Bates Motel - The Arcanum Club - Review / Recap

The episode begins with Norma knocking on Annika’s door. She yells out that she had some fresh towels for her and wants to check that her bathroom blinds are working (more-so that Norman can’t peak through). She Annika doesn’t answer. Norma looks through the window and notices that the bed hasn’t been slept in. She goes into the office and asks Emma if she had seen her. Emma hadn’t. Norma then goes into the basement and finds Norman working on a goat. Norman mentions that he had to keep it in the freezer and Norma looks like she’s about to puke. She then cuts to the chase and asks Norman if he knows where Annika is. He declines and knowledge including having seen her the night before and says that she’ll be fine. It’s nothing to worry about. Norma looks concerned. Norman has that possessed look in his eyes as Norma walks back upstairs.

Dylan pulls up at the cabin. Gunner and Caleb are working on fencing an area of land off Gunner’s dog runs out of the trees towards Dylan. Gunner says that he is a good guard dog then suggests rigging up a pump to the lake for irrigation and asks Caleb if he’s hooked up with that. Caleb is. Gunner is glad that Caleb is around and heads off to pick up some equipment. Caleb walks up to Dylan and thanks him for allowing him to stay.

Norma arrives back from the shops and sees that Annika’s car is still parked out the front untouched. She asks Emma if she has returned yet. Emma says she hasn’t seen her all day. Norma is very worried. Emma then mentions Norman going into town with her the night before. Norma realizes that Norman had been lying to her when she had asked him earlier and storms up to the house. She screams his name. He appears from out of the basement wondering what she wants. She asks him why he was lying to her. Norman says that Annika had asked him to drive her car back and that he knows Norma doesn’t like him driving without a license. Norma doesn’t believe him. Norma tells her that Annika was going to a bar to meet some friends, she was going to be drinking and didn’t want to drive home. Her friend could bring her home so he had just offered to take the car back. Norma asks how she was feeling – Norman just says that she was very dressed up. Norma considers this for a moment then pulls Norman towards the car with her and says that he will show her everything that happened. She tells him that he needs to stop getting into cars with slutty and unhinged women. Norman argues that she wasn’t unhinged and tells Norma about Annika being a call girl. That she was a nice girl.

The two arrive at the bar. Norma goes to gets out of the car then stopped. She wants to know why Norman was talking about Annika in past tense – she WAS a nice girl, just troubled. Norman tells Norma to stop. She gets out of the car and heads into the bar. Norma watches through the car window. The evil look on his face has returned. Norma starts yelling at the waiter and heads back to the car. She says that they don’t remember if she was there. She says to Norman that she doesn’t know how much longer she can keep doing this. Norman asks her what she was talking about. She said never mind then goes home.

That night at the cabin, Dylan is about to head home. A dog comes running out of the bush. Gunner’s dog lunges to attack it but the other dog pins him down. Caleb shoots the wild dog.

Norma is in the bathroom washing her face. Norman walks in and tells her that he doesn’t want her worrying about him. Everything will be ok. He then tells her that he’s dating Emma. Norma is surprised but is fine with it all.

The next morning Emma is talking about their date that is planned for that night. Norman is looking out the window towards Annika’s room. Emma notices this and suggests the date be moved to another night given how worried Norman & Norma are about Annika. Norman insists that it still goes ahead that night and that he isn’t worried, it’s all Norma. Emma apologizes for telling Norma about Norman taking Annika into town and wants him to know that she doesn’t tell Norma everything, especially things to do with them. Norman looks to be on the verge of another blackout and quickly leaves.

A man walks up to Dylan at the cabin. He says that he’s their neighbour and he’s looking for his dog. Dylan says that he hasn’t seen it. Caleb then comes out and asks for the guys name. It’s Chick Hogan. Chick asks if they’re planting ‘Tomatoes’. Dylan says yes. Chick warns that last year the entire ‘tomato’ crop was whipped out by the DEA. He then walks away.

Emma catches Norma peering through Annika’s car. She tells Norma that she still hasn’t showed up and suggests telling the Sheriff. Norma says no and to give it one more day. Emma suggests looking through her room for clues to where she has gone. They head inside. Emma finds a raunchy feather duster and asks what sort of work Annika does. Norma says she thinks it’s obvious. Norma finds an envelope with an invitation to join the trustees if the Arganum Club for the annual rites of Harvest Party. Norma asks Emma what the Arganum club is. Emma thinks that it’s a hunting club. Her dad used to do some taxidermy for them but he never spoke about it. Norman asks Emma not to tell Norman about any of this. Emma agrees.

Upon exiting the hotel room, Romero is packing things into his car. His new place is finally ready so he’s leaving. He tries to give Norma a check but she won’t accept. He tells her that the bypass is half paved and they’re starting cars on the finish park tomorrow. He won’t take no for an answer. She takes the check and thanks him. Before he leaves, they go for a hug. A very awkward hug. Romero gets in the car and goes to drive off but Norma runs in front of him. She tells him that whilst he was there she felt safe. Romero thanks her and drives off.

