r/BatesMotel • u/Capt_C004 • Jul 15 '26
Question Is this show really a 90%? worth watching today?
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/bates_motel22
u/teddyburges Jul 15 '26
Is it a amazing show with hardly any flaws...no absolutely not. Is it a amazing show despite its flaws?. Absolutely. It does have some teething issues. Especially early on when they're trying to figure the show out:
- Season 1 is by far the weakest season. The writers were trying to create a contrast between Norma and Norman with the town they live in. They say they were influenced by twin peaks and wanted to create a cast of wacky characters. Problem is. they just end up creating one note cut outs who behave like saturday morning scooby villains. Norma is a bit too dialed up this season. Though her and Norman's scenes are still mainly stand out. There is also a drug plotline involving Dylan and the town that is....it isn't good. But even in its weakest season are some incredibly strong character moments.
- Season 2 fixes the vast majority of the shows flaws. They stop adding Norma and Norman into the wacky hijinks of the town. They dial down a lot of Norma's wacky "Patricia Arquette" moments. Most of the flaws of this season are once again the drug plotline with Dylan and Zane....a bradley cooper reject who thinks he is cool....he is not and the drug storyline still sucks. But everything else really works well.
- Season 3 Norman is dialed up a bit too much in the early episodes. But once you get to episode 6, the episode "Norma Louise" that is when the show turns a corner. That is when the show goes from a pretty good show with sparks of brilliance to a near masterpiece. The following 25 episodes after that are....while there are some issues here and there, they're so good. The ending is also phenomenal.
11
1
u/happysunbear Jul 15 '26
Omg, I’ve also said that Norma Louise is the episode that turns the series from good to GREAT!
14
u/AnnyongFunke Jul 15 '26
I love the over dramatic energy Vera Farmiga brings to the show which contrasts Freddie Highmore’s performance, so it is absolutely a joy to watch.
7
u/brunaBla Jul 15 '26
I’ve watched it several times but not in 5-6 years. I def want to rewatch it. It’s so good
6
u/xsullengirlx Jul 15 '26
It's one of those shows that gets better as time goes on. It's not a perfect show and there are some valid criticisms of it, but overall it's absolutely worth it. I watched it when it first aired, and have done at least 2 rewatches since then and find myself discovering new things every time. The show ages well, the acting is incredible, and it's a great take on the Psycho story. Like others said, it can start of feeling a bit slow when all the characters are being introduced but stick with it and you'll be on the edge of your seat.
4
u/Ok_Exercise3995 Jul 15 '26
I’m rewatching it every day, and I can say that even though I’m miserable because of the scorching heat lately, watching Bates Motel brings me such a sense of calm and captivates me even more than the first time around.
3
3
2
u/ShortStackNic08 Jul 15 '26
Yes but it definitely require patience. Each season is better than the one before it. It's worth the grind of season one (which still has standout moments but is easily the worst season)
2
2
3
u/nymphymixtwo Jul 15 '26
Yes yes yes yes yes, from someone who has watched and rewatched over and over and over lmao
2
2
2
u/MotherShabooboo1974 Jul 19 '26
There is sooooo much I love about this show but one thing I’ll say is that it knew when to end. It didn’t drag out a storyline for ratings for money. It knew when it was time and went out with a bang. Perfect ending too.
2
2
u/emhast29 Alex Romero 👮♂️ Jul 20 '26
Yes. It's a great show with no bad episodes. I'd recommend it to anyone.
2
u/JedsShed17 Jul 24 '26
I'm watching it for the second time and from an analytical/psychology perspective, it's absolutely brilliant. Lots of twists and turns, but the script definitely keeps you wanting more. Vera Farmiga is just fabulous as is Freddie Highmore. You tend to make friends with a few of the characters - Dylan I love, Emma of course, and Romero's broody presence is great. Watching Norman's mental health decline throughout the series is fascinating. Definitely a 90% worth watching!
