tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post566982132579375364..comments2024-03-28T18:01:28.997-04:00Comments on What's Alan Watching?: In Treatment: Week two in reviewAlan Sepinwallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03388147774725646742noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-12475467539225417992009-04-22T21:41:00.000-04:002009-04-22T21:41:00.000-04:00@Spiral Jacobs--that is EXACTLY what I thought wat...@Spiral Jacobs--that is EXACTLY what I thought watching Mia. If Paul had "convinced" her to have the baby (which I doubt he'd do anything of the sort) she'd blame him for the miserable life she had "stuck" in a crappy marriage with a man with no ambition and kids she hated. At any point before 43 she could've decided to adopt or foster, and with her income she'd be a likely candidate. The idea that she's sleeping with the boss that she so clearly hates is just one piece of obvious evidence at how much she hates herself and wants someone else to blame for her situation in life. Paul's a reasonable stand-in.<br /><br />I'm also enjoying the season more than the 1st (which I loved) because the characters are less...antagonistic than the first set (snappish Sophie, ridiculous Laura, frosty Amy, Alex). Well, except April, but she just seems in denial. She and Sophie are the most alike to me. But the others just seem so...lost and confused. And more obviously sad. I even enjoy the Gina sessions because Paul was such a jerk last year, and this year he seems to admit he needs guidance. And I LAUGHED when Gina played him like she was leaving and he was being such a petulant baby. Oh, grow up and get therapy already. Take your medicine!<br /><br />I still find it hard to understand his attentiveness with his daughter and not with his youngest son. That just doesn't make sense to me. Does that jive with the Paul character?<br /><br />After each episode ends I just want to see the next with that character--that's good writing. And they're all about equal for me. And I love the turtle as an extra character. I too was worried about the little guy...I kept thinking he would pop up and surprise Bess, or get stepped on. I think the turtle motif works.<br /><br />I only intend to watch an episode, and then I hammer out all 5. It's an excellent problem to have, but at this point I should know better! Better to watch them by week than a 40-episode long marathon!!erinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16186483042206438665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-28401485940070028682009-04-20T23:06:00.000-04:002009-04-20T23:06:00.000-04:00What a great week of performances on TV. First we ...What a great week of performances on TV. First we got the epic turtle appearance on In Treatment, then the amazing tortoise cameo on Breaking Bad. I'm left breathless.Hoof Heartedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11028242822358069172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-45618254558968188212009-04-18T22:44:00.000-04:002009-04-18T22:44:00.000-04:00It's interesting to me that some turtles are snapp...It's interesting to me that some turtles are snapping turtles...it could be said that some of Paul's patients "snap" at him. <br /><br />Do you think this is an accident?Turtle Scholarnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-32646839984669100002009-04-17T02:56:00.000-04:002009-04-17T02:56:00.000-04:00Turtles are actually a great metaphor for therapy....Turtles are actually a great metaphor for therapy. Most patients have a shell and Paul's job is to get them to come out of it long enough through therapy to see what's underneath. <br /><br />Therapy is a slow process, much like the speed at which a turtle moves.<br /><br />You might characterize a turtle as "shrinking" into his shell.<br /><br />Long live the turtle!!!Mike Fnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-61071541766964972562009-04-16T20:46:00.000-04:002009-04-16T20:46:00.000-04:00>>Ann from "Arrested Development")...>>Ann from "Arrested Development") -- who<br /><br />Of *course* the first word after the reference to Ann is "who"--awesome.tabernaclehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09270564558390860172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-77232918876896344732009-04-15T16:35:00.000-04:002009-04-15T16:35:00.000-04:00I wasn't being satirical when I mentioned the turt...I wasn't being satirical when I mentioned the turtle being this season's wave machine. I suspect the symbolism will grow as the season progresses.<br /><br />Also, I was discussing the show with a friend at lunch and he noted that the whereabouts of the turtle heightened his anxiety during the episode (I had the same reaction), which I'm sure was deliberate on the part of the writer.deznoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-9397168460806412322009-04-15T15:59:00.000-04:002009-04-15T15:59:00.000-04:00It's great to read other viewer's comments about t...It's great to read other viewer's comments about the episodes. You always point out perspectives that I had not considered and nuanced actor reactions that I hadn't paid enough attention to. Thanks, y'all.