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Intended as a prequel to the events depicted in Alfred Hitchcock's iconic film "Psycho", "Bates Motel" follows Norma Bates' (Vera Farmiga) attempt to start a new life running a small town motel with her son, Norman (Freddie Highmore), after the death of her husband. Her hopes are almost immediately dashed when she is sexually assaulted by the motel's former owner, which starts a chain of events that leave her both desperate for income and under the watchful eye of Sheriff Romero (Nestor Carbonelle). The family's twisted dynamics become clearer as time passes, particularly with Norman, whom she constantly manipulates, though her relationship with Norman's brother Dylan (Thieriot) is also far from healthy. Norman, despite suffering from hallucinations and blackouts, tries to have a somewhat normal high school experience, and attracts the attention of Emma (Olivia Cooke), an intelligent classmate who suffers from cystic fibrosis. Though Norman is fond of Emma, he becomes obsessively drawn to Bradley (Nicola Peltz), a pretty, popular student who opens up to Norman in the aftermath of a death in her family. When Norma's relationship with police deputy (Mike Vogel) goes terribly wrong, Norman's behaviour becomes increasingly disturbing, and before long he finds himself suspect in a shocking act of violence.
CAST
Vera Farmiga as Norma Louise Bates (Season 1–present)
Series co-protagonist, alongside her son. Norma is depicted as caring and generally kind, particularly towards Norman, but intensely paranoid and jealous, making a concerted effort to keep Norman to herself and hating any girlfriends he has, real or imagined. Having encountered so much abuse in her life, she has long fostered the belief that it is she and Norman against the world. This is exacerbated by the fact that many of her supposed allies and friends turn on her over the course of the series, largely to do with her paranoid and aggressive behavior towards them, her need to get her own way and the scathing comments she makes in times of distress. Nevertheless, Norma's protective and maternal instincts are often directed at others besides Norman, such as Emma, Dylan and Sheriff Romero.
Freddie Highmore as Norman Bates (Season 1–present)
Series co-protagonist, alongside his mother. Norman is depicted as a troubled, unhinged but generally friendly teenager. Having been smothered by his mother for most of his life, he has had a sheltered upbringing and is often naive to the dangers of the world. His interactions with other people are generally awkward, particularly around people his own age. His relationship with Norma is unhealthy, and soon becomes strained when he starts to interact with the local youth and when he begins forming relationships with girls. Occasionally, though, he is depicted as having severe mental problems – in particular, he is shown to experience blackouts, during which he will act violent, and maybe even kill people, before coming to with no recollection of what happened.
Max Thieriot as Dylan Massett (Season 1–present)
Norma's estranged son, and Norman's criminal half-brother. Having grown up largely on his own, he is resourceful, strong-willed and independent, and genuinely caring of Norman, but has a difficult relationship with Norma. He believes that Norma seeks out conflict and drama, and that her treatment of Norman will damage him. When he arrives to White Pine Bay, after recently being laid off, Dylan's rudeness to Norma causes him to fight with Norman, but he begins to offer him brotherly advice, and encourages him to interact with others. He gets involved in the town's illicit marijuana business, and quickly rises up the ranks as he wins favor with his superiors. His world comes crashing down, however, when he learns from Norma that he is the product of an incestuous rape – his true father having been Norma's brother, Caleb – and distances himself from the family, moving out of the Bates' house. He eventually reconnects with his mother and brother in the second season finale.
Olivia Cooke as Emma Decody (Season 1–present)
Norman's best friend. A sufferer of cystic fibrosis, Emma is often seen carrying an oxygen tank. Although Emma is British, having originated from Manchester (as is Cooke, in real life), she has learned to speak with a refined General American accent to blend in with the local community. Identifying with his unusual personality, troubled history and friendly nature, Emma is immediately infatuated with Norman and develops a friendship with him. Norman in turn finds himself warming to her, and, at the request of her father, respects her feelings for him. Seeing this, Norma becomes fond of her and employs Emma at the motel to keep her close to Norman, as well as to provide her with some much-needed maternal support and advice. Her friendship with Norman becomes strained, however, when he allows his feelings for Bradley Martin to get in the way, and when she sees signs that he might have feelings for her after all, such as his protectiveness of her. In addition, she becomes upset when Norma begins to blatantly keep secrets from her or tell her false stories to explain some of Norman's strange actions, and contemplates resigning from the motel. Norman ultimately reaffirms his loyalty to her when he angrily berates his girlfriend, Cody, for egging Emma to do a cliff jump into a lake, clogging her airway and nearly killing her. He later convinces her to stay at the motel by telling her the truth about Dylan's birth, explaining why Norma would not answer her questions.
Nestor Carbonell as Sheriff Alex Romero (Season 2–present; Season 1, recurring)
The town sheriff, Romero finds himself in a very awkward position. He tolerates the town's open marijuana cultivation, but only because he knows that the town's economy depends on it, and comes down hard on any gang-related murders. He maintains a stoic, hardened demeanor, both on and off the job. His interaction with the Bates' does not go smoothly, when he suspects Norma's complicity in the disappearance (and death) of Keith Summers, his friend and the former motel owner. Over time, he comes to warm to Norma, but often finds himself having to clean up her mess, including murdering a man threatening her, or pinning the blame for one of Norman's murders on somebody else. When a call girl staying at the motel gets shot and, upon dying, gives Norma a USB drive that contains a financial ledger splitting up an investment return of at least $15 million (illegal revenue from the drug trade), Romero must protect Norma, while investigating those listed on it, including his imprisoned father who used to be sheriff. When it is revealed that Norma lied to him about her husband's death, their friendship suffers and is nearly at an end. Romero must also fight those seeking the ledger in order to keep his job and save his own life.
Kenny Johnson as Caleb Calhoun (Season 3–present; Season 2, recurring)
Norma's estranged older brother, Norman's uncle and Dylan's biological father. In season two, Caleb arrives at the Bates Motel but Norma immediately throws him out. However, Caleb bonds with Dylan, saying he helped protect Norma from their abusive father when they were children. Dylan defends Caleb to Norma, but she claims he repeatedly raped her for years during their childhood. This then escalates into a fight between Norman and Dylan until Norma intervenes by revealing that Caleb is Dylan's father. After Norman in Norma's persona attacks him for the rape, Caleb leaves town. He returns to help Dylan with a "pot farm" by building a barn. Dylan grows closer to Caleb and ponders telling Norma about his return, which is hastened by Norman and Emma spotting Caleb at the remote cabin. Norma and Caleb have an emotional reunion in which he apologizes to her. After a curious neighbor to the farm seeks a gun runner to Canada, Caleb offers to take the job; however, Dylan also needs the money to help Emma so he accompanies him. The dropoff is supposed to have been the neighbor's demise, and Caleb manages to save Dylan. He then returns to beat the neighbor until he promises to leave Dylan alone and give them the promised money. Caleb leaves again, but not before telling Norma about Norman attacking him in her persona.
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