At first glance, I did not think Bates Motel sounded like a good idea. Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho is an amazing film, and all remakes or sequels/prequels of that film has failed because they could not stand up to the original. Plus there is that thing in today's world where it is considered cool to make new material based on pre-existing material often to mediocre results. Which is understandable why I and many others were hesitant when this show was announced. After this pilot episode, "First You Dream, Then You Die, " I came away rather impressed. Yes, the episode feels like a pilot, but there was enough material to keep me intrigued.
I loved the setting of the film. The showrunners moved the film to modern day but I love the use of outdated fashion, technology, etc. It gives the show more of a creepy vibe. Speaking of which, I liked how they kept the house and motel intact from the original film, although it became more clearer because you know, it is not 1960 anymore. The small-town feel is great and is important in a series like this.
I think the characters we are introduced to (or reintroduced) work well and the cast is great and well-rounded. Let's start with the characters and actors whose chemistry will make or break the show; Freddie Highmore as Norman Bates and Vera Farmiga as Norma Bates (also known to us as "Mother"). Highmore as Bates is a little dry in the pilot, but he gets way better. He has big shoes to fill, but he is just getting used to those shoes here. He has his tendency to look/act nervous very well and we see the buds being placed which of course would blossom into him being a full-fledged serial killer. Vera Farmiga impressed me. She gives Norma a complete range of emotion. She is a caring and loving mother to Norman, but she is also manipulative, demanding, and only wants Norman for herself. Other characters here: Max Theriot as Norman's brother, Dylan Massett. We only hear his voice here, but we will meet him next episode, Nestor Carbonell as the Sheriff Alex Romero. Carbonell is great in these kind of roles so it is a no-brainer he plays the town's sheriff, Nicola Peltz as Bradley Martin who is the typical teenage girl that gets around, but she welcomes Norman to her group, and Olivia Cooke as Emma Decody, who is also a teenaged girl that welcomes Norman and she suffers from a disease that can make her not breathe well. Other characters to take note are W. Earl Brown as Keith Summers, Keegan Connor Tracy as Miss Watson and Mike Vogel as Deputy Zach Shelby.
Let's discuss the story of this pilot, shall we. Six months after the untimely death of her husband, Norma Bates and her son Norman moves to White Pine Bay, Oregon. Norma purchased a motel from a foreclosure sale. She has plans to patch the place up and have it open for business. There are problems she must face including the constant threats from previous owner Keith Summers and the town's plan to build a bypass around the town thus taking business away from the hotel. Norman gets accepted at his new school, despite his mother not being pleased. When Norman escapes in the middle of the night to party with them, Keith Summers will show exactly why he does not like Norma.
Overall, this is a very intriguing start to this new series. There is much to take in and it gives me hope that this show will actually turn out well. The showrunners Carlton Cuse and Kerry Ehrlin seems to know what they are doing. They can tighten up the dialogue and maybe we could do without that vicious and rather degrading sexual assault scene, but this episode marks a good start to the series. I love the creepy, small-town atmosphere and I like how these characters are being developed.
My Grade: A-
