1987·Horror·1h 35m
7.0
★
A mentally disturbed man who roomed with the late Norman Bates at a psychiatric facility inherits the infamous Bates Motel after his death and attempts to fix it up as a respectable business.
Directed by Richard Rothstein
loss of loved one
motel
pilot
satire
insane asylum
anthology
eccentric
inheritance
last will and testament
electrocution
church
failed tv pilot
suicide note
ghost
bulldozer
male virgin
bus station
psycho
renovation
Trailer
IMDB
N/A
Cast
Bud Cort
Alex West
Lori Petty
Willie
Moses Gunn
Henry Watson
Gregg Henry
Tom Fuller
Khrystyne Haje
Sally
Jason Bateman
Tony Scotti
Kerrie Keane
Barbara Peters
Robert Picardo
Dr. Goodman
Lee de Broux
Sheriff
Peter Dobson
Billy Parks
Paula Irvine
Rebecca
George Buck Flower
Vagrant
Crew
J. Peter Robinson
Original Music Composer
Bill Butler
Director of Photography
Popular Reviews
19 reviews
Jc Du Plessis
6.0★ · 07/12/26
Bates motel is in one word: strange. The failed tv spin off after psycho 3 is part motel repair show, ghost story, Scooby-Doo, anti suicide psa and its a hit and miss.
Ignoring the sequels and set after the 1960 movie. It follows Alex as he is given the bates motel after the death of Norman bates. Alex goes to the motel to manage it with a sassy squatter. As he fixes the motel he starts seeing the ghost of Norma. Oh and there is a anti suicide psa story in the last 20ish minutes too.
It's clearly a failed tv spin off. The story was clearly meant to be some kind of monster/ghost of the week kind of thing. The main issue with the story is that it's just unfocused. The repairing the motel story goes on too long. The ghost/Scooby-Doo story doesn't have enough focus. The anti suicide psa story is interesting but feels very out of place and sudden. So it's very unfocused and needed to have more of a consistent tone.
The characters were fine. They were interesting enough but because the show failed you didn't have the time to get to know them. Alex was the most engaging as he navigates life outside the sanitarium. Jason Bateman has a quick role too which was a surprise. So they were fine but definitely didn't have the iconic characteristics of Norman.
The movie looked fine for a tv movie. The bates motel is still a great location and the house looked good. It's definitely not the cinematic look but it's fine.
It's definitely not great but not the worst. There is fun to be had but tge inconsistent tone make it a little boring at times. So I'll definitely say watch the 2013 show instead of this one.
Ignoring the sequels and set after the 1960 movie. It follows Alex as he is given the bates motel after the death of Norman bates. Alex goes to the motel to manage it with a sassy squatter. As he fixes the motel he starts seeing the ghost of Norma. Oh and there is a anti suicide psa story in the last 20ish minutes too.
It's clearly a failed tv spin off. The story was clearly meant to be some kind of monster/ghost of the week kind of thing. The main issue with the story is that it's just unfocused. The repairing the motel story goes on too long. The ghost/Scooby-Doo story doesn't have enough focus. The anti suicide psa story is interesting but feels very out of place and sudden. So it's very unfocused and needed to have more of a consistent tone.
The characters were fine. They were interesting enough but because the show failed you didn't have the time to get to know them. Alex was the most engaging as he navigates life outside the sanitarium. Jason Bateman has a quick role too which was a surprise. So they were fine but definitely didn't have the iconic characteristics of Norman.
The movie looked fine for a tv movie. The bates motel is still a great location and the house looked good. It's definitely not the cinematic look but it's fine.
It's definitely not great but not the worst. There is fun to be had but tge inconsistent tone make it a little boring at times. So I'll definitely say watch the 2013 show instead of this one.
Bates motel is in one word: strange. The failed tv spin off after psycho 3 is part motel repair show, ghost story, Scooby-Doo, anti suicide psa and its a hit and miss.
Ignoring the sequels and set after the 1960 movie. It follows Alex as he is given the bates motel after the death of Norman bates. Alex goes to the motel to manage it with a sassy squatter. As he fixes the motel he starts seeing the ghost of Norma. Oh and there is a anti suicide psa story in the last 20ish minutes too.
It's clearly a failed tv spin off. The story was clearly meant to be some kind of monster/ghost of the week kind of thing. The main issue with the story is that it's just unfocused. The repairing the motel story goes on too long. The ghost/Scooby-Doo story doesn't have enough focus. The anti suicide psa story is interesting but feels very out of place and sudden. So it's very unfocused and needed to have more of a consistent tone.
The characters were fine. They were interesting enough but because the show failed you didn't have the time to get to know them. Alex was the most engaging as he navigates life outside the sanitarium. Jason Bateman has a quick role too which was a surprise. So they were fine but definitely didn't have the iconic characteristics of Norman.
The movie looked fine for a tv movie. The bates motel is still a great location and the house looked good. It's definitely not the cinematic look but it's fine.
It's definitely not great but not the worst. There is fun to be had but tge inconsistent tone make it a little boring at times. So I'll definitely say watch the 2013 show instead of this one.
Ignoring the sequels and set after the 1960 movie. It follows Alex as he is given the bates motel after the death of Norman bates. Alex goes to the motel to manage it with a sassy squatter. As he fixes the motel he starts seeing the ghost of Norma. Oh and there is a anti suicide psa story in the last 20ish minutes too.
It's clearly a failed tv spin off. The story was clearly meant to be some kind of monster/ghost of the week kind of thing. The main issue with the story is that it's just unfocused. The repairing the motel story goes on too long. The ghost/Scooby-Doo story doesn't have enough focus. The anti suicide psa story is interesting but feels very out of place and sudden. So it's very unfocused and needed to have more of a consistent tone.
The characters were fine. They were interesting enough but because the show failed you didn't have the time to get to know them. Alex was the most engaging as he navigates life outside the sanitarium. Jason Bateman has a quick role too which was a surprise. So they were fine but definitely didn't have the iconic characteristics of Norman.
The movie looked fine for a tv movie. The bates motel is still a great location and the house looked good. It's definitely not the cinematic look but it's fine.
It's definitely not great but not the worst. There is fun to be had but tge inconsistent tone make it a little boring at times. So I'll definitely say watch the 2013 show instead of this one.
Noah J
6.0★ · 06/15/25
A decent made for tv film.
A decent made for tv film.
Ikalikvast
4.0★ · 05/23/25
The main character looked like a doll so now I'm scared
The main character looked like a doll so now I'm scared
Douglas Lancaster
1.8★ · 01/28/24
Umm, no. That turkey, tho?
Umm, no. That turkey, tho?
Alonso Escoto
5.0★ · 03/31/26