I first started watching Bates Motel after seeing a Netflix trailer for it. Vera Famiga caught my eye in The Departed (closely contesting the accolade of favourite film with Top Gun and Heat) and the premise of a Psycho prequel seemed so ludicrous that I felt it deserved a brief watch. I thought I was going to hate Bates Motel. After all, Hitchcock has never done it for me (I’m sorry but “scary” ages badly in my opinion), I loathe remakes and prequels/franchise licencing seems lazy to me.
I love Bates Motel. I feel you need to forget the title and the prequel/spin off mentality and just judge it on it’s own, seeing as it is so far removed from the source material. Sure, it is over the top, convoluted and somehow equally dumb yet it keeps me glued. It’s worth watching for the magnetically creepy chemistry between Norman and Norma.
Bates Motel is no Six Feet Under, Game Of Thrones or even Breaking Bad. I would draw comparisons to Dirty, Sexy, Money if anything, based on the absurd plots, the often entirely superfluous characters and general melodrama. Oh and the return of one of my favourite tropes; the nerdy ugly girl (played by the gorgeous Olivia Cooke) who is actually really a bit of a babe but not a single character on the show recognises it, is just inspired!
In summary, try Bates Motel, you might really like it. Be prepared to attempt to explain and defend it to your friends “well it’s not really Psycho”, “it’s pretty much all new”, or simply “it’s better than it sounds!”.
Iridescentfox 
I love the show too/ Vera F is lovely, campy,and all that.
The young man portraying Norman does an admirable job/ dontcha think?
,Sure, it’s no 6 Feet Under but it proves to be a guilty pleasure well worth
blowing “me time”/ have you seen Chloe Sevigny’s show “Those Who Kill”?
I haven’t actually, I remember catching a trailer for it. Do you recommend?
Yup, I’m not much of a fan of prequels or sequels, either, with a few exceptions (Lord of the Rings trilogy, Harry Potter, Indiana Jones trilogy, for example). I’ve never heard of the Bates motel series. But then, I have never seen the movie Psycho (nor The Departed, nor Heat, nor Six Feet Under, nor Game of Thrones…). Maybe it’s still worth a shot, though, since I occasionally enjoy a good horror flick or program.
Wow, you really must be from Jupiter! How have you not seen any? All worth watching 🙂
We only have basic cable. 🙂 I pretty much depend on Hulu and Netflix for TV shows. Have you seen the House of Cards series yet? That was a good one on Netflix, imo. But you’ve got me intrigued with Bates Motel.
I agree with you wholeheartedly. “Bates Motel” is well done, goofy at times,has a great cast, and the actor who plays Norman has the build, looks, and mannerisms of a young Anthony Perkins.