Bates Motel | |
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Genre | |
Based on | Characters from Psycho by Robert Bloch |
Developed by | |
Starring | |
Composer | Chris Bacon |
Country of origin | United States |
Original language | English |
No. of seasons | 5 |
No. of episodes | 50 (list of episodes) |
Production | |
Executive producers |
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Producers |
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Production locations | Vancouver, British Columbia |
Cinematography | |
Editors |
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Running time | 40–47 minutes |
Production companies |
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Original release | |
Network | A&E |
Release | March 18, 2013 – April 24, 2017 |
Bates Motel is an American psychological horror drama television series based on characters from the 1959 novel Psycho by Robert Bloch that aired from March 18, 2013, to April 24, 2017. [1] [2] [3] It was developed by Carlton Cuse, Kerry Ehrin, and Anthony Cipriano for the cable network A&E. [4]
A "contemporary prequel" to Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 film Psycho , it depicts the lives of Norman Bates (Freddie Highmore) and his mother Norma (Vera Farmiga) prior to the events portrayed in the film, albeit in a different fictional town (White Pine Bay, Oregon, as opposed to Fairvale, California) and in a modern-day setting. [5] [6] However, the final season loosely adapts the plot of the novel Psycho. Max Thieriot and Olivia Cooke both starred as part of the main cast throughout the series's run. After recurring in the first season, Néstor Carbonell was added to the main cast from season two onward. Both Nicola Peltz and Kenny Johnson had main cast roles at different points throughout the series’s run.
The series begins in Arizona with the death of Norma's husband, after which Norma purchases the Seafairer motel located in a coastal Oregon town so that she and Norman can start a new life. [4] [7] [8] Subsequent seasons follow Norman as his mental illness becomes dangerous, and Norma as she struggles to protect her son, and those around him, from himself. The series was filmed outside Vancouver in Aldergrove, British Columbia, along with other locations within the Fraser Valley of British Columbia.
A&E chose to skip a pilot of the series, opting to go straight-to-series by ordering a 10-episode first season. [4] Bates Motel is the longest-running original scripted drama series in the channel's history. [9] The series's lead actors, Vera Farmiga and Freddie Highmore, received particular praise for their performances in the series, with the former receiving a Primetime Emmy Award nomination and winning a Saturn Award for Best Actress on Television. Bates Motel also won three People's Choice Awards for Favorite Cable TV Drama, and for Favorite Cable TV Actress (Farmiga) and Actor (Highmore).
Season | Episodes | Originally released | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
First released | Last released | |||
1 | 10 | March 18, 2013 | May 20, 2013 | |
2 | 10 | March 3, 2014 | May 5, 2014 | |
3 | 10 | March 9, 2015 | May 11, 2015 | |
4 | 10 | March 7, 2016 | May 16, 2016 | |
5 | 10 | February 20, 2017 | April 24, 2017 |
The first season follows Norma and Norman Bates as they buy a motel after Norman's father dies. On one of the first nights of the two owning the motel, the former owner breaks in and rapes Norma. Norman knocks the attacker out, and Norma stabs him to death. She decides it is best not to call the police and to cover up the murder. She and Norman dispose of the body. He complicates the cover-up by keeping a belt that belonged to the victim. When the town sheriff and his deputy notice that a man has gone missing, Norma and Norman must keep them from digging too far.
The second season follows the aftermath of Norman's teacher's murder, as her mysterious past comes to light. Meanwhile, Norma finds herself making dangerous decisions in order to keep the motel running and preventing the impending bypass. Bradley's search for her father's killer leads to the extremes, and Dylan learns the disturbing truth about his parentage.
The third season focuses on Norman's waning deniability about what is happening to him, and the lengths he will go to, to gain control of his fragile psyche. The dramatic events of last season leave Norma more aware of her son's mental fragility and fearful of what he is capable of. Meanwhile, Sheriff Romero begins to distance himself from the Bates family after he suspects Norma is lying to him about her husband's death.
The fourth season follows Norma as she becomes increasingly fearful of Norman, going to great lengths to find him the professional help he needs. This complicates their once unbreakable trust as Norman struggles to maintain his grip on reality. Meanwhile, Sheriff Romero once again finds himself drawn into Norma and Norman's lives. He agrees to marry Norma because his insurance will enable her to place Norman in an expensive psychiatric hospital.
