I have to agree with others who've said that 20 minutes is an insanely short period of time for a single episode for a show of this nature. Although promising and compelling in many ways, I think I'll probably wait for the end of October and binge the whole thing. 200 minutes is basically one long movie, and it makes sense to me to watch it as such, instead of the alternative. I'm looking forward to it, though, because so far it's very good. And now I've been told that my review is too short. And that it needs to be at least 600 characters. I'll click the "submit" button after this particular sentence in order to discern whether or not I've met the minimum requirements for this "review," which is not really a review but more of a critique of this show's particular format. *click*
275 Reviews
Trapped therapist
moonstruck48 November 2022
As a therapist I came across this quite by accident although I loved The Americans. This is a time where I am myself feeling as if I am tied in a basement somewhere by my patients, metaphorically of course, but psychologically identical. So, Steve Carrell's performance was perfect, portraying the struggle to both remain present for the patient, no matter how disturbed or disturbing, while negotiating the conflicts within oneself and basically dying to get away. Given this premise, I found the show riveting but only a seven because the other characters seemed one dimensional to me. The serial killer was not as interesting as Dexter, his inner struggles not so apparent, his desire to stop killing made little sense. Give it a binge watch and see what you think and next time you go to a therapist, if you do, have a little mercy on us.
Solid
pendletonsa-911094 November 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I'll start by saying I watched this series after it was all released, so the length of the episodes seems irrelevant.
The protagonists are so well played, I couldn't look away whenever they were on screen. I will admit some of the side stories started to lose me but they ultimately paid off by laying groundwork for greater emotional moments later on.
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.
The protagonists are so well played, I couldn't look away whenever they were on screen. I will admit some of the side stories started to lose me but they ultimately paid off by laying groundwork for greater emotional moments later on.
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.
Incredibly strong acting
CountJonnie7 December 2022
The patient is about a killer who wants to get rid of his urges, by kidnapping a therapist and locking him in his basement, for private therapy. Which results in a unique relationship.
Not only is Gleeson incredibly convincing as a troubled serial killer, but his chemistry with Carrell as his therapist is palpable. The story itself is not particularly impressive, new or surprising, but the character building and the continuous tension keeps you on the edge of your seat.
Some people may complain about the ending, but I respectfully disagree. The fact that the ending is not cliche, and very un-Hollywood is enough for me to enjoy it more than the current average series.
Not only is Gleeson incredibly convincing as a troubled serial killer, but his chemistry with Carrell as his therapist is palpable. The story itself is not particularly impressive, new or surprising, but the character building and the continuous tension keeps you on the edge of your seat.
Some people may complain about the ending, but I respectfully disagree. The fact that the ending is not cliche, and very un-Hollywood is enough for me to enjoy it more than the current average series.
I'm losing interest
darlajs29 October 2022
This started out as an amazing idea, but I'm losing interest. There was so much they could've done with this storyline, but most of it is flat and boring now. Episode 6 gave me hope it would pick up agaim in E7, but by the end of E7 that hope was smashed. I can only pray things aren't as we're lead to believe by one of the characters. I can't even say the acting is great because there isn't much being done anymore. I hope the end of the series makes getting through this worth it. I don't want to feel like I've wasted my time after it started so interestingly. Not much else to say without spoilers.
Potential unfulfilled
andyholeman25 October 2022
Clever concept; interesting characters; well acted and the story moves in a very steady (if often plodding) pace.
Unfortunately it ultimately takes you nowhere and when it ends it leaves you in that empty space. The series is not unlike a train ride to a vacant lot. All the promise that travel brings and a terminus of less than no interest.
What may have been intended as clever or to give a sense of openness to speculate on the "what next" it reflect on lessons learned, or not learned; really just ends in unsatisfactory creative conceit. Too bad really as it could have been quite memorable. Oh well.
Unfortunately it ultimately takes you nowhere and when it ends it leaves you in that empty space. The series is not unlike a train ride to a vacant lot. All the promise that travel brings and a terminus of less than no interest.
