Bates Motel: A&E's Psycho-Prequel TV Series!
 

Written by Anthony Cipriano and produced by Universal Television, A&E has announced that it is developing "Bates Motel", a prequel TV series to Sir Alfred Hitchcock's legendary 1960 horror-thriller, "Psycho."

http://i1097.photobucket.com/albums/...ates-motel.jpg

The original "Psycho" was based on Robert Bloch's 1959 novel of the same name. The movie had such a profound influence that it spawned three sequel films in which Anthony Perkins reappeared in his role as Norman Bates. "Psycho" was also notoriously remade in 1998 by director Gus Van Sant.

Funny, that there is also a television pilot (a failed one at that) created in 1987 that was supposed to pave the way for an anthology series. The TV film was about Alex West, a mentally disturbed youth who was committed to an asylum after killing his abusive stepfather. There he befriends Norman Bates and ends up inheriting the infamous Bates Motel.
With the financial failure of Psycho III, Universal decided to continue the Psycho franchise as a television series; taking inspiration from the Friday The 13th and A Nightmare on Elm Street TV series. In that televised spin-off of Psycho, Norman Bates is portrayed by Kurt Paul, who previously stood in as a stunt double for Anthony Perkins in Psycho II and Psycho III. Perkins declined involvement in the project and even heavily boycotted it. The film was made as a pilot for a weekly anthology television series, but the series was never picked up. Thus Universal decided to air the pilot as a made for TV film over the 4th of July weekend. The film received mostly negative reviews and low ratings.

A&E's Bates Motel, on the other hand, will serve as a prequel story that delves into Norman's past.

About A&E's BATES MOTEL from press release:

Looks like it'd be worth checking out. Mick Garris' made for TV sequel covered some of these elements. Been some pretty good horror shows over the last few years so this could be great.

I've got the 1987 Bates Motel pilot don't actually remember very much about it.

“Bates Motel” premieres in 2013.

http://bloody-disgusting.com/news/31...oes-to-series/

After watching the first episode my reaction is a resounding "meh." IMO not every classic needs to be updated and given a really mundane backstory.

The first episode had no style or flair and was told in a really standard tv movie style. Pretty shoddy treatment for old Hitch. It's just another attempt to cash in on a respected classic film.

That's my opinion, anyway. No doubt many younger viewers will enjoy it. Standards have eroded that far.

Hey there! I'm young and I didn't like it either. I thought the whole time period thing was really odd and didn't work very well. It was supposed to be modern but if you had taken away the cell phone, mp3 player and modern car you wouldn't be able to tell it was supposed to be modern. I get that they were trying to add nostalgic influences but I didn't really feel like it was working. I won't be watching this series.

I feel like American Horror Story is a really good example of how horror can be done well for a TV series. The characters are usually well developed and that show screams style. It does a very good job of mixing old and new, something which Bates Motel isn't grasping very well.

I've not taken a look yet though I have the episode on standby.
While I'm kind've interested in taking a look the first think I thought is that a prequel seemed a bit superfluous.
Sometimes a pilot isn't a great hit...I've seen shitty pilots to what's turned out to be decent shows, so who knows.

That said, I've only seen the first in the series of movies - were we ever told how Mrs Bates meets her end?
I think that, along with a lead-up/side story to the original film captured in the series would be something I'd like to see.

Only it can't ever really be that, because it's set in present day.

IMO our own imaginations create a much creepier origin for Norman Bates from the few hints dropped in the original film than these standard kind of backstories the script writers hack together.

The unknown is always more horrifying.

And that is Hitchcock magic! Something the writers are completely missing.

missed it and from the sounds of the feedback here....won't bother with it

I did not think the show was as terrible as many of the people described. Granted, it is nowhere near Psycho (1960), which is one of the greatest horror movies of all time. Also, it is true that this show does not really make any sense as far as the story. It does not really line up with what Psycho established (timeline excluded). It should be noted that the makers never said it was going to be a real prequel series. Thus, they took a great deal of creative license with the plot. Honestly, putting the film in a modern context did not make any sense (nor did it when they made that terrible remake in 1998). But, I thought the acting was really good and I hope a new generation will be exposed to this old storyline (you would be surprised by how many in the millenial generation do not even know that Norman Bates was the killer in Psycho). Overall, I would give the show at least a 3.5 out of 5 stars. Thus, it is entertaining, but definitely not a masterpiece (but still worth watching).

IMO they took a really conventional approach to the storyline- i.e. mom is the crazy one and she drove Norman crazy by smothering him with her twisted ersion of maternal instincts.

