Wherein We Find Ourselves In Treatment

I was going to use this opportunity to write a Motherboy post (don't worry Alia, it's coming!) but I figured it'd be better if I wrote it at actual Motherboy time. So this post is going to be all about my TV therapist.

My mom, who is herself a therapist (and not a psychologist or an analyst, which I think has been greatly beneficial to my personal well-being), turned me on to In Treatment. I mean, I had obviously heard about it, but the whole concept sounded a little intense and not really something I could get into. But then, with the Netflix DVD laying around on Thanksgiving break, I watched the first few episodes and immediately moved on to the rest.

In Treatment is a fascinating character study. It's a telling testament to the immense skills of Gabriel Byrne that he is able to carry every single episode of this show on his back. Even when his patients lose my interest, I'm still invested in how Paul will be affected by them.

Let's back up a little. For those of you who don't know, In Treatment is about a psychologist, Paul Weston, who, when the series begins, is treating patients out of his home office in Baltimore, MD. Part of the fun of this show is getting a glimpse of something that is normally considered forbidden, even illegal to disclose: private therapy sessions. The first client we see is a trainwreck of a woman named Laura, who is clearly suffering from a terrible case of transference that Paul doesn't seem to know how to handle. From there we see that each of his following patients are reflective of a part of Paul's own life as he struggles to keep his family together and maintain some sanity for himself.

The last episode of each week is devoted to Paul's own therapy sessions, beginning with Gina (Dianne Weist) and, in the recently completed third season, moving on to Adele (played by the incomparable Amy Ryan). In these sessions we get to see Paul removed from the position of evaluative power that he usually assumes and put into a place of vulnerability. He clearly isn't very comfortable with such a position, and his relationships with Gina (who used to be his supervisor, which those familiar with the study of psychology will know is quite unusual and probably problematic) and Adele showcase that discomfort. The Paul who appears in his own therapy sessions is quite different from the capable Dr. Weston we usually see, easily helping his own patients.

And he is, in all honestly, quite a capable psychotherapist. He truly does connect with and help most of his patients, when he's not crossing boundaries or trying to solve his own problems through the treatment of others. As anyone who went to college or has spent any time studying psychology knows, psychologists are often just as crazy as any of their patients, and Paul is no different. But some of the most moving contrasts in the show are between the way he relates to his patients versus the way he relates to his friends and family. Especially since he does such a great job with all of his child/teenage patients (in fact, in each respective season, Sophie/Oliver/Jesse have all been my favorites) it is very tough to watch him try to carry on those skills and relate to his own children, because he simply doesn't know how to be a good dad without also being his childrens' therapist. Again, boundary issues arise.

Being an HBO show, In Treatment also has top-notch production values. The direction and cinematography are brilliantly contained and executed. Even though there are only two or three people in each scene, the relationships and the facial nuances are all captured to perfection. The set design is clearly purposeful and detailed, even as Dr. Weston's office changes each season, it changes the represent and reflect Paul's life. It really is like getting a glimpse into a private therapy session. The acting is also astoundingly top-notch. There are no false notes, no boring characters. Each patient is fully realized and fleshed-out and inhabited completely by the actor playing them. Top marks go to Mia Wasikowska (Sophie), Blair Underwood (Alex), Debra Winger (Francis), John Mahoney (Walter), Aaron Grady Shaw (Oliver) and Irrfan Khan (Sunil). But of course, the tippity-toppest marks go to Gabriel Byrne, who continues to play Paul with such intense depth that I found myself occasionally forgetting he was an actor in a role. The uniqueness of In Treatment requires a uniquely talented actor, and I'm not sure I could see anyone else being as successful in the role.

As with all of these entire-show recaps I do, I don't want to give too much away. Suffice to say that each season brings its own challenges and favorite patients, and that Dr. Weston continues to grow and evolve. Watching In Treatment, especially so intensely one after the other, was, for me, a little like being in therapy myself. Francis questions her narcissistic tendencies and so do I. Sophie buries her depression under a mask - I question my own depressive patterns. Laura uses men and sex as a palliative comfort and I evaluate my own strange predatory predilections. Paul pushes people away and then struggles with loneliness, and my solitary tendencies push to the forefront of my mind. Just as the sessions we see often tell us more about Paul than the patients themselves, watching In Treatment may tell you more about yourself than you were expecting to learn.

In Treatment just completed its third season on HBO. You can find links online HERE, or rent in on Le Netflix. Enjoy your free therapy!

Images via  Web TV Wire, Amoeba