Bates Motel Season 4 Episode 1 Review: A Danger To Himself And Others (Season Premiere)

The season premier finds Norman laying in a field. He has no recollection of killing Bradley (by bashing her head in with a rock). Still in a fugue state, Norman fights with his Norma persona. A farmer happens upon this strange scene. Norman lunges at the guy and is knocked out again. The cops haul Norman to the county mental hospital.

Norma frantically tries to locate her son. Norman is under 48 hour observation so she can't see him yet. Norma is criticized by a county doctor for never seeking medical help for her son (despite his blackouts).

Norma heads back over to Pineview. Remember she was there once before. But she cant get Norman into the facility because: A. It's very expensive and she has no insurance; B. There's a long waiting list; and C. No one will watch this show if Norma/Norman are separated from each other. She meets a Dr Edwards. Since her womanly ways dont work on him (he's gay), she finally tells him the truth. Honesty is always the best policy Norma. He agrees to try to help Norman when he's released.

Norma returns to county to retrieve Norman. They have an emotional reunion in the hall. It's all very...romantic (for lack of a better word). You'd think they'd been separated for years. It's just been two days people! No need for all this hugging and crying. It makes me uncomfortable.

Meanwhile Dylan heads to Portland because Emma is having a lung transplant. There he meets Emma's estranged mother. Emma's father Will threatens Audrey with violence if she doesnt leave. His abusive behavior is why she left in the first place. Audrey is staying at the Bates Motel. She is treated kindly until Norma finds out who she really is. She's then told she has to leave the next morning.

Elsewhere Romero sinks a boat in the lake/ocean/I dont know. It has Bob Paris's dead body inside. Poor Alex still hasnt learned his lesson. At least he's smart enough not to agree to marry Norma after she suggests it for the insurance coverage. Romero should run screaming away from the crazy Bates family as soon as possible.

Norma brings Norman home and floats the idea of his seeing a therapist. At least he doesnt go crazy at the sheer mention of it. Norman doesnt know that Norma has to find him a psychiatrist QUICKLY or the state will force him into getting help. On a side note, Norma honey, you seriously need to STOP sleeping in the same bed with your eighteen year old son. Nothing good can come of that!

Audrey finds Norma gone and introduces herself to Norman. He's in his full Mother persona (complete with lovely bathrobe). Norman invites her in for tea. Really bad idea! She talks about Emma (and wants Norman to deliver a letter to her). Norman freaks out saying "But what sort of a person runs away from their sick child? ...Every day feeling abandoned by her own mother. Made to feel unwanted, worthless. You love someone more than anything and they leave you." It appears Norman is doing a little projecting. He then proceeds to strangle Audrey to death from behind.

Grade: 3 1/2 Monsters (out of 5). For a season premiere, "A Danger..." was a bit slow. We've seen this at times before so I'm not terribly worried. "Bates Motel" is strongest when it focuses on the Norma/Norman dynamic instead of the drug trade or Dylan's daddy/Norma's brother Caleb or any of the weirdo White Pine Bay citizens. There are only 10 episodes per season so there's not a lot of time for dilly dallying. The show has already been renewed for a fifth year so we know at least Norman survives a while longer.