The first season of , which premiered on March 18, 2013, on A&E , serves as a "contemporary prequel" to Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 classic Psycho . Spanning 10 episodes, the season explores the formative teenage years of Norman Bates and the intensely complex relationship with his mother, Norma, that eventually forges a serial killer. Premise and Setting
Following the sudden death of Norman’s father, Norma Bates ( Vera Farmiga ) purchases a rundown motel in the coastal town of White Pine Bay, Oregon, seeking a fresh start for herself and her 17-year-old son, Norman (Freddie Highmore). The series purposefully modernizes the setting with contemporary technology like cell phones and DNA evidence, while maintaining a "retro" aesthetic that pays homage to the original film’s roots. Bates Motel - Season 1