Bates Motel Season 2: Underbelly Exposed

The A&E drama Bates Motel is back tonight and the series is exploring the seedy underbelly of the outwardly idyllic White Pine Bay. When Norma Bates moved her and her son to the seemingly quiet town, she thought she would be able to start anew and continue on peacefully along with Norman. Little did she know she picked possibly the worst place to settle into a tranquil existence. We saw how troublesome the inner workings of White Pine Bay permeated the Bates’ lives, and in the second season the corrupt world of the town will expand considerably. "The whole drug world will open up this season. The whole underbelly will be exposed. We'll really get to see how it works, how it's sustained, and how I navigate those waters. What goes down is pretty extraordinary. It will rock everyone's world in the town," Nestor Carbonell, who plays Sheriff Romero, tells Zap2it. But will a focus on the criminal activity in the town detract from the central relationship on the show? The crime angle of the series has been the least interesting aspect of the drama, we’d rather explore the twisted and bizarre mother/son relationship between Norma and Norman. These two performances are the most engaging and compelling by far, their strange dynamic is what keeps the show together. However, the town’s shady dealings were kept, for the most part, under wraps in the first season, perhaps expanding the world will uncover some interesting storylines. We’ll have to watch to find out. Will you be tuning in to the season premiere?