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'Bates Motel' Season 3 Spoilers, Review: Norman Bates Begins to Connect With His Dark Self

Mercy Soriano March 10, 2015 08:27 PM EST

Freddie Highmore, left, as Norman Bates and Vera Farmiga, right, as Norma Bates in a poster for \'Bates Motel.\' | A&E

"Bates Motel" promises another killer season as it premiered its Season 3 with "A Death in the Family" on Monday, March 9.

The prequel to Alfred Hitchcock's thriller "Psycho," "Bates Motel" explores the origins of Norman Bates (Freddie Highmore) and how he became what he was in "Psycho." It shows the dysfunctionally close relationship he has with his mother, Norma, played by Vera Farmiga.

While two seasons have already passed, showrunner Kerry Ehrin told ETOnline that Season 3 would just be the right "time to get on the train because it's going to some really exciting places."

In Season 3, Norman will begin to become aware of the dark part in himself that he does not understand yet and have no full control of. Norma, his mother, has always turned a blind eye on the signs that something is wrong with Norman. This season, things will start to unravel. Norma will realize she can no longer hide from the truth.

In "A Death in the Family," school has started, but Norman has gotten a full pass from senior year. He and his mother sleep in the same bed, bordering on inappropriate. He has a girlfriend in Emma, yet he shows a different side with staring at the motel's new guest, Annika (Tracy Spiridakos). He also becomes a peeping tom when he watches her through her bathroom window.

Norma, understandably, handles Norman with kid gloves after his suicide attempt in Season 2, so she lets him get his way, missing school, sleeping with her, etc.

The question is, did Norman kill Annika? What has been established in the past season is that Norman "leaves" his body to commit his crimes. However, in this episode, the weirdness started happening while Norman was still Norman – the ogling, the lechery. There never was any indication of a blackout or a shift.

As mentioned, "Bates Motel" will probably lead up to where "Psycho" begins. If that's the case, then the Norman in this new episode is a good start. He has started to approximate the Norman in "Psycho"—creepy and clingy – a very far cry from the Norman that started out in the first season premiere of "Bates Motel."

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