It was another not so normal day at the office at the Bates Motel this week after the discovery of the female corpse floating in the river at the closing of last week’s episode. But was it really the elusive Annika Johnson? You will have to find out.

Norma winded up in the wrong college class after deciding to gain an education in the art of marketing. But just guess which class subject she ended up in? Psychology! Although upon finding out, and is sarcastically asked whether her immediate surroundings were actually appropriate for her, Norma considers the offer of professor Finnigan to get counselling with him. Going back to season one, fans will remember that Norma hurried out of one of her counselling sessions with Norman’s therapist, effectively deciding to go her problems alone. Will she pursue it, and more importantly, dedicate herself to it fully this time around?

Sheriff Romero’s suspicion of Norman does not seem to be letting up. Even that lie detector test that Norman took at the end of season 2 does not seem to be satisfying him! A knock on the door of the Bates’ house lead to a rigid interrogation with Norman of Johnson’s whereabouts the night she went missing. But the young killer was unyielding, defiant in telling of his ignorance, although he is really convinced he is telling the truth.

There was not a lot of screen time for Max Theriot’s Dylan Massett in ‘Persuasion’ although it did permit the chance for Emma to finally meet Caleb. Unbeknownst to Dylan, Norman told Emma that his mother was raped by him in the finale of season 2. Dylan asked her to keep Caleb’s existence in White Pine Bay a secret, but what will be the repercussions? It is not bound to end well. All one has to do is think back to the last time Norman and Caleb were in a room together!

The anger is burning through Norman’s heart early in this season. Norman confronted “mother” over her suspecting him of murdering both Blair Watson and Annika Johnson. That poor bed in his bedroom (yes, NOT her’s) took the full brunt of it as Norman slammed it up and down on the olden, creaking floor, blaring out that he is not a murderer. The whole town could have heard him! But hopefully not want to be Sheriff of White Pine Bay Marcus Young who displeased Romero in his own office by stating his assumption that he will soon be taking over his position. The dirty Sheriff firmly declared that he will be running things for a long time to come, to which Young responded with a sly distasteful pat on his shoulder.

‘Persuasion’ was another solid entry of the five season planned show. It is impossible for it to continually focus on Norma and Norman’s relationship in every scene, so there is an organic need for a subplot which looks to be mainly involving the tough, no holds barred Sheriff. Of course, there is the whole dynamic of Dylan and Caleb’s spawning relationship but that looks to be something that will be dealt with a lot more steadily over the course of this season.

Tune in next Monday 9/8c on A&E.