Unnecessary Prequel

"It's not like my mother is a maniac or a raving thing. She just goes a little mad sometimes. We all go a little mad sometimes. Haven't you?" — Norman Bates, "Psycho"

Even 53 years after its release, "Psycho" remains a classic in the genre. It was a master work by a master auteur, Alfred Hitchcock. It was followed by several sequels, none of which matched the quality and depth of the original. Some of which even tried to explain how Norman Bates got to be the way he is.

"Psycho 4," which I accidentally decided to watch once, was depressing for this reason. Anthony Perkins was there to tie to the original, but most of it was odd flashbacks meant to show the terrible relationship between Norman Bates and his mother.

Into this void comes "Bates Motel," a new weekly drama on A&E that seeks to chronicle a young Norman Bates (Freddie Highmore) and his mom (Vera Farmiga). On paper it seems like a good idea — to some — but it is wildly unnecessary. I say this in all seriousness.

One of the reasons I think the Rob Zombie version of "Halloween" failed — one of many that is — was the fact he tried to psychologically deconstruct Michael Myers. As originally created, Myers was a great killing machine that was driven by inexplicable motives. That worked for the series. But when re-making the films, Zombie spent a great deal of time with the child Myers trying to add some kind of depth. It didn't work. It didn't make him more likeable. It was just creepy.

The same goes for Norman Bates. Sure, his mother is cracked. The show suggests she might have killed his father, she certainly tries to infantilize him and she's got the moral compass of a demon. But does that make what Norman grows up to be justifiable? Does that make him a victim? He might be a victim, but it doesn't excuse his own hideous actions.

And what are we hoping for here? Why would we invest in a young Norman Bates when we know how the story ends? I just don't really understand the point or what the creators of the show are trying to accomplish.

So while this may have sounded like an easy sell for creating a TV show — especially in an era where we seem to be celebrating deviant killers with shows like "Dexter," "Hannibal," and "The Following" — I just don't see a future here. Combine that with a pilot that could generously be described as grim —  since it featured creepy shots, two murders, and a rape — and I'm not wild about the future here.

I may have loved Carlton Cuse's work on "The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr." and "LOST," but this is a bridge too far for me.

Pilot Grade: D