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| Star Gabriel Byrne looks professional and somewhat apprehensive poster for Rodrigo Garcia's In Treatment - season 1, which also teases his five weakly sessions |
Paul Weston is a middle-aged psychologist, who sees patients in his home practice in Baltimore: Laura is a young woman with a bewildered romantic and sexual life, who becomes erotically fixated on Paul. Alex is a navy pilot, who is in a state of denial following his involvement in a deadly bombing attack in Iraq with a high number of children casualties. Sophie is a young, obstinate patient who seeks a mental validation but actually harbors suicidal thoughts that revolve around her affair with her gym coach. Amy and Jake go in for couples' therapy, presenting their deeply unhappy marriage, seeking to get Paul to decide if they should chose an abortion. On Fridays Paul visits his own former therapist and professional help Gina, opening up about professional frustrations and getting analyzed by her in ways that often antagonize him and provoke rude responses.
While Paul's own marriage deteriorates, he also fights against Gina's insistence that he confront and end his sessions with Laura, whom he - in her opinion - cannot help due to her erotic transference. Several of the patients don't seem to improve: Laura attaches herself to Alex for sex, which helps neither of them; Jake and Amy struggle with renewed agony when the pregnancy is lost; and Sophie is revealed to have attempted suicide and even attempts again in Paul's home.
Paul also falls for Laura and is heavily attacked for it by both Gina and his cheating wife Kate, who accompanies him to some sessions with Gina. Jake and Amy's marriage falls apart, partly due to her adultery, in a parallel to Paul and Kate's marriage, which also hits the rocks. SPOILER Paul's inability to save his patients comes to an extreme end with Alex, who perishes in a flight accident, whereas Sophie does develop and improve slowly during the season's 9 weeks of sessions, confronting her previously absent father in her last episode. Paul moves to express his romantic feelings to Laura in the final episode, which provokes a panic attack, and he suddenly sees clearly and is past the relation, but asks Gina at his session, troubled; "What is left for me?" To which she gives a typical true shrink answer, "We'll have to talk about that."
In Treatment - season 1 is developed and co-written by Rodrigo García (Blue (2012-14)), based on the Israeli TV-series BeTipul (2005-08)) by Hagai Levi, Ori Sivan and Nir Bergman.
It is an intense and at times exhausting watch, with some episodes and the general, oppressive tone sometimes in danger of coming over as agonizing. It is consistently heavy and at times very tiring, (especially the marriage counseling.) At first the exercise of watching therapeutic sessions, even fictional ones, feels voyeuristic and transgressive. And one may get the thought that therapy may be rich peoples' most awful luxury. But for the psychologically interested, In Treatment - season 1 is very worthwhile.
This is especially due to the unflinching and highly focused concept and the magnificent performances: Everyone in the cast are good: Behind Gabriel Byrne's (Miller's Crossing (1990)) tough, doubtful, unhappy Weston, - a man you may well become quite frustrated with here, - are patient performances that throw you backwards with their intensity and veracity: Mia Wasikowska (Blackbird (2019)) is a revelation and deeply moving as the provocative, sometimes mendacious Sophie, probably the season's most moving character. Blair Underwood (Origin (2023)) is terrific as the doomed Alex. Dianne Wiest (The Mule (2018)) is strong as the at times overbearing Gina.
Best episodes:
2: Alex, Week 1 - Written by García, Levi; directed by García
Alex has bombed 16 children in Iraq and deals with a personal experience with death as well, passive aggressive and in denial.
13: Sophie, Week 3 - Written by Sarah Treem (House of Cards, TV-series (2013)), Levi, García; directed by Christopher Misiano (Emergence, TV-series (2019))
We finally arrive at Sophie's secret relationship with her coach Cy and its disastrous consequences. Wasikowska is amazing.
18: Sophie, Week 4 - Written by Treem, García, Levi; directed by García
Shocking episode of the aftermath of Sophie's breaking the silence
27: Alex, Week 6 - Written by Bryan Goluboff (George & Tammy, TV-series (2022)), García, Levi; directed by Melanie Mayron (Dynasty (2018-21))
Paul apologizes for an outburst the previous week, and Alex shares stories from his childhood and ruminations as to his military future and his sexuality.
32: Alex, Week 7 - Written by Goluboff, García, Levi; directed by Paris Barclay (The Watcher, TV-series (2022))
Alex is returning to the military, re-examining his relationships to his wife, father and son, and pressuring Paul to green-light his pursuit, already in uniform.
38: Sophie, Week 8 - Written by Treem, García, Levi; directed by Barclay
Sophie shows real progress in connection to her broken down family and connection to her alienated father, attempting to forgive herself.
Related posts:
Rodrigo García: 2011 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]
2011 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]
Albert Nobbs (2011) - Glenn Close's triumphant, tender tranformation in García's great film
Carnivàle - 1st season (2003, TV-series) - Grand but oft clotted-up period mystery show
Watch a trailer for the TV-series here
Cost: Unknown
Box office: None - TV-series
= Uncertain
[In Treatment - season 1 debuted 28 January - 28 March (HBO) and runs 43 episodes of an average 25 minutes each, coming to approximately 1,075 minutes. Shooting took place in Los Angeles, California. The viewer ratings are regrettably not public information. The season was nominated for 4 Emmys, winning 2 and 5 Golden Globes, winning one, and an AFI award, among other honors. The creators and Byrne returned for season 2 in 2009. Also in 2008, Byrne acted in Still Birth Chicken (2008, short), Live from Lincoln Center (2008, TV-series) and 2:22 (2008, uncredited). In Treatment - season 1 is certified fresh at 78 % with a 6.10/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]
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