In Treatment: Alex – Week Seven
By fred | March 12, 2008
(S01E32) As every day of the week, except for Mondays I guess, there was another session going on for Paul. And as every Tuesday this time Alex was in. I have not hidden in the past that I wasn’t a fan of his. After “the incident” involving Paul, Alex, and Laura caught in the middle, I was curious and wanted to see how things would turn out.
Then Alex came back, and it was pretty as if nothing happened, that it didn’t matter, and in the end I found that I didn’t are so much about Alex. Yes, he broke up, cried and opened up himself in a way he never had before, but I just didn’t care. I’m evil I guess. I still tuned in this week, but I didn’t expect to get very interested in Alex and whatever new story he would have for us this week.
I guess it’s becoming a new tradition, every week I change side with Alex. Once again this week I was actually more interested in Alex than I usually am. Although I have to be honest, I still don’t really care for the guy. I can see that it is a brand new Alex that came to see Paul today. Not only because he was back in his uniform and to the job, but also because he was a lot more open, and vulnerable.
Alex had always been wearing an armor when he came to see Paul, and we saw the most of this protective shield of his when he “attacked” Paul and went on about his life, his wife cheating on him, and the way he treated his own father. But now, and despite the fact that he was hiding behind those glasses and his uniform, Alex was completely naked.
Never had he been so vulnerable, and never were his stories so intimate. He’s talked about his family, his wife, his dad, his son before, but when he talked about his son’s birthday this time, it had a brand new dimension to it, it’s almost as if he felt more real – or at least that’s how I felt. The way he talked about his son, and how he really believed that it would be a better day for him and he, his father, wasn’t around. Because unlike his father, Alex couldn’t be with his son and share his passion.
He tried, but he failed. And when he talked about how he felt as if he walked amongst them unnoticed, how he left without no one noticing, or caring, because it was best for his son, it was almost as if Alex wanted to return to his job not to live his life instead of thinking about it, but to run away from his life. It’s almost as if he was giving up on his son, on being around for him, because he felt he was of no use.
Was Alex giving up on his will to live and leaning to suicide ? By pretending to be ready to go back to work, either to go for suicidal mission, or because he would not be able to handle things up in the air which would lead to him to some accident ? Didn’t that last “goodbye doc” had a little of that, in the tone of his voice ?
I’m not saying Alex will die, because chances are he will be back next week, of course. But I just found out that this season will be over relatively soon, by week nine, and that last week apparently won’t have either Laura or Paul on. So next week will be their last session of the season, and who knows maybe of the series : maybe Laura really quits therapy and is only mentioned on Friday, and maybe Alex goes by to his missions, or worse.
Or maybe they’ll both be back next season, what do I know?!
Posted in Reviews
Shows: In Treatment