It would have been more interesting, IMO, if Norman was the creepy one all along and it's his twisted perception of events and things around him that lead to his mother's death and everything that happens.

That's my problem with this show- it's just taking a really mundane, cliche approach to everything; in effect, dumbing it down for modern audiences.

I agree, I thought what they did in the first episode was rather strange. it was implied Psycho (1960) that Norman Bates was the one "dangerously disturbed after his father died". They took the opposite approach. Thus, ultimately, it is not as good as what I was expecting, but it is watchable. It should be noted, that this show deviates from the original storyline, quite a great deal.

Watchable if you're looking for a cliche, unimaginative, tawdry, uninspired hack job of a show, sure. If that's what one is looking for, go for it.

Watched the pilot this afternoon. It had its moments, and the Norma/Norman duo has good chemistry. That said, I probably will not tune in again as I think this is a horror series that will play the teen angst angle to death! I counted no less than 6 females throwing themselves at Norman. Norman Bates is many things, but a ladies' man he is not. :cool:

That was another thing I thought was really strange. It seems very unlikely that Norman Bates would ever have gone to a party or done anything like he did. Also, he would not seem like the type to have an iPhone (granted they did not have those in 1960 or the 1950s, but it still seemed out of character).

Agreed. You can call this show whatever you like and you can say it has nothing to do with Psycho, it's still terrible.

I, too, was confused about the girls in the show who were all over Norman. No way would he be someone who would be instantly accepted and invited out to parties by popular girls. The part when the one girl said there was something different about Norman, it screamed cliche and stupid.

Because they're going to blame everything on his mother. He was just a sweet guy who was under the influence of his drunken, vengeful mother.

Grrrr! This sounds quite terrible. As a great fan of original Psycho I won't like to spend my time on this for sure. The only show I'm eagerly waiting here to see is Season 2 of American Horror Story.

Anyway, it just came to my mind that instead of making a Prequel story of Norman Bates for TV, how about a show/series or even a movie about Norman Bates in an alternate-bizarre "reality"??

While the reading your replies, just for fun I was just thinking about an idea; something like this...One stormy night Mr. Norman arrives in an old-fashioned beautifully big cozy hotel--"Poe's Pit". This hotel is like a 'gateway' for the past or outside world for its all those weirdly interesting guests. And gradually Norman meets with the others...(& some of them are...) an aspiring writer Sutter Cane who just wants some quiet time for his next novel, Father Lankester Merrin who believes that the whole place is build upon an ancient tomb, Dr. Carmichael who claims he can prolongs the moment of a man's death through hypnotism, some old & newly recruited hotel stuffs...including a mysterious long-black-hair Asian girl and a young Charles Lee Ray who's secretly learning & likes to practice voodoo rituals in his room.
And as the story progress the question & suspicion will arise whether Poe's Pit is actually just a hotel or something else...a place more sinister than it's guest's troubled imaginations? or even whether these strange line of guests are actually signed in here with their original identity???

This is the first I hear about this show, which clearly hasn't reached Denmark yet (and who knows if it ever will). I'm not crazy about the idea though, and in my experience, prequels have a way of ruining what was once a good story.

Anyway, wasn't the (little known, it seems) 4th and final "Psycho" movie already kind of a prequel? And a pretty bad one too, although Anthony Perkins did a great job with what he had to work with.

Hahaha. I found that strange too. They might be going for the "mysterious new guy" approach even though he is sheltered or perhaps there is more wrong. He even gets another one interested in him last episode.


I think they are actually just trying to make you think that the mother is the crazy one, but she isn't. Dylan just hates her because she left his dad and she's always I think, had to be closer to Norman to cover up for him. After 2 episodes, something is telling me Norman has always been the crazy one and that is mother is extra protective because of it, check out the preview for Episode 3 :

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10101346550972947

The whole show = A final delusion in the mind of Norman Bates before death, to justify his actions to himself.

Hahaha what a great theory!

Well, she's already killed two people. That's pretty crazy in my book.

I think she only killed the rapist. And that they are going to take it that Norman killed his father and she's covering for him. That's just my prediction. I am going to keep watching it because I think there is more to it. If not then, It'll die off for me.

I don't think it's all that much of a stretch, I mean he went on thinking she was pulling his strings even after she was dead, eh?

I think the "Dafuq?!?" style ending would serve it well.

HA! Couldn't say it better myself.

I have to agree with those who are disappointed:

I honestly don't understand why they set in present day - It doesn't make sense and it doesn't add anything for me - What target audience are they trying to capture, here? Clearly not classic horror fans of the original - I was expecting it to be from the era of the original and when someone pulled out the iPhone, I was immediately turned off (not to mention Norman sneaking out to join the girls at A RAVE?! Psycho meets Skins - At that point I turned it off).

