BWW Recap: BATES MOTEL Re-Opens to Shocking Suprises

The Bates Motel re-opened tonight for its third season on A&E, and it's clear we're in for quite a chilling season! To begin the episode on an eerie note, Norman wakes up in bed spooning his 'loving' mother. Dylan spots the two in bed together and brings up the subject at breakfast, but Norma assures him that the situation was anything but strange.

Later that morning, Norma recieves a call from an estate director who informs her that her mother, Francine, has died. When he begins to explain how Francine's estate will be divided, Norma cuts him off and says she wants nothing to do with her mother. She hangs up the phone without further explanation.

Meanwhile, it is Norman's first day of school, and he is less than thrilled. He refuses to get out of the car when his mother tries to drop him off, aggravating Norma to the point where she physically drags him out of the car herself. Norman heads into school and is instantly distrubed by a memorial to Ms. Watson in the hallway. At lunch, he has a halluncination of Ms. Watson with bloody cut throat, and he frantically runs home to tell his mother. Norma assures her son that everything will be okay.

After Norma has calmed Norman down, a woman shows up at the motel and requests a room for a few days. We learn her name is Anica, and it is clear Norman is attracted to her. Anica asks Norman to help fix a broken light in her room, and the two bond over the repair. Anica reveals that she is a stripper at upscale parties for wealthy men.

Meanwhile, Caleb shows up at Dylan's cabin. He wants to give Dylan some money from Francine's estate, but Dylan refuses his offer. However, Dylan runs into Caleb a few days later when Caleb's truck breaks down on the side of the road. Dylan gives Caleb a ride to a nearby auto shop, giving his father the opportunity to apologize for his past. Caleb blames his faults on his "crazy" mother and "violent" father, but vows to spend more time with Dylan while he has the chance.

Later that night, Norma and Norman once again chat in bed together. With Norman's hectic first day of school in mind, Norma suggests home-schooling Norman and offers him a full-time job as the motel manager. But Norman's elation doesn't last for long; Norma orders him to sleep in his own bed for the night, but he doesn't understand why.

The next afternoon, Emma surprises Norman with some devasting news; her lung capacity has diminished, which may shorten her life. Norman counters with his own news of his home-schooling, and says Emma can be taught by his mother as well. And that's not all; after nearly a year of romantic tension, Norman finally asks Emma to be his girlfriend!

But Norman's loyalty to Emma is immeadiately tested when he spots Anica changing from the windown in her motel room. Norman peeks on her taking a shower only to be caught by an angry Norma. His mother orders him inside the house, and Norman blankly apologizes and promises not to let it happen again.

The following night, Anica interupts Norman and Emma studying. She asks for directions to a restaurant in the village, and Norman offers to show her the way himself. But mysteriously, Norman returns to the motel driving Anica's car by himself, and Anica is nowhere to be found. Knowing Norman's pattern of behavior with women he's attacted to, it's safe to speculate Anica might be dead.

With Norma and Norman becoming more like husband and wife than mother and son, White Pine Bay might not be as safe as it seems. Keep tuning in to BATES MOTEL at 9pm EST on A&E!

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