The show’s scenery is littered with references: the ominous household on the hill; dead animals in repose decorating the house as Norman Bates’ (Freddie Highmore) taxidermy fixation builds; his mother Norma’s (Vera Farmiga) rocking chair/final resting place.
But the most startling nod isn’t an inanimate fixture: it’s Highmore’s eerie ability to channel Anthony Perkins, who played creepy Norman in the “Psycho” films (there were four, including a made-for-TV movie).
Compared to a photo of Perkins’ Norman on the house’s now-iconic staircase, Highmore’s version (above, with costars Max Thieriot, left, and Olivia Cooke) makes an unnerving stand-in for the young serial killer. In “Bates Motel” scenes, Highmore’s stony intensity and facial tics further underscore why he was hired in the first place.
When the series began in 2013, co-creator Carlton Cuse told The Post, “I never really thought about the resemblance between them until it was pointed out to me.” Yeah, we still don’t believe him — but we’re not complaining.
With Season 3’s kick-off, Highmore advances Norman’s creep factor as his character continues his slide into murderous madness.