<br /><br />This season, for me, is a joy to watch. Gabriel Byrne has Paul down pat and together with the camera work they have mastered the ability to communicate to the viewers what is being kept from the patients. The dialogue drags a bit with all the reflective listening, but if anything it puts a realistic touch on the sessions. <br /><br />As for Walter, he is choosing to come to therapy which means it is his choice to reconcile his blissful ignorance with reality. Those two have been clashing for him for a while and his decision to work with Paul means for him it is time. I don't see his story having a happy ending though - he has much to wade through and it requires strength beyond appearances.<br /><br />It was interesting to me that Rosie told Paul something to the effect that he wasn't going to get any more hugs. I wondered if Paul's efforts to heal her pain were heavy on the affection and light on the communication which is the opposite of what he does in the chair. At least she came to visit him.<br /><br />Maybe Paul's lack of connection to Max reflects the lack of connection Paul has to his own childhood.<br /><br />There were enough references to the turtle, for example the shot at the end of the Oliver episode when he came out of his shell, and Rosie's discovery of the little guy, that I think we are being asked to have our attention drawn to him. Isn't the little turtle the most defenseless and pathetic of all? He is completely dependent on others for his life and livelihood. I have no idea what will happen to him but I'm interested in the welfare of the helpless little creature.<br /><br />I guess all we can do at this point is see what happens...AvgAmericannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-15553435635994243192009-04-15T14:37:00.000-04:002009-04-15T14:37:00.000-04:00I would suggest that the week's theme was "disappe...I would suggest that the week's theme was "disappearance." <br /><br />Paul asks April not to disappear. The turtle does disappear. Paul makes the crackling smart observation connecting Walter's anxiety for his daughter, his brother's death, and the guard Bob's disappearance. And then Paul tries to remember the past, which has disappeared on him, much like his mother. Where does Mia fit in all this disappearing? One could argue her non-existent child and the future she always wanted are a no-show. That might be pushing it, though. The others are real and could be capped off with Rosie's hug of her now disappeared dad. <br /><br />Oh, and sometimes a turtle is just a turtle. Although in this case, it IS probably more, darn it.Stellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10112192620531833304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-86122822016139086302009-04-14T22:58:00.000-04:002009-04-14T22:58:00.000-04:00I don't know if we're allowed to speculate on this...I don't know if we're allowed to speculate on this, but since this is In Treatment is it pretty much guaranteed that April also has parent (mostly father) issues? Like she was neglected by her parents because of her brother's condition and she resents it deep down even if she feels for her brother's illness. So she can't let herself be weak or let people help her that's what she resents about her home life because if she's getting cancer treatment and telling her folks then she becomes something like her brother.Ostiose Vagranthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18404514633964655982noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-39747081404083219112009-04-14T21:40:00.000-04:002009-04-14T21:40:00.000-04:00At this point, I really have no idea if all the tu...At this point, I really have no idea if all the turtle comments are satire or if there are a lot of you who are really, really into turtles.Alan Sepinwallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03388147774725646742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-58481900511418356432009-04-14T21:27:00.000-04:002009-04-14T21:27:00.000-04:00Does the turtle have a name?
I'm overjoyed they'...Does the turtle have a name? <br /><br />I'm overjoyed they've added a turtle this season! Was NOT expecting that.Kentucky Frednoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-58736898937100500472009-04-14T21:23:00.000-04:002009-04-14T21:23:00.000-04:00What I so desperately want Mia to realize is that,...What I so desperately want Mia to realize is that, if she had foregone law school to stay with Stevie and raise her child, no doubt she would resent the hell out of that life, too. She'd be railing about the brilliant law career she abandoned, how unfulfilled her life is, etc. What Mia doesn't seem to realize is that her life is screwed up because SHE made bad choices, and that her pregnancy left her stuck between two. Of course the road not traveled seems superior when you know where the road you chose leads. That does not mean the other path would have satisfied you either. There's no way for Paul to say that, of course, but that's the truth of Mia in my opinion.The Gregarious Misanthropehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03538131895960750996noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-81019042719034724162009-04-14T12:47:00.000-04:002009-04-14T12:47:00.000-04:00Part of my loathing for Laura last season was Meli...Part of my loathing for Laura last season was Melissa George's portrayal. She wasn't convincing as a physician nor as someone Paul would love, and she had almost no control of her accent which came and went randomly throughout the season. It was distracting when all season I kept second-guessing the actor choice for Laura. This year, the cast is 100 percent top rate, and I'm loving it. I can't even pick a favorite story line this year because they're all equally