Bates Motel (TV series)
A contemporary prequel to the classic film Psycho.
Bates Motel is an American psychological horror drama television series that aired on A&E from 2013 to 2017. Developed by Carlton Cuse, Kerry Ehrin, and Anthony Cipriano, it serves as a contemporary prequel to Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 film Psycho, set in a modern-day Oregon town. The series is the longest-running original scripted drama in A&E history and earned its lead actors, Vera Farmiga and Freddie Highmore, critical recognition including a Primetime Emmy nomination and a Saturn Award.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Mystery
- Psychological horror
- Drama
- Based on
- Characters from Psycho, Robert Bloch
- Developer
- Carlton Cuse
- Kerry Ehrin
- Anthony Cipriano
- Starring
- Vera Farmiga
- Freddie Highmore
- Max Thieriot
- Olivia Cooke
- Nicola Peltz
- Nestor Carbonell
- Kenny Johnson
- Composer
- Chris Bacon
- Country
- United States
- Language
- English
- Seasons
- 5
Facts from the source article.
Series overview
The first season begins with Norma and Norman Bates purchasing a motel after the death of Norma's husband. The former owner breaks in and rapes Norma; Norman knocks him out, and Norma stabs him to death. They cover up the murder and dispose of the body, but Norman keeps a belt from the victim, complicating matters when the sheriff and deputy investigate the disappearance. The second season deals with the aftermath of Norman's teacher's murder, Norma's risky decisions to keep the motel running, Bradley's search for her father's killer, and Dylan learning the truth about his parentage. In the third season, Norman's deniability about his condition wanes, and Norma becomes more aware of his mental fragility; Sheriff Romero distances himself after suspecting Norma is lying about her husband's death. The fourth season follows Norma's growing fear of Norman and her efforts to get him professional help, which strains their trust; Romero marries Norma so his insurance can place Norman in a psychiatric hospital. The fifth season begins two years after Norma's death: Norman appears well-adjusted but struggles with blackouts and the "Mother" personality, while Dylan and Emma are drawn back into his world and Romero seeks revenge.
Production
A&E began developing Bates Motel in 2012 as a contemporary prequel to Psycho. Anthony Cipriano wrote the first script; Carlton Cuse and Kerry Ehrin joined as executive producers and head writers in March. Cuse cited Twin Peaks as a key inspiration. The series received a straight-to-series order in July, and Chris Bacon was hired to score the music in January 2013. Casting started in August 2012: Vera Farmiga was cast first as Norma Louise Bates, followed by Freddie Highmore as Norman in September. Timothée Chalamet auditioned but confused the role with American Psycho. Max Thieriot was cast as half-brother Dylan Massett, Nicola Peltz as Bradley Martin, and Olivia Cooke as Emma Decody. Néstor Carbonell recurred as Sheriff Alex Romero in season one and was upgraded to main cast in season two; Kenny Johnson recurred as Caleb Calhoun in season two and became a regular in season three. Rihanna appeared as Marion Crane in the fifth season. A replica of the original Bates Motel set was built at 1054 272 Street in Aldergrove, British Columbia, where portions were filmed; additional filming occurred in Steveston, Coquitlam, Horseshoe Bay, West Vancouver, and Fort Langley. The set was demolished in February 2017 after filming ended.
Reception
The first season received positive reviews, with a Metacritic score of 66 and an 84% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The second season also earned positive reviews, scoring 67 on Metacritic and 90% on Rotten Tomatoes. The third season scored 72 on Metacritic and 95% on Rotten Tomatoes. The fourth season received critical acclaim, with a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes; Alan Sepinwall of Uproxx considered the series to have become good only midway through season four. The fifth and final season scored 81 on Metacritic and 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.
International broadcast
In Canada, Bates Motel was available through A&E, a U.S. network carried by most cable and satellite providers. Australia saw its debut on Fox8 on May 26, 2013. The UK and Ireland first aired it on Universal Channel on September 12, 2013, with a later run on BBC One starting February 23, 2021. Jamaica’s CVM TV premiered the show on August 11, 2014. In the Middle East, OSN First HD began broadcasting it in mid-2014, with the second season starting January 5, 2015. The Philippines aired it on Jack TV from August 12, 2013, and South Africa on MNet from June 21, 2013. India’s Colors Infinity premiered it on November 6, 2015. By May 2019, Netflix had secured distribution rights in at least 30 countries.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes of Bates Motel (TV series) are there?
Bates Motel has 50 episodes across 5 seasons.
When did Bates Motel (TV series) end?
Bates Motel last aired on 24 April 2017.
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