The fifth season begins two years after the death of Norma. Publicly happy and well-adjusted, Norman struggles at home, where his blackouts are increasing and "Mother" threatens to take him over completely. Meanwhile, Dylan and Emma find themselves drawn back into Norman's world, and Romero hungers for revenge against his stepson.
On July 5, 1987, a made-for-television film written and directed by Richard Rothstein titled Bates Motel , a direct sequel to Psycho aired on NBC. Starring Bud Cort, Lori Petty and Moses Gunn respectively as mentally disturbed youth Alex West, teenage runaway Willie and local handyman Henry Watson running the titular motel after Norman Bates passes away, it was intended to be a pilot for a proposed TV series that was to feature supernatural elements. However, the series was not picked up by the network.[ citation needed ]
In 2012, A&E was developing a television series also titled Bates Motel that would serve as a "contemporary prequel" to the Alfred Hitchcock film Psycho . [10] The first script was written by Anthony Cipriano. [11] Carlton Cuse and Kerry Ehrin joined the project in March as executive producers and head writers. [12] Cuse has cited the drama series Twin Peaks as a key inspiration for Bates Motel: "We pretty much ripped off Twin Peaks... If you wanted to get that confession, the answer is yes. I loved that show. They only did 30 episodes. Kerry [Ehrin] and I thought we'd do the 70 that are missing". [13] A&E gave Bates Motel a straight-to-series order in July. [14] Chris Bacon was hired to score the music for the series in January 2013. [15]
The casting for the series started in August 2012. Vera Farmiga was the first to be cast in the leading role of Norma Louise Bates. [16] Freddie Highmore was cast as Norman Bates in September. [17] The same month, Max Thieriot was cast as Norman's half-brother, Dylan Massett. [18] Shortly after, Nicola Peltz was cast as Bradley Martin, a possible love interest for Norman. [19] Olivia Cooke was the final main cast member to join the series, in the role of Emma Decody, Norman's best friend. [20] Nestor Carbonell was cast in a recurring role as Sheriff Alex Romero in the first season, but was upgraded to the main cast at the beginning of the second season. [21] Kenny Johnson, who recurred as Norma's brother Caleb Calhoun in the second season, was promoted to a series regular for the third season. [22] Rihanna later appeared in the iconic role of Marion Crane for the fifth and final season. [23]
A replica of the original Bates Motel set from the film Psycho was built on location at approximately 1054 272 Street in Aldergrove, British Columbia, where portions of the series were filmed. [24] [25] The original house and motel are located in Universal Studios, Hollywood, Los Angeles. Additional filming for the series took place in multiple areas in Metro Vancouver, including Steveston, Coquitlam, Horseshoe Bay, West Vancouver and Fort Langley. In February 2017, after filming was completed for the series, the Bates Motel exterior set in Aldergrove was demolished. [26]
The first season received positive reviews from critics. On Metacritic, the season holds a score of 66 out of 100, based on 34 critics. [27] On the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the season has an 84% rating with an average score of 7.11/10, based on 43 reviews. The site's critical consensus reads, "Bates Motel utilizes mind manipulation and suspenseful fear tactics, on top of consistently sharp character work and wonderfully uncomfortable familial relationships". [28]
The second season also received positive reviews from critics. On Metacritic the season had a score of 67 out of 100, based on 11 critics. [29] On Rotten Tomatoes, the season has a 90% rating with an average score of 8.02/10, based on 21 reviews. The site's consensus reads, "Bates Motel reinvents a classic thriller with believable performances and distinguished writing". [30]
The third season of Bates Motel received a score of 72 out of 100 on Metacritic. [31] Rotten Tomatoes reported a 95% rating from 21 reviews. The site's consensus reads, "Bates Motel further blurs lines around TV's creepiest taboo mother/son relationship, uncomfortably darkening its already fascinating tone". [32]
