Fiona Wallice counsels Ted Mitchell in her quintessential style but discovers that he is very skeptical and judgmental regarding her three minute therapy. She only realizes later that Ted is not what he seems to be, and in the next session, tries to cover herself up, being very cautious. In a surprising turn of events, she strikes gold and gets back to her old tricky self again.
The Breakthrough is indeed a breakthrough compared to the previous episodes in Season 1, partly because Bob Balaban, playing the character of Ted Mitchell, suddenly switched from a tough, no-nonsense guy to a vulnerable, childlike one. Plus, the jokes are better.
But again I have to say that we have to rely on Fiona's uncaring, inappropriate reactions for laughs instead of getting to see some witty exchange between the characters. I think anyone would feel sorry to hear someone talking about being fondled as a child. But, no, Fiona won't, and she would try to hold back her laughter most of the time. And we, as audiences are to find this funny. Get what I'm saying?
There is, in short, very less rapport between the therapist and the patient to extract humor out of the situation. Humor should be derived from the incongruity in the patient's name/position/appearance and his/her behavior/personality. Unfortunately, in Web Therapy (with the exception of Meryl Streep episodes) all behave in the most obvious, humorless fashion. And Lisa Kudrow's characterization is only epidermis-deep.
My Rating: 5.1 out of 10
The Breakthrough is indeed a breakthrough compared to the previous episodes in Season 1, partly because Bob Balaban, playing the character of Ted Mitchell, suddenly switched from a tough, no-nonsense guy to a vulnerable, childlike one. Plus, the jokes are better.
But again I have to say that we have to rely on Fiona's uncaring, inappropriate reactions for laughs instead of getting to see some witty exchange between the characters. I think anyone would feel sorry to hear someone talking about being fondled as a child. But, no, Fiona won't, and she would try to hold back her laughter most of the time. And we, as audiences are to find this funny. Get what I'm saying?
There is, in short, very less rapport between the therapist and the patient to extract humor out of the situation. Humor should be derived from the incongruity in the patient's name/position/appearance and his/her behavior/personality. Unfortunately, in Web Therapy (with the exception of Meryl Streep episodes) all behave in the most obvious, humorless fashion. And Lisa Kudrow's characterization is only epidermis-deep.
My Rating: 5.1 out of 10