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Bates Motel - A&E
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A&E is hard at work on its new series Bates Motel, which promises to give us a new perspective on Hitch****’s classic Psycho characters. EW has snagged a set photo showing teenaged Norman (Freddie Highmore) and a much younger version of his infamous mother Norma (Vera Farmiga). Highmore really looks the part…
The show is set to chronicle how Norman’s psyche evolved while growing up – leading up to the infamous events that eventually transpired at the Bates Motel. The show will air next year.
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Vera Farmiga as Norman's mother is a fantastic choice! I approve of this 100%. It's weird, but I was just reading about Anthony Perkins and Psycho just a few days ago and didn't hear anything about this show.
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Bates Motel Teasers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzKZ8IibD4s
It's not much, but it's a start.
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cool teaser. I wonder if this will do well. A&E is not exactly my go to channel... now or ever.
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cool teaser. I wonder if this will do well. A&E is not exactly my go to channel... now or ever.
Neither was AMC. All a Network or Channel needs is 1 quality show that gets them over the hump. AMC did it with The Walking Dead, FX did it with Sons Of Anarchy and Justified and Syfy did it with Battlestar Galatica. Not to be outdone, FOX did it with Married....with Children. Yes, I consider MWC to be high quality!! Well, funny quality at least.
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I LOVED MWC when it was on... and love the later seasons more than the earlier ones.
And since I'm a jerk about semantics, SciFi had a hit with Galactica. Syfy has... what, exactly? Cause when you make a name change like that, you jettison your previous achievements.
As for Bates Motel, I don't see it lasting beyond 13 episodes. Anything like this I find highly unlikely to make it through a second season. But it'll make them quick fast hard cash for a little while, and that's important, right?
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Bates Motel - Behind the Scenes Trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fNeE9wTIrk
How can you not be pumped for this after watching that?
+1
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Bates Motel - "Dance Party" Promo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7WOYOEPpGg
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I read yesterday, Bates Motel has no intentions of being faithful to Hitchc ocks movie. They are going to take liberties and tangents.
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That was a given just based on the few short snippets of stuff we've seen and it's going to be contemporary and not set in the 60's as the movie was. I mean, it looks like it's gonna be contemporary because none of the stuff currently floating around out there looks 60-ish.
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Bates Motel - Hand Promo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MU9vewIrCyI
What's up with all of these 15 seconds-only promo's? Give me a frickin' 2 minute Trailer already! Ack!!
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So we are into the 2nd episode of Bates Motel and it just slowly reeled us in and hooked us.
I was a little discombobulated for a little while. As we said, it’s not following Psycho, but more of a mashup of the old story and setting to present day and Mom (Norma) and Norman's perspective. It is Psycho's house and hotel setting.
Come to think of it, this mashup is refreshing. I know they are going after the younger crowd with the current setting, because they already have a captured audience with the old generation. I don’t know what limits A&E set, but like AMC, it appears they are going to push as much as possible. The first episode had a pretty brutal ****.
I like what I’ve seen and will make efforts to stay with it. Casting Freddie Highmore as Norman is spot on and I swear they brought on Nestor Carbonell (Sheriff Alex Romero) because of looking so much like a young Anthony Perkins. Well, maybe he could act too.
(http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMTIzMTUyMTYxM15BMl5BanBnXkFtZTYwNzE5OTI2._V1._SY314_CR19,0,214,314_.jpg) (http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMTgwNzEwOTY0MF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNzE1ODAyNg@@._V1._SY314_CR1,0,214,314_.jpg)
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It took a week for the first episode to get into the queue on Hulu. I will watch it sometime this weekend.
