There was never a lot of buzz about this under-the-radar drama, but there should have been because it’s excellent television. It’s a unique show, seeing as the majority of every episode takes place in one room, where two people sitting in chairs have a conversation. That may not sound very entertaining, but if you’re a lover of good acting and great dialogue, you’re in for a treat with In Treatment.
Based on an Israeli TV series, In Treatment tells the story of psychiatrist Dr. Paul Weston and his patients. Each of the half-hour episodes is devoted to a single therapy session with one of three regular patients we get to know over the course of the third season. Each episode is designated with a specific day of the week, and the episodes rotate in that order. The Friday session is when Paul goes to see his own analyst. Each of Dr. Weston’s patients affects him personally in different ways, which he tries to work out in his own sessions.
Dr. Paul Weston (Exceptionally well played by Gabriel Byrne) is an experienced analyst whose life is just as screwed up as his patient’s lives are. He’s still reeling from a divorce several years earlier, and his ex-wife’s impending marriage is not making it any easier for him to deal with. He is struggling to connect with his two kids, feeling threatened by their new step-father. On top of all that, he fears that the hand tremors he is experiencing are the onset of Parkinson’s disease, which killed his father. Needless to say, Paul is not a happy man. Neither are his patients.
There are three regular patients on the show in season three (reduced from four in the previous seasons). The first and most interesting is Sunil (Played by Irrfan Kahn, from The Namesake and Slumdog Millionaire). Sunil is a retired math teacher from India whose wife has passed away. Without work and in debt from his late-wife’s medical bills, he is forced to come to America to live with his son and daughter-in-law Julia. Julia (Sonya Walger) and Sunil hate each other and Sunil suspects her of being unfaithful to his son. Worse, he feels he is a burden and has no purpose in life. Sunil begins therapy reluctantly at his son’s request but he and Dr. Weston soon start to form a bond. Weston begins to see aspects of himself in Sunil. Their sessions together are riveting.
The Tuesday sessions with Frances (Debra Winger) are the weakest segments of the season. Frances is a successful but aging actress whose career is winding down and who is dealing with a long-time sibling rivalry with her sister, who is less successful but apparently much happier. Winger looks great and her performance is strong. Her often flirtatious interactions with Dr. Weston are charged with sexual chemistry. However, her particular storyline and the way she affects him are more bland than the other stories.
Jesse (Dane DeHaan), the Wednesday patient, is the other extreme. The story sometimes goes a bit too far regarding angst and dramatic situations. Jesse is an adopted, gay teenager with anger and behavior issues. His adoptive parents send him to treatment on the advice of his guidance counselor. Jesse tries repeatedly to shock Weston with his sexual adventurism but the Doc has heard it all before. After a few episodes, Jesse gets a letter from his biological parents and who want to see him. Jesse debates leaving his adoptive parents and going to live with these people who he’s built up to fantasy proportions.
Weston’s sessions with his own analyst Adele (Amy Ryan) are excellently done. Part of Paul’s angst is that his previous psychiatrist (Played by Dianne Wiest, who won an Emmy for her performance) quit to become a famous author and the book she wrote has a character clearly based on Weston, and the image is not a flattering one. The new analyst seems rather icy at first but Weston begins to grow closer to her and even become attracted to her. Adele is very guarded and very shrewd, and remains mostly a mystery to us.
The Sunil and Adele episodes are brilliant and the highlights of the season. The other two, Jesse and Frances, have some pretty good moments but not of the same caliber. The acting is superb throughout the whole third season and the often chess-like dialogue between doctor and patients will probably have you hooked.
DVD Bonus Features
There are no extras on this DVD.
"In Treatment: Season Three" is on sale October 4, 2011 and is not rated. Drama. Directed by Courtney Hunt, Jim Mccay , Paris Barclay. Written by Rodrigo Garcia, Nir Bergman, Hagai Levi, Ori Sivan, Sarah Treem, Anya Epstein, Dan Futterman. Starring Amy Ryan, Dane Dehaan, Debra Winger, Gabriel Byrne, Iffran Kahn.
