MovieChat Forums > In Treatment (2008) Discussion > Paul's an idiot.

Paul's an idiot.

posted 13 years ago by ervan50
23 replies | jump to latest

I'm now at episode 9 in season 1; love this show. Very interesting.
Now I paused to write here, and it was the part when Paul and his wife fights (after Amy has miscarriage).

His wife talks about his kid and Paul comes with the most stupid argument and doesn't really care. This guy's an idiot, and just lives in apathy. He doesn't care about his life and he always comes with stupid arguments.

He acts like his patients when he's not the therapist. No patience, and no perspective. I really wanted to like this guy, and I thought it was going to be this cool therapist, but he's actually sad, pathetic, and tired. Disappointed.

I know; that's what makes the character, or; he's only human and they try to show that. But there must be something good about it. He doesn't even joke ffs. :P

I wanted another therapist. Well, just keep watching, maybe he'll change, or maybe my opinion will.

[–] 9inchnail 13 years ago

You don't get the point of the show, do you? Of course he is flawed and has A LOT of issues that he can't really cope with. That's why he goes to see Gina every Friday, he himself becomes a patient. Maybe you should watch more than 9 episodes to actually join the discussion here.

[–] ervan50 13 years ago

No, no, no! I didn't mean the show was bad because of this, and I DO get that point.

I just pointed his flaws, and that he actually is a really big jerk; and very hypocritical. I get so irritated by him. So the character got to me, as the writers intended I guess.
It just means this show is good and I care about the characters.

[–] dwarol 13 years ago

Get ready to get even more irritated by Paul. In seasons 1 and 3 he really shouldn't even be practicing (he recovers somewhat in season 2 when faced with the consequences of season 1).

[–] Lootrock 12 years ago

I reacted the same way. Paul is a big baby. I think you may enjoy where his character eventually concludes in season 3(you've probably seen by now. I always thought it was hilarious how little perspective he seemed to have. I can understand not having it in the heat of the moment, but it just seems to continue on with him. What I find interesting about him is, despite his reservations about his profession and performance, you never really experience that while he's in therapy with someone else. I think that's what Gina sees in him.

[–] cyberwoff 9 years ago

I am on week six, with Sunil. I think that Paul is basically incompetent. He even told Adele that he thought about reporting Sunil to the police, but hie lack of a spine, makes him powerless to make a decision. But in week 6, Sunil has had a physical altercation, and voices the possibility of commiting violence. Paul even has a conversation with Julia, but dones not even give her a warning. He knows that her life may be in danger, but blankets himself, in protocol. I know he does not want to be permature in his actions, but I think caution, prudenence, is indicated here. All he does, is advocate for more Sunil therapy, when Julia blames Sunil's bad behavior on Paul, and terminates the sessions. He did not propose Pro Bono therapy to Julia, just the self serving, I would keep him in. If anything did happen to her, I deeply believe, that the should be sued, and lose his license. Perhaps, even more. I do not know the Protocols, for this issue, and I may be in error. But this is my opinion.

[–] brux (14666) 6 years ago

Yeah, the resistance to hear what Gina says is brilliant, and then her resistance to hear his truth back is amazing as well. The human condition.

[–] bruce-129 12 years ago

Check out season 3 … it is fantastic and goes into this stuff.
This is one of the best shows I've ever seen, and if you expect the hero to be perfect with super powers, well, you need to watch more! ;-)
You wrote this a year ago … what is your opinion now.
If Paul is an idiot, give me an example of someone who is not an idiot and why?
But good post!

[–] brux (14666) 6 years ago

Oh my God .... Hahahaha, I wrote this 6 years ago on IMDB!

[–] brux (14666) 3 years ago

Oh ... 9 years ago now.

[–] huluchrome 9 years ago

I've watched the entire serie and I must admit I agree. It's a possibly genuine cliché that people that chose to become therapists are seeking help themselves. This is obviously the case with Paul. i can't believe that a man of this age and training could possible have so little insight or selv awareness about his own condition. It seems ridiculous and unnecessary. The series would be just as interesting if not more so.
I found the entire storyline of Paul sickening. I do believe competent therapy can be helpful and constructive. They portray some of the patients moving on, becoming more self aware and gaining insight. Why is it not possible for the therapist.
I don't know if Americans are different but the interaction portrayed in this series, between the therapists and the patients is extremely unprofessional and harmful in every way. I grew up in Canada but now live in Europe. I have at earlier stages in my life had therapy in one form of another and for one reason or another. It was nothing like this, and I must say extremely helpful. At a point I began to wonder what this series was actually about. I don't think I could make a worse advertisement for therapy if I tried. Maybe that is the point.....

[–] Dragon000 8 years ago

Therapy is not this way in America, I assure you! I have been in therapy as well as currently being a therapist myself. What Paul does is extremely out of the norm, and in real life he would have lost his license in Season One with the Laura situation. Much less other issues of boundaries and unethical, harmful behaviors with patients.

[–] SheHateMe (37) 6 years ago

He really should've lost his license at the Alex stop - before the ending with Laura.

Not reporting Cy was another notable offense.

I do agree that he did better in Season 2.

[–] bigbadwolf666 (4707) 6 years ago

Why? He's not a cop. And therapist are allowed to make mistakes under all laws. Because cops, lawyers, doctors, judges, bankers dont make mistakes.

I dont think many men in this planet couldve resisted Laura.

