman doesn't make it easy for her. He tries blackmailing Alex into divorcing Norma because of the insurance fraud.
Norman's jealousy of Alex's relationship turns to rage later on in the episode, as Alex, currently moved out from the house now that Norman is home, comes over for dinner. Norman blows up on Norma and Alex and walks outside. Alex tries to talk Norman down and Norman nearly swings an ax at him. Alex tells Norma that he's moving back in because he doesn't want her alone with Norman.
To be perfectly honest, Norman is my least favorite character on the show this season. Yes, he's psychotic, but he has really been annoying this season. He's portrayed as a small child in an adult's body. People have to walk on eggshells around him, and Norma can never be honest with him. Most of it is Norma's own doing, smothering him and not letting him grow on his own, but it's just gotten to be too much. I'm ready for the story to move forward at this point, almost 4 full seasons into the series. We know Norman goes on to be a psycho killer, I just wish the show would stop making Norman so unlikable and annoying.
My rating: 7 out of 10
