Last night's 'Bates Motel' premiere earned rave reviews across the board, jump-starting the new franchise to explore a young Norman Bates (Freddie Highmore) and his relationship with his mother Norma (Vera Farmiga), but did you know it wasn't the first attempt to capitalize on a 'Psycho' TV series? NBC first tried with a 1987 'Bates Motel' pilot that featured Bud Cort and a younger Jason Bateman ('Arrested Development') and we have the bizarre pilot for you to check out inside!

Though only ten episodes in its first season, we're excited to see where A&E takes Norman and Norma bates over the course of 'Bates Motel's first season. Certainly the show will go farther than NBC's original 1987 attempt to capitalize on the 'Psycho' franchise with a 'Bates Motel' TV series, which never made it past the pilot phase.

The 1987 effort saw Bud Cort as a man named Alex West who befriended the original Norman Bates in an asylum, coming to own the infamous motel after the titular 'Psycho's death. West attempts to re-open the motel with the help of teenage runaway Willie (Lori Petty) and local handyman Henry Watson (Moses Gunn), only for strange occurrences to begin on the property.

It's hilariously bad of course, but worth watching for the appearance of a younger Jason Bateman. Take a look at the original 'Bates Motel' below, and tell us what you thought of A&E's premiere last night!

More From KZCD-FM