The series, a contemporary prequel and reimagining of Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 film Psycho (based on Robert Bloch's novel of the same name), depicts the lives of Norman Bates (Freddie Highmore) and his mother Norma (Vera Farmiga) prior to the events portrayed in the film, albeit in a different fictional town (White Pine Bay, Oregon, as opposed to the film's Fairvale, California) and in a modern-day setting] Max Thieriot and Olivia Cooke both starred as part of the main cast throughout the series' run. After recurring heavily in the first season, Nestor Carbonell was added to the main cast from season two onward.

The series begins in Arizona with the death of Norma's husband, after which Norma purchases the Seafairer motel located in a coastal Oregon town so that she and Norman can start a new life. Subsequent seasons follow Norman as his mental illness becomes dangerous, and Norma as she struggles to protect her son, and those around him, from himself. Bates Motel's storylines ignore the timeline of the original film's sequels and give alternate versions of many of the characters and events in the original film. The series was filmed outside Vancouver in Aldergrove, British Columbia, along with other locations within the Fraser Valley of British Columbia.

A&E chose to skip a pilot of the series, opting to go straight-to-series by ordering a 10-episode first season. On June 15, 2015, the series was renewed for a fourth and fifth season, making Bates Motel A&E's longest-running original scripted drama series in the channel's history. The series' lead actors, Farmiga and Highmore, received particular praise for their performances in the series, with the former receiving a Primetime Emmy Award nomination and winning a Saturn Award for Best Actress on Television. Bates Motel also won three People's Choice Awards for Favorite Cable TV Drama, and for Favorite Cable TV Actress (Farmiga) and Actor (Highmore).

Series overview

Season		Episodes	Originally aired
			First aired	Last aired
	1	10	March 18, 2013	May 20, 2013
	2	10	March 3, 2014	May 5, 2014
	3	10	March 9, 2015	May 11, 2015
	4	10	March 7, 2016	May 16, 2016
	5	10	February 20, 2017	April 24, 2017

Season 1

The first season follows Norma and Norman Bates as they buy a motel after Norman's father dies. On one of the first nights of the two owning the motel, the former owner breaks in and sexually assaults Norma. Norman knocks the attacker out, and Norma stabs him to death. She decides it's best not to call the police and to cover up the murder. She and Norman dispose of the body. He complicates the cover-up by keeping a belt that belonged to the victim. When the town sheriff and his deputy notice that a man has gone missing, Norma and Norman must keep them from digging too far.

Season 2

The second season follows the aftermath of Norman's teacher's murder, as her mysterious past comes to light. Meanwhile, Norma finds herself making dangerous decisions in order to keep the motel running and preventing the impending bypass. Bradley's search for her father's killer leads to the extremes, and Dylan learns the disturbing truth about his parentage.

Season 3

The third season focuses on Norman's waning deniability about what's happening to him, and the lengths he will go to gain control of his fragile psyche. The dramatic events of last season leave Norma more aware of her son's mental fragility and fearful of what he is capable of. Meanwhile, Sheriff Romero begins to distance himself from the Bates family after he suspects Norma is lying to him about her husband's death.

Season 4

The fourth season follows Norma as she becomes increasingly fearful of Norman, going to great lengths to find him the professional help he needs. This complicates their once unbreakable trust as Norman struggles to maintain his grip on reality. Meanwhile, Sheriff Romero once again finds himself drawn into Norma and Norman's lives.

Season 5

The fifth season begins two years after the death of Norma. Publicly happy and well-adjusted, Norman struggles at home, where his blackouts are increasing and "Mother" threatens to take him over completely. Meanwhile, Dylan and Emma find themselves drawn back into Norman's world, and Romero hungers for revenge against his stepson.

Cast and characters

• Vera Farmiga as Norma Louise Bates

• Freddie Highmore as Norman Bates

• Max Thieriot as Dylan Massett

• Olivia Cooke as Emma Decody

• Nicola Peltz as Bradley Martin (main seasons 1–2; recurring season 3)

• Nestor Carbonell as Sheriff Alex Romero (recurring season 1; main seasons 2–5)

• Kenny Johnson as Caleb Calhoun (recurring seasons 2 and 5; main season 3; guest season 4)

Bates Motel is an American psychological horror drama television series that aired from March 18, 2013 to April 24, 2017. It was developed by Carlton Cuse, Kerry Ehrin, and Anthony Cipriano, and is produced by Universal Television and American Genre for the cable network A&E.

