I'll admit that the prospect of a television prequel to
Psycho sounded less than stellar. That film has such a cult and critical following, along with its sequels and remake, that a new spin on its premise isn't really necessary. There's enough of a story there already to make it an unnecessary venture. And even if
Bates Motel didn't seem like it could further the idea of Norman Bates, it could certainly threaten to harm the connotations that his presence brings.
But there was also a minor flash of excitement for me; revisiting Norman Bates, and imagining him in today's world where mass murders seem to happen so frequently, coubd be refreshing. So tuning in to
Bates Motel, I sat waiting for the worst but hoping for the best, and what I got was something closer to the latter than the former.
The series begins at the end of Norman's (Freddie father's life; he's fallen off of a ladder, and Norman is the first to find him, screaming for his mother Norma (Vera Farmiga). It's one of those instances that are meant to set up a starting-over point for Norman and his mother. It's also an occasion to give the viewer an explanation of Norman's behaviors, where the audience can go, "Huh, that's why he's so strange!" It's obviously not meant to be the only psychological disruption in Norman's fragile teenage life, but it is what seems like the first of many terrible occurrences. And not the only one in the episode, no less.
It's evident that Norma and Norman have a strong relationship; it's also obvious that a lot of that is forced on Norman by his mother. Farmiga plays the high-strung Norma well, without too many dramatic shifts to oversell the part. Instead, she focuses on the unsaid guilt trips that will plague Norman throughout his life; one great scene at the dinner table finds Norma pouting and subtly blaming her son for all kinds of problems that she'll have to face at the expense of Norman's joining the track team.
"First You Dream, Then You Die" doesn't burn through its plot quickly, either. As you can see, this pilot episode is more interested in setting up the strange family dynamic between Norman and Norma. It's also busy dealing with their (presumably) first family murder. A man whose family used to own the hotel that the Bates' have purchased comes sniffing around with violence and rape on the mind - there's a quick scene of surprisingly violent rape before the whole thing stops, but it's shocking enough for this episode that I'm intrigued by what A&E will allow the show to do.
Highmore's a fine actor, and he plays Norman with a cool air of nonchalance. Norman's not a geek - the cool kids actually flock to him, surprisingly, although it is hinted at that Norman is actually more ignored than he is noticed at a party later in the episode. Still, it's a different take on the cliche of where the serial killer comes from - one would expect that Norman would be the odd man out at school, the brunt of most of the bullying because of his strange attachment to his mother. But so far
Bates Motel plays it a different way; it seems that the show might be working towards a plot line about Norman's sexual inadequacies because he seems so deficient socially in front of women.
This opening episode does two things very well - it sets up
Bates Motel with an initial relationship that is intriguing in its eccentricity (that of Norman and Norma, who have a sort of on-screen chemistry that's disturbing in its incestual subtext; it also cements a storyline in place by having an early murder. I was afraid that
Bates Motel would be stuck brandishing a knife without a victim in its early episodes - now that there's already been a murder to cover up and hide from the police, there's at least some drama to play off for a few more episodes, even enough to get Sheriff Royce Romero (Nestor Carbonell, with a subtle nod to the zombie legend) involved. Sure, it's a fairly simple conceit, but it's a start.
But there are some flaws as well. I caught Highmore's British accent more than a couple of times, which throws me off a bit. Then there's the dialogue, which is often strangely verbose, especially for the teenagers. There are some really awkward lines here, and those need to be pared down.
Still, the pilot is a promising beginning to this series. It seems as though
Bates Motel is ready to dive into the walking Oedipal complex that is Norman Bates, and as long as the show continues to not waver in its approach, this could be a new horror show to be on the lookout for. But it needs to develop a clear arc in its next few episodes; developing Norman and Norma is one piece of this puzzle, but it's not the only one.
Bates Motel Episode 2 “Nice Town You Picked, Norma” airs Monday, March 25 at 10 PM ET/PT. The series stars Vera Farmiga as Norma Bates and Freddie Highmore as Norman Bates. Episode Synopsis: Bates Motel (A&E) Episode 2 “Nice Town You Picked, Norma” – Dylan wastes no time causing trouble at home and, all the [...]
Norman is played by Freddie Highmore, who has clearly come a long way since such fantastical films like The Spiderwick Chronicles and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. There is something highly unsettling about his performance, which is sure to unravel as the season pushes forward. Norma, Norman’s mother (I KNOW RIGHT?) is played by Vera Farmiga, who seems to have taken a page out of Jessica Lange’s book of “How to Scare the Sh*t Out of Everybody Without Really Trying.” Seriously, Farmiga is reason alone to check into this series. Her energy is absolutely palpable, with Highmore meeting her high standards in every scene. Their interactions are strange and somewhat sexually charged, which totally makes sense when we are exploring the origins of a psychopath.