[–] SheHateMe (37) 6 years ago

The reason why is that he violated basic rules of therapy. Like, mortal sin-level shit.
That Laura thing was messy. He didn't actually have sex with her, so I'm not sure exactly what would happen.
But if you don't understand what was wrong with not reporting teenage Mia's disclosure of sex with her gymnastics coach... I mean, really? That was a black-and-white situation - where he was required to make the report. How do we know that her suicide attempt didn't have anything to do with her involvement with Cy?

Alex... again, come on now. ALEX DIED! Just because he spoke as if he felt therapy was successful didn't prove that it was. Paul stirred things up in his head, watched him walk out of the door - after telling Alex that he thought he should stay in therapy - and then told the military that Alex was okay to fly. You can make an argument that Alex was quietly begging Paul to stop him - but either way, clearly Alex wasn't ready.

Paul's therapy with Alex was very problematic in so many ways. The fact that he assaulted Alex was easily enough to cost him his license - and should have.
Paul played a major role in Alex's death. He was adversarial in treatment, he physically attacked him over words, he ignored his assessment that Alex shouldn't fly and endorsed the idea of it happening when he could've easily just said he wasn't sure and the military should just evaluate him for themselves.

The first rule is "Do no harm".
This has nothing to do with being perfect or a cop or judge, or whatever else.

[–] brux (14666) 3 years ago

What is this program trying to say overall about therapy and therapists? It doesn't seem very positive. I've been very skeptical towards the idea of paying someone to be your "friend", "true friend" or support person. They talk about transference and breaking away, but I think this is how therapists live, how they make money ... how hard is it really for them to decide to take a pay/work cut?

[–] brux (14666) 6 years ago

This is a great thread you've started.
I love this show, and maybe even more because it dramatizes the errors of Paul.
What he does is pretty out of control, and the relationship he has with his mentor,
Diane Weist is pretty bizarre too. But I think that is the main point of the show,
the moral, the message. People are corruptible, and a lot of our energy is used
to protect our own psyches from things that maybe we cannot live with.
I cannot think of another TV series that even comes close to the self-awareness
of this show, and yes, if exposed Paul would be in a lot of trouble.

I wish the show had not been cancelled, it was one of the best series I've ever
seen. It is tempting to judge Paul, and he does some unforgivable things, but
there is no person who is purely objective, and a lot of psychologists just sit
there and are afraid to really engage - they think it is enough to just sit and
listen. Maybe that is even correct because the mind protects itself so well that
anything the doctor would say would be filtered through suspicion.

That is what makes the show so good. Paul was great at the beginning, and then
I started to mistrust him and criticize him, and then I started to actively dislike
him. Still I think there are some people he helped, or he allowed to be free enough
to help themselves.

Great thread.

[–] bigbadwolf666 (4707) 6 years ago

Surprised how much people criticize him because I think he's one of the best psychologist. You should really attend several psychologists so you can see how bad they are. Why worst than the ones in the sopranos.

[–] Thespear (134) 4 years ago

Rewatching this series during the COVID-19 lockdown and I think Paul's character and the show become clearer with perspective. The truth is that unlike almost EVERY other show on tv, in this show no one is PERFECT. If you look carefully you can see problems with every characters thinking and actions. Paul is every bit as troubled as his patients. That point is made over and over again. Both he and Laura were reacting to their parents' 'abandonments'; Gina ends up having an ulterior motive for 'helping'; even Adele appears to have some selfish reasons for her actions.

I think this is VERY true to life. Many commentators react viscerally to Paul's flaws perhaps because he reminds them of failing in themselves. I know his blindness to some of his own failings reminds me of me....sometimes. At any rate the fact that Paul a) Is deeply troubled by his 'problems' and b) is always seeking to address them is his TRUE redeeming quality.

"...a voyager and a settler, they both have a different goal,
if I explore the heavens or if I search inside,
You know it really doesn't matter,
Cause I can tell myself,
I've always....TRIED"

Paul's struggle with his patients and his personal and professional life are portrayed as NOBLE. We see this man who is usually under severe personal pressures strive to give the BEST of himself to his patients...even the ones he can't stand! That makes him a hero in my book, the best kind, the hero without the cape....everyman. That he does or doesn't ultimately succeed is hardly the point. His struggle is!

[–] vranger (444) 4 years ago

Odd comment. I actually cannot name even one show in the entire history of television that has "perfect" characters. The imperfections of continuing characters are played for comedy in sitcoms, and create the tension in drama. It's in literally every show, ever. I would hate to think that your own life is so flawed and miserable that you mistake these character creations as "perfect" compared to your own existence. Possibly if you take the time to think, you can learn from the trials of these "perfect" characters to improve on the anger and bitterness I see in virtually your every comment. I truly hope you can.

[–] Thespear (134) 4 years ago

I mean perfect in the sense that the hero or heroine always wins the day!Paul doesn't win at the end because he is VERY human and humans don't always win life's struggles. Worry about your own life Vranger or you COULD respond SUBSTANTIVELY to the points I make. The poem I quote is ABBA and is IMO a celebration of life...but I don't expect YOU to understand that!

[–] Thespear (134) 4 years ago

Ah a little searching and I get it now, You didn't have the BALLS to respond to me while I was in another forum, so you plan this adjacent attempt to insult me you POS!!

[–] vranger (444) 4 years ago

LOL

I shouldn't laugh at you. Someone with your problem isn't really amusing. I've got three pages of replies to comments. This is the ONLY one from you. Just having a bad day with that pathetic comment, or is it your life all day, every day.?

[–] brux (14666) 4 years ago

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