Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Z on TV: HBO's In Treatment: Revelations and breakthroughs - TV .

And now comeshisconfession Tuesday night to Adelethat he was thinkingof herwhile lying in bed (on the couch actually) with Wendy. I marvel what folks make of that. Is he being good? Is he being a good patient and singing the truth - expressing his love? Is it just classic transference, as he says? Or is it another attack by Saul to get a strong (Gina, come back) woman to guide (control and dominate)him?

You get to hold the dame in the boots is in full control from the moment he makes that confession. She tells them it is time to end, that they will resume with his feelings next time, and shows him the door. No opposition from Paul now.

Couldthose last few moments more packedwith things not said? And by the way, are not Amy Ryan and Gabriel Byrne terrific? Casting Ryan to take the vast void left by the expiration of Dianne Weist was genius, and her cool, minimalist performance is superb.

Did Paul actually say how he loves Adele's "clarity"? I get to say that sounds like psycho-b.s.talk to me - but oh-so-Paul when he is on the make. Of course, you know her clarity, Paul. She's not hung over on sleeping pills like you are, for one thing. She's not faking it in bed during the luncheon hour either with a partner half her age.

And what about Sunil's revelation about the way his court with a university student really ended? What a large and detailed description of the event, with her wearing his cap and the rocks in the pockets - and the metaphor of the span between their two worlds.

I felt his feelings toward his daughter-in-law were getting out of bounds, by the way.Entering her study, taking her birth control pills, listening to her telephone conversations and watching her sleep are all way over the air in my book.

But Paul's journey is the one that has my brain racing this week. Even though I am questioning my empathy for Paul in a rich and profound way, I know the new directions this series is taking this year now that the scripts are original and not adaptations of those used in the Israeli interpretation of the series.

Enough for now. Let's just get the weave going, and I'll write more after in the week about Frances.

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