The mother of Norman Bates is hands down one of the most famous off-stage characters in movie history. Of course, she is long past dead when we finally meet her in Alfred Hitchcock‘s Psycho, where she provides the most epic final climax–seriously, even if every film parody in the world has ruined the fantastic twist to this flick, you still need to check it out. So creepy! Of course, the unveiling of the cinematic serial killer’s mother only caused more questions to arise. What in the hell did this woman do to Norman that made him so… well… like Norman!?
Bates Motel is more than happy to answer all our questions–and is making damn sure not to leave out any of the gory details. I have been anxiously anticipating the release of this show since it’s series order last year, and I have to say the pilot episode did not dissapoint. Whether you’re a hardcore Hitchcock fan or just looking to get your horror fix, Bates Motel packs a wallop.
The pilot opens with the untimely death of Norman’s father. Apparently the man encountered some sort of deadly “accident” resulting in his fate, which comes as somewhat of a shock to Norman who finds his body. His mother on the other hand doesnt seem too shocked. We jump ahead six months later, where the newly widowed duo arrive in Oregon. Norman is a typical moody teenager, who is obviously less than excited to be relocating to a new town. Upon learning that his mother just purchased a motel, along with the house behind it, Norman utters the all too perfect response: “Mom, this is crazy.” The entire episode itself is riddled with references from the original film. From the first time we see the iconic Gothic Revival home sitting behind the motel (holy nostalgia, Batman!) all the way to learning that one of the father’s of Norman’s new friends is involved in taxidermy. There are plenty of throwbacks (or perhaps foreshadowings since we all know where it will end up…?) to keep you guessing what’s going to happen next.
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.
Heads up for those of you in need of a trigger warning: A&E really pulled out all the stops in the shock department, so be prepared for a lot of gore and sex. One of the most unsettling scenes in the pilot episode features a pretty brutal rape scene, so be prepared to hit that mute button and go to your happy place. The emotionally and physically draining sequence kick-starts the main story line as Norman and his Mother are soon bound by a deadly secret.
The best part about this series is that it’s a total time-warp-mind-f*ck. The wardrobe is very 60′s, and Norman seems to have a penchant for black and white movies. In fact, it wasn’t until Norma pulled out her iPhone that I realized the series was set in present day. The constant shift between nostalgia and present-day luxuries keeps you off balance–which I totally dig. Afterall, a psycho is a psycho right? Who cares if he grew up in the 50′s, 70′s or today?
The sexually charged thriller is bound to bring some light to what makes Norman tick, so if you’re looking for a bunch of “OMG WTF DID I JUST WATCH” moments, make sure you tune in to A&E every Monday night at 10pm.
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