‘Bates Motel’ The Man in Number 9 Recap: 1.7 (Spoilers)

The Man in Number 9 brought an odd stranger to the Bates Motel.  Norman made a new friend, Dylan felt slighted by the events with Deputy Shelby, and Norma was turned away when she tried to network in town.

The Breakdown

This week’s episode of Bates Motel, The Man in Number 9, started off with Sheriff Romero responding to Norma’s 911 call from last week.  After seeing Deputy Shelby lying dead and bloody on the stairs to the house, he corralled Norma and her two sons in the house to find out what happened.

Norma told him the entire story from beginning to end including what happened with Keith Summers and the sex ring that Summers and Shelby were running at the motel.  Surprisingly, Sheriff Romero did not arrest or even take any of the three to the station, but instead concocted a story about the events that barely involved any of them.

Dylan, upset that he was not acknowledged for what he had done to save his mother and brother, came across a creepy fellow while taking out the trash.  The man pulled up in a nice car and asked Dylan about the Seafairer Motel and Keith Summers.  When Dylan explained that neither were around any longer, the stranger drove away.

Although none of Bates were implicated in any crimes, the townspeople still wanted nothing to do with Norma or the motel.  As she tried to exchange flyers for business, a restaurant owner explained this to Norma and then turned her away.  Meanwhile, Norman found a dog he tried to befriend while doing some work for his mother.

Later the creepy stranger that Dylan came across showed back up at the motel trying to gain entry into room number 9.  Norma found out that he was a regular at the Seafairer and wanted to continue his regular stays at the motel.  Norma gave him the new key and agreed, but Dylan was suspicious.  Dylan went to the man’s room to gather his information and found out his name was Jake Abernathy, he was in Sales, and that was about it.

Emma came by to visit Norman, but he was uninterested and still had Bradley on his mind.  Norma took Emma to run an errand and Emma filled her in on Bradley.  The two went to a glass-front exercise spot in town where Norma could get a look at Bradley.  Norma offered Emma a job at the motel.

That evening Norman tried to convince his mother to allow him to keep the dog he found.  She reluctantly agreed and then gave Norman a sex talk.  She told him how serious it was and how it made women feel.  Norman told his mother that he had deep feelings for Bradley and when she rolled her eyes, Norman stomped off.

Norman headed for Bradley’s house and once he was able to speak with her, he learned that she did not return his strong feelings.  Leaving her house Norman appeared to be in another of his angry trances when Bradley caught up to him.  After a hug, Norman seemed to calm down. 

Norman went home and saw the dog.  As the dog approached, it was hit by a car.  Norma ran out and Norman explained that he would take the dog to Emma’s father, a taxidermist.  He held the dog as Norma went for the car.

The Analysis

This week’s Bates Motel was a little calmer than the past episodes.  It seems that the drama is over with Summers, the deputy, the sex ring and even the sheriff.  It made me wonder why Sheriff Romero was so willing to make up an elaborate story about the events that took place when he had been trying to take down Norma since she arrived.  It leads me to believe that the sheriff knows more or is in on more than we know at this point (wink, wink).

The eye contact with Dylan and Bradley was an interesting twist that I was not expecting.  I wonder if something will happen between those two or if this was just done to show us that she has no feelings for Norman.

Then we have the reason for this episode’s title, The Man in Number 9 and what a creepy man in number 9 he is.  I am thinking he plays a big part in what was happening at the motel when Summers was alive, but just how big remains to be seen.  Cree-eepy is the only word I can use to describe him.

We again got to see Norman in his angry trance and becoming a little more psychotic all the time.  I do have to say I felt bad for him.  First his love rejected him and then his new friend the dog was hit by a car.  Poor Norman; it just never ends for him!