IN TREATMENT Preview: Season 2, Week 2

By Norm Schrager at April 12, 2009 | 12:27 pm | Print

Before we get into this week’s episodes, a shoutout to Byrneholics Online, devoted to In Treatment star Gabriel Byrne. Site owners Yan and Stella mentioned our In Treatment coverage saying, “I think they offer us everything we need, except the Milk Duds!” The most flattering comment ever. You Byrne fans should check out their site. On to this week’s summaries:

:: Mia (Episode #49)

Mia (Hope Davis) has surrendered Paul’s lawsuit to another member of her firm, and begins weekly therapy with the same man who treated her 21 years earlier. This time around seems even tougher than the first: Mia discusses her success, loneliness and the person she blames for most of it. Hint: You know him pretty well.

I had expected Davis to rehash some character traits from previous movies, combining confusion and anger, but her performance feels a bit fresher than those expectations. She’s believable as the blueprint “strong woman” who ignores her foibles, and is aggressive enough to put Paul on his heels.

:: April (Episode #50)

April may have cancer, but this episode had me laughing more than any other. Chalk that up to Alison Pill’s strong comic timing, as she pratically begs Paul to let her use his phone at the beginning of the session. The reason: She has to call her ex’s new girlfriend, so she can have the satisfaction of hanging up on her.

During the episode, Paul ends up in his own waiting room (you’ll see), and becomes more explicit about his responsibilities in caring for April. We all know it twists into his fear of suicidal patients, but she seems to appreciate the effort and the connection.

The interplay between Byrne and Pill is enjoyable, but I’m finding the latter to be working a little too hard. The various actors on the show have a natural ease in their approach — John Mahoney, especially — but Pill appears to be acting. We’ll see where it goes.

:: Oliver (Episode #51)

I’ve previously mentioned my admiration for director Ryan Fleck (Half Nelson), and the guy hits a massive homerun with this episode. This is the closest any In Treatment entry has come to feeling like a theatrical film. Fleck places the actors in telling positions — how about Oliver (Aaron Shaw) in Paul’s chair and Paul on the floor? — and utilizes a shooting style that’s perfect for conversational tension, most effective when Oliver and his parents are in treatment at the same time.

In just two episodes, the Oliver story has a palpable sadness, even though young Shaw hasn’t fully displayed it yet. It’s in the storytelling, and it’s in Byrne’s reactions. This one feels like it’s gonna be a doozy.

:: Walter (Episode #52)

John Mahoney may be the finest actor of this season’s stock, and his second episode of the season supports that. He softens up a bit — just a bit — providing Paul the details of his panic attacks, and how they date back to age 6. The revelations begin to emerge (think Ordinary People) but Mahoney prevents them from feeling like a soap opera. There’s even an unneccesary bit of music cue that Mahoney’s performance battles back, keeping us involved in this guy’s increasingly complex story. This one will be the jigsaw puzzle of the season.

Speaking of music cues, this season already seems to have too many. The In Treatment directors use zooms and dolly shots very carefully — wisely enough to impart drama, so we don’t need the extra oomph. Often, there’s more intensity in the lack of music. See for yourself, and let us know what you think.

:: Gina (Episode #53)

What can I say, Paul is a basket case. Here’s another instance of his let’s-have-a-session, let’s-not-have-a-session routine with Gina… of course, you know where that ends up.

Paul delves into his teenage years, and there’s a lot of heavy static there. Gina sets up a challenge: Figure out the details of one particular night, no matter what it takes.

It’s always entertaining to see Byrne play the Mr. Hyde half of Paul Weston, with all his rambling and complaining. Byrne’s performance lets us sympathize and chuckle at the same time, no easy feat. If Walter’s storyline is the season’s jigsaw puzzle, Paul’s may be the Sherlock Holmes’ style mystery.

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