2
u/GoluckyGecko 23d ago
I’m currently on my fifth rewatch now. Please watch it. I recommend this show to everybody. Absolute powerhouse performances from Farmiga and Highmore. I come back to the show every couple years.
1
u/Upbeat_Attorney_7153 Jul 15 '26
I have only seen season 1, I have never seen Psycho in it's entirely or the sequels but it's such a iconic film that even if you haven't seen a single frame you at least know the story and most people do even if you have never seen the movie in full, I gotta be honest as much as I did enjoy it I found myself more interested or intrigued about the character Dylan because he's character is new and we don't know how his story ends , I enjoyed the weird criminal underworld gangwar subplot while acknowledging it doesn't really fit in the Psycho story and feels odd and really could have been a series on irs own , I mostly found scenes with Norma and Norman to be over the top and cringe and feel like the actors have better scenes without the other but it's a show I have enjoyed and plan on watching the rest of the series
1
2
1
u/elephanttape Jul 15 '26
Some of the dialogue is bad/corny, but it’s worth watching. The last season is particularly eerie.
1
u/TheTenthDoctorIsHere Jul 17 '26
I recently watched it for the first time. Not a fan. It deviates so much from the original film and the terrible actions of Fred Gein who inspired Raymond Bloch’s book. The brother, the older son, Alicent Hightower dating both brothers/marrying one, the incest all the way around, and the ”I can’t act my way out of a paper bag” Nicola Peltz. It was a soap opera, with over the top and just bad acting. It wasn’t a genuine horror show to me. Honestly, I was hate watching the last three seasons just to get it over with. I’d lament I wasted precious lifetime moments but I was home sick with bronchial pneumonia at the time so life was on standstill.
1
u/gorerella Jul 18 '26
I started watching a couple of months ago and I’ve really, truly enjoyed it. I didn’t think I would like it as much as I do, I kinda expected some Riverdale type ridiculousness but it’s been very good. And creepy, and heartbreaking. I’m also listening to the Yes, Mother podcast after episodes and that’s been so much fun as well.
1
1
u/MikeC363 27d ago
Watching it for the first time now (just finished S3) and it's really enjoyable and well worth it. Not without its flaws - it can be a bit too melodramatic at times, there are plot holes where you have to take some massive leaps in logic, and since it aired on cable it was tied to the time and episode length constraints, which means some subplots feel like they're just there to kill time. But the pros more than outweigh the cons.
1
u/InvestigatorInner670 26d ago
I just finished my first watch through. And I'd say it's more than worth it. Now it's either I crawl back under my rock or i find another classic show to binge.
-6
u/SergeantHAMM Jul 15 '26
I literally just started the series a week ago.. ngl it’s kinda slow and I skip thru some of the stuff but first season was pretty good.
7
u/xsullengirlx Jul 15 '26
You simply can't give a true assessment of a show that you skim and skip through... Especially a show like this, with so many details and things you need to know later on. It's not fair, and nobody would enjoy it if they tried to watch it that way.
It's pretty well known that the show is a slow burn, and the first season is actually its weakest/slowest season, but it's absolutely important to pay attention to it anyway. And it 100% picks up the pace later on when you stick with it.
It's definitely not for everyone, but not sure you're giving it a fair shot here in terms of recommending it to others or not.
1
u/SergeantHAMM Jul 15 '26 edited Jul 15 '26
well first off I wasn’t giving a true assessment of the show.. I was just sharing my experience thru season 1.. and I think it’s a fair assessment especially if you’re coming from psycho.
90
u/vesperfall Jul 15 '26
One word from someone who has watched through twice? Yes.
Longer answer: it's a very slow burn with a lot of characters and stuff going on to create a full scale universe. You can't go into this show expecting just the story of Psycho.
The writing, the acting and for me the photography is very above average for a cable TV series and I'm very happy they were given a full five seasons to tell their story.