What may have been intended as clever or to give a sense of openness to speculate on the "what next" it reflect on lessons learned, or not learned; really just ends in unsatisfactory creative conceit. Too bad really as it could have been quite memorable. Oh well.
here's why I think it was such a great show
steve-case27 October 2022
Warning: Spoilers
***spoilers***
No, 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 think it could've worked as a binge, but I also appreciated the week between each episode to digest what was going on. Contrary to some other reviewers, I thought there was a lot of depth and complexity in the main characters and even the supporting characters. I did not feel there was a single throwaway character introduced during the entire show.
There were so many possibilities built up toward the end, I found myself rooting for the all too common "satisfactory ending." I didn't get that from "The Patient" and I found that I'm challenged by how the show made me feel. To me, that's good stuff and all too rare.
No, 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 think it could've worked as a binge, but I also appreciated the week between each episode to digest what was going on. Contrary to some other reviewers, I thought there was a lot of depth and complexity in the main characters and even the supporting characters. I did not feel there was a single throwaway character introduced during the entire show.
There were so many possibilities built up toward the end, I found myself rooting for the all too common "satisfactory ending." I didn't get that from "The Patient" and I found that I'm challenged by how the show made me feel. To me, that's good stuff and all too rare.
A long journey to nowhere
rvannoy-1089525 October 2022
This started out interesting enough, and tense enough, to pull us in. Luckily, the episodes were short. But Episode 10 . . . Not going to post a spoiler here, but we went through a lot only to land on an unsatisfying ending. The show is not without merit, but falls flat relying on undefined characters to bring the conclusion. Steve Carnell has shown himself to be a very versatile actor, equally good in both comedy and drama. If you like his work, you will appreciate what he does here. If you are not a fan, you should pass on this. There's not much else that's worthwhile. Serial killers can be such a drag.
Ridiculous people
apaskevi-11 October 2022
I saw all the low star ratings, and was confused why this brilliant, thought provoking, cerebral, well-acted, well-executed, thrilling psychodrama was receiving such low ratings. The reason is rather ridiculous.
If your main problem with this show is with the length of episodes and/or the fact that you can't watch the entire thing at once, then you don't have a problem with the show, you have a problem with Hulu or FX's distribution of it. How about we review the actual content of the show, and not act like anything that requires even the most minimal amount of patience is unacceptable.
I personally like the distribution and length of episodes You know that hour after dinner and after work when it's real easy to fall asleep even during snows you like? This is a show that keeps me wide awake every week and I really look forward to it.
If your main problem with this show is with the length of episodes and/or the fact that you can't watch the entire thing at once, then you don't have a problem with the show, you have a problem with Hulu or FX's distribution of it. How about we review the actual content of the show, and not act like anything that requires even the most minimal amount of patience is unacceptable.
I personally like the distribution and length of episodes You know that hour after dinner and after work when it's real easy to fall asleep even during snows you like? This is a show that keeps me wide awake every week and I really look forward to it.
The Entertaining Patient!
Laqshayaroraofficial30 August 2022
The Patient 1st and 2nd episode review:
Positives: Steve Carell's show - It's always fun to watch him.
Domhnall's performance is awesome. He played a really cool foodie serial killer. 20 minutes episodes - short episodes.
Negatives: Episodes are kinda slow (1st and 2nd) - feels like a documentary. It would have been better if all 10 episodes were released on the same day.
Overall it's a good time pass show and the concept is really interesting.
I would give this show 3 stars out of 5 for now. I watched this show because of Steve but Domhnall's performance is even better. Will watch the remaining episodes.
Positives: Steve Carell's show - It's always fun to watch him.
Domhnall's performance is awesome. He played a really cool foodie serial killer. 20 minutes episodes - short episodes.
Negatives: Episodes are kinda slow (1st and 2nd) - feels like a documentary. It would have been better if all 10 episodes were released on the same day.
Overall it's a good time pass show and the concept is really interesting.
I would give this show 3 stars out of 5 for now. I watched this show because of Steve but Domhnall's performance is even better. Will watch the remaining episodes.
A surprise among current TV series.
Her-Excellency20 October 2022
If you look through the offerings that most streaming services have to choose from, it is ... disappointing ... to say the least. Boring. Repetitive, almost. By the third row of these 'pickings', every one of the shows being pushed, look and read the same. IN FACT (true story), I held off from suggesting this as a watch to my husband because I thought it was the doctor/patient series 'The Shrink Next Door' (title which I just now had to look up by remembering that Paul Rudd and Will Ferrell were in it), and which did not interest me. In any case, we passed this up a few times until hubby mentioned Steve Carell was in it, after which we looked it up and began watching. We're now 5 episodes in, and we are both surprised and pleased.
