What kind of horror is Bates Motel?

It is based on one of the great suspense movies of all time, Psycho. It was scary for audiences at the time to the point it might have been classed as horror (the bar was much lower back then in 1960) but now Bates Motel is mostly thriller/suspense drama with significant violent and even gory episodes.

What mental illness does Norma Bates have?

dissociative identity disorder Norman Bates suffers from a mental disorder known as dissociative identity disorder (DID) or multiple personality disorder (MPD). After enduring emotional and physical abuse from Norma from an early age, Norman would go onto develop a second personality/identity that resembles his Mother in many ways.

What does Bates Motel have to do with Psycho?

The TV series Bates Motel, a prequel to the 1960 film Psycho, set in the present day, depicts the young Norman Bates' life with his mother, Norma (Vera Farmiga). In this continuity, Norman suffers from hallucinations and blackouts, and begins manifesting his "Mother" personality while Norma is alive.

How is Bates Motel a prequel to Psycho?

A&E's series, Bates Motel, was a prequel to Alfred Hitchcock's classic, Psycho. Yet, by looking at Norman Bates' past, it changed his future for good. ... In many ways, doing Bates Motel as a prequel focused on Norman's teenage years that worked in tandem with his mother/son relationship was the smartest take.