Plus: Could Norman have other alternate personalities?
Norma and Norman Bates are arguably the most complicated mother-son duo on television.
Theyve got enough secrets to last a lifetime.
Credit: Cate Cameron/A&E
This is the episode where all these plates start spinning, and it was directed masterfully by Olatunde Osunsanmi.
We also wanted to dig into Normans past.
What made him who he is?
Why does he have dissociative identity disorder (also known as DID)?
It is a fascinating disorder and contested by doctors.
Some feel it doesnt really exist.
(Some people have asked why Norman doesnt have alternates besides Mother.
I actually think he does.
I think Mother wont let them out.
We may see some of them in the future.)
Because he doesnt know whats in that black hole of his childhood that hes shut out.
Its a riveting performance by both Freddie Highmore and Damon Gupton, who plays Dr. Edwards.
What Norman uncovers in these sessions with Dr. Edwards is truly horrific.
He is her emotional partner.
They are both emotional children who cling to each other for safety and love.
That is why its so bloody hard for Norma to have relationships with other men.
On the surface, she knows Norman is her kid.
But she is terrified on a deeper level of losing him if she connects with another man.
They are truly co-dependent and feel they will dissolve without the other.
And a good man, Alex Romero.
(Well, good by White Pine Bay standards.
I personally love him because he loves Norma and hes good to her.)
She knows he is being cared for and helped.
So she has found herself deeply connecting to Romero.
Chick gleans that Caleb is both Dylans father and Normas brother and he puts together the pieces.
He tells Norma he needs to find Caleb or else he will expose her secret.
Do I turn over Caleb?
But she is not that person.
She has a huge heart and not a lot of self-esteem.
And he is Dylans dad.
She always makes choices that are better for the people she loves than they are for her.
It is a role women have quietly played for centuries until they found voices.
But I digress.)
So Norma is at this pivotal junction: how to handle this?
And going back to a world of secrets pains her more than the chance of losing Romero.
It is a truly huge moment of growth for Norma.
And Vera kills it in this scene.
Its that emotionally complex.
And Vera just absolutely fing killed it on the first take.
She is truly brilliant.
I thank God every day I get to write for her.)
Freddie Highmore is haunting in his portrayal of Mother begging Dr. Edwards to not make Norman remember his childhood.
Its fascinating fodder for stories to come.
His performances this year as his role becomes even more complex and splintered have blown all of us away.
(Im not gong to say it again.
Starts with rec, ends with nition.)
Thank you for all that you do!
(And Freddie Highmore joined us this year for several weeks and also wrote a script for us.
We will be blogging about that for his episode, 408, which is Unfaithful.)