The Patient is not perfect. Then again, very few - if any - TV shows are. It has LESS imperfections, however, than do others. The reason, I think, is because the premise is very simple. Patient abducts psychiatrist (in Synopsis and NOT a spoiler). It is the nuanced performances from everyone involved (yes, including Carell), which elevates it to not only watchable, but interesting.
Also worth mentioning AND DESPITE HOW OTHERS VIEW IT, one of the POSITIVES for me, is that the episodes are very short (30 minutes long) and so, what is a story that could become easily bogged down with filler in order to fulfill certain time or advertising constrictions, moves along fairly well and quickly, with mostly "meat" and few potatoes. Now, that meat is not necessarily the best cut each and every bite, but it IS a satisfying dish - if you give it the patience that a MERE 30 minutes entail.
The Patient is not perfect. Then again, very few - if any - TV shows are. It has LESS imperfections, however, than do others. The reason, I think, is because the premise is very simple. Patient abducts psychiatrist (in Synopsis and NOT a spoiler). It is the nuanced performances from everyone involved (yes, including Carell), which elevates it to not only watchable, but interesting.
Also worth mentioning AND DESPITE HOW OTHERS VIEW IT, one of the POSITIVES for me, is that the episodes are very short (30 minutes long) and so, what is a story that could become easily bogged down with filler in order to fulfill certain time or advertising constrictions, moves along fairly well and quickly, with mostly "meat" and few potatoes. Now, that meat is not necessarily the best cut each and every bite, but it IS a satisfying dish - if you give it the patience that a MERE 30 minutes entail.
Anticipation is magical (as long as it has momentum)
Alohavera6 September 2022
For the first time ever, I see Steve Carrel as the person he's playing and not Michael Scott. The plot sells itself right away. Unfortunately, how a story is told can make or break it. For me, it breaks it. It feels like Hulu/directors were trying to build the next big series, but pressure or interference forced them to settle for what they thought would be an acceptable time of 20 min per episode. The run time kills any momentum and quickly becomes an mindful annoyance. At the time of this review, there are dozens of new shows willing to fill the void left by the short run time. I'll wait until they release all of the episodes to pick it back up. (just finished episode 3)
TLDR: Excellent plot, great acting, run time provokes disinterest.
TLDR: Excellent plot, great acting, run time provokes disinterest.
A strong start, but ultimately ruined by an unjustified length and bad ending
spidermonkeycoleman25 October 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Note: Spoilers start in paragraph 6 and last until the end of my review
My title tells you everything you need to know.
I will say the acting is good, and it's easily one of Steve Carell's best performances. Domnhall Gleeson (is that how you spell it?) Was really great as well. No matter how boring or repetitive the show became, they still held it up.
The show's first few episodes are great too. It does a good job setting up its story and making it intriguing. However, after episode 5 this goes away and loses its momentum and intrigue almost entirely.
The issue is that the show is just too long. This never needed to be 10 episodes, it easily could've been 8. Back to episode 5, once that episode ends theres really not much else they can do in the show other than end it, but instead they stretch the story to its breaking point, filling in the blanks of episodes 6-9 with essentially nothing. Hell every episode has a 10-40 second scene where we are just watching Strauss sit on the bed while Sam is peeing in another room.
6-9 are basically all the same. Dr. Strauss contemplates issues in his life that we've already been through countless times, Sam tries to control his urge to kill again, and that's it. They try to do a little more in these episodes with the story, but it still has no impact on the story overall so it ends up being meaningless. These extra episodes just drag on and on to the point where I almost stopped caring about the show.
The worst part of this show is that the ending makes Dr. Strauss' arc through the entire series meaningless. We are shown all this depth in his character and his relationship with his family, his determination to make things better, just for him to be killed at the end??? So all we have been watching the show build up suddenly crumbles to the ground.
