Review of “In Treatment” for the Gazette

“In treatment” is very similar to what it would be like if anyone could spy on patients while they talked to their shrinks. In fact it’s probably about just as good or better because you don’t have to feel guilty about it, because in this case it’s legal and because your couch is probably more comfortable than anywhere you might have spied from.

Adhering so far to juicy sexual, emotional, gut wrenching and controversial issues, the series focuses around the work of psychoanalyst Paul Weston, played by Gabriel Byrne, who seems to be “in treatment” himself. His sessions vary widely in tone and topic; Laura with love trouble, Alex with guilt trouble, Sophie with sanity trouble and Jake and Mary with abortion trouble.

This unlikely mesh of people has at least one thing in common however. They all seem to be at war with Paul in every session, forcing him to fight for every psychological victory. This seems to be the form in which Paul’s own problems are manifesting themselves, where he was once able to preserve his patience with his patients (a pun used in the show). Frustration building, he decides to visit Gina an old friend and supervising colleague, who he hasn’t seen in ten years, to see if she can explain his professional downturn. In this way ‘In Treatment’ is different from the everyday psychology session because; what does therapy really mean anymore when the psychoanalyst is the one that is being analyzed?

Well, psychoanalysis isn’t the same as regular psychology. Psychoanalysis is Sigmund Freud’s approach in psychology which works on the basis that people have sabotaging thoughts and mental processes that they are not conscious of and which will continue to weak havoc unless brought to light in “treatment”. So it would make sense that Paul, apparently making the same mistake as his patients, would have to go see another person to figure out his problems right? Maybe, but it’s so interesting to be in the mind of the psychologist for a change that it doesn’t really matter.

“In Treatment” should really be called “In therapy.” It is closer to the truth. “Treatment” sounds so civilized, like the application of a band aid to a wound. But therapy can better express the mood of the show, because behind Paul’s calm face, the pretty furniture and apparent scientific methodological approach there is a wave of conflict and tension that practically emanates from the TV screen. Every patient seems to represent an almost barbaric nature and with every response Paul is forced to rally back with the proper civilized nature that masks the surfacing emotions that he is scared he can’t control anymore. Watching “In Treatment” is really like indulging in a guilty pleasure that normally wouldn’t be permitted. It may be a just a show but it has all the realness that one could hope for and a few more perks to it to boot.