I watched nearly all of season one (had to bail on a few of the yucky Laura episodes). Was attracted to the show because of Gabriel Byrne's character even though the writing in the first season was far from perfect. But this second season has been better-written overall, IMO.

There are still a fair amount of "convenient" contrivances that are hard to take as a spoiled, pampered Sopranos aficionado, but the stories this season involving April and Walter are really engaging. Both actors in those roles have been superb, the characters are pretty well-drawn in limited screen time, and the basic conflicts they present are interesting.

I watched the first season not long ago and really loved it. The issue that I've always had is that it is so intense, and the 2 1/2 hours of content a week is daunting. I need to really take my time with it. I am into the third week of season 2 and also find myself enjoying April and Walter days the most.

Cool, Garth. I know what you mean about intensity. It really is challenging to listen to two people talk in one room for half an hour. There are a lot of reasons it shouldn't work, but, at least with regard to a few of the better patients/storylines, it does.

A lot of that success has to go to the vibe that Byrne puts out as the main character, IMO. I really like him and can see why his patients seem to latch onto him, LOL. He listens so well, so sympathetlically.

Of course the therapy scenes in the Sopranos seemed much more realistic IMO, in that most of them didn't produce any big insights and in that Melfi wasn't prone to articulating the insight for Tony the way Paul does for his patients. One viewer astutely remarked that IT is like therapy concentrate, add 1 part IT, 4 parts water, stir, and serve. That sounds about right.

It's inevitable to compare it to the Melfi/Tony dynamic, which I try not to because the intelligence of the Sopranos writing is just incomparable. But IT does have it's moments, and, except for Gina's over-the-top psycho-babble -- which makes me roar with laughter at times -- I think this season has been very good.

Yes, I couldn't have said it better. The concentration of the therapy sessions push the stories forward. Which is a necessary evil, since real therapy is not like that. Things go slow and eventually you have really intense sessions (I am thinking of Unidentified Black Males in the fifth season). Byrne is an amazing actor, and so fun to watch. It can't be difficult to play stoic, but also subtly express what he wants to the audience. Since typically there is a parallel with what the patient is expressing and some inner turmoil that Paul is feeling, Byrne has a hefty task ahead of him. Not to mention the sheer number of episodes and screen time he has. Imagine 2 1/2 hours of Sopranos every week for 8 weeks.

As for the intensity, I don't find the "talky" aspect of the show challenging. I guess, since I have done my own fair share of psychotherapy, it strikes a chord, and not necessarily a good one at all times. I wouldn't be able to steamroll through season after season of In Treatment like I would Sopranos or other HBO shows.

The comparison between Paul and his patients is naturally comparable to Melfi/Tony. And since the sessions move the plot forward, I do find things to be forced, while in Sopranos, the sessions helped elaborate or delve into Tony's psyche. They serve very different purposes. But in general, I really dig I.T., and applaud them for not using the sessions in a gimmicky manner, but actually having good if not great dialogue and character development to go along with it.

Garth wrote:As for the intensity, I don't find the "talky" aspect of the show challenging. I guess, since I have done my own fair share of psychotherapy, it strikes a chord, and not necessarily a good one at all times. I wouldn't be able to steamroll through season after season of In Treatment like I would Sopranos or other HBO shows.

You know, I said that more or less in obligatory nod to the criticism that many people have of this kind of drama, but, in actuality, I don't find the talk aspect a problem either. On the contrary, it's very appealing, especially when it's broken up so well in about 25 minute chunks with different patients.

Tell me I'm crazy, but since IT moved to a Brooklyn setting this season, I can't help but think that the IT producers should badger HBO to have the Melfi character cross over on IT -- afterall, it's literally a "cross over" a couple of bridges from NJ to get to Brooklyn, no? HBO owns the rights and could okay it, and it would be a way to reincarnate a tiny, isolated aspect of their flagship series. And I guarantee Bracco would jump at the chance since she's been trying to feed the rumors of a Sopranos movie ever since the series ended, LOL. She obviously misses work.

It strikes me that Paul and Melfi have several things in common: both shrinks, obviously, both divorced parents, both 50-something, both romantically frustrated and looking for a long term relationship, both have had bouts with becoming too personally involved with particular patients (Melfi's bouts far more involuntary than Paul's). We never got to see how Melfi handled the aftermath of the incredibly hostile way she dumped Tony, although there was reportedly a scene cut from the finale between Melfi and Kupferberg where she cried about having "feelings of loss". So we could get a little drama out of that.

In addition, there's the whole MD vesus PhD in psychology professional rivalry/jealousy/subtle bashing that goes on between psychiatrists and psychologists, so there could possibly be something interesting there. It's gimmicky, for sure, but I'd be game for it.

That would be fun for sure to see. As far as Melfi, was her office supposed to be in Newark or somewhere in the 'burbs?

That'd be interesting if handled properly. But then again, I always thought it'd be a nice nod to the series if a Sopranos whacked character ended up at the Fisher funeral home on Six Feet Under. ;-)

carpetbeggar wrote:That would be fun for sure to see. As far as Melfi, was her office supposed to be in Newark or somewhere in the 'burbs?

carpetbeggar, this is one of those little facts that I tend to lose after several years, although I can almost hear the line of dialogue that tells us precisely where Melfi's office is. It's definitely not in Newark,. It's in one of the outlying, named communities. It's mentioned in Isabella when Christopher almost gives away that he had been following Tony days before the shooting when the two black guys were thwarted in their first attempt to kill him. He mentions the news stand where Tony bought a paper and juice. It's probably also mentioned in Boca in the scene between Junior and Mikey Palmice when he tells Junior that Tony has been seen going regularly to an office building in this location. I can't for the life of me bring the name up at this moment, but I'm sure someone else can.

Just after writing all that, it popped in my head all of a sudden (ah the joys of middle-aged memory!). Montclair.

Garth or carpetbeggar, what did you guys think of this week's episodes? I thought they were all excellent and, for once, I thought the Gina episode was the best of all. The acting in that one was particularly superb, and I thought Gina was actually offering some useful insights.