On paper, Bates Motel doesn’t sound too promising. Billed as a “contemporary prequel” to Psycho, it elects to tell the origin story of Norman Bates in the modern day. Thankfully, the series works far better than this curious setup suggests. It explores the events that lead to Norman (spoiler alert for anyone unfamiliar with Alfred Hitchcock’s classic movie) dressing up as his mother and stabbing motel guests, but at the same time the story is allowed to go its own way.
The 10-episode first season – now out on box set, with the second following in October – opens with a tragic family “accident”. Deciding to start over, Norman and his mother Norma move to a small coastal town to assume ownership of a rundown motel. Unfortunately, the town isn’t quite as sleepy or idyllic as it seems, and the Bateses soon have blood on their hands – before the end of the very first episode, in fact.
While you might be expecting a tiresome victim-of-the-week format, the show, which aired in the UK on Universal, plays out as a twisty mystery drama instead. It has a similar tone and feel to Lost, but the key influence is Twin Peaks. Admittedly, Bates Motel isn’t quirky or surreal, but the town is visually comparable and – in similar fashion to the cult 90s favourite – hides a malevolent underbelly. When Norman finds a mysterious sketchbook, it leads to the discovery of a sex-trafficking ring. A few episodes later, we learn that the town is financed by expansive cannabis fields. On top of this, the Bates family also has to deal with corrupt police, depraved locals and a sinister motel guest who doesn’t take kindly to having his privacy disturbed.
Although the show is well written, its main selling point is that it revolves around two standout performances. As Norman, Freddie Highmore does a terrific job of foreshadowing the monster he will eventually become (taxidermy, anyone?) while remaining sweet and sympathetic throughout. He brings a classmate flowers when her father ends up in hospital, but he is also becoming aware that there is something wrong with him. “Sometimes you hear and you see things that aren’t there,” explains Norma. “It’s like some kind of trance or something.”
As impressive as Highmore is, Vera Farmiga is arguably better, selling every nuance of this emotionally unstable, controlling matriarch. Erratic and changeable, Norma is oppressive, impulsive and unreasonable – she kicks Norman out of the car moments after he bails her out of prison. But, at the same time, she is protective, caring and deeply vulnerable. She clearly loves her son, but their relationship is unhealthy and there are incestuous undertones. In one scene, she prepares a candlelit dinner for the two of them. In another, she casually undresses in front of Norman. “I’m your mother,” she says. “It’s not like it’s weird or anything.”
Still, their messed-up goings-on are fascinating to watch, especially when the balance is upset by the arrival of Norman’s older half-brother, Dylan, an edgy bad boy who finds work in the town’s criminal underbelly – though he is also the one who tries to steer Norman towards normality.
We all know where the story is heading, of course, so it’s testament to everyone involved that we still find ourselves hoping for a happy ending. The show isn’t perfect, but if you can get past the idea of Norman Bates texting girls on an iPhone, then Bates Motel is definitely worth checking into.
