I know I was one of the bashers…….and I do apologize to Nicola for my intensity issues. She was miscast here, and it didn't help that she was thrown in with some heavy hitters in the acting department. Some of the blame, tho, should be placed on the Director(s) - a good director can help an actor grow and flush out…

One other thing - an actor is effective when they make you buy into the character to the point that you can't picture any other actor in that role. Vera has done that. Freddie has done that (and he had an uphill battle on that one, given his character). Nicola - not so much, which is, again, unfortunate both for the…

No, your not. I totally get what you are saying. I am an actor-watcher as well, and I agree - both Freddie and Max have improved over the seasons. I guess I feel that, for the most part, Bate's is the little show that could. They took the source material which is iconic and created a back story. And it worked. Very…

You are definitely not the only slasher movie geek here. I am totally on board with you that Bates can and should up the ante with better, and more creative murders.

Oh, and one more comment about this ep: serious lack of use of the pit! I know it was there to represent digging a hole in life that so deep that you cant get out of, but….come on! Its a pit!!! at the motel!!!! It had (almost) more screen time this season than Chick (or at the very least it interacted with more…

Oh, please. She faked her death. And she's all destructo-girl because it worked. bleh.

You just hit the nail on the head! This whole thing would have been better and more believable if they had brought Cody back instead of Bradley.

LOL - I was there is spirit, but believe me, if it was me, Bradley would have been a goner at the motel, hours earlier. On a more serious note - my sincerest condolences for your loss. You being one of the very few who loved and cherished Bradley, I'm sure there is little support there for you. I'm here for you if…

Well, I'm late coming on board as I just watched the episode now, and it left me elated and disappointed at the same time.
First off Alex - thank you for your thoughtful reviews. I too am one of the many who make reading them part of my Bates-watching ritual.

On another front, I'm getting the feeling that the Emma lung storyline is going to go melodramatic. As in she doesn't want it or some such nonsense. I hope that's not the case as it will sail us in to CW-like waters.

Really good point about the final version of Norman being so polished compared to the Norman we have now. I always imagined Norman perfects his craft using the practice makes perfect theory. Due to his dissociative state, the Mother-persona is in control, and is a fully formed "individual" unique from Norman's…

Well, let's recap: people either love or hate Bradley, are for or against Dylemma, and will get drunk to watch max in that history channel movie. So that leaves us with: what will happen in the finale? Norma is finally having to face the realization that Norman is a sick puppy, but she is the queen of denial, so what…

Shakespearean ?-no. 3-dimensional? Would have been a plus.

I see your point about the Dylemma relationship. Like many other aspects of bates, people either love it or hate it. I'm on the I-don't-mind-it side of the fence on this one. I like both of the characters, and I can see the logic of bringing them together. Yes, Emma started out carrying a torch for Norman, but once…

Well, on the plus side, she'll likely be dead soon….and my ranting days will be over. You have to admit tho, against the acting chops of vera and Freddie, she's not even in the ballpark. I think Nicola would be a break out star on a teen-angst CW show, but on a show like Bates. Not so much

I know…..I'm pretty obsessive on my dislike of the Bradley character (although in my defense its more of an issue with the actor), but hey - it is what it is. Maybe Mother's influence made me this way…..but I'm with Dale on this.

I'm totally on board with that!

Well, she is a brunette, so that would have likely been all the disguise she needed. I like your plot idea, and it could have worked (but only if they put a wig on Juno and let her play Bradley.) Honestly, we're stuck with Nicola for at least 2 episodes - would you really have wanted her around for more, just for the…

Yep

Wishful thinking. My money is on a not good ending for either Dylan or Emma. We've grown to care too much for both of them, and it's because we're invested that the writers will kill them. Its inevitable. The only questions left are how and when