I actually thought that with the concept and source material this could have been genuinely disturbing and interesting (and if they were clever, they could have conceivably taken some very interesting liberties)... But then again, going back to what NE said at the beginning - It's the mystery of the backstory that really makes the ending of Psycho so deliciously disturbing and sweet. That being said, if this had been done well, I would be on board. But I think it failed in so many different ways.

Honestly, I was sort of hoping for a Mad Men meets American Horror Story - A nice period horror piece - How fantastic would it have been if they had not only taken the Psycho backstory but also threaded in other iconic 60s horror references... Now THAT is a show I want to see!

I actually feel validated hearing that others had my same thoughts here - I thought maybe I was becoming too jaded to enjoy horror tv!

Well, thank Goodness for American Horror Story - I won't be watching this again... I heard that Hannibal is supposed to be pretty damn good, so I'll be tuning into that this week.

Honestly, even though I said that this show was watchable, I actually have not watched any episodes after the first. I totally agree with all the criticisms here. Additionally, I agree that it would have been more interesting to have had a period piece that referred to horror films from the past (such as the 30s, 40, and 50s). I definitely agree that not knowing Norman's past is what made Psycho so great (there are many people that the only flaw with Psycho was the psychiatrist's explanation at the end because it destroyed the mystery of why Bates committed the terrible crimes). But, in recent years Hollywood has gone on a horror movie villain back-story spree (ex. Halloween, Friday the 13th, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, etc. remakes), without understanding, part of the reason why these series's were successful was because of the mystery that surrounded their origins and why they became evil.

Totally true - I must have blocked out the Halloween remake from my memory... Honestly, Halloween is probably my favorite horror movie and I find it so utterly disturbing... PLUS part of the whole concept is that Mike Myers is just PURE EVIL... So its odd to create a background for him, you know? I consider him to be more of a Bad Seed, which, to me, is a LOT more creepy than giving him an I-had-a-miserable-childhood background.

And I STILL can't get over the fact that Norman Bates had an iPhone and went to a rave. :P

I found both of those things to be the hardest to buy in that series (for the first episode).

When I heard of Bates Motel, I thought the idea was stupid. I don't remember any of the Psycho sequels. I might have watched a bit of part 2. The shot for shot, I think, modern remake was one of the dumbest ideas ever. Psycho is one of those movies that don't need sequels, prequels, or any of that nonsense.

I didn't know Bates Motel was a modern "origin" until watching a review. It's almost a period show until halfway or so in. I think the show is kind of surprising. But the second episode is where things are getting a bit messy. The whole town is full of drug dealers? I guess I'll watch the third episode. It's only ten episodes. Maybe they won't lose me.

Second episode: drug dealers chase Norman and his girlfriend though a nearby forest. Norman's "brother" shows up and tries to save him from his mother.

What i've seen of this show i like it, but i agree i don't like that they modernized it. im just a little behind with the episodes because i watch at my mums. But it is pretty messed up. I also hope she starts recording Hannibal. She forgot the first episode. She also better record my Doctor Who. (not having cable sucks, but at least i have my internets and netflix)

Awesome! I am gonna check this out right now~ got on the A&E website

You can watch the first 4 episodes here: http://www.aetv.com/bates-motel/video/

Just watched the first episode. Not really what i expected but it's got my interest. Norman seems too normal to me. Kind of a weird awkward loner but a lot of kids are like that. I expected him to be a little stranger but i guess seeing how he progresses is kinda the point.

Yes I encourage you to keep watching, because there is a lot more to it than just the first episode. It's entertaining.

My interest in this show is dropping. I'm an episode behind and apparently drug dealing isn't the only thing going on in this town. Apparently the show's creators are trying to give small towns a bad name. Or throw everything they can in it kind of like American Horror Story.

A boys best friend is his mother.....

iPhones, raves, AND drug dealers?! Man, maybe I should start watching again...

Please. Please share. I want to know what next ill-advised road these writers go down...

I can't remember how to do the spoiler thing you guys do. So SPOILERS!!!!!




























Apparently the deputy sheriff is running underage "worker" girls. Most likely with the guy Norma killed in the opening. The last episode was really bad. If they kill Norma at the end of the season, I'm sure she'll still be a cast regular for all the Mother talking scenes. I kind of have a feeling that the big twist will be that Norman is doing a good part of the killings in these flashouts he's having. Reluctantly I'll watch to the end but I really don't want to.