Wednesday, February 13, 2008

In Treatment: Episode 12....the sub-blog


[Posted by Clink (thank you!) Commentary by dinah]

I think I may have reached a new low in blogging. I am posting a blank post.

Dinah called me when I was on my way home from work to ask me to put up a blank "In Treatment" post so that people would have some place to comment on the show until she could get to the blog.

_____________

Okay, so this episode, Alex returns to see Paul with a top-of-the-line Italian espresso maker gift gotten off EBay, well, I found myself dozing.

Alex brings the gift, a dig at Paul's awful coffee from the week before, he walks in, moves a model ship, a family photo, sets it up, starts brewing. Paul clearly feels invaded and uncomfortable, they agree it will stay for the duration of Alex's treatment.

Alex talks about his family: his friendless geek son whom he finally realized is happy with himself, his successful wife, his virtuoso mother, his philandering father. Oh, and he left his wife Michaela. Paul draws parallels between Alex and his father, we see the anxiety this brings out in Paul who is dealing with his own lovelorn marriage.

Guess what? Alex met Laura outside and they went out. Alex figures shrinks don't like that, that there are ethical issues for the shrink (huh?).

So I don't know what this episode was really about, it was pretty boring. Power, I guess, the two men struggle with every aspect of their relationship-- will Paul accept the espresso maker, will Alex date his patient, will Alex accept Paul's interpretations of his family dynamics?

Lacking is substance, is that what ClinkShrink said?? Actually I think the show is a pretty good springboard for discussion. I do hear that some folks are tired of it....we'll try to mix it up. Roy? Roy? What's going on down there.....

11 comments:

Midwife with a Knife said...

I believe this show is really all about beverages now. Sometimes a cup of coffee is just a cup of coffee?

Seriously, I'm in the lab, I'm going to be here until at least midnight working on an experiment, and I got bored waiting through a 3 hour and then a 2 hour incubation period. I'm currently working my way through the whole week. Wednesday's (Sophie) was actually good, I thought.

chartreuse said...

I thought the first two weeks of it were not very good, but I enjoyed the third week very much, particularly the Sophie episode. (itunes has episodes 1-15 currently available for free!) So if you can stand to wait a bit, Clink, you may find you enjoy future episodes more.

Anonymous said...

thank goodness. i was about to remove shrink rap from my rss feed then this gift -- no in treatment blog post. sorry for the snark. i just miss the 'good ol' daze'.

ClinkShrink said...

MWAK: Aack, good luck. Hope you get the results you want.

Chartreuse: I'm sure you're right, but I'd still rather wait for the shows I'd rather see.

Anon: You're welcome. And I love the word 'snark'.

Midwife with a Knife said...

clink: Ack indeed, I'm still here, and hoping to get out by 1am.

Anonymous said...

It's not just you.

ClinkShrink said...

No, I said it was "painfully silly". And I can't believe you edited out my commentary---don't I get an opinion about the show?

Anonymous said...

I'm enjoying reading about your reactions in here. The show's boring me mostly now (except for sophie I like her) But I'm still watching it because the dialog that it's starting here is interesting to follow

Anonymous said...

As a MSW student learning how to be a therapist. I find the show interesting.

I try to think of how I would respond, where I would go, etc... if I was in Paul's shoes.

Every once in a while I have an ah-ha moment when I see paul make a "mistake." Although it is very good.

Anonymous said...

I think Alex was "pissing around the parameter," you know, staking his territory as Alpha-males do. When I have taken an object(gift) in to my therapist it was because I thought if I left something ther. she would remember me from week to week, some kind of object permamnance thing. Also, I knew it was an artificial relationship and that she saw other clients so I wanted my area of the office.

mischievium said...

I am just now catching up with the series, but what stuck me about this episode was the clues that Alex was dropping that Paul missed (and this is perhaps where his preoccupation with Laura affected his ability to work with Alex).

For example, Alex met Laura because he showed up a day early for his appointment-- he didn't know what day it was. We all make mistakes, but this is a guy who prides himself on precision. In his brief conversation with Laura, Alex explains he was up all night. If Paul had a least asked Alex about confusing the days, he might have gone down the path of asking about his sleep. It may have been a big clue to Alex's emotional state and functionality.