TVSquad

(S01E16-20) "Fuck all of you and the fish you swam in on." - Sophie

Laura
So it seems pretty obvious that Paul is jealous. What's worse is that Laura is so painfully aware of Paul's jealousy. The power has so clearly shifted in their relationship that it seems to be verging on malpractice.

You gotta love how Paul can be so detached when Laura is in tears begging him to have sex with her but when she is describing her sexual encounter with another man, the scowl on his face is severe enough to cut glass. He clearly needs a vacation.

Personally, I like seeing Laura take charge of her sessions. It was a welcome change to watch her face Paul to admit that the two of them were more intimate than his other patients. It bugs me when I see TV shrinks who deal with their patients like Svengalis. Remember when Elaine was dating her shrink on Seinfeld and he kept suggesting that she shouldn't break up with him because it would be damaging? I know that was a comedy but it's clear that this kind of thing happens in real life and Laura's situation has gotten very close to that point.

By the way, does it really take a psychiatrist to understand the relationship between sex, cheesecake and death?

Alex
Who would have guessed that things didn't go well between Alex & Laura aside from everybody? What's amazing is that he actually had the nerve to complain about it. He meets the woman outside of their mutual shrink's office, bangs her less than a week later and then, he's upset because things got weird for some reason.

I've always found it funny when people say they "masturbate to" a particular thing, whether it's a story, a particular image or even a memory. I often want to ask them how it worked out, so they can say, "It was easy to jerk off to and had a nice beat. I give it a 67."

The more I watch Alex, the more he becomes my favorite patient. He seems to be evolving the way new patients do and this week, when he finally admitted that he needed help, it was a nice moment. Too bad, I'm forced to watch all the other nights in order to keep up.

Sophie
Sophie's sessions have to be the saddest of the week. She is so smart, so funny and when she smiles, she lights up the room. All those things just make her problems twice as troubling.

When Sophie commented that Paul "said 'Dorothy' like she was a friend of (his)." was that supposed to be a veiled hint at Paul's sexuality? Is he, in fact a "friend of Dorothy" or, like the cigar, is the shoe just a shoe?

Is anybody really surprised that Sophie is having physical problems? Isn't it common for patients to have a physical reaction to their emotional angst, especially younger patients? It makes me wonder why Sophie isn't seeing a therapist who specializes in teens or athletes or both.

It's nice that Paul finally got her to admit that she was, indeed, trying to kill herself but what kind of an irresponsible quack keeps prescription drugs in a bathroom that is often used by his patients?

Jake & Amy
Jake doesn't have a job, is fanatically jealous and borderline abusive. No wonder Amy stays with him.

I'm having a hard time finding anything to like about these Jake & Amy episodes. They have clearly grown apart and yet they insist on blaming the other one for the ruination of their marriage. Speaking from experience, there is nothing worse than trying to save a marriage by yourself. It takes two people, at least.

Now that we see that Jake & Amy began their relationship by having an affair, it's easy to understand why Jake is so jealous. Amy cheated on her first husband so why wouldn't she cheat on Jake?

Paul & Gina
Isn't there an old saying that goes, "Beware an Irishman bearing fish heads?"

I don't really know what to make of Paul this week. he's clearly in better spirits but I don't know if it's because he made a breakthrough with a patient or because he has the house to himself and is allowed to be selfish for the first time in years. It seems to me that one of the hardest parts about being a therapist is taking the time to think about yourself instead of other people.

I still don't get why Paul chose Gina as his personal therapist. he clearly has a lot of contempt for her and their personal relationship seems to get in the way of her objectivity. Is he in love with her? Is that why he is willing to risk everything to have fling with Laura? Talk about transference.

Honestly, my biggest question is why Paul is so infatuated with Laura anyway. Sure, she's beautiful but she's got more issues than National Geographic. Anyone who could fall in love with her has a serious savior complex. Well, I guess it makes sense after all.

As you may have deduced from my reviews, I have become less enamored of this show as the weeks have progressed. So this will be my last review. I don't know if someone else will pick it up, but I can't continue to review a show that is a chore to watch. Thanks for reading.