Odds are that while you were watching the latest episode of Duck Dynasty or catching up on Storage Wars this weekend, you caught a commercial or two for A&E’s latest series, Bates Motel. And if the eerily mysterious yet limited plot hints and dramatic tension included in the 30 second promotional spots gave any notion as to what the show will be like, we have a feeling we’re going to be addicted after the first episode. Lucky for you, HC is here to give you some pre-premier background on the new series that promises to be morbidly awesome.
Bates Motel is centered around the presumed backstory of Norman Bates, the infamous serial killer in Hitchcock’s Psycho and possibly one of the most terrifying characters in American film history. The series serves a prequel intended to depict the teen years that molded Bates into an eventual monster, including the unsettlingly intricate relationship he had with his mother. As the two attempt to “start over” in a town of the coast of Oregon by opening the motel, they are faced with quite a bit of backlash from the seemingly quaint town which has many secrets of its own, including their economic dependence on the marijuana trade. Chaos ensues as the two attempt to keep their family secrets and intensesly close relationship under wraps in order to maintain a mask of normalcy.
The show includes Oscar-nominated actress Vera Farmiga; who plays the unstable yet intensely committed mother of Norman. Seventeen year old Norman Bates is played by English actor Freddie Highmore, who has worked in movies like Finding Neverland and the remake of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and is actually pretty cute in a friend-of-your-little-brother kind of way. The shows executive producers include Carlton Cuse of Lost and Kelly Ehrin of Friday Night Lights, who certainly know how to bring an epic storyline to life.
While this gruesome and intriguing series is sure to bring the screams, we know we won’t be missing the March 18th series premier at 10pm/9C on A&E. For more information on the series, check out A&E’s series page.
photo credit: The Hollywood Reporter