Bates Motel season 1 explained

Season Number:1
Bgcolour:
  1. 5F2C2C
Network:A&E
Num Episodes:10
Episode List:List of Bates Motel episodes

The first season of Bates Motel aired from March 18-May 20, 2013. The season consisted of 10 episodes and aired on Mondays at 10 p.m. ET/PT on A&E. The series is described as a "contemporary prequel" to the 1960 film Psycho and follows the life of Norman Bates and his mother Norma prior to the events portrayed in the Hitchcock film.[1] The series takes place in the fictional town of White Pine Bay, Oregon.

The season received positive reviews from television critics. In its premiere episode, the series broke rating records for an original drama series on A&E, drawing in a total of 3.04 million viewers. Bates Motel was renewed for a second season after three episodes of the first season had aired. Vera Farmiga received particular praise for her performance as Norma Louise Bates, she won the 2013 Saturn Award for Best Actress on Television, and was nominated for the 2013 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, the 2013 Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actress in a Drama Series, and the 2013 TCA Award for Individual Achievement in Drama.[2] The first season was released on Blu-ray and DVD on September 17, 2013.[3]

Cast and characters

Main

Recurring

Guest

Production

Casting

A&E gave Bates Motel a straight-to-series order in July 2012.[4] Vera Farmiga was the first to be cast, as protagonist Norma Louise Bates in August.[5] Shortly after, Freddie Highmore was cast as Norman Bates in September.[6] The same month, Max Thieriot was cast as Norman's half brother, Dylan Massett.[7] Nicola Peltz was cast as Bradley Martin.[8] Olivia Cooke was the final main cast member to join the series, portraying Emma Decody.[9]

Filming

A replica of the original Bates Motel set from the film Psycho was built on location in Aldergrove, British Columbia on 272nd Street, where the series is filmed.[10] [11] Production also took place in Greater Vancouver, and Richmond, British Columbia. Principal photography for the first season began on October 1, 2012.[12] [13] Though filming for the first season was expected to wrap on January 24, 2013, production continued into early February.[14]

Episodes

See main article: List of Bates Motel episodes.

Reception

Critical response

The first season of Bates Motel received mostly positive reviews. It received 66 out of 100 from Metacritic, based on 34 critical responses, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[15] Rotten Tomatoes aggregated that 81% of 37 television critics gave the series a positive review. The site's consensus reads, "Bates Motel utilizes mind manipulation and suspenseful fear tactics, on top of consistently sharp character work and wonderfully uncomfortable familial relationships".[16] A&E renewed the series for a second season following the positive reviews and good ratings after the first three episodes.[17]

Ratings

On its premiere night, the series broke rating records for an original drama series on A&E. It drew in a strong 3.04 million viewers total, including 1.6 million viewers watching it in the 18-49 demographic.[18] The season finale episode drew in a total of 2.70 million viewers, with a 1.2 ratings share in the 18–49 demo. Overall, the first season averaged 2.70 million viewers, with 1.5 million tuning in from both the 18–49 and 25–54 demographics.[19]

Awards and nominations

See main article: List of awards and nominations received by Bates Motel. In its first season, Bates Motel was nominated for 24 awards, winning one.

width=4%Yearwidth=25%Awardswidth=29%Categorywidth=31%Nominee(s)width=8%Resultwidth=3% class=unsortableRef.
20133rd Critics' Choice Television AwardsBest Actress in a Drama SeriesVera Farmiga[20]
29th Television Critics Association AwardsIndividual Achievement in Drama[21]
65th Primetime Emmy AwardsOutstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series[22]
17th Online Film & Television Association AwardsBest Actress in a Drama Series[23]
Best Cinematography in a SeriesJohn S. Bartley, Thomas Yatsko
Best Production Design in a SeriesPeter Bodnarus, Mark S. Freeborn, Margot Ready, Rose Marie McSherry
28th Imagen AwardsBest Supporting Actor – TelevisionNestor Carbonell[24]
Outstanding Achievement in CastingApril Webster, Sara Isaacson, Jennifer Page, Corinne Clark[25]
Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild AwardsBest Contemporary Hairstyling – Television and New Media SeriesDonna Bis[26]
Best Drama SeriesBates Motel[27]
Best Actress – Drama SeriesVera Farmiga
TV Performance of the Year – Actress[28]
Gold Derby AwardsBest Lead Actress in a Drama[29]
Breakthrough Performer of the YearFreddie Highmore
TelevisionFavorite TV Anti-Hero[30]
Best Actor – Television Series Drama[31]
Best Actress – Television Series DramaVera Farmiga
ACTRA AwardsBest ActorVincent Gale[32]
IGN Awards Best New TV SeriesBates Motel[33]
Best TV Horror Series
Best TV ActressVera Farmiga
40th Saturn AwardsBest Actress on Television[34]
Best Actor on TelevisionFreddie Highmore
Best Television PresentationBates Motel
width=100% colspan=6 style=font-size:8pt align=centerThe listed years are of television release, annual ceremonies are usually held the following year