good.LAnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-41166790288222147762009-04-14T12:15:00.000-04:002009-04-14T12:15:00.000-04:00I love this season. John Mahoney is my favorite ne...I love this season. John Mahoney is my favorite new patient so far. The character is great and of course, John Mahoney playing him brings it to another level, he's tremendous. At some point this season, I imagine that everythngn he has been willing himself not to feel his entire life is going to start surfacing and that is going to be something to see...look out, Paul. <br /><br />I watched all 5 episodes in a row last night -- I love this show but there was no way I wasn't going to watch the "Rock of Love Bus" finale on Sunday at 9pm -- and while 2.5 hours of TV is a lot in one sitting, it's definitely the best way to watch it. <br /><br />I have had zero success talking anyone into watching this show, people I know would love it if they gave it a chance. The concept just turns them off, or I'm explaining it really poorly.kathynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-65377571520350548172009-04-14T12:07:00.000-04:002009-04-14T12:07:00.000-04:00Dan,
Be'Tipul had two seasons, and so far, no thi...Dan,<br /><br />Be'Tipul had two seasons, and so far, no third season has been announced. (Of courde, Hagai Levi is a little busy with the american version these days...)Odednoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-10546033797188522792009-04-14T11:47:00.000-04:002009-04-14T11:47:00.000-04:00I am hoping that the turtle is a recurring charact...<I>I am hoping that the turtle is a recurring character throughout the remainder of season 2.</I>I think the turtle is this season's wave machine (which is now located in Paul's "waiting room").<br /><br />Speaking of the turtle's symbolism: I thought it was interesting that when Paul discovers Oliver left it behind, the turtle is hiding in its shell, only poking its head out after Oliver & family have left.<br /><br />As painful as it will be, Walter does need to confront his problems because he's been suffering too long and confronting his issues means he can live the rest of his life pain-free (or at least, panic-attack-free). He's so screwed up that he has panic attacks <I>in his sleep</I>. Poor guy needs a break.<br /><br />I doubt Paul told Mia to have an abortion; she's just put the blame on him for her life not turning out how she thought it would. A good therapist guides a patient to her own revelations and doesn't make decisions for her (except in extreme cases, of course). I trust Paul's memory on this more than Mia's at this point.<br /><br />The sessions with Gina and April rocked this week. Looking forward to more unraveling in those eps.<br /><br />Finally: I like turtles. I'm glad no one stepped on the poor thing while they were storming around Paul's office :-)deznoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-54037904571014660972009-04-14T10:46:00.000-04:002009-04-14T10:46:00.000-04:00I've taken to watching the April episodes twice (o...I've taken to watching the April episodes twice (once on Sunday, and again before the new episodes on Monday), and I noticed this time that although she talks about how much she wanted to dissociate while having sex with Kevin that last time, when she describes the act itself, it's very much in that out-of-body tone. I don't know what that means, but I found it interesting.S. Tarzannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-76602149175806685432009-04-14T10:26:00.000-04:002009-04-14T10:26:00.000-04:00Is anyone else annoyed by the challenges to DVRing...Is anyone else annoyed by the challenges to DVRing this show? By scheduling the episodes each night with weird start/end times, the last minutes/seconds of each episode gets cut off and "added" to the beginning of the next ep. Obviously, you only miss a few seconds, but that along with the choppiness of stopping then starting watching really takes away from the experience for me. <br /><br />It's not a big deal, and I've changed to a manual recording of just the full time slots on each night, but you'd think HBO would be more in tune to this kind of thing. Or did they do that on purpose to undermine the DVRing?TChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06542160924795802592noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-79892727195743040812009-04-14T07:25:00.000-04:002009-04-14T07:25:00.000-04:00Wow, who would've thought that with all the wonder...Wow, who would've thought that with all the wonderful performances we're getting this season, the biggest raves and lengthiest discussion would be for a turtle.<br /><br />I'm enjoying the touches of humor this season, and not just with the turtle. The first thing I noticed when I saw Rosie was her hair, and not a split second later, we learn that she and Kate were discussing that very thing.<br /><br />I'm sure there will be other thematic parallels with the turtle in the future, but I hope it doesn't become <I>that</I> loaded. The symbolism of the turtle's green color is a bit strained, in my opinion. I thought same thing about the "black and blue" symbolism Mia observed, but it was a throwaway comment, and it illustrated the excess meaning with which she infused her past experience with Paul.<br /><br />I'm actually surprised at how much the events of last season are figuring in so far, and it's looking like it's only going to intensify as this season progresses.