Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10
Cast: Vera Farmiga, Freddie Highmore, Max Thierot, Olivia Cooke, Nestor Carbonell, Kenny Johnson, Kevin Rahm, Keenan Tracey, Ryan Hurst, Joshua Leonard, Peter Stebbings, Adetomiwa Edun, Andrew Howard, Nicola Peltz, Tracey Spiridakos, Anika Noni Rose, Wilson Bethel, Emilano Diez, Tom McBeath, Keegan Connor Tracy.
There was a time when, we as a society, found the idea of sitting round and watching the mental unravelling of a fellow human being, to be entertainment, to be the reason for a visit to a place such as Bethlem Hospital, of being a reason for a growth in folk tales and horror stories. One only had to read the register of those placed in a facility that carried the name of Bedlam to understand that the various acknowledged afflictions were themselves categorically placed as a warning and as a means to amuse and regale laughter.
Even in the era when the original Hitchcock masterpiece of Psycho became one of the most talked about cinematic experiences of the decade, the abuse of the mentally ill was still something to have audiences gossiping about, the tragic figure of Norman Bates, a murderer yes, but one driven by a deep psychosis rather than a slave to the urge of chaos and senseless death that comes from those whose hearts are intent of destroying the world, was one that became a by-word for those with a wicked tongue to characterise anybody who portrayed odd behaviour without understanding what was going on in the person’s life.
It is to the dedication of the role of Norman Bates that Freddie Highmore has arguably surpassed the original proprietor of the role, and in the third season of Bates Motel, as the issues behind Norman’s psychosis, the relationship with his mother, and the constant reveals to his and hers hectic life become clear, so Mr. Highmore becomes the one the audience might think of when they think of the Norman Bates, and not the incredible Anthony Perkins.
As with the two previous series, the performance of the signature character would not mean anything though without the tremendous support of Vera Fermiga as Norma Bates, Max Thieriot as Norman’s brother Dylan, the excellent Olivia Cooke as Emma Decody, Nestor Carbonell as Sherriff Alex Romero, and with Kenny Johnson as Norma’s former abuse ridden brother Caleb.
However, the third series also introduces more of the town’s more colourful characters, and with Ryan Hurst as Chick Hogan and Kevin Rahm adding unease into the life of the Bates family, and the return of Nicola Peltz as Bradley Martin, the sense of a person’s psychosis being mirrored by the town once run on drug money is palpable, the disjointed and fracturing mind is reflected by those around him, especially in the performance by Nestor Carbonell as he oozes the will of a man being cornered by those who see his position of Sheriff as untenable.
A series that just keeps getting better as each season goes past, one that does deserve the people’s attention and observation of how to create drama that hangs in the memory and to become a serious talking point. Bates Motel remains fully committed to the cause of being considered untouchable.
Ian D. Hall