'Bates Motel' Season 1 Available on DVD: Get to Know Norman

The prospect of A&E’s “Bates Motel” didn’t appeal me to because I expected a derivative show that left viewers anxious to see the moment Norman (Freddie Highmore) first slapped on a wig and practiced his creepy mom voice. (Surely, that would be the highlight of this predictable and totally unnecessary retread.) Instead, the show creates a moody, suspenseful atmosphere rich with plenty of strange characters.

Teen Norman is undeniably odd, but seeing his relationship with his living mother (Vera Farmiga) adds context to the familiar weirdo immortalized by Anthony Perkins. Season 1 further builds on the “Psycho” we know by showing his introduction to the world of taxidermy.

Side note: Farmiga earned an Emmy nom for her performance as Norman’s mother, Norma, but Claire Danes from “Homeland” took the prize. It’s an interesting choice since Norma employs an arsenal of personas and emotions to suit different situations while “Homeland” shows Carrie shifting from completely unhinged to slightly unhinged—again and again. Maybe her performance merited the Emmy because Carrie is “Homeland.”

“Bates Motel” Season 2 premieres in early 2014.