REVIEW: Bates Motel, Season 3 Episode Two 'The Arcanum Club'

 REVIEW: Bates Motel, Season 3 Episode Two 'The Arcanum Club'

If there's one thing we all know about Norman Bates (Freddie Highmore), it's that if he has a tendency to murder those who stand in his way. He's the most famous movie serial killer of them all, and you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who hasn't heard of this most iconic film villain.

'The Arcanum Club' is an episode that plays on Norman's notorious tendency to kill. Annika Johnson, you see, hasn't returned to the motel since the previous night, and Norma (Vera Farmiga) is worried. The episode plays on the unease from the get go, as we are shown Norma's concerns that her son has murdered their latest guest. She's more than aware of how dangerous her son can be, and she can't help but suspect he has some involvement.

This is a narrative that really plays into both Norma and the audience's suspicions, as we are reminded by Emma (Olivia Cooke) of how Norman joined Annika in her car during the previous episode, in order to offer directions to her new workplace. It does a really good job at setting Norman up as the prime suspect, and making us buy into the idea that Annika could be the latest of Norman's victims.

What's interesting is that Norma essentially becomes a detective within the narrative, as she investigates her guest's disappearance. She's even partnered up with an assistant, first with Norman in the car, then Emma at the motel and later with Alex Romero (Nestor Carbonell) at the private club. It's almost like this episode becomes another genre entirely, deviating away from the psychological horror/thriller angle, and giving us more of a murder mystery.

The Arcanum Club of the title has this intriguingly enigmatic air about it also. It's revealed to be a sleazy gentleman's club where its invitees are getting pleasure from sex workers, but there's a lot that still remains unknown about the goings-on by the time the episode ends. For example, why was Sheriff Romero there? What is the password to the club, and who are the people deemed worthy enough for an invite? And just why is it so secretive? What are they hiding? It will be interesting for sure to see if any of these questions are answered in future episodes, as it seems as though it could play an important role later into the season.

This episode is also a painful reminder that Norma is just as unstable as her son. In what is one of the show's most striking moments, Norma completely loses it and rams her car into the sign for Lee Berman's memorial bypass. By this point I'm not sure I'd feel safe with any member of the Bates family, as they all seem damaged to an extent, but in the case of Norma you can see exactly where Norman gets it from.

Speaking of Norman, we finally get to see him go on a date with Emma here. This has really been long overdue, but the scene where these two start seeing each other properly is present and correct here. Norman takes Emma for a meal at a fancy restaurant, and it's probably the most 'normal' the character will ever seem. It's a terrific way of humanising Norman, and showing that despite of the terrible crimes he commits he is still very much a person at the heart of all that goes on. It takes a slightly awkward turn where Emma, unaware of what Norman got up to with Blaire Watson, goes off on a long tangent about sex, but this kind of thing feels like a conversation two people who know each other well would have on a date. It feels natural and authentic, and is just as great as you'd hope for a scene that I imagine most of the audience were waiting to see come to fruition.

There seems to be an interesting new antagonist being set up here, with Dylan and Caleb's (Kenny Johnson) rival Chick Hogan (Ryan Hurst). He seems to be trying to pull at their strings a bit, and it will be fun to see how it develops. Dylan seems to be something of a magnet to these shady characters, and something tells me he's not going to catch a break anytime soon.

Overall, The Arcanum Club is a strong second entry for Bates Motel's third season. It sets up a mystery regarding a missing woman where we are led to suspect Norman Bates, whilst also showing Norma's own vulnerabilities. The episode also delivers with the much-anticipated first date between Norman and Emma, which feels like an organic evolution of their relationship with one another. The Arcanum Club is an instalment that delivers on so many levels, whilst also building up plenty of promise for the weeks to come. I'm not sure Chick Hogan is going to be disappearing anytime soon...

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What are your thoughts on the second episode of Bates Motel's third season? Let me know in the comments section.