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"Bates Motel"
On 3/18/2013 at 11:19:25 PM, raptor2000 started the thread:
Anybody catch the premiere tonight?
I thought it was actually pretty good, and my expectations were pretty low. I'm not sure it has the legs to last too long as a series, but it is off to a good start. The Bates house and motel from the original film are replicated here with amazing authenticity, which is kind of strange considering the series is NOT a period piece, and is set in modern day. Still, it's cool to see the famous location onscreen again.
Farmega is good as Norma Bates. Highmore has got some growing to do is Norman. The rest of the cast...well, the verdict is still out until they get some developement time.
Msg #1: On 3/19/2013 at 3:24:44 AM, Ostromite replied, saying:
I still can't believe they gave this terrible idea the go-ahead.
Msg #2: On 3/19/2013 at 1:16:58 PM, PunkNerd replied, saying:
I loved loved loved this and though Highmore was spot on and amazing. He payed homage to Perkins, but completely made the character his own. Color me impressed.
Msg #3: On 3/19/2013 at 3:13:35 PM, Ostromite replied, saying:
Is there any reason it had to be Norman Bates, though? Couldn't have been just an entirely new show about new characters?
That's what kills this show for me even as a concept. Regardless of how good it might be, they slapped a terrible gimmick onto it to make it sell better, and that seems incredibly phoney and cynical.
Msg #4: On 3/19/2013 at 3:40:33 PM, PunkNerd replied, saying:
I disagree, I think a show at its core about a mentally disturbed boy with an even more disturbed mother would make you go, "Well shit, that's just Psycho." So this is just Psycho, but you know, re-imagined and a prequel. I thought it was fantastic and certainly had reservations about it, but man I'm glad I watched it.
Replies: 5
Msg #5: On 3/19/2013 at 3:43:30 PM, Ostromite replied to Msg #4, saying:
Except it was never established in Psycho that there was anything wrong with Bates' mother. This show looks more like Carrie with the sex of the kid changed.
Msg #6: On 3/19/2013 at 6:04:58 PM, PunkNerd replied, saying:
If I'm not mistaken, the movies go into her over controlling ways and apparent sluttiness. At least the second novel does if I remember correctly. I'm pretty sure her being a loon too is cannon.
Obviously you aren't going to be into it because you're making sure you're not going to be into it. I wasn't excited when I first heard about this, but decided to watch it anyways. Boy I'm glad I did.
Replies: 7
Msg #7: On 3/19/2013 at 6:06:25 PM, Ostromite replied to Msg #6, saying:
To be honest, even if I got A&E and even if I wanted to like it, I'm sure I wouldn't because it just looks like so many other TV shows out there. I generally don't like most dramatic TV shows, anyway, much less ones about crazy people and killers and whatnot.
Msg #8: On 3/19/2013 at 8:34:08 PM, Neo The 1 replied, saying:
You at least like The Wire right?
Replies: 9
Msg #9: On 3/19/2013 at 9:15:35 PM, Ostromite replied to Msg #8, saying:
The Wire is my all time favorite TV drama and I think it's one of the greatest works of American art in the past 20 years.
Msg #10: On 3/20/2013 at 3:04:29 AM, Cameron replied, saying:
I've still yet to try watching The Wire. One day.
I enjoyed Bates Motel quite a bit. Is it perfect No, but I thought it was really interesting and entertaining.
Msg #11: On 3/26/2013 at 9:55:34 PM, Ben2 replied, saying:
I'm so glad [Matt] and I agree on another great show!
I am totally digging Bates Motel and really feel the casting is stellar! Who knew that little Charlie Buckett would one day revamp the character of Norman Bates? Totally agree with you on the "payed homage to Perkins but completely made the character his own," bit. Couldn't agree more.
I'm so glad we have such similar tastes!
-Ben
edited because I'm an idiot.
Replies: 12
Msg #12: On 3/27/2013 at 1:23:40 PM, yvonne replied to Msg #11, saying:
Ben meant to say Matt. Not Justin. He can't log in at the moment, but he wanted to apologize.
Msg #13: On 3/27/2013 at 10:01:25 PM, Ben2 replied, saying:
I did! Matt, for some reason I get you and Justin confused all the time with your color schemes, and for some reason I thought he posted under the PN alias. Totally my bad man.
It would help if I were more active around here, too!
-Benji
Msg #14: On 4/1/2013 at 11:08:38 PM, raptor2000 replied, saying:
Yeah.....so after a pretty stellar first episode, this show has kinda been getting weaker and weaker by the episode. I hate the concept of the entire town being crazy instead of just the Bates, and the fact that it is set in modern day despite Norman seemingly being stuck in the era of the original film regardless of the fact he wasn't even born yet is getting more and more hard to stomach. I literally groaned when it was revealed the deputy has a dungeon in his basement where he keeps kidnapped girls. Really? Having the Bates be killers wasn't enough?
I dunno...I still think Norman and Norma were well cast, but the rest of the characters....well, let's just say the scripts don't leave them much to work with, despite most of the cast being quite talented. They've already got a 10 episode first season approved, so they've got seven more episodes to get their shit worked out or this show is gonna go the way of The Sarah Connor Chronicles.
Disappointing, but I said from the beginning this was going to be a hard concept to turn into a series. They would have been much better off just making this a miniseries detailing Norman's descent into madness, his mother's death, and anything else leading into the classic film.
Msg #15: On 4/15/2015 at 5:46:17 AM, PaulSF replied, saying:
Every last thing about this has been up my alley. I love this show so fucking much. It's six episodes into Season 3; more people need to be watching and talking about this. It's so unsettling and intense, yet utilizes dark humor, throughout, perfectly. Nestor Campbell's Sheriff Romero is one of my favorite characters in ...well, literally anything. Vera Farmiga shreds, and Freddie Highmore, now way more than when this thread started in 2013, perfectly encapsulates everything I'd always imagined Norman Bates to be on his road to becoming who we see him as in Psycho and the two very underrated theatrical sequels. It takes Norma's character in a vastly different direction than what we find out about her from those, but that's been part of the surprise and appreciation as far as the writing and performance goes. If this quality keeps up through to series end, it'll round out my favorite three pieces of television there is.
For those that can't get past the concept and don't like dramatic shows about fucked up people, by all means continue the distance. This is for me. Also, the Twin Peaksish town with seedy secrets angle is part of what I love about it. A huge part, actually. Every corner feels dangerous and uncomfortable, and it's getting bleaker by the week.
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