1. The Cast is Terrific
Its been said that great actors can carry a bad movie. In the case of Bates Motel, a terrific cast elevates the already exceptional material. The series leads are played by two veterans of the big screen, each bringing considerable talent and validity to Bates Motel. Vera Farmiga, nominated for an Oscar for Up in the Air with George Clooney, plays Norma Bates. Shes delivered praiseworthy performances in other films like The Departed and The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, and she does the same here. As Mother Bates, shes spot on. Freddie Highmore, who plays the teenage Norman Bates, proved his chops in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Finding Neverland. While Farmigas challenge in Bates Motel is to create a living breathing version of Mrs. Bates, Highmore takes on a character who is already part of our popular culture, the role created and played in four films by Anthony Perkins. Remarkably, Highmore not only manages to capture our perception of the character of Norman Bates, but is eerily similar in look, carriage and behavior to Perkins. Bates Motel airs Mondays at 10PM.