The fourth season of Bates Motel was met with critical acclaim. Rotten Tomatoes reported a 100% positive rating from 17 reviews. The site's consensus reads, "Bates Motel fulfills its menacing potential in a fourth season that confidently careens toward the mother-son duo's ghastly destiny". [33] Alan Sepinwall of Uproxx considered Bates Motel to have only become a good series midway through season four due to obtaining a better narrative purpose and "tragic grandeur" with the season's latter episodes. [34]
The fifth and final season of Bates Motel received a score of 81 out of 100 on Metacritic. [35] Rotten Tomatoes reported a 100% rating from 21 reviews. The site's consensus reads, "Bates Motel's final season brings the franchise full circle, with a satisfyingly creepy conclusion to the trials and tribulations of Norman Bates". [36]
Season | Time slot (ET) | Eps | Premiered | Ended | Average viewers (in millions) | ||
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Date | Premiere viewers (in millions) | Date | Finale viewers (in millions) | ||||
1 | Monday 10 p.m. | 10 | March 18, 2013 | 3.04 [37] | May 20, 2013 | 2.70 [38] | 2.70 [39] |
2 | 10 | March 3, 2014 | 3.07 [40] | May 5, 2014 | 2.30 [41] | 2.30 [42] | |
3 | Monday 9 p.m. | 10 | March 9, 2015 | 2.14 [43] | May 11, 2015 | 1.67 [44] | 1.80 [45] |
4 | 10 | March 7, 2016 | 1.55 [46] | May 16, 2016 | 1.50 [47] | 1.45 [48] | |
5 | Monday 10 p.m. | 10 | February 20, 2017 | 1.34 [49] | April 24, 2017 | 1.41 [50] | 1.29 [51] |
Season | Episodes | Release date | Special features | Ref. |
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1 | 10 | September 17, 2013 |
| [52] |
2 | 10 | October 7, 2014 |
| [53] |
3 | 10 | October 13, 2015 |
| [54] |
4 | 10 | October 18, 2016 |
| [55] |
5 | 10 | September 19, 2017 |
| [56] |
1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 The Complete Series | 50 | September 19, 2017 |
| [57] |
In Canada, the series airs only on the U.S. network A&E, which is available through most Canadian cable and satellite companies. In Australia, the series premiered on Fox8 on May 26, 2013. [58] In the UK and Ireland, it premiered on Universal Channel on April 2, 2014 and then on BBC One on February 23, 2021. [59] [60] In Jamaica, it premiered on CVM TV on August 11, 2014. In the Middle East, it premiered on OSN First HD in mid-2014. The second season premiered on January 5, 2015. [61] In the Philippines, Bates Motel began airing on Jack TV on August 12, 2013. In South Africa, the series premiered on MNet on June 21, 2013. [62] The series premiered in India on Colors Infinity on November 6, 2015. As of May 2019 Netflix has licensed worldwide distribution for at least 30 countries. [63]
This section relies largely or entirely upon a single source .(September 2021) |
NBCUniversal partnered with Hot Topic, the American retailer of pop culture merchandise, to introduce a collection of clothing and accessories inspired by Bates Motel. The merchandise, including items such as bathrobes and bloody shower curtains, became available at Hot Topic's website and select stores on March 18, 2014. [64] As of 2018, the merchandise is no longer available through Hot Topic.
Norman Bates is a fictional character created by American author Robert Bloch as the main protagonist in his 1959 horror novel Psycho. He has an alter, Mother, who takes from the form of his abusive mother, and later victim, Norma, who in his daily life runs the Bates Motel.
Alfred Thomas Highmore is an English actor. He is known for his starring roles beginning as a child, in the films Finding Neverland (2004), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), Arthur and the Invisibles (2006), August Rush (2007), The Spiderwick Chronicles (2008), and Astro Boy (2009). He won two consecutive Critics' Choice Movie Awards for Best Young Performer.
Psycho IV: The Beginning is a 1990 American slasher television film directed by Mick Garris, and starring Anthony Perkins, Henry Thomas, Olivia Hussey, Warren Frost, Donna Mitchell, and CCH Pounder. It serves as both the third sequel and a prequel to Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho, focusing on the early life of Norman Bates and the flashbacks that took place prior to the events of the original film. It is the fourth and final film in the original Psycho franchise, and Perkins' final appearance in the series before his death in 1992.