The series, a contemporary prequel and reimagining of Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 film Psycho (based on Robert Bloch's novel of the same name), depicts the lives of Norman Bates (Freddie Highmore) and his mother Norma (Vera Farmiga) prior to the events portrayed in the film, albeit in a different fictional town (White Pine Bay, Oregon, as opposed to the film's Fairvale, California) and in a modern-day setting.  Max Thieriot and Olivia Cooke both starred as part of the main cast throughout the series' run. After recurring heavily in the first season, Nestor Carbonell was added to the main cast from season two onward.

The series begins in Arizona with the death of Norma's husband, after which Norma purchases the Seafairer motel located in a coastal Oregon town so that she and Norman can start a new life. Subsequent seasons follow Norman as his mental illness becomes dangerous, and Norma as she struggles to protect her son, and those around him, from himself. Bates Motel's storylines ignore the timeline of the original film's sequels and give alternate versions of many of the characters and events in the original film. The series was filmed outside Vancouver in Aldergrove, British Columbia, along with other locations within the Fraser Valley of British Columbia.

A&E chose to skip a pilot of the series, opting to go straight-to-series by ordering a 10-episode first season. On June 15, 2015, the series was renewed for a fourth and fifth season, making Bates Motel A&E's longest-running original scripted drama series in the channel's history. The series' lead actors, Farmiga and Highmore, received particular praise for their performances in the series, with the former receiving a Primetime Emmy Award nomination and winning a Saturn Award for Best Actress on Television. Bates Motel also won three People's Choice Awards for Favorite Cable TV Drama, and for Favorite Cable TV Actress (Farmiga) and Actor (Highmore).

Series overview

Season		Episodes	Originally aired
			First aired	Last aired
	1	10	March 18, 2013	May 20, 2013
	2	10	March 3, 2014	May 5, 2014
	3	10	March 9, 2015	May 11, 2015
	4	10	March 7, 2016	May 16, 2016
	5	10	February 20, 2017	April 24, 2017

Season 1

The first season follows Norma and Norman Bates as they buy a motel after Norman's father dies. On one of the first nights of the two owning the motel, the former owner breaks in and sexually assaults Norma. Norman knocks the attacker out, and Norma stabs him to death. She decides it's best not to call the police and to cover up the murder. She and Norman dispose of the body. He complicates the cover-up by keeping a belt that belonged to the victim. When the town sheriff and his deputy notice that a man has gone missing, Norma and Norman must keep them from digging too far.

Season 2

The second season follows the aftermath of Norman's teacher's murder, as her mysterious past comes to light. Meanwhile, Norma finds herself making dangerous decisions in order to keep the motel running and preventing the impending bypass. Bradley's search for her father's killer leads to the extremes, and Dylan learns the disturbing truth about his parentage.

Season 3

The third season focuses on Norman's waning deniability about what's happening to him, and the lengths he will go to gain control of his fragile psyche. The dramatic events of last season leave Norma more aware of her son's mental fragility and fearful of what he is capable of. Meanwhile, Sheriff Romero begins to distance himself from the Bates family after he suspects Norma is lying to him about her husband's death.

Season 4

The fourth season follows Norma as she becomes increasingly fearful of Norman, going to great lengths to find him the professional help he needs. This complicates their once unbreakable trust as Norman struggles to maintain his grip on reality. Meanwhile, Sheriff Romero once again finds himself drawn into Norma and Norman's lives.

Season 5

The fifth season begins two years after the death of Norma. Publicly happy and well-adjusted, Norman struggles at home, where his blackouts are increasing and "Mother" threatens to take him over completely. Meanwhile, Dylan and Emma find themselves drawn back into Norman's world, and Romero hungers for revenge against his stepson.

Cast and characters

• Vera Farmiga as Norma Louise Bates

• Freddie Highmore as Norman Bates

• Max Thieriot as Dylan Massett

• Olivia Cooke as Emma Decody

• Nicola Peltz as Bradley Martin (main seasons 1–2; recurring season 3)

• Nestor Carbonell as Sheriff Alex Romero (recurring season 1; main seasons 2–5)

• Kenny Johnson as Caleb Calhoun (recurring seasons 2 and 5; main season 3; guest season 4)