2013 · 5 seasons · Thriller, Drama, Horror
Bates Motel is a contemporary prequel to Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho, following a teenage Norman Bates and his mother Norma as they relocate to White Pine Bay, Oregon after a family tragedy. Starring Vera Farmiga and Freddie Highmore, the A&E series reimagines the origin of one of cinema's most iconic villains.
All 5 seasons of Bates Motel stream on Peacock with a Premium subscription.
Bates Motel is not currently on Netflix. It streams on Peacock.
Bates Motel has 5 seasons and 50 episodes, running from 2013 to 2017.
It helps to know the basics of Psycho, but Bates Motel works as a standalone story. Watching Hitchcock's film enhances the experience but isn't required.
Bates Motel is more of a psychological thriller than a horror show. It builds dread through character work rather than jump scares, and is disturbing rather than scary in the traditional sense.