In Treatment

As I made my way through Blockbuster this afternoon, I made sure to peruse the television section. My friend Matt and I had a conversation not that long ago about how these days, television is producing some high quality shows compared to the average movie. There are exceptional shows on television, such as Breaking Bad, and others like Mad Men, which I've been dying to watch. After a quick glance in the television section, I saw Gabriel Byrne's face on the front cover of the series "In Treatment." I have only heard the title mentioned before but anything with Mr. Byrne's promises to be fantastic. Plus, HBO is known for great television (Sopranos, for starters), so I figured it would be worth a shot.

I was right.

The show revolves around Dr. Paul Weston, a psychotherapist, who is renowned for his therapy. Each episode is based upon a different session with a different client. You quickly become aware of the clients lives, much more than you think would be possible for each episode which is 22 minutes in length. What is most surprising is that you learn more about the characters by their facial and body expressions than their actual dialogue. Weston is mostly detached, but this makes him all the more fascinating which keeps you watching. The viewer can tell a lot about the session and Weston's relationship with the client by the conversation they have as the client walks out the door. More than that, I think the set is perfect. The lighting, the color of the sofa, the door which is shown at the end of every episode when he walks his client out. It is a fascinating show, and the acting is brilliant. Put this at the top of your queue.