"Bates Motel" Season returns on A&E with a new episode on Mar. 16. The audience hopes to confirm whether or not Norman Bates killed Annika in the third season premiere. Norma is worried her son might have lost it again. Meanwhile, Episode 2 marks Ryan Hurst's first appearance in the series.
Spoiler alert: This recap contains the highlights of "Bates Motel" Season 3. Episode 2 is titled "The Arcanum Club."
The second episode of "Bates Motel" Season 3 begins with Norma Bates (Vera Farmiga) knocking on Room 4's door. There's no one in the room. The guest on Rm 4, Annika (Tracy Spiridakos), was last seen in the season premiere with Norman (Freddie Highmore) in his car, supposedly on the way to a party.
Norma asks Emma (Olivia Cooke) about the guest on Rm 4. Emma doesn't tell her the guest was with Norman the previous night, but Norma figures she has to ask her son. He lies to Norma, and tells her: "I'm sure she's fine."
Norma asks Emma again about Annika. She's furious with Norman for lying to her. She says Norman is not supposed to ride in cars with women. "Look what happened to Blair Watson!" Norma tells her son. "Unhinged women" are drawn to Norman, Norma added.
Later in the second episode of "Bates Motel" Season 3, Norman comes to his mother and tells her he feels everything is under control, and he's "gonna be dating Emma." When Emma starts dropping suggestions, however, Norman bails.
Sensing that Norma is worried, Emma tells her they can look into Annika's room. They do so, and find their guest's link to the Arcanum Club. Norma goes out of her way to find the club's party site and snoop around.
Emma and Norman go out on their first date and they talk about sex. Emma points out Norma is so over-protective of Norman that she's not comfortable with the idea of him becoming a sexual being.
Everyone grows up except Peter Pan, Emma says. "Do you wanna be Peter Pan?" Emma asks Norman. He says only if she'd be Wendy. They never got to have sex, she points out. Norman is unsure how to react. The date ends with a kiss, and Norman cuts it out soon, disappointing Emma.
On Dylan's (Max Thieriot) "plant" side of the world, Caleb (Kenny Johnson) hangs around at his place of business. Everything's okay until Caleb kills a neighbor's dog. (The neighbor, Chick Hogan, is played by "Sons Of Anarchy" actor Ryan Hurst.) Caleb and Chick are not getting along well, and Dylan is caught in the middle.
Meanwhile, Sheriff Alex Romero (Nestor Carbonell) leaves Bates Motel. He and Norma share an awkward hug and kiss. She thanks him for making her feel safe. He keeps his distance. They run into each other at the Arcanum Club's sex party.
After seeking Romero's help regarding Annika, Norma drives off and later rams her can onto the highway construction sign of the Lee Berman memorial bypass, which will ruin her motel business. She drives home crying to Norman, who tells her she should stop worrying and "it's all gonna be good."
In the last few seconds of this week's new episode, viewers saw a semi-naked woman's lifeless body floating face down by a riverbank. She's got the same build and hair color as Annika Johnson.
The episode 3 of "Bates Motel" Season 3 is entitled "Persuasion" and will air on Mar. 23 on A&E.