The way dies is out of character as well. Throughout the series, we see Strauss think through several ways he can escape and every time he comes to the same conclusion, he is too old and weak to fight Sam and win, so he can only escape by being smart or by "curing" Sam. However, his solution to escaping in the final episode is threatening to kill Sam's mother, which he knew wouldn't work and would cause him to die. In episode 9, Strauss almost tried the exact same thing but didnt because he knew it would get him killed! Obviously he was desperate to escape but it still doesn't justify randomly switching up his character and the story. It's like the writers forgot what they were doing. Either that or they couldn't think of any other way to end it, which wouldnt suprise me.
Killing Dr. Strauss isn't even the main issue here, it's that the death came from nowhere and happened because Strauss acted completely out of character from what we've seen. It's so frustrating that it brings the shows quality down with it
Overall, this show starts great but gets worse with each episode to the point where at the end you'll probably be upset you wasted all this time on it. It has strong acting but it's not enough to justify anything else. It's too long for it's own good and ruins itself with its ending.
My title tells you everything you need to know.
I will say the acting is good, and it's easily one of Steve Carell's best performances. Domnhall Gleeson (is that how you spell it?) Was really great as well. No matter how boring or repetitive the show became, they still held it up.
The show's first few episodes are great too. It does a good job setting up its story and making it intriguing. However, after episode 5 this goes away and loses its momentum and intrigue almost entirely.
The issue is that the show is just too long. This never needed to be 10 episodes, it easily could've been 8. Back to episode 5, once that episode ends theres really not much else they can do in the show other than end it, but instead they stretch the story to its breaking point, filling in the blanks of episodes 6-9 with essentially nothing. Hell every episode has a 10-40 second scene where we are just watching Strauss sit on the bed while Sam is peeing in another room.
6-9 are basically all the same. Dr. Strauss contemplates issues in his life that we've already been through countless times, Sam tries to control his urge to kill again, and that's it. They try to do a little more in these episodes with the story, but it still has no impact on the story overall so it ends up being meaningless. These extra episodes just drag on and on to the point where I almost stopped caring about the show.
The worst part of this show is that the ending makes Dr. Strauss' arc through the entire series meaningless. We are shown all this depth in his character and his relationship with his family, his determination to make things better, just for him to be killed at the end??? So all we have been watching the show build up suddenly crumbles to the ground.
The way dies is out of character as well. Throughout the series, we see Strauss think through several ways he can escape and every time he comes to the same conclusion, he is too old and weak to fight Sam and win, so he can only escape by being smart or by "curing" Sam. However, his solution to escaping in the final episode is threatening to kill Sam's mother, which he knew wouldn't work and would cause him to die. In episode 9, Strauss almost tried the exact same thing but didnt because he knew it would get him killed! Obviously he was desperate to escape but it still doesn't justify randomly switching up his character and the story. It's like the writers forgot what they were doing. Either that or they couldn't think of any other way to end it, which wouldnt suprise me.
Killing Dr. Strauss isn't even the main issue here, it's that the death came from nowhere and happened because Strauss acted completely out of character from what we've seen. It's so frustrating that it brings the shows quality down with it
Overall, this show starts great but gets worse with each episode to the point where at the end you'll probably be upset you wasted all this time on it. It has strong acting but it's not enough to justify anything else. It's too long for it's own good and ruins itself with its ending.
If you are a binge watcher- DO NOT START
amykgonz6 September 2022
I have binged the first three episodes. Great start. The acting is amazing! As an advocate for mental health and horror, I feel as the show is playing it safe while staying interesting. Steve, plays a great therapist so far, very knowledgeable and I am impressed. However, I am rating 7 stars because I need to wait to see how the story will play out but so far- amazing. Yes, it's only 20 minutes but the individuals giving it less than 7 stars are merely impatient. If you cannot wait weekly for the new episodes to release, I suggest waiting for the full first season to come out. Everything is ambiguous but not at the same time. Cannot wait to see how the story will play out. I will possibly come back to rate higher.
Boring
kayluft7 October 2022
It's an interesting concept, but the fact that they're dragging it out without any actual advancement of the plot is making it boring. The episodes are short and it feels like nothing of importance happens for episodes at a time. I like both of the main actors so that's why I watched the show but I wish it was more fast paced. They slowly dole out a family drama but it's very slowly done to the point where I'm 6 episodes in and am just fully understanding the drama. It could've been done in two episodes. I'm going to l continue to watch because I want to know how this ends, but I'll probably wait until the rest of the episodes are available.
