Bates Motel isn't great, but it's not terrible. It takes place in the Psycho universe but it's not cannon with the then-ongoing Psycho franchise with Anthony Perkins.
In this story, we meet a troubled young man who befriends an imprisoned Norman Bates. Then, when Bates dies and wills the Bates Motel to his friend (named Alex), he befriends a young employee of a fast-food chain (working the mascot duty), and together they renovate and reopen the Bates Motel, as per Norman's wishes in transferring property ownership.
TV movies are notoriously bad, and this one is definitely up there; however, it's not without its decent moments. Alex is a pretty likeable character, and his thoughts and feelings are easy to sympathize with. The acting is a little weak in places, but it's actually better than one might expect from a TV movie. Originally intended to be the pilot for a series set in the Psycho universe, I'm glad it never got off the ground; it sticks out like an eyesore as the outlier in the Psycho franchise, and I don't think I ever would've wanted to watch a TV show built off this "movie."
At the end of the day, Psycho just isn't the same without Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates.
In this story, we meet a troubled young man who befriends an imprisoned Norman Bates. Then, when Bates dies and wills the Bates Motel to his friend (named Alex), he befriends a young employee of a fast-food chain (working the mascot duty), and together they renovate and reopen the Bates Motel, as per Norman's wishes in transferring property ownership.
TV movies are notoriously bad, and this one is definitely up there; however, it's not without its decent moments. Alex is a pretty likeable character, and his thoughts and feelings are easy to sympathize with. The acting is a little weak in places, but it's actually better than one might expect from a TV movie. Originally intended to be the pilot for a series set in the Psycho universe, I'm glad it never got off the ground; it sticks out like an eyesore as the outlier in the Psycho franchise, and I don't think I ever would've wanted to watch a TV show built off this "movie."
At the end of the day, Psycho just isn't the same without Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates.