Roush on In Treatment
Question: While at first I was devastated by the writers' strike, things haven't been as bad as I feared. Two reasons are
The Wire and the return of
Lost, but one of the biggest is the HBO show
In Treatment. I've found the show fascinating, more so as it progresses. Gabriel Byrne is wonderful. It's so interesting to see him as appealing, attractive and insightful when he's working as a therapist, yet so withholding and remote to his own family. You haven't written much about this show. What do you think? Is there the faintest chance of its returning? It would be a great summer show, when there are fewer distractions.
— Pat O.
Matt Roush: I'm a fan of Gabriel Byrne, but not of In Treatment, as good as he was in it. I found the format off-putting and frankly more numbing than stimulating. The more I watched, the more I zoned out. But I know that those who stuck with it were passionate about it. They'd have to be. As for its chances for a second season: Hard to say. Given that HBO is in the process of replacing its entertainment chief, in part because shows like In Treatment didn't exactly become a phenom, you have to conclude that HBO is in a major transition mode right now, and some things are going to have to give.