Wanted to love it
sarahpenbridge12 October 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I am a huge Steve Carell fan, and quite like Domnall Gleason, who is usually in something romantic or funny. Gleason is trying to play a serial killer in the show, and it's just hard to believe him as this character. They could have cast endless alternative actors that would have been more suitable. The acting is still good. The problem is both the incredibly short weekly episodes, coupled with the unnecessarily slow story lines, which have dragged this out episode after episode. There is a whole orthodox vs traditional Jew aspect to each episode, which really just seems like filler. I get the writers are trying to show Carell's coping mechanisms, and his regrets with an estranged son and fatally ill wife that recently passed, once he has been taken and imprisoned by his patient. It took EIGHT episodes for the story to really go anywhere and become intriguing and suspenseful. The writers seemed to accomplish more in that one episode than they did in the previous seven. I hope the writers really go for it in the final two episodes, otherwise I'm putting this in the 'big disappointment' category.
Patience Needed: Ultra-Brief Episodes Tease the Viewer
seemingly_reel2 September 2022
As other reviewers mentioned, the short format of these episodes can try your patience, but I would recommend it.
After watching the full series, here's an update: by about episode 4, the overall energy lost momentum, and redundancy kicked in. I think it was the 7th episode which for me was the most powerful, because it took a deeper look at the themes. The final episode did not impress me too much. They gave a glimpse of the next Season, but it does not look as impactful. I do think that this show was a success in what it portrayed. There's fine writing and moody vibes throughout. Carell is one of our finest actors. If you have not seen his mesmerizing role in "Foxcatcher" (2014), check it out. It's also interesting that Carell's real life mom is a psychiatric nurse. Gleeson is also wonderful in his role. He quietly displays subtle facial tics which serve up a bit of dark comedy.
After watching the full series, here's an update: by about episode 4, the overall energy lost momentum, and redundancy kicked in. I think it was the 7th episode which for me was the most powerful, because it took a deeper look at the themes. The final episode did not impress me too much. They gave a glimpse of the next Season, but it does not look as impactful. I do think that this show was a success in what it portrayed. There's fine writing and moody vibes throughout. Carell is one of our finest actors. If you have not seen his mesmerizing role in "Foxcatcher" (2014), check it out. It's also interesting that Carell's real life mom is a psychiatric nurse. Gleeson is also wonderful in his role. He quietly displays subtle facial tics which serve up a bit of dark comedy.
Giving us something different than the norm.
wedmcdfcdjlbctenqn30 December 2023
I liked The Patient well enough.
It was a different kind of show than we are used to. Almost no action at all apart from a gruesome killing here and there. The series basically consists of two people talking to each other for 90% of the time. Keeping the interest of the viewer while doing so is a quality of the acting and the writing, although I don't feel they succeeded fully in that.
This is 10 episodes of round about 25 minutes each. Yet I still think this could have been shortened a bit more. At the mid-end point you kind of feel you are seeing the same conversation and situation without any progress.
Adding the scenes of the Jews in the concentration camp dream sequences didn't make much sense (to me) and felt a bit out of place. The make-believe talks with the dead shrink were interesting and obviously serve a purpose for the victim to try and deal with being captive while at the same time try and solve his own family problems. They became a bit tedious after a while if I am honest.
These fake conversations were made to somehow excuse the actions of the son, but while the main character comes to some kind of reconciliation in his mind with his son eventually. As the viewer I didn't actually feel the same, and still thought his son was a complete *beep* for how he acted. Yet we are somehow being force-fed the father was not accepting of his sons' new way of life and that was the actual problem...... nah.
Which would be one of the biggest negatives of The Patient in my opinion. You don't feel that the "bad" people of the series (in which I include the main character's son) get their just deserves. One could say that the show is not only different in its premise and execution, but also in how the story concludes.
However it is such an unsatisfying watch in the end because of it.
It was a different kind of show than we are used to. Almost no action at all apart from a gruesome killing here and there. The series basically consists of two people talking to each other for 90% of the time. Keeping the interest of the viewer while doing so is a quality of the acting and the writing, although I don't feel they succeeded fully in that.
