'Bates Motel': One of TV's 'most compelling' is renewed for a third season
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Molly Driscoll Staff writer
A&E has reportedly renewed the drama 鈥淏ates Motel鈥� for a third season.
"Motel," which premiered in 2013, is a prequel to the 1960 Alfred Hitchcock film 鈥�Psycho鈥� and stars 鈥淭he Art of Getting By鈥� actor Freddie Highmore as Norman Bates, first portrayed by actor Anthony Perkins in 鈥淧sycho.鈥� 鈥淭he Conjuring鈥� actress Vera Farmiga stars as Norman鈥檚 mother, Norma Bates. 鈥淢otel鈥� also co-stars actors Max Thieriot, Nestor Carbonell, and Michael Vartan.
鈥淭he incredible writing team and talented Bates Motel听cast has made this series one of the most compelling original dramas on television,鈥� A&E vice-president and general manager David McKillop said in a . 鈥淭he brilliant twists and turns of the past two seasons keep its loyal fan base coming back for more. We are so proud of the show.鈥�
The drama is currently airing its second season, which will finish up on May 5. According to the , 鈥淢otel鈥� is the highest-rated of the network鈥檚 dramas among adults who are between 18 and 49.
鈥淟ost鈥� executive producer and writer Carlton Cuse is serving as showrunner and executive producer for the show with 鈥淔riday Night Lights鈥� scribe Kerry Ehrin.听
While 鈥淧sycho鈥� took place in the then-current year of 1960, 鈥淢otel鈥� is a contemporary show, despite the fact that it follows a younger Norman. The show also takes place in a different town than 鈥淧sycho,鈥� with the film having been set in a California town and 鈥淢otel鈥� taking place in Oregon.
Prior to the show airing, 鈥淢otel鈥� actress Farmiga discussed portraying such a complicated character. When she began playing Norma, Farmiga found herself 鈥渨anting to defend what she does,鈥� the actress said in an interview with . 鈥淪he's a beautiful portrait of valiant maternity, [but] at the same time she's an absolute train wreck.鈥�
Meanwhile, Cuse said that knowing what ends up happening to Norman doesn鈥檛 take away any suspense from the show.
鈥淭he tension of knowing what his fate is and seeing how he got there is compelling storytelling,鈥� he told USA Today.
