Bates Motel: Primer and Homebase

[eevilalice]

Welcome to the homebase for the A&E series, Bates Motel. Each week you'll find a thread for the newest episode, so we can discuss its twists and horrors together.

First, a primer.


Bates Motel is a modern day prequel to Hitchcock's Psycho, centering on Norman and his mother, Norma, as they move to the titular motel in a coastal Oregon town. Norma is hoping for a new start for herself and Norman after her husband's death, and buying and running the run-down motel is her plan. Of course, there are plenty of unforeseen complications, especially since the town has a touch of Twin Peaks strangeness and corruption to it.

I know what you're thinking. A Psycho prequel? Really? Two things should convince you to give the show a shot: its pedigree and its cast. Among others, the series is (executive) produced by Carlton Cuse (Lost) and Kerry Ehrin (Friday Night Lights). It both builds intrigue and mysteries while creating complex characters. And then it scares the crap out of you.

Cast/Characters (As of Season 2)

Vera Farmiga plays Norma Bates.



She's high-strung, cloying, yet honestly put-upon and sincerely caring. She's smart but vulnerable at times. You may not be able to stand her at all, and you may deeply sympathize with her, all within one episode.

Freddie Highmore plays Norman Bates.



Like Norma, you might feel sorry for Norman or be terrified or horribly creeped out by him in the space of a breath. Often he's simply a normal teenage boy by all appearances, crushing on girls, wanting his own space, sneaking out late at night. Buuut then there's the blackouts and weird stuff he keeps under his bed...

Max Thieriot plays Dylan Massett.



Dylan is Norma's other, older son, and Norman's half-brother. He's more of an outsider, and drifts into town and into their lives against Norma's wishes. He clashes with the family, especially when he urges Norman to live his own life, but he proves indispensable, too.

Olivia Cooke plays Emma Decody.



Emma is a smart, inquisitive girl in Norman's class who quickly develops an interest in him. She has cystic fibrosis and sees Norman's own strange health issues and outsider-y status as something akin to hers.

Nestor Carbonell plays Sheriff Alex Romero.



As sheriff, Romero and Norma butt heads as she struggles to accomplish what she wants with the motel and deals with, er, other complications. Given the town's penchant for ongoing shady activities, Romero is someone who is tough to read.


You can stream Season 1 episodes on Netflix, Amazon, and at the A&E site.

The second season begins Monday, March 3rd! Episodes air at 9/8c 10/9c.

Comments

Re: 2.07 Presumed Innocent

[selenak]

I don't think we ever got a first name for Gil, or did we and I forgot? But seeing as he's dead, and thus of no use as an alternate suspect, you're probably right and "Eric" (that was indeed who she was arguing with on the phone, something it occurs to me now that Norman might be the only person to know, since he overheard her) is someone else.

I read a comment from Carlton Cuse where he said he (or others) figured working on a story with a definite end was like an antidote to working on Lost.

He. I can imagine. Well, Byran Fuller is sort of in the same position with Hannibal. And I never watched the "How I met your mother", just saw you being upset (along with the majority of the viewership) about the ending after we friended, but fannish osmosis tells me part of the ending problem was that it WAS actually pre-planned years ahead and not fitting anymore the story that developed in between? But in that case, as opposed to Bates Motel and Hannibal, the AUDIENCE wasn't in in a position to know ahead of time, whereas with the serial killer prequels, you as an audience member know, for example, that Norman can't in the next episode get killed by Blair Watson's father; Norman is the only only character who is guaranteed to survive the entire show. :) And similarly, we know Norma will die before it ends, though presumably not much before - my guess is the last or last but one episode, once they know for sure they're cancelled. Dylan's fate, though, is open, as is Emma's (beyond her medical condition).