This is 10 episodes of round about 25 minutes each. Yet I still think this could have been shortened a bit more. At the mid-end point you kind of feel you are seeing the same conversation and situation without any progress.
Adding the scenes of the Jews in the concentration camp dream sequences didn't make much sense (to me) and felt a bit out of place. The make-believe talks with the dead shrink were interesting and obviously serve a purpose for the victim to try and deal with being captive while at the same time try and solve his own family problems. They became a bit tedious after a while if I am honest.
These fake conversations were made to somehow excuse the actions of the son, but while the main character comes to some kind of reconciliation in his mind with his son eventually. As the viewer I didn't actually feel the same, and still thought his son was a complete *beep* for how he acted. Yet we are somehow being force-fed the father was not accepting of his sons' new way of life and that was the actual problem...... nah.
Which would be one of the biggest negatives of The Patient in my opinion. You don't feel that the "bad" people of the series (in which I include the main character's son) get their just deserves. One could say that the show is not only different in its premise and execution, but also in how the story concludes.
However it is such an unsatisfying watch in the end because of it.
As a psychologist this is fantastic
ellisjones-276358 December 2022
Steve carrel has taken his role to another level, I cannot tell you how good he is at portraying a psychiatrist. And even more so the actor (I have forgotten his name) is fantastic at playing the troubled killer- as he is in any role he seems to pick up. It's written fantastic and is worth a binge. Weirdly uplifting in moments and allows you to feel like you're entering therapy along with the killer. I cannot recommend this enough. The short episodes at the beginning wheel you in, while the longer episodes towards the end feel just as fast as the 2 minutes at the beginning. Masterpiece! Great work.
Good acting but boring and weird format
treydrier19 September 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I got halfway through the 4th episode and turned it off. I could not take the boredom any longer. I like the premise. The acting is very good. The writing is not great. The wife's guitar playing at the son's wedding was the final straw. And then there's the daily carry out food choice. The show is just so boring that I grew frustrated having to sit through flashbacks that have nothing to do with the plot. His son doesn't seem to like him. His wife is a bit strange. Yeah ... ok. And then there's the idiotic 23 minute episodes which everyone here has already written about so I will leave it at that. It's not terrible just slow and frustrating.
Potentially a Great Show
bonesring1 September 2022
The Patient offers an intriguing plot line. We follow the protagonist (Steve Carell), a therapist, who has been kidnapped by one of his patients with the intent of truly opening up about his thoughts, struggles, and feelings to someone like he has never before. However, we see glimpses into the protagonist's past that reveal potential character flaws, and events that he has seemingly not dealt with himself. It makes you wonder moving forward who is the true Patient, the patient or the therapist.
From a TV perspective, I believe this could've been a two part mini series, 1.5 hour for each episode or something like that. There are so many shows as of late that they are going back to the old format of 23 minutes. Ultimately, it leaves the viewer unsatisfied by not being able to immerse themselves in the story. This short format is a quick way to maximize the ad revenue. I just hope that the writers have an end in mind, I believe that this will make or break this show. With what has been seen so far, this is not meant to be a show lasting longer than a season.
I encourage a watch now if you can spare the time, or if not wait until all episodes are released.
From a TV perspective, I believe this could've been a two part mini series, 1.5 hour for each episode or something like that. There are so many shows as of late that they are going back to the old format of 23 minutes. Ultimately, it leaves the viewer unsatisfied by not being able to immerse themselves in the story. This short format is a quick way to maximize the ad revenue. I just hope that the writers have an end in mind, I believe that this will make or break this show. With what has been seen so far, this is not meant to be a show lasting longer than a season.
I encourage a watch now if you can spare the time, or if not wait until all episodes are released.
Intriguing first 2 episodes leave me wanting more
paul-allaer1 September 2022
As Episode 1 of "The Patient" (2022 release; 10 episodes of about 22 min each) opens, the Steve Carell character (we later learn a therapist named Alan) wakes up in an unfamiliar room and with his ankle shackled to the bed. We then go back in time when Alan has his first patient session with a guy name "Gene", who proclaims himself to be "f---ed up". At this point we are less than 10 min into it.