Arthur Carlton Cuse is an American screenwriter, showrunner, producer, and director, best known for the American television series Lost, for which he made the Time list of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2010.
Psycho is an American horror franchise consisting of six films loosely based on the Psycho novels by Robert Bloch: Psycho, Psycho II, Psycho III, Bates Motel, Psycho IV: The Beginning, the 1998 remake of the original film, and additional merchandise spanning various media. The first film, Psycho, was directed by filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock. Subsequently, another film related to the series was made: an Alfred Hitchcock biopic, and two new novels, by Takekuni Kitayama and Chet Williamson, were released. Also, an independent documentary called The Psycho Legacy was released on October 19, 2010, mostly focusing on Psycho II, Psycho III and Psycho IV: The Beginning, while covering the impact and legacy of the original film.
Néstor Gastón Carbonell is an American actor, director, and screenwriter. He came to prominence for his role as Luis Rivera in the NBC sitcom Suddenly Susan. He is known for his roles as Richard Alpert in the ABC drama series Lost, Sheriff Alex Romero in the A&E drama series Bates Motel, and Yanko Flores in the Apple TV+ drama series The Morning Show. Carbonell also starred as Mayor Anthony Garcia in Christopher Nolan's superhero films The Dark Knight (2008) and The Dark Knight Rises (2012). He won the 2024 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for his role in the FX series Shōgun.
Norma Bates is a fictional character created by American author Robert Bloch in his 1959 thriller novel Psycho. She is the deceased mother and victim of serial killer Norman Bates, who had recreated her in his mind as a murderous alternate personality.
Kerry Anne Ehrin is an American screenwriter, showrunner, and producer. The first writer with whom Apple TV+ signed an overall deal, Kerry Ehrin developed and ran the first two seasons of the Apple TV+ series The Morning Show starring Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon, which led the streaming service's launch. Ehrin was also the co-creator, executive producer, and co-showrunner of the Emmy-nominated and critically acclaimed A&E drama series Bates Motel which featured Vera Farmiga and Freddie Highmore in the iconic roles of Norma and Norman Bates, and aired for five seasons on A&E. Prior to that, she was a writer and producer on Friday Night Lights and Parenthood and has received numerous Emmy and WGA nominations, as well as four AFI Awards.
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The second season of Bates Motel consisted of 10 episodes and broadcast on A&E from March 3-May 5, 2014, airing on Mondays at 9 p.m. ET/PT. The series itself is described as a "contemporary prequel" to the 1960 film Psycho and follows the life of Norman Bates and his mother Norma in the fictional town of White Pine Bay, Oregon prior to the events portrayed in the Hitchcock film.
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The first season of Bates Motel aired from March 18-May 20, 2013. The season consisted of 10 episodes and aired on Mondays at 10 p.m. ET/PT on A&E. The series is described as a "contemporary prequel" to the 1960 film Psycho and follows the life of Norman Bates and his mother Norma prior to the events portrayed in the Hitchcock film. The series takes place in the fictional town of White Pine Bay, Oregon.
The third season of Bates Motel consisted of 10 episodes and broadcast on A&E from March 9-May 11, 2015, airing on Mondays at 9 p.m. ET/PT. The series itself is described as a "contemporary prequel" to the 1960 film Psycho, following the life of Norman Bates and his mother Norma prior to the events portrayed in the Hitchcock film. The series takes place in the fictional town of White Pine Bay, Oregon.
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The fourth season of Bates Motel aired from March 7-May 16, 2016. The season consisted of 10 episodes and aired on Mondays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on A&E. The series itself is described as a "contemporary prequel" to the 1960 film Psycho, following the life of Norman Bates and his mother Norma prior to the events portrayed in the Hitchcock film. The series takes place in the fictional town of White Pine Bay, Oregon.
The fifth and final season of Bates Motel aired from February 20-April 24, 2017. The season consisted of 10 episodes and aired on Mondays at 10 p.m. ET/PT on A&E. The series itself is described as a "contemporary prequel" to the 1960 film Psycho, following the life of Norman Bates and his mother Norma prior to the events portrayed in the Hitchcock film. The final season of the series loosely adapts the plot of Psycho. The series takes place in the fictional town of White Pine Bay, Oregon.