REVIEW: Bates Motel, Season 1 Episode Ten 'Midnight'

 REVIEW: Bates Motel, Season 1 Episode Ten 'Midnight'

From the events of the previous episode, it seemed we were being teased a showdown of epic proportions between Norma Bates (Vera Farmiga) and Jake Abernathy (Jere Burns) for the show's very first season finale. Jake had taken Norma by gunpoint, requesting a large sum of money, and so it appeared that these two very disturbing individuals would cross paths once more.

What we got, however, was a very different result from what I had anticipated. You see, instead of Norma directly facing off against Jake, it's sheriff Alex Romero (Nestor Carbonell) who sees him off. This can't help but feel a little underwhelming, as it removes Norma of all agency and denies us of the climatic battle we all wanted to see. It's a bit like if the Daleks, for example, made yet another return to Doctor Who, but instead of the Doctor disposing of them she instead hides behind a bush whilst her companion Yaz sends them to kingdom come. You want to see the main character we have been following the past few episodes to deal with the threat, not some other character swoop in and steal the spotlight.

It's a shame because we got some truly excellent scenes of Dylan (Max Thieriot) teaching his mother how to use a gun. Her gleefully giddy nature at shooting a firearm nicely contrasts with Dylan's more serious approach to these highly dangerous weapons. Dylan, effectively, is the straight man to Norma's childlike attitude towards being given a gun, and it's a good way of showcasing how his character is very much aware of the dangers that guns possess.

We get some nice backstory on Norma's family life also. It's hinted early in the episode that something terrible must have occurred during Norma's childhood, as she is extremely cagey regarding her past during her meeting with the psychiatrist Doctor Fumhiro Kurata (Hiro Kanagawa), however it's not clear just how serious it is until we get the scene between Norma and her son Norman (Freddie Highmore), where she confides in him just how bad her childhood is, and it's no wonder the Bates family ended up as they did. Her father, it seems, was a violent and abusive man, creating a very unhappy time for Norma as a young girl, and it is clear this has left a profound impact on the woman. Vera Farmiga and Freddie Highmore play this beautifully, and hit every emotional beat. Their performance really helps to make you sympathise with these people who otherwise are psychopathic monsters.

Freddie Higmore is, as usual, a real highlight of this episode. I don't think I could possibly speak any more highly about just how excellent a casting choice he is. The scene where he sees Dylan with his ex-girlfriend Bradley (Nicola Peltz), and you see the seething rage etched on his face, is a neat demonstration of his acting ability. You can tell from Freddie Highmore's expression that Norman is possibly plotting his brother's murder at some point, and I wouldn't be surprised if Dylan meets his end by Norman's hands in the next season.

As much as I like the drama of Norman seeing Dylan with Bradley, I do prefer Norman and Emma (Olivia Cooke) together over Norman and Bradley. I believe the actors have more chemistry, and the sequences at the school dance are a neat example of that. These two actors together really bring the show to life, and they bounce off each other in a way that has never really happened with Freddie Highmore and Nicola Peltz.

Norman also holds this really disturbing relationship with his teacher, Blaire Watson (Keegan Connor Tracy); the pair seem uncomfortably close for a teacher-student relationship, especially beyond the point where Norman overhears her angry conversation over the phone. It's not even a case where it's just Norman's disturbed mind either, the teacher genuinely appears infatuated with young Norman Bates. It's extremely unsettling to watch, and adds to the overall dark nature of the show. The way it contributes to Norman's spiralling sanity as he sees a vision of his mother pointing out just how wrong this relationship is shows that even Norman himself realises this isn't right, and it gives the teacher's eventual fate a twisted sort of justice, that appears to be a running theme for this show. These crazed individuals all get served their just desserts in some shape or form, just not necessarily in a way that is strictly legal.

Overall, whilst this episode didn't quite deliver as a season finale, it still provides some lovely character moments for our leads. Midnight does a great job at showing Norman's continued downwards spiral into insanity, whilst delivering a truly heartfelt moment between mother and son. It's just a shame we were denied that final confrontation between Norma and Jake, as that would have been truly spectacular to witness.

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What are your thoughts on Bates Motel's tenth episode? Let me know in the comments section.