TVSquad

(S01E03) "You just don't get it." - Sophie

What's this? A glimpse into the personal life of Dr. Paul? I feel like I'm watching Lost. Was his son real or just an apparition like Walt?

Even though I felt a little cheated by the brief appearance of Paul's family, Mia Wasikowska's performance as Sophie certainly made up for it.

I don't remember Mia from any of her other appearances on TV or in film but her ability to seem perfectly natural while speaking to Gabriel Byrne was a refreshing change from the overwrought, uber-conflicted Laura or the too-cool-for-his-own-good Alex.

Maybe it's because I'm a father of two girls, but the psychological makeup of teenage females is something I am very interested in. Considering that I have no sisters and grew up with no interest in what teenage girls were thinking outside of the backseat of my Dad's car, hearing Sophie express herself and her feelings was really eye-opening.

One thing I like about Byrne's performance on this show is that he seems to genuinely care for some patients more than others. When he meets Sophie, in this episode, it's clear to him that she has some issues. Add in her age and the fact that she is being forced to see him, he takes a real interest in helping her with her problems. This character is a far cry from the guy he played in Miller's Crossing.

Pretty clever how Sophie let us in on more personal info about Paul. He has asthma, he has a daughter and he loves boats, although the boat thing was fairly obvious. At the mid-point of premiere week, it seems that the show is shaping up to be just what it claimed.

The more they discussed Paul's family, the more I was dying to see how he acts with them. I'm really hoping that he is the kind of Dad who throws all rational thought out the window and becomes extremely over-protective when it comes to his kids.

BTW, is it just me or does Mark Wahlberg's name stick out like a sore thumb in the closing credits?