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Review: 'Bates Motel' a twisty, moody modern prequel to 'Psycho' . . Mary . McNamara . March 18, 2013.
  2. Web site: Emmy Nominees: Vera Farmiga of 'Bates Motel' . . David . Itzkoff . July 18, 2013.
  3. Web site: Bates Motel – Season 1 of the Modern 'Psycho' Re-Imagining on DVD and Blu-ray . TV Shows on DVD . Lambert . David . June 27, 2013 . January 11, 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140111033730/http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Bates-Motel-Season-1/18631 . January 11, 2014.
  4. Web site: A&E Orders Carlton Cuse's 'Psycho' Prequel 'Bates Motel' Straight to Series . . Lesley . Goldberg . February 7, 2012.
  5. Norman Bates' mother cast in A&E's 'Psycho' series . . August 27, 2012.
  6. Web site: Keck's Exclusives: Bates Motel Casts Its Norman . . William . Keck . September 14, 2012.
  7. Web site: A&E's 'Bates Motel' Adds Max Thieriot as Norman's Brother . . Lesley . Goldberg . September 14, 2012.
  8. Web site: 'Bates Motel' Adds 'Last Airbender' Actress as Love Interest for Norman (Exclusive) . . Lesley . Goldberg . September 19, 2012.
  9. Web site: 'Psycho' TV prequel 'Bates Motel' adds 'Blackout' star Olivia Cooke . . Morgan . Jeffery . September 20, 2012.
  10. Web site: 'Bates Motel': What's going on in that bucolic Oregon coastal town . . Kristi . Turnquist . March 26, 2013.
  11. Web site: BATES MOTEL Set in Aldergrove is Spitting Image of Alfred Hitchcock's Set in Psycho – Updated . YVR Shoots . November 15, 2012 . August 2, 2016 . November 27, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121127194513/http://yvrshoots.com/2012/11/bates-motel-set-in-aldergrove-just-like-hitchcocks-psycho.html . dead .
  12. Web site: A&E's Psycho prequel Bates Motel, has started production in Vancouver . VancityBuzz.com . Felix . Kay . October 1, 2012 . November 24, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304105133/http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2012/10/aes-psycho-prequel-bates-motel-has-started-production-in-vancouver-today/ . March 4, 2016 . dead.
  13. Web site: BATES MOTEL Sets Up Woodchuck Festival in Fort Langley for 1 x 02 – Updated . YVR Shoots . October 13, 2012 . August 2, 2016 . May 15, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210515161235/http://yvrshoots.com/2012/10/bates-motel-sets-up-woodchuck-festival-for-overnight-shoot-in-fort-langley.html#.VlIaw5TfWrU . dead .
  14. Web site: PROMO: BATES MOTEL "A Boy's Best Friend is His Mother" Poster . YVR Shoots . February 2, 2013 . August 2, 2016 . February 21, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160221213127/http://yvrshoots.com/2013/02/promos-bates-motel-poster-motherly-love-teaser.html#more-11162 . dead .
  15. Web site: Bates Motel – Season 1 Reviews . . October 10, 2013.
  16. Web site: Bates Motel: Season 1 (2013) . . October 10, 2013.
  17. 'Bates Motel' renewed for second season . . James . Hibberd . April 8, 2013.
  18. Web site: Ratings – Bates Motel Series Premiere on A&E . . Matt . Webb Mitovich . February 22, 2013 . March 22, 2013.
  19. Web site: A&E's 'Bates Motel' Rises In Finale . . Patten . Dominic . May 21, 2013 . March 10, 2015.
  20. Web site: 2013 Critics' Choice Television Awards: Big Bang Theory, Game of Thrones, New Girl and More Earn Nominations . . March 22, 2013.
  21. Web site: FX's 'The Americans' Leads 2013 TCA Awards Nominations . . Goldberg . Lesley . June 10, 2013 . June 10, 2013.
  22. Web site: Vera Farmiga Talks Bates Motel, Family & What She'd Be Doing If She Weren't Acting . . Neumyer . Scott . March 3, 2014 . February 4, 2015.
  23. Web site: Online Film & Television Association – Television Branch: 2012-13 . OFTA . April 22, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141006100206/http://ofta.cinemasight.com/Awards/Television/1213.html . October 6, 2014 . dead.
  24. Web site: Nominees for the 28th Annual Imagen Awards Announced . Imagen.org . June 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141126234519/http://www.imagen.org/news/imagen-awards/2013/06/nominees-28th-annual-imagen-awards-announced . November 26, 2014.
  25. Web site: Artios Awards: Casting Society Reveals 2013 Nominees . . August 19, 2013.
  26. Web site: Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Guild Awards Nominations Announced . . Chan . Stephanie . January 14, 2014 . March 19, 2015.
  27. Web site: Orpah Winfrey, Kerry Washington Among Women's Image Awards Nominees . . Neal . Wayne . October 14, 2013.
  28. Web site: Dorian Awards: Gay and Lesbian Critics Announce TV and Film Nominations . . Nededog . Jeretho . January 14, 2014 . February 4, 2015 . January 13, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150113051825/http://www.thewrap.com/gay-lesbian-tv-film-2014-dorian-awards-nominations/ . dead.
  29. Web site: Gold Derby Awards (2013) . . May 5, 2016.
  30. Web site: People's Choice Awards 2014 nominees: 'Glee', 'Castle', 'Pretty Little Liars' and more . . Bentley . Jean . November 5, 2013 . April 22, 2015 . December 9, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141209031406/http://www.zap2it.com/blogs/peoples_choice_awards_2014_nominees_glee_castle_pretty_little_liars_and_more-2013-11 . dead.
  31. Web site: '12 Years a Slave' Tops Satellite Award Nominations . . Pond . Steve . December 2, 2013 . February 4, 2015.
  32. Web site: UBCP/ACTRA Awards, Vancouver (2014) . . January 7, 2017.
  33. Web site: TV – IGN's Best of 2013 . . December 14, 2013 . March 1, 2014.
  34. Web site: Gravity, The Walking Dead, and Breaking Bad Win Big at the Fortieth Annual Saturn Awards . . McCabe . Joseph . June 28, 2014 . March 11, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150105223206/http://www.nerdist.com/2014/06/gravity-the-walking-dead-and-breaking-bad-win-big-at-the-fortieth-annual-saturn-awards/ . January 5, 2015 . dead.