Emma and Norman are on their date. Norman tells her that the reason he wanted to date her was because they make sense. Emma is waiting to see a new side of Norman now that they’re dating. Norman asks if her and Gunner ever had sex. She says yes and asks if it bothered him. He says no, but he wants to know if she felt bad after. Emma says she felt naughty but she thinks that’s how you’re supposed to feel. She asks him if he feels bad after sex. He says that maybe it just depends on the person and sometimes it just feels overwhelming. Emma agrees that sex is complicated but it’s kind of magical and heady. Norman doesn’t think he’d refer to it as magical. Emma then says that she loves Norma but she thinks that Norma loves Norman so much that she can’t stand the thought of him growing up and being an adult and being sexual is somehow wrong. Norman tells her that they’re just close. Emma tells him that they always will be but that doesn’t mean that he can’t grow up, unless he’s Peter Pan and asks him if he wants to be Peter. He replies that as long as she is Wendy. She then reminds him that Peter and Wendy still never got to have sex.

Norma pulls up at the gates of the Arganum club where a guard is asking how he can help. Norma pulls out Annika’s invitation and says that she is on the list. The guard needs a password. Norma searches through the invitation but can’t find one. She admits to the guard that she doesn’t know it and he turns her away.

Caleb and Dylan go over to Chick’s property in an effort to set boundaries. Dylan asks Caleb what happens if he was just looking for his dog. Caleb is cure that he doesn’t have a dog and that he probably just saw the dead one and used it to throw them off balance. Chick’s wife and child are standing at the door as Dylan and Caleb approach. Chick walks out behind them both and asks what they’re doing there. Dylan tells him that he thinks they shot his dog. He tells them that he doesn’t have a dog. Caleb asks if he’s going to invite them in. Chick sends his family inside and takes Dylan and Caleb to the garage.

Chick tells Dylan that he shouldn’t be firing guns because it causes too much attention. Caleb tells him that it was him, not Dylan. Chick says that it steps on the peaceful environment that they have and rattles mother nature. Chick says that there’s rules. If they respect the rules, they respect each other. If they all understand the rules then they can all co-exist. He then asks how many plants the guys have got. Caleb tells him that it’s none of his business but Dylan tells him 99 because it’s the medical marijuana limit. Celeb thinks that it’s time to go but before leaving tells Chick that they will do whatever they want on their own property, including shooting guns. When they see each other they will be neighbourly, nod and wave but they will not be showing up on each others porches borrowing cups of sugar. There are boundaries and they are going to stay in them. Chick doesn’t look pleased.

Norma pulls up at another spot of the Arganum club. There is a tree which she decides to climb to get over the fence. Once across she spots two men and decides to follow them to a separate shack. She peers through the windows and sees a bunch of prostitutes along with a man sitting on a chair watching. Suddenly a wild Romero appears outside. He tells her to get out of there. She wants to know what he is doing there so he tells her that he was pressing the flesh with some council members and spotted her sneaking around in the shadows. Norma asks him if he knows what is going on inside the shack and if he knows what kind of people they are. He tells her that they’re just incredibly wealthy people doing whatever they feel. He asks what any of it has to do with her. She then tells her about how Annika has gone missing how she had an invitation to the party. She asks Romero to go in and see if Annika is inside. She describes her to him then admits that she is afraid that she might be dead. Romero asks when she saw her last. Norma then tells him about how Norman was the last to see her when he drove her into town. Romero looks concerned. He tells Norma how to leave the property without being seen and heads to look for Annika.

When heading home, Norma comes to a stop. The bypass sign is now up blocking the road. Norma is very upset. She gets out of the car and tries to do damage to it by kicking it, punching it and throwing things at it whilst screaming that she hates it. When it doesn’t come down, she gets back in the car, reverses and drives straight through it.

Norman and Emma return back to the motel after their date. Emma thanks Norman, he says it was fun. Emma says she has to go because she must open up early in the morning. They start kissing before Norman pulls away. Emma asks him what is wrong. He says that he doesn’t want to start something that they can’t finish outside his house. Emma thinks it’s fair enough. They say goodnight. Norman gets out of the car.

As Norman’s walking back up to the house Norma drives in. Norma instantly sees the damage to her car and want to know what happened. She tells him that she drove through the sign. He notices that something else is wrong and wants to know why she is all dressed up. She tells him that she went to a party. Norma walks up, hugs him and starts to cry. Norman tells her that she was been through a lot in the last two years and that he is worried about her. Norma pulls away and repeats that he is worried about her. Norma tells her that she seems a little different lately and tells her to stop worrying because everything is going to be good. They walk back up the stairs towards the house together.

Just as we think the episode is over, we cut to a lake a dog is barking. Its owners call for it to come back. The camera pans down to reveal a body of a woman is tied to a tree. She is lying face down in the water. It’s most likely Annika Johnton.

WHAT DID I THINK?

Bravo! This is what I’m talking about! Much better than last week and the previous season!
I loved the continuity regarding Romero staying at the motel. I was worried that seeing as it was just a minor thing last season, the writers may have forgotten about it or simply have had him move out in the time jump between seasons.

Vera Farmiga is still the best thing about the entire show in my opinion. She steals the show in every scene that she’s in. When Norma attacked the sign, I wanted to laugh but I just couldn’t. I was feeling bad for Norma.

Freddie Highmore needs a round of applause too. He has captured the blacked out Norman look perfectly! I generally find myself worried for everyone else’s safety whenever he has that look on his face. I can not watch Charlie and the Chocolate Factory the same now.

I am also really beginning to like Caleb. At first I wasn’t happy when I found out that Kenny Johnson had been upped to a series regular but now I’m glad. He seems like the breath of fresh air that she show needed.

Overall I am very pleased with this episode. Bring on next week!

4/5.