In Treatment

Last night there was nothing on television, and so I checked out In Treatment, which I had been meaning to do for a while. I don't have HBO, so I watched a bunch of the episodes online and found them to be fascinating. It might be the fact that I'm a social worker, but I was immediately hooked.

That said, there are some things I didn't love. I felt some of the dialog was too awkward and scripted. I think Paul makes a little too much use of the "How did that make you feel?" question, which makes him sound like the stereotypical shrink. And, of course, there's the unrealistic amount of drama that seems to be a requirement for any television drama show out there.

What do I mean? Well, Paul is a therapist. He sees clients all day. These clients have issues (some more serious than others... we assume he has more than the 4 clients we see, and that we're just getting to see the ones with the most interesting stories). Those people already bring their own drama: relationship confusion, suicide attempts, family relationship issues, etc. That level of drama, though high, is believable because those are the kinds of things that therapists deal with regularly as they help people.

What I found a little over-the-top was the fact that Paul's personal life falls to shambles within the first few episodes. This isn't to say that therapists don't have challenging personal lives every now and then, but the writers took his personal life crises from 0-60 in the span of three episodes. I understand that the angle of a therapist examining his own life troubles while also being a therapist to others who are examining theirs is interesting. But do his life troubles have to be so big?

Twenty-five of each twenty-seven minute episode is spent in a therapy session, with just two people talking (or three, in the case of the couple who are in therapy). It is intense and raw and powerful. And at the same time, there is something about it that I just couldn't connect with.

But I kept watching. So HBO must be doing something right.

Survivor: Micronesia - Episode 7

Ah, you sneaky Episode 7, coming on a Wednesday night this week.

I had just enough time to watch before heading to work this morning (I like a leisurely breakfast) and here are my thoughts:

- I loved Cirie the last time she played, but this time, she just annoys me. I understand that she's not a strong swimmer, but she stayed on the boat, so why was she complaining and making a big deal about it. Shouldn't she know by now that no one likes a whiner?

- Speaking of complaining, all the girls sitting around complaining about Ozzy and Erik getting coconuts was just rediculous - the guys are getting them food while they sit on their butts. I don't think they're in a position to be complaining.

- Kathy's departure... Explain this to me. Isn't there some rule about not being able to go home or be in touch with family even if you leave early because then people would know you didn't make it for the whole time? Maybe that's only for the jury? I'm just confused because if I'm right, then how will Kathy be able to be in touch with her family, even if she leaves the game?

- I loved James' Yoda-like wisdom after Kathy left. Not sure when he became a wise old man, but it showed a different side of him and I liked it.

- Was Ami on crack when she said that she thought that Tracy was more into the game than Erik? Really, Ami? Really? When was the last time Tracy climbed a tree for coconuts? Or did anything useful, for that matter?

Quote of the week: "I don't want anyone to think that I'm quitting" (Kathy, when talking to Jeff and her tribe) Ummmm... but you are.

Runner-up quote of the week: "This game IS called Survivor." (James - when pointing out that all the girls on his tribe do is complain)

Oh. My. God.

I just spent the past hour watching the Lost season premier and trying to remember to breathe.

Holy crap.

I can't write anything else.

I'm speechless.

Sick Girl, Obsessed

Mostly, being sick sucks. But, it is also a great justification for staying home at night and catching up on television that I haven't seen in a while. I don't have Tivo, but I do have the internet, and it has allowed me the opportunity to catch up on everything from The Daily Show (excuse me, "A Daily Show") to Ugly Betty to 30 Rock and Pushing Daisies.

But really this post is about re-discovering an obsession: After nearly a full year after falling off the fan-wagon due to lack of time in my schedule, I am once again addicted to Lost. I have watched the last 3/4 of Season 3 in the past four nights, and Oh. My.God. that show is good. I am all at once entertained, intrigued, and completely freaked out during every episode.

For those of you who haven't yet gotten hooked or who aren't caught up, there's an 8-minute long catch-up video on the Lost website which sums everything up quite well.

But now I'm completely caught up and still feeling sick and I have a long weekend ahead of me. I can't go baby-visiting like I had planned because I'm sick, and I've got no more Lost to keep me company. Perhaps I'll have to go to my USA back-ups of Monk and Psych to get me through.

Never fear - this couch potato thing can only last this weekend because I refuse to be sick any longer than that and because classes start next week so there's a finite amount of time left before I have to turn my brain back on.

And dating. Dating starts next week too.

Stay tuned...

Rotting My Brain (but in a socially conscious way)

So I live in a home with no cable. Well, let me clarify: we have cable. Our landlord, who lives downstairs from us, pays for cable, and shares it with us. But she doesn't much care about what she watches, apparently, because she only pays for basic cable.

And when I say "basic" I mean basic. Network television and about ten Catholic channels and that's it. No TNT. No MTV. No ESPN. No NESN.

But sometimes, every now and then, our basic cable turns into what other people would call "regular" cable and I can watch Sox games and all the Law & Order reruns I want. Not sure why we get little blips of regular cable, but I don't look a gift horse in the mouth. I watch Sox games to my heart's content and love every minute of it.

On a somewhat related note, I found out today that GLAAD has released their "Network Responsibility Index" and ABC (which used to be my least favorite network, but with the introduction of both Ugly Betty and Brothers & Sisters this year, it's my new favorite) placed highest as an LGBT-friendly network. So at least I can feel good about rotting my brain when school starts up again in the fall. :-)

Better Late than Never

Hopping on the bandwagon started by LB and MOMP, I've got to echo their sentiments about the loss of Studio 60. I just watched the last 3 episodes of the series last night, and found myself alternately laughing out loud and being brought to tears. In my life, I don't think there's any writer who has been able to do that to me nearly as well as Aaron Sorkin, and his absence from the line-up next year will leave a noticable gap.

And though I'm all for a Flaming Lips musical, I hope that Sorkin makes his way back to television in the not-so-distant future. Until then, I've got the first 4 seasons of the West Wing to help me get my fix.

Long live Aaron Sorkin!