Bates Motel recap and review of a 1960s reboot

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Psycho, Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 suspense film, has experienced a rebirth. The classic film centered around Norman Bates, a 30-something taxidermist and motel owner, and his assumption of the murderous alter-ego of his dead mother. The A&E TV network revived the film last year and converted it into a series called Bates Motel, a 10 episode show. Set in 2013, tells the story of Norman Bates as an adolescent and his obsessive relationship with his mother.

Norman (Freddie Highmore) and his mother, Norma (Vera Farmiga), are trying to “start over” after the mysterious and suspicious death of Mr. Bates, as Norma repeats almost frantically throughout the series. They have bought a motel and begun a new life in California. This sets off a series of events that result in multiple mysteries and intrigues, including a sex trafficking ring, police corruption and why Norman is invited into a convertible with half-a-dozen teenaged girls in skin-tight jeans less than 10 minutes into the series.

Perhaps the most convincing performance in the series comes from Vera Farmiga, who appears one moment as an innocent widow trying to get her feet under her as the owner of a small business, the next as a malicious killer and almost always as an emotionally manipulative, overinvolved mother whose life is too centered around her son. There is an unmistakable and uncomfortable sexual tension between the mother and son. The possessive jealousy is palpable and obvious when the other becomes romantically involved with a more socially acceptable partner. Max Thieriot, who plays Norma’s other son, Dylan, is the only character who comments on the almost romantic attachment between the Norma and Norman, and he provides the audience with a character who expresses their discomfort with the relationship.

Highmore’s Norman is a difficult character to play, since he is a mix of geeky innocence and blind rage, but Highmore does his best. His Norman is unpredictable, wild-eyed and sexually frustrated in many ways without an appropriate outlet. We see him experience the normal heartbreak expected in a young adult TV show, but then we also observe him clubbing people over the head, losing complete control and going into a trance-like, detached state before one of his episodes. Highmore portrays a disturbing, deeply mentally ill Norman Bates with skill and finesse, consciously not oversimplifying the character into a villain.

Bates Motel was recently released on Netflix and the second season will premiere on March 3. It was nominated for five awards – a Critics’ Choice TV Award for Best Actress in a Drama Series, an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, a TV Critics Association Award for Individual Achievement in Drama and a Satellite Award for Best Actress in a TV Drama, all for Vera Farmiga. Freddie Highmore was nominated for the Satellite Award for Best Actor in a TV Drama.

TRIGGER WARNING: This show has graphic scenes of sexual violence. Please be aware of this before watching.