Bates Motel 

A contemporary prequel to Psycho, giving a portrayal of how Norman Bates' psyche unravels through his teenage years, and how deeply intricate his relationship with his mother, Norma, truly is.

Creators:

Anthony Cipriano, Carlton Cuse, Kerry Ehrin

Stars:

Vera Farmiga, Freddie Highmore, Max Thieriot

Nominated for 3 Primetime Emmys. Another 5 wins & 62 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Vera Farmiga	...	Norma Louise Bates 50 episodes, 2013-2017
Freddie Highmore	...	Norman Bates 50 episodes, 2013-2017
Max Thieriot	...	Dylan Massett 50 episodes, 2013-2017
Olivia Cooke	...	Emma Decody 49 episodes, 2013-2017
Nestor Carbonell	...	Sheriff Alex Romero / ... 48 episodes, 2013-2017

Storyline

"Bates Motel" is a contemporary prequel to the genre-defining film "Psycho," and gives a portrayal of how Norman Bates' (Freddie Highmore) psyche unravels through his teenage years. Fans discover the dark, twisted backstory of Norman Bates and how deeply intricate his relationship with his mother, Norma (Vera Farmiga), truly is.

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Plot Keywords:

sexual awakening | incestuous desire | motel | prequel | mental disorder | 

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Taglines:

Psycho. (Season 3)

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Genres:

Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

TV-MA

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 March 2013 (USA)

Also Known As:

Motel Bates

Filming Locations:

Aldergrove, British Columbia, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$10,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

American Genre Film Archive,Kerry Ehrin Productions,Universal Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

45 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Dylan Massett (Max Thieriot) did not exist in the novel or film Psycho, nor did Norman Bates have a sibling.

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Goofs

In "Psycho" Norman tells Marion that he only stuffs birds. He stated he could never do a dog or a cat like other people. However, in "Bates Motel" he first acquires his interest in taxidermy with a dog and is seen working on other mammals as well.

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Quotes

Norman Bates: Mother, are you sure we shouldn't call for help?
Norma Louise Bates: No one's ever going to help us, Norman. No one's ever helped us.

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Crazy Credits

Names in the main credits have one letter (in each part of the name) in blue neon, like the Bates Motel sign. The letter is usually at or near the middle of the name.

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Connections

Follows Psycho (1998)

User Reviews

If 'Psycho IV" had been made into a TV series...

An avid fan of Hitchcock, I thought this pilot was well done. Though, it was interesting to see an iPhone ring in Mother's house, being this is set in the modern day. Olivia Hussey left some big shoes to fill after her portrayal of Norma Bates, but I think (given this pilot) Vera Farmiga was well cast by the producers.

"Bates Motel" was well shot, written, acted and executed... all while being appropriately disturbing already. In order to fully appreciate it, you should watch the 1960 original, and the made-for-TV prequel. That's where "Motel" will take the torch and continue the pre-story of how Norma basically created who AFI lists as their #2 Top Villain of all Time.

I also enjoyed watching Freddie Highmore continue where Henry Thomas left off. I believed Thomas as a younger Perkins, and I believe Highmore as a younger Thomas. I appreciated the opening scene too, as it touched on an area where previous Psycho-related movies skipped.

I have high hopes for "Bates Motel" and will continue watching it. But, I must admit my bias, as "Psycho" is in my Top 5 favorite movies of all time list.

"Well, a boy's best friend is his mother."