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Added Episode 1: First You Dream, Then You Die (http://www.hulu.com/watch/468634#play-queued-show-by-original_premiere_date-asc)
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First You Dream, Then You Die
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I originally planned on watching Psycho to segue into Bates Motel, but for whatever reason, my DVD wouldn't play on any of my DVD players or even on my Xbox. (http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i266/Chiprocks1/Smilies/0%20All%20Smilies/HTL_mad.gif) Anyway, I just got finished watching the Pilot episode and I am more than happy with the setup for both the series as well as the characters. My biggest concern was how they would make the relationship of Norman and Norma. To say that both Vera Farmiga and Freddie Highmore are perfectly cast in their respective roles is an understatement. I love the chemistry they both share. They play off each other with ease and makes everything in the movie a bit deeper (even if I didn't get to watch it today). Adding Nestor Carbonell to the series as the Sheriff is also good too.
But the coolest thing about the set up is that it's implied that the Hotel itself was already home to shady things going on long before the Bates moved into it, based strictly on the black book that Norman finds while tearing out the carpet. And from the angle of a couple of images on the pages of the book, the 'peep hole' was already present. Good twist at the end. Obviously someone is being drugged and tortured. But who is the captor and where? Maybe the Sheriff? I only say that because I suspect that he saw the body in the bathroom and chose not to reveal that he saw it....keeping the secret for everyone's sake. Just an idea.
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Added Episode 2: Nice Town You Picked, Norma... (http://www.aetv.com/bates-motel/video/nice-town-you-picked-norma--23075395902)
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Nice Town You Picked, Norma...
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Ha. It turns out that the town that Bates Motel resides in has more dark secrets than the actual Motel or even the Bates themselves. I guess because they are a small town, away from the bright lights and big cities, they probably think and do have the run of the place with no repercussions. The Pot Field is just a start. More darker and shadier things are definitely going to be revealed.
Very cool in introducing Norman's brother. Although the character was mentioned in the previous episode, I didn't think they would actually bring him into the picture. I figured that it would just be Norman and his mother. Adding the 3rd wheel definitely opens up the story more and a lot more conflict, which this definitely hads in spades.
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Added Episode 3: What's Wrong With Norman (http://www.aetv.com/bates-motel/video/what-s-wrong-with-norman-23845443695)
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What's Wrong With Norman
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Okay, I was almost right. I said that the Sheriff was the one that was keeping a girl prisoner in his basement for torture, among other things. Turns out it's the Deputy. I knew there was something off about him, but not to the point of suspecting him as the Bad Guy. Great cliffhanger. I wonder how Norman is going to get out of the Deputy's house without alerting him that he has seen the girl in the basement. I also liked that they are showing more of Norman's dark side. The first couple of episodes it was kind of under the surface. In this one, there is no getting around the fact that he is one f*cked up kid.
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Just read Bates picked up for 2nd season
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Awesome! Not surprised. Are you watching it yet? It's pretty damn good so far.
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Yes, but I did not watch last night though.
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Added Episode 4: Trust Me (http://www.aetv.com/bates-motel/video/trust-me-24836163604)
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Trust Me
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I wasn't expecting Norma to be arrested and charge with murder. I figured that she would be able to continually talk (f*ck) her way out of everything, leaving Norman the one to hold the bag. Well, that all went out the window with this episode. Sure, I do expect Shelby to somehow 'taint' the evidence by any means necessary so that he can keep her under his thumb. Man, if he only knew that he is the one under HER thumb. I really liked the scene between Norman and his brother, where he finally confessed to him about what happened earlier. It was a nice bonding moment between the two....but how long will that last?
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Added Episode 5: Ocean View (http://www.aetv.com/bates-motel/video/ocean-view-25942595875)
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Ocean View
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Great episode. The more back story I'm seeing of the Bates family, the more it's changing my perception of the movie Psycho. It's no wonder that Norman ended up the way he did....totally messed up in the head. And now we can add another murder to the Bates name with Dylan running down that one guy with the truck. Sure, it was a revenge killing for shooting his buddy in the neck....but still. The big scene comes at the end when Norman and Emma reveal to Norman they found the girl. Obviously Norman is in denial about Shelby's involvement. So, the question now is, will Norma kill the girl because she "owes" him for tampering with her fiber evidence, or does she kill her because she's really in love with him and doesn't want her own little misguided world crumbling in on itself?
