I came across this drama series that popped up on my Facebook called BATES MOTEL and was instantly intrigued. Did it ring a bell? Must have, if you've watched Alfred Hitchcock's psychological thriller 'Psycho'. Although I've only watched the first season, 5 seasons have been televised with the last one being put on air in April, 2017.
The show is a prequel to the events that were portrayed in the iconic film ‘Psycho’. When I saw the cast involved Vera Farmiga I downloaded the whole series promptly. Bates Motel revolves around the dark and twisted mother-son relationship of Norma (Vera Farmiga) and Norman (Freddie Highmore). Norma moves to a small town with her son Norman following the death of her husband and Norman’s father to give life a new start. However, the positive and sweet atmosphere that the first few minutes the episode creates is almost immediately slashed when the former owner of the motel sexually assaults her, cracking the door open for what next follows.
They’ve done an undoubtedly fantastic job at creating an emotional yet threating and obscure world with Norma and Norman at its center. You will feel rage and dejected at the series of disturbing exploits unfolding on the screen. The story is woven in a twisty, open and fiddly way along with the excellence of its cast. Farmiga and Highmore are the game players in acting. You will buy what they sell you. All in all it’s a ride worth taking and is an oddly satisfying contemporary spin to the iconic classic.