HBO serves the perfect ‘treatment’
New series about therapy airs five times a week
Posted on January 31, 2008
Given the current state of television, what could be better than a premiere of a new HBO series?
An adaptation of the acclaimed Israeli television series “Be ‘Tipul,” HBO’s “In Treatment” is a half-hour, nightly series that centers on a psychotherapist and depicts four of his weekly sessions with patients before he wraps up the week with his own session.
Gabriel Byrne (“Man In the Iron Mask”) stars as Paul Weston, a psychotherapist who counsels his patients at his home office. As a therapist, Paul is soft-spoken and compassionate, listening intently and gently directing his patients to confront their issues.
However, he is not perfect. Aside from (or maybe related to) issues in his marriage, Paul has noticed that he has trouble dealing with himself as he counsels his patients. The sessions depicted in the first four days of “In Treatments” confirm his growing doubt for the fifth episode as he makes an appointment of his own.
Night by night:
Monday – Laura (played by Melissa George)
The first image of the series is of a sobbing Laura, who has seen Paul for over a year and now faces is facing a turning point in her relationship with her boyfriend. It’s unclear why she is in therapy thus far, but her session ends with a confession – a revelation for Paul – that complicates their relationship and will certainly loom over future sessions.
Tuesday – Alex (played by Blair Underwood)
Alex is a first time patient and an elite Navy pilot. He is driven and focused on the success of his missions, the most recent of which left 16 children dead. Alex consults Paul after doing research and concluding that Paul is “the best.” Having just survived a heart attack and total clinical death, Alex demands Paul’s opinion on his return to the site of his last mission.
Wednesday – Sophie (played by Mia Wasikowska)
Sophie is a teenage gymnast who asks for Paul’s professional opinion after an accident. She insists she is perfectly normal, but after their first session Paul has concerns about her relationship with her coach.
Thursday – Jake & Amy (played by Josh Charles and Embeth Davidtz)
A married couple dealing with Amy’s pregnancy – which has come after stopping her five-year treatment for infertility. After becoming invested in her career, Amy now has doubts about a second child. Because of Amy’s plans to have an abortion and Jake’s suspicious, confrontational nature, they have sought couples counseling.
Friday – Gina, Paul’s therapist (played by Dianne Wiest)
Paul has not spoken with his now-retired former colleague in nearly a decade, but he seeks her help after this particularly trying week. Their unresolved history and shared profession complicate their session, which reflects on his other sessions and hints at potential problems in his private life.
While the show’s format has been touted as groundbreaking, it deserves credit in that it doesn’t pretend to be more than it is. Each episode merely documents, in real-time, a single therapy session, beginning shortly before the session and ending as patients walk out the door. It has none of the bells or whistles of today’s more popular shows. That being said, suspense junkies and those with short attention spans need not apply.
In a sense “In Treatment” is the antithesis of the modern primetime series, which has become replete with walk-and-talk exposition, high speed banter, cliffhangers and closing music-montages. None of that here: the camera is static and music is used sparingly – usually soft, melancholy piano notes that linger like thoughts in Paul’s office.
The series takes place almost entirely in the same room and the actors are seated for most of the episode. Each episode begins, then pauses for a brief title card which gives way to the patient’s name and their appointment time before cutting back to the session. Apparently, Paul charges by the half-hour and one wonders how practical that may be for his patients, but it is just the right dose for entertainment purposes.
Dialogue drives the show and though the writing wouldn’t be considered witty or sharp, it does have its moments. “In my business, the customer is always wrong,” jokes Paul upon meeting a new patient.
The defining quality of the writing is its sense of authenticity. Nobody speaks easily and their words are thought out and guarded; they are quick to explain what they really meant. How the patients speak reveals aspects of their personality, their perspective and their problems. A great deal of the fun is in watching what Paul picks up on and why.
Ever the shrink, he is observant of word choice and as a result, lines of dialogue are constantly examined. What he uncovers makes us want to stick around for next week, because by the end of each episode we’re left with more questions than answers. Just like therapy.
And, like therapy, it’s apparent that the show’s effect will be cumulative, building over time as we delve deeper into the minds of Paul and those he helps. These premiere episodes all end in either frustration or disappointment, but it’s only the beginning. Viewers gets the sense that, with Paul’s help, these people will soon be making progress. But that all depends on the patients themselves
“In Treatment” airs 9:30 pm weeknights on HBO and episodes can also be viewed at hbo.com/intreatment.
