TV Review: Bates Motel S4, Episode #4 (Lights of Winter)

Last Updated on July 31, 2021

EPISODE 3: Lights of Winter

CHECKING IN:  Norma (Vera Farminga) and Sheriff Romero (Nestor Carbonell) are enjoying their married life, Dylan (Max Thieriot) and Emma (Olivia Cooke) make a commitment while Norman (Freddie Highmore) breaks out of the nut house and hits a strip club. Let the fun begin!

THE ROOM: It is somewhat ironic that the first day of Spring just passed when taking into account this Bates Motel episode which was all about love, love, love and… strippers. For about half a second there, I forgot that I was watching Bates Motel and relished in seeing the two love stories at play in this episode bloom. First we had Norma and Romero getting more comfortable together. Romero is obviously in lust with Norma (if not in love with her) and even though Norma is not into morning sex just yet, I dug seeing her allow herself to be happy in this newfound "Norman free" life. I must admit that seeing them do the husband/wife things was simply a delight! The scene that saw Norma show up at that "light event" to meet Romero, holding an umbrella draped in lights had me go "ahhhhh" as the bit was straight out of one one of them romantic dramas. And lets face it Farminga and Carbonell make for an awesome couple. But then I remembered I was watching Bates Motel and started fearing for Romero's life…  

Norman + Strippers = …

The same went down with the Dylan (Max Thieriot) and Emma (Olivia Cooke) romance which was finally brought to the next level. Personally this subplot hasn't been getting the screen time it deserves and it's a statement to both actors talent that their scenes manage to affect me so much. Emma asking Dylan to come with her and him agreeing was moving. Thieriot has a talent when it comes to communicating his character's inner monologue through eye and body movement. Well played sir! I was touched. And then… you guessed it… I remembered that I was watching Bates Motel and began to fear for Dylan and Emma's life. What about good old Norman? What was he up to this week? Well he broke out of the loonie bin and hit a strip club and that went as well as I thought it would go.

Seriously though, the strip club scene was one for the books – with Norman becoming Mother while getting a lap dance which eventually resulted in him looking rather spiffy with feathers around his neck. Highmore so sold the scene! His rendition of Mother is astounding. And was that a girl on girl bit between Vera Farminga and hottie we saw? You bet it was. That was hot and I have to say thank you! Much appreciated. A note on Norman if I may. It's no secret that the character has become unlikable for me this season thus far. He's the villain, the absolute threat. So I was really surprised as to how I was affected by his end of the episode "cry for help" monologue. Damn Freddie Highmore is good this season. He's been blowing me away in every episode!

Love is in the air! Enjoy it while it lasts kids!

Any negatives to spew? Well I can't say that I'm too crazy about the "Romero and that key to money" subplot. We're all seeing where it's going and I can't say I'm to excited about it. It's a little lazy IMO in terms of originality, specially or this show. Also I found it odd that the stripper didn't blink when Norman whipped out a screwdriver in the lap dance booth and put it down on a nearby table. That was a farfetched ploy to up the tension in the scene and I didn't buy it. But other than that, this was yet another well written, expertly acted and beautifully shot episode! Bates Motel is taking a break now and will return on April 11 to unravel it's final 3 episodes of the season. Home stretch baby! See ya then!

RANDOM THOUGHTS:  Dylan, Emma or Romero? Anybody dying? If I had to bet on one buying the farm, it would be Romero. I hope that I am wrong…

It's too bad that we all know how this all ends (Pyscho), otherwise I'd have some hope that Norman may get the help he needs.!

That Chick character is gonna surface again in one of the final episodes to mess Dylan's shit up right? Sigh… hate that dude!

RATING ON 10

TELL ME WHAT YOU THOUGHT OF THE EPISODE BELOW