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Added Episode 6: The Truth (http://www.aetv.com/bates-motel/video/the-truth-26422339885)
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The Truth
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This episode was HUGE for two reasons. First off, we finally get the showdown between the Bates Family and Shelby. Even when he found the girl, I didn't expect to see a full blown gun fight inside the Bates Mansion, giving the mythology even more resonance. The second thing that made this episode EPIC was the reveal at the end about what really happened to Norman's father in that Norman was the one that actually killed him. We get a little precursor to what is wrong with Norman when he attacks Shelby in defending Norman. The same thing happened with his father. Freddie did a great job in this. I don't know what he is channeling, but his 'Blackouts' are creepy.
I also liked the scene with Emma and Norma when she hugs her as if she were her own Mother. At first, Norma is standoffish, but then soon relents and embraces her as the Daughter she never had. Very cool moment. Love this series and was bummed that the episode ended with the Police pulling up to the Hotel with a dead Shelby on the ground. This sh*t is getting goooooooooooood. And THAT my friend is 'The Truth'.
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Added Episode 7: The Man in Number 9 (http://www.aetv.com/bates-motel/video/-episode-7-the-man-in-number-9-28076099628)
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The Man in Number 9
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Very curious to see who 'the man in Number 9' turns out to be. With him renting out an entire block of rooms with more people on the way (as he suggested to Norma), does that mean he along with the rest have some kind of sex trafficking convention thing going on? Or is this just a red herring, trying to dupe the viewers into thinking one thing when in fact it's gonna turn out to be harmless?
Elsewhere, I suspected a few episodes back that Dylan and Bradley (she's a girl, even though she has a boy's name, so get your mind out of the gutter) would fall for each other. It's implied here and Bradley does in fact "break it off" with Norman. I can only imagine the HUGE rift this will have between him and his brother. Someone, whether it's Norman or Norma, will eventually kill him out of jealousy. Or kill her, leaving him to suffer for "betraying" the family. Elsewhere again....I was kind of surprise that the Sheriff came out with the idea of using another story to cover up the whole situation with Shelby. How's this going to blow-back? My guess....very messy. Great episode.
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Added Episode 8: A Boy and His Dog (http://www.aetv.com/bates-motel/video/a-boy-and-his-dog-28625475977)
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A Boy and His Dog
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What the f*ck! I was expecting the 'Man from Room #9' to be lurking inside the house when Norman went upstairs to change her clothes. I did NOT see it coming that he would someone gain access to Shelby's body and dump it in her bed. Well, I can only assume that it was the 'Man' that did it. I picture who else it would be. It certainly wouldn't be the Sheriff. My guess is the 'Man' is looking for the book that Norman found.
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Added Episode 9: Underwater (http://www.aetv.com/bates-motel/video/underwater-29678147842)
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Underwater
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So, the mating courtship between Bradley and Dylan begins. This isn't going to end well. Even Dylan knows it's not going to after asking Norman who he is 'drowning' in his dreams. I was actually surprised that Norman would even admit to this. And what's going on with his teacher. She's hot and scary at the same time. I knew that she has some sort of dark secret, which she alludes to at the end. Curious to find out exactly what she is getting at. Does she have murderous tenancies? Emma stoned was pretty funny and the only light-heart moment in the show, intentional or not.
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Added Episode 10: Midnight (http://www.aetv.com/bates-motel/video/midnight-30476867883)
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Midnight
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Very intriguing. A couple of twist that even I didn't see coming. So, the Sheriff is a "good guy" after all. I think. He kills Abernathy in his way of "cleaning" up his town. But I think it's because he has his sites on something bigger. But then again, who the hell tosses $150k into the bay without blinking? As for Norman's teacher, the set it up that he blacked out and ran home so that we never see who actually killed her. I don't think it was him anyway. Ya gotta remember, she was arguing with someone on her Cell Phone earlier that day and most likely it's an Ex of hers that did it. Too bad they killed her off as she was interesting and open to a lot of possibilities with her story line.
Well, that's a wrap on Season 1. I hope A&E orders more episodes for Season 2. I'm not gonna be satisfied with just 10 episodes per year. At least give me 13-15 per season.