Halfway through its second season, Bates Motel has been renewed by A&E for another ten episode run.  The engrossing and underrated drama was developed by Carlton Cuse (Lost) and Kerry Ehrin (Friday Night Lights), and acts as a prequel of sorts to the 1960 Alfred Hitchcock film Psycho.

The series' greatest strength has been creating a world that leads up to, but isn't dependent, on the story on which it is partially based.  Actually, scratch that -- the series' greatest strength is the Emmy-nominated Vera Farmiga, who plays Norma Bates.  Farmiga's Norma is crafty, vulnerable, and hypnotic to watch -- she's completely unpredictable as the character and in the way Norma is portrayed.  Hit the jump for more on the series (spoiler-free), and its current ratings. 

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According to A&E, Bates Motel's second season premiered with 4.6 million total viewers, with 2.6 million being adults between 18-49, and 2.2 million between 25 and 54 (based on Live+7 viewing).  The series continues to be the network's all-time #1 drama among adults 18-49 (but even its strong numbers couldn't help sustain the launch of A&E's serial killer drama Those Who Kill).

If you haven't caught up with Bates yet (and you absolutely should), and appreciate the atmosphere of series like Twin Peaks or Top of the Lake, the first season is currently available on Netflix streaming.  So far, the second season has kept things twisty within the falsely idyllic and deeply atmospheric town of White Pine Bay, and also the twisted relationship between Norma and Norman (Freddie Highmore).  The good news is the story will now be given the time to continue to develop and grow deeper.  And, probably, a lot creepier.

Bates Motel airs Monday nights at 10 p.m. ET on A&E, and recaps post on Collider Tuesday morning.

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