I wanted to watch this FX-series a long time ago but I never really had the time to do it…. Now that I’m sick, I can finally watch it!
This series starrs thee Steve Carell, Domhnall Gleeson (General Hux from “Star Wars’: The Last Jedi”), Linda Emond (“Causeway”), Amy Handelman (“American Crime Story”), Renata Friedman (“The Terminal List”), Andrew Leeds (“The Dropout”). Just to name a few.
This series was directed by Chris Long (“Suspicion”).
This series was released on August 30th 2022 on Hulu. It has 10 episodes in its first season.
This series is a Drama/Thriller/Mystery.
Onto the premise: A psychotherapist who finds himself being held captive by a serial killer with an unusual request: curb his homicidal urges. As the therapist unravels this man’s mind, he also has to deal with his own repressed troubles, creating a journey that’s just as treacherous as his imprisonment.
In Episode one, Dr. Alan Strauss, a therapist mourning the death of his wife, takes on an enigmatic new client. As they wrestle with very different problems, their professional relationship is transformed by a choice that binds them deeply together.
In Episode two, Sam delves more deeply into the reason he entered therapy, but he encounters resistance from Dr. Strauss as he attempts to continue their sessions. A gathering sense of not being alone leads to a revelation about the house.
In Episode Three, Sam’s desire to find a therapeutic solution grows as his inner struggle intensifies. Dr. Strauss brings a new variable into their sessions.
In Episode Four, On the threshold of crisis, Sam honors the promise Dr. Strauss made him make as a condition for continuing their work together. The trust built between patient and doctor is tested, with a life in the balance.
In Episode Five, Sam reaches out to a woman from his past. Trials loom for Dr. Strauss, Sam, and Elias.
In Episode six, Dr. Strauss struggles with the reality he finds himself in. Sam is consumed with practical necessities, but agrees to his therapist’s advice to make different choices.
In Episode Seven, Both Dr. Strauss and Sam try to make new connections in their pursuit of an elusive peace.
In Episode eight, Dr. Strauss is honest with himself about his failures, past and present. A revelation about his relationship with Ezra leads him back to the urgency of escape. Sam loses faith in his doctor.
In Episode nine, Dr. Strauss leaves nothing unsaid. Sam gives it another shot with Mary. An idea sparks for Sam, and everything seems to click together.
In Episode ten, in the season finale, For Sam, an unexpected decision shows progress towards his goals, but Dr. Strauss demands even more.
This series has the best and intense opening scenes I’ve ever seen! Wow!
it did not end up the way I hoped it would. And that bothered me. As I thought about it, I realized this is what made it so good, at least for me.
Any time a show or movie completes and I am sitting thinking to myself “this doesn’t feel right. It doesn’t seem fair,” I know I will be thinking about it for the next couple of days. To me, that’s the whole point of any quality drama. Does it have an emotional impact?
I would say “The Patient” met that goal for me. I binged this show literally in one evening! I love love the fact that there was a lot of depth and complexity in the main characters and even the supporting characters. I did enjoy the fact that this series was shining on a light or many in this case about taboo things such as grief and radicalism of religion… I did find myself several times not breathing because I was too focused.
I’ll start by saying I watched this series after it was all released.
The protagonists are so well played, I couldn’t look away whenever they were on screen.
As far as the ending, I can’t see a more realistic conclusion given what you learn about the characters’ personalities. It might not be the ending you want, but it’s an ending that makes sense and is poignant in a way obviously many people will find dissatisfying.
Not exactly what I thought it would be, but not a let-down by any means. The story itself develops at a good speed. I binge-watched all 10 episodes in a single day, so I do not have the same complaints as the individuals who may have had to wait every week for another episode. I can imagine that this would have had a big impact on pacing for them. For myself, the pacing was great.
The acting is absolutely incredible, and award-worthy. The characters are much more realistic than the average “evil killer” story. The writing and dialogue were very well done, overall. The series does not take any bombastic, and very dramatic upswings in action at any point, and rather continues to slowly build to what is eventually a very pensive ending.
On the off chance that there are viewers who are put off by any mention of religion on screen, I will mention that there are many pivotal plot points that revolve around Judaica. I personally found it to be well done, as it was more to frame family relationships, than anything else.
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