This is one seriously creepy, but monumentally intriguing, trailer.
Frankly I don’t think A & E could have improved on this teaser for their new Psycho-prequel series, Bates Motel – from Lost‘s Carlton Cuse and Friday Night Lights‘ Kerry Ehrin – which they are at pains to point out is not a remake of Alfred Hitchcock’s classic thriller.
Rather, placing the events in a thoroughly modern context, it looks at the events that shaped Norman Bates (Freddie Highmore) into the innocent-looking, outwardly pleasant, but inwardly tortured, serial killer he eventually becomes, firmly under the thumb of his controlling, super-capable mother Norma Louise Bates (Vera Farmiga).
Cuse had this to say to hollywoodreporter.com about the series when he spoke about his enthusiasm for Bates Motel, which if the trailer is any guide, is striving to eschew cardboard cutouts portrayals of villainy in favour of a realistic multi-dimensional portrayal of evil.
“We are incredibly excited to start production on Bates Motel. We think our take on the Bates family will both be surprising and subvert expectations. We can’t wait for people to check in.”
The show, which has gone straight into production, bypassing the traditional need for a pilot, is due on air in March 2013.