HBO Again Turns to People With Problems
By Alan Pergament
One of the oldest bits of Hollywood advice is "write what you know." So it shouldn’t be surprising that HBO is premiering a new series at 9:30 p.m. Monday, "In Treatment," about a psychotherapist.
After all, everyone knows that many actors and writers may spend years of their life on the couch — so they know this subject thoroughly.
Unfortunately, a couch potato just may fall asleep watching therapist Paul Weston (Gabriel Byrne of "The Usual Suspects") listen to his patients and ask, "How did that make you feel?"
Following in the tradition of the previous HBO series with depressing elements such as "Six Feet Under,""The Sopranos" and last summer’s joyless series about marriage and relationships, "Tell Me That You Love Me,""In Treatment" makes you wonder about the psyche of HBO executives. They apparently think viewers want to watch people with as many or more problems than their own.
Based on a hit Israeli series, "In Treatment" is more interesting as an acting exercise than it is as entertainment. The acting is often mesmerizing in what are essentially half-hour, one-act plays that almost entirely deal with Weston and his patients in his home office. But the show is often painful and uncomfortable to watch.
The most original part of the series is its format and scheduling. Starting Monday, episodes air at 9:30 p.m. daily Monday through Friday for nine weeks with the same patient returning the same night each week.
Melissa George ("Alias") stars as Laura, Monday’s conflicted patient. She is trying to decide whether to accept a marriage proposal ultimatum while attempting to seduce her therapist by trying to draw out personal information from him. "You look so sad," says Laura. "It looks good on you."
"I don’t think anybody looks better when they are sad," replies Paul.
On Tuesdays, Blair Underwood ("L.A. Law,""Dirty Sexy Money") stars as Alex, a Navy pilot who claims to be guilt-free despite accidentally bombing innocent people in Iraq and can’t wait for the sessions to end. "How much longer do we have?" asks Alex. Viewers may relate.
On Wednesdays, Mia Wasikowska ("Suburban Mayhem") stars as Sophie, a 16-year-old Olympic gymnast hopeful who has two broken arms from an accident that some people feel and fear may have been done purposely.
Embeth Davidtz ("June Bug") and Josh Charles ("Sports Night") play a mismatched married couple, Amy and Jake, who are at odds over whether to go through with a pregnancy in the Thursday episodes.
Paul is the final patient, seeking counsel about his self-doubts from a retired therapist, Dr. Gina Toll (Dianne Wiest of "Hannah and Her Sisters"), with whom he has a professional history. Paul, it seems, is losing some professional confidence and suspicious of the behavior of his unhappy wife, Kate (Michelle Forbes of "Kalifornia").
In his visits with Gina, we learn what Paul really feels about his patients, his life and his wife. It is as sad as Laura suspects. A scene in the show’s second week between Paul and his wife is particularly uncomfortable to watch. And powerful.
After watching the first two weeks of episodes, it is clear that the series is designed to play out like a mystery. Each week, viewers will learn more about the patients as they drop in information about their pasts.
They often aren’t being truthful with Paul — or with themselves – - as they try to confront their fears. Paul uses his instincts to try and find the hidden messages his patients are delivering and the patients often don’t like his assessments.
The patients can be smart, feisty, angry, flirtatious and argumentative. They want Paul to help them arrive at answers that they often don’t want to confront.
Using a repertoire of subtle acting techniques and expressions, Byrne is perfect as a passive therapist who rarely loses his cool when tested unless he’s dealing with his wife. He is so in control that he comes across as a bit dull, which doesn’t make for the most exciting lead character.
Viewers will have the option of following only the patients they can relate to or are interested in. My favorite patient is Laura, Miss Monday. George is gorgeous and brings enough passion in her role for both herself and the therapist. Underwood is as solid as ever. Davidtz is brilliant as a powerful wife who could be a member of ABC’s "Cashmere Mafia" and has married beneath herself. Charles is just as powerful opposite Davidtz as the insecure, suspicious husband who seems to be testing his wife’s love.
As Sophie, Wasikowska gives such an intense, nuanced performance that you feel like you are watching the next Jodie Foster. Sophie’s story is the second most interesting and complicated in the series.
In a sense, "In Treatment" is an actor’s paradise that could become lost in the show’s nightmarish themes.
If "In Treatment" fails to turn on audiences as much as it does the performers, there will be no mystery about why. Sadly, it is just too depressing to be loved.
***
In Treatment
3 stars (Out of 4)