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-50767068763954650962009-04-14T05:28:00.000-04:002009-04-14T05:28:00.000-04:00The turtle is adorable. I'm so glad they decided t...The turtle is adorable. I'm so glad they decided to add a turtle character into the storyline this season. <br /><br />My favorite patient so far this season however happens to be April. I think this season could possibly be better than the first season. In the first season there was one day I had virtually no interest in: the Jake and Amy story. Just boring to me. <br /><br />This season I think all of the characters are great, and they took it to an even higher level by adding a turtle character this week. The first season was brilliant but this season looks to be even better. I have a feeling this will be remembered as "The Turtle Season" when people discuss the series of In Treatment as a whole in future years. <br /><br />I wonder how many seasons there are going to be. How long did the Israeli version last? I could see the show lasting quite awhile really. A psychologist always has new patients after all, or it'd even be interesting to bring back a patient from a previous season and see what they're up to. <br /><br />I am really looking forward to the Oliver episode next week to see Paul give the turtle back, and I'm also interested to see if Mia or particularly April will have any scenes with the turtle. Presumably Paul is keeping the Turtle until his next session with Oliver and his parents, so the turtle should still be there when Mia and April have their next sessions. <br /><br />My fear though is what will happen in the following weeks. How will the turtle remain an aspect of the story if Oliver takes it home? It's too early in the season to kill it off. Maybe Oliver will be upset that he'd forgot the turtle, and think he's not able to take care of it? Maybe he will leave it with Paul? Maybe in the finale episode for Oliver, he will take the turtle back, finally having the self-confidence to accept the responsibility? I hope something like this happens, then the turtle will have the potential to appear every week and have some kind of interaction with all of the characters.Dannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-90849712962209881582009-04-14T03:39:00.000-04:002009-04-14T03:39:00.000-04:00I am hoping that the turtle is a recurring charact...I am hoping that the turtle is a recurring character throughout the remainder of season 2. <br /><br />My favorite animal is a turtle and I think having a turtle as a recurring character adds an incredibly intriguing twist to an already compelling show. <br /><br />What, for example, is symbolized by the fact that both young Oliver and Paul placed the turtle in an inadequate habitat? Oliver had the turtle in a tupperware container in his backpack, and Paul has placed it in a small bowl.<br /><br />The turtle clearly requires a decent sized aquarium to be happy.<br /><br />The turtle may also be a symbol, for example, what color is a turtle? A turtle is green. Isn't it true that some of the characters are "GREEN with envy"???? April is envious of her exes new girlfriend, Mia is envious of those with children, Walter is envious of his brother, Oliver is envious of those children who are skinny and popular, and Paul is no doubt envious of those with less complicated jobs. <br /><br />Green is a color associated with envy and jealousy, so is it a coincidence that a turtle too is green? I doubt it. <br /><br />Let us also remember that a turtle is a creature who can be afraid to come out of its shell. A turtle likes to hide from its problems. A turtle retreats within itself for protection. Is this not exactly what many of Paul's patients are doing, most notably April and Walter? Indeed, they are very similar to a turtle. <br /><br />It seems that there are many layers of symbolism within the turtle character. <br /><br />What does it mean that the turtle escaped from Oliver? What does it mean that the next day the turtle was attempting to escape from the bowl? <br /><br />Is this foreshadowing? Will one of Paul's patients try to escape from him? Or does it simply mean that the patients are resisting Paul's efforts? <br /><br />There are a lot of clues embodied in the turtle character, and I think we should follow his actions and developments closely for clues to potential character and plot developments in future episodes.Gregory Sarmznoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-91993438398839411022009-04-14T02:57:00.000-04:002009-04-14T02:57:00.000-04:00I find myself reacting to Bess because I know a wo...I find myself reacting to Bess because I know a woman who coddles her son the same way. If only the boy I know in real life was as perceptive as Oliver, but in fact, he's turned into a sad case of arrested development. <br /><br />And why do I feel like the turtle is Chekhov's gun?LAnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-19656018132671158492009-04-14T01:14:00.000-04:002009-04-14T01:14:00.000-04:00I think I was most moved by Paul's realization abo...I think I was most moved by Paul's realization about why Alex did the things he did with Laura.Oaktown Girlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00811331454878606058noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17517257.post-89376618366424802822009-04-14T00:59:00.000-04:002009-04-14T00:59:00.000-04:00I feel cheated about my elementary school experien...I feel cheated about my elementary school experience. I was never once given a free pet turtle.Turtles Are GOODnoreply@blogger.com