Couple of comments: this is the latest from British director Chris Long ("The Americans", "Suspicion"). Here he presents what amounts to a hostage drama between a therapist and his unhappy patient, and I will leave it at that. The series is shouldered by two great performances: Steve Caroll in his most restrained mode, and Irish actor Domhnall Gleeson (son of Brandon) as the baddie. Please note that this is primarily a psychological drama rather than a crime thriller, which is perfectly fine with me. Episode 2 ends with a cliffhanger, leaving me wanting more...
The initial 2 episodes premiered on Hulu a couple of days ago. The remaining 8 episodes will be released over the next 8 weeks (on Tuesdays). If you are in the mood for a great psychological drama starring 2 great actors, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.
Couple of comments: this is the latest from British director Chris Long ("The Americans", "Suspicion"). Here he presents what amounts to a hostage drama between a therapist and his unhappy patient, and I will leave it at that. The series is shouldered by two great performances: Steve Caroll in his most restrained mode, and Irish actor Domhnall Gleeson (son of Brandon) as the baddie. Please note that this is primarily a psychological drama rather than a crime thriller, which is perfectly fine with me. Episode 2 ends with a cliffhanger, leaving me wanting more...
The initial 2 episodes premiered on Hulu a couple of days ago. The remaining 8 episodes will be released over the next 8 weeks (on Tuesdays). If you are in the mood for a great psychological drama starring 2 great actors, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.
Didn't stick the landing
johnjuandemarco25 October 2022
Warning: Spoilers
SPOILERS
The patient is a show about a serial killer (Domhnall Gleeson) who kidnaps his therapist (Steve Carell) to try and stop himself from killing. It's an interesting premise and it's a breath of fresh air to see episode lengths sticking to around the 30 minute mark, which really helped the pacing in the first few episodes.
The performances from the two leads are also spectacular, but unfortunately that's where the positives end for me. An interesting premise isn't enough, there also needs to actually be a point to the story. There's very little point to this story outside of the set up. Sure, the therapist realises that he was maybe not the best father and I guess that's mirrored in the serial killer's own father but that's really not enough.
A good ending can make or break a simple idea like this has, and unfortunately it broke it. The ending they went with is literally the easiest and most boring ending I could think of and both myself and my partner literally groaned and rolled our eyes when we watched it. It's unfortunate because it could have been so much better.
The performances from the two leads are also spectacular, but unfortunately that's where the positives end for me. An interesting premise isn't enough, there also needs to actually be a point to the story. There's very little point to this story outside of the set up. Sure, the therapist realises that he was maybe not the best father and I guess that's mirrored in the serial killer's own father but that's really not enough.
A good ending can make or break a simple idea like this has, and unfortunately it broke it. The ending they went with is literally the easiest and most boring ending I could think of and both myself and my partner literally groaned and rolled our eyes when we watched it. It's unfortunate because it could have been so much better.
Killer concept; deathly execution
ozjosh5 October 2022
It really is a great premise: serial killer kidnaps psychiatrist and demands to be "fixed". Also great casting with Carrell and Gleason. Unfortunately, it all falls apart in the execution, with the flaws magnified by the format. Rather than being swept along by the narrative and the suspense, one has plenty of time to contemplate the shortcomings between episodes. And since episode two (I think) I've been wondering why Alan doesn't focus his escape efforts on the mother upstairs. Surely she's his best chance of survival? And she's clearly conflicted and malleable. But this apparently does not occur to Alan at all. That aside, I've yet to be convinced by any of the psychological ploys he's tried with Sam. They all seem strangely ethical, as though they really do have a doctor-patient relationship. Surely there's a more devious, manipulative path he could take? I mean, he has the advantage of a psychiatrist's insight into Sam's behaviour and a lifetime's professional experience of dealing with troubled and deluded people. His life is at stake, so why is he playing nice? In short, The Patient boasts a great hook, but falls way short on delivery.
Worth a watch.
deloudelouvain16 May 2023
If you want to see Steve Carell playing a totally different character than we're used to from him The Patient is a good opportunity. For once not a comedy but a psychological thriller/drama. He did a good job playing the victim. And Domhnall Gleeson was also very convincing in playing his character, a narcissistic killer that doesn't tolerate anything not going his way. The show is basically about them as all episodes are just a stand off between the two characters, one trying to survive and the other trying to change. It's worth a watch just to see these two acting. Just don't expect a lot of action or changes of sceneries.
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