MovieChat Forums > Mental (2009) Discussion > Rip-Off

Rip-Off

posted 15 years ago by MartinG-19
6 replies | jump to latest

This show is a poor rip-off of HBOs' "Crisis Unit". I realize it is TV, but where is all the screaming, chaos, restraints, room extractions and forced sedation when patients come in or have a micro-psychotic episode? I run a Crisis Unit and an in-patient ward, there is never only one patient in a day more like 10 to 15 at least, all with demands, delusions and depression. TV is NOT ready for what really happens on a psychiatric in-patient ward but cable is and its all NOT bad, I have treated men, women, teenagers and children as young as 5 yrs. old (he set the bed on fire w/his father sleeping in it) they all have stories, some of despair, some hallcinatory but that is their reality, MENTAL removes the lunacy and the reward of seeing a patient who just threw piss on you and wanted to kill you three days ago to being stable and dischargeable........and I have been doing this for 23 years.

Martin

[–] ifacchini 15 years ago

Are you sure it's called "Crisis Unit"? It sounds pretty good from your description, but I couldn't find any information about it on HBO's site or on the web. Do you have a link or anything? I'd love to watch the show if I can find it.

[–] MartinG-19 15 years ago

It will not be aired until Summer 2010, Andy Reimer SVP of HBO was removed from his position in December which halted an earlier release which he green-lighted. Remember, there is no loyalty in Hollywod/Burbank or Beverely Hills its all business.

[–] angelschry2 15 years ago

so it is a rip-off of a show that doesn't truely exist yet? How do you know its not the other way around? And since when can't you have two shows based around similar main ideas? there are countless shows in production that have the same basic premis but still have people who love them and are worth producing both because even if they start out the same they have little details that differ that help different audiences enjoy them such as law and order & CSI or ER & Grey's Anatomy or Saturdaynight live & MadTV (I know its no longer on), etc.

[–] MartinG-19 15 years ago

"Crisis Unit" has been in the hands of ABC, Fox and cable since 2006. Although a registered treament, it went from show-runners at UTA, CAA and Endeavor, suffice to say many people were allowed to read the theme, content and dramedy of "Crisis Unit". There are many shows that are knock-offs, however, Crisis Unit was different and exceptional in many ways.

Apparently watching TV or Cable is far more different from the production end. HBO has "Crisis Unit" now, Mental should be on carton.netwrok because the realism does not exist and again being screwed over in Hollywood/Burbank and Beverly Hills is the way they conduct business, and I happy about it of course not and I was naive about the GODS of Hollywood and belive they think they are and they screw over each other under the pretense of Business. This is the nature o the business. Read the blog I wrote about the movie "Cheri" which I had first hand knowledge of the treachery of LA. producer taking advantage of a producer in the making of "Cheri".

Perhaps, this will provide better insight into the narcissism and self-entitlement of the Studios Execs., Producers and the Agents whose only concious motivation is business followed by greed.

Martin

[–] mnwildfan1012 15 years ago

If anything it's a ripoff of House. All fox did was make the main doctor nicer and put him in a mental ward. Power over the hospital director, a 3ish person team, breaks rules/unconvential treatments.
There is an episode where a child pretty much destroys a doctors office (comparable to your piss throwing), and jack eventually cures the kid. So guess it doesn't remove your lunacy and reward that you want. They found a way to make a mental ward show interesting, its not going to be realistic, no show is. You just don't notice how unrealistic the cop shows are and such since you aren't in that career.

[–] AlexMorgan13 15 years ago

i never heard of Crisis Unit... it does seem similar to House though...