In Treatment

Freshman drama series in Emmy contention

By MALINA SAVAL

• Top ten drama moments photo gallery

At first glance, one might say "In Treatment" is simply a show about whiny self-indulgence, featuring a cast of individuals too mired in their own personal problems to look outside the boundaries of their own existence, and with enough cash (or at least a good health plan) to luxuriate in weekly therapy/sob sessions.

But if you look closer, it's clear that the HBO series is not just a show about characters in existentialist crisis. Rather, "In Treatment" is about an entire culture in desperate need of collective healing, each of its five interwoven plotlines representing a microcosm of American life in a post-9/11 world, each "patient" symbolizing a faction of Westernized culture that has fallen in a very Miltonesque sense from innocence.

"Those five stories reflect something of what American society after 9/11 is at the moment," remarks Gabriel Byrne of the five fictional patients that his onscreen doppelganger Dr. Paul Weston treats. "It's the deep, dark, truthful mirror. It's a society that needs healing, and that's what people found at a deeper level in the series."

Noa Tishby, Israeli actress and co-executive producer of the series, approached HBO with the idea of adapting the original Israeli series "Be tipul" for American audiences.

"It is the right climate in terms of the awakening of the American people to worldwide affairs," Tishby notes. "Until a few years ago, the biggest freedom that Americans had was the freedom to be oblivious to the wars outside America. And then it ended." Parallels in the two versions reflect global similarities. The original features an Israeli paratrooper dealing with the ravages of war in his own country; in the remake, Blair Underwood plays a cocky yet self-doubting decorated Navy pilot back from a tour of duty in Iraq.

One of the strongest points "In Treatment" makes is that emotional intimacy is increasingly a profound need in all of us, regardless of nationality. Reflecting that to an extent, four of the series'

cast members are

foreign-raised: Melissa George and Mia Wasikowska (Australia), Embeth Davidtz (South Africa) and the Ireland-born Byrne.

"It's a need for every single human being to be loved and heard," Tishby posits. "People are done with being shallow. Up until a few years ago, we didn't even know there was a 'self' to help. Now we know there's more. Which is why this show is so revolutionary."

Best episode: "The second Jake-and-Amy episode -- the miscarriage one," Tishby says. "It shocked everyone. It really sets the tone for how much the series is going to push our boundaries."

Underrated character: "I think each character found its audience. The great thing about this format is that the viewer can connect and follow their favorite storyline. Every character was understood by someone else in a different way."

Great line: "Don't you know men are the new women?" Laura (George) says to Paul (Byrne) -- written originally by Yael Hedaya.