Andreas Stephens To me "In Treatment - Season 1" represents one of the best TV series I have watched in a long time. Others have commented on the quality of the acting – which I too find is exceptional if not extraordinary. Half of it is not about what the characters say or do, but just their facial expressions or body language in response to what the other person just said. A nervous glimpse at the floor, a deep sigh, fidgeting fingers, a hostile stare and often stubborn silence – it is these little things that in this setting actually fill in and complete or conversation – and since it is done so well - make this TV series oh so entertaining.What I find fascinating about "In Treatment" is what is happening when you watch it:A person tells another person things about their lives……. at first these things can sound pretty random, and the silence of Gabriel Byrne's character Paul – the psychologist - could be at times unnerving, if it was not for his facial impressions which the viewer can interpret in their own way… Moments later – while the viewer still processes his or her own theories on Paul's thoughts - the patients then react to his silence, his stares, or what they think his body language is implying, only for Paul to then often provide a more detailed explanation of his analysis later on in the session. At the end of the week, when Paul meets with his own therapist Gina, he often recounts what was said and how he actually felt at the time and what he wanted to have said or done, which again you – as the viewer - can interpret one way or the other, only to then hear Gina's thoughts and interpretation of what Paul has just told her. The viewer once more will have his or her own opinion on Gina's observations, which can be incredibly insightful even though she has to rely on second hand – and at times heavily filtered and distorted – information from Paul.The above could come across as tedious, but is in fact incredibly entertaining due to the clever scripting and nuanced acting. All the while, the - at first - random conversations reveal more and ore about the characters. Session by session, week after week, layer by layer we learn more about the patients and Paul... and Gina.There is another "device" used in the series that adds a fascinating twist to the above. I will not write what it is, as I promised "no spoilers". This opens up a whole new dimension to the characters and the analysis by Paul and the viewer and therefore adds to the enjoyment of watching."In Treatment" is not for everyone. Viewers will either love it or hate it. To test whether or not this might be for you, before watching ask yourself if your father would have enjoyed watching something along the lines what has been described above… ;-)

jcjs333 As i grew older i'd think of my 'straight grandmother' and other folks who were 'stuck' on 'soap operas' and , basically , i am as stuck as they come with this show. I'm watching this with the same gusto as 'Justified' sometimes 5pm until midnight. I've read psychology all my life and have a brother and daughter who are clinical psychologists and i loved the show , 'Psychologist' , when young. The 'Psychologist' was more a 'group therapy' beefed up series but still good. This show is excellent. I suppose you're going to love it or just put it down but not in between. I love a show where i can be so excited with the least 'fluff'. If a show can hold me with just dialogue and acting like 'Juno' or 'Virginia Wolf' or 'Rachel's Wedding' i'm so grateful. And, a show that grabs me and doesn't let go and takes place in 1 ROOM then it's a show that gets my highest recommendation. And, this show does it. The camera work , the writing , the innuendo , the acting. Gabriel is perfect in his role, they all are. And, it's a perfect show for HBO and makers who want to make money and keep you watching. It serves me well and the people who want to make a buck on it. It's delightfully, completely addicting pulling and tugging like sugar and sex. Today, it hit me how much this series is like a 'book' in that i think about it between viewing looking forward to 'what happens next'. I think it comes darn close to the 'real deal also'. Gabriel has his little flaws like telling his therapist he said 'idiot' when he said 'pr--k'. And, telling his therapist Laura made him listen to graphic details when he made Laura tell him. And, i wonder 'does he know he's lying or does he not'?. The show makes you feel a 'fly' on the wall while, at the same time, getting you to empathize with each person. So, far i love the 'counter transference' deal they are bringing up because i have radical views about that. The show isn't afraid to address anything and , i think , does it splendidly. This is a show that 'ought not' be able to 'fly'. This show 'should' be failing'. I can't stand reality TV in any form and i don't like 'soap operas'. So, why the heck do i love this so much? Doesn't matter but i think it has something to do with director, writer, concept, pacing, multiple stories, accuracy and , absolutely great acting. With, even a little less adeptness at acting , this would fail big time. I think all components of this production are working almost flawlessly in order for this to work. I so love a show which can take place in 1 room and be as exciting to me as a humungus big money production. I'm glued to this and i wouldn't spend anytime on 'Independence Day' or some big production compared to this. Good show well done.

greencherrypie No joke- I'm sure it's not the same in all cases, but the way the characters in this drama dig into deep, personal baggage, I couldn't help but look at my own. It began as a sort of admiration for the characters- Sophie in particular; she had a certain charm that just drew me in, and made me want to get to know her, much the way Paul tells her he felt, when she asks if he had to go at her "with a magnifying glass" to find anything to love. But the scene that hit me the hardest was the couple, Jake and Amy, in their fifth session. When Amy, with that glazed look in her eye, the one Jake hates, announces that she wants a divorce. And Jake just breaks down, crying into her lap, helplessly, yet she can't even bring herself off her own pride to properly comfort him. I felt so saddened by it, and attested it to "I don't want to be her. I want to treat my partner better than that." But then I realised my sadness wasn't pity on the characters, or worry of how I would treat someone, but the realisation of how I did treat someone. How I once was her. And it was both frightening and upsetting. I've since been really working through it, and have started to lay down my pride a little more.This is a powerful, powerful program, and I like to think that there's a little healing in it for everyone. I don't know how they did it, but HBO hit the very object of therapy right on target. Maybe it falls together a little too easily, or ties together a little too nicely from time to time, but the underlying truth of it is, it gets close and personal, and offers a little hope.Perhaps this is more a personal account than a proper review of a series, but this drama has touched me like no other, and for that I am very grateful.

Rubens Junior In Treatment is one of those series that doesn't need anything more than creativity, because it's all about it. There's no need for more than a director, a camera, an effective editing, great few actors and interesting cases. OK, any other series need all of that too but here everything's much more simple, fitting in a low budget that results in a high profile series that holds your attention just by amazing performances in a room.When I heard about it for the first time I thought that it could be a lot boring, but I was completely wrong. HBO's philosophy about realistic drama shows never goes wrong on the target.In Treatment really is something like 6 different series in just one. I mean... you can follow each one of the 5 weekly patients individually or you can just opt following all of them. So you will keep understanding the primal idea anyway you choose. And that is a lot interesting and innovative.Boring? No way. The actors and their characters have their very own personality and problems a part, and each one of them has their own meaning and importance in a way that it's impossible choose the most interesting or the best performance between them.First season is filled with great actors and amazing characters. You have Laura (monday) - brilliantly performed by Melissa George - a person who have relationship problems with her fiancé because she's in love with Peter, her psychotherapist; Alex (tuesday) - performed by Blair Underwood - an arrogant navy pilot that is always testing Peter and himself without balancing consequences; Sophie (wednesday) - performed by Mia Wasikowska - a teenager that seems to be a potential suicide but in fact problems are too much worse than that; Jake & Amy (thrusday) - performed by Josh Charles and Embeth Davidtz - a couple which husband has trust problems with a wife that's always hiding truths to avoid his jealousy behavior; and at least and last Peter himself (friday), performed by Gabriel Byrne, who searches for his once a time mentor and now a retired psychotherapist Gina - magnificently performed by Dianne Wiest - because psychotherapists are also humans and have their own personal and professional problems.But the best thing for me is the realistic tone of each chapter, making us fell like in a real psychotherapy session. If you like consistent dialogs and enjoy a lot to be an observer of human behaviors and also all those psychotherapist manners to take away hidden truths like playing a game, you'll be mesmerized with this show. It's simple, consistent, dense and emotional with no shame.