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This topic has been archived - replies are not allowed.
An arrogant Navy pilot who prides himself on his high standards, Alex is drawn to Paul's reputation as "the best," yet continually tries to poke holes in the therapist's logic. A recent brush with death and a disastrous mission in Iraq sound like obvious reasons for Alex to seek counseling, but he maintains that neither have had any effect on him.
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(398 of 503)
Mar 18, 2008 10:53 PM
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Purposefully ambivalent? Alex killed himself. Alex made a mistake. I lean toward accident. If he had been in a combat situation I may have leaned toward suicide. I really think that his flying was so much a part of his identity that he needed to get back to it. I just think he wasn't on top of his game.
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Edited by solong at 03/18/2008 7:59 PM PDT
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Guest
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(397 of 503)
Mar 18, 2008 10:53 PM
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> I think the posters here like to talk, so we can do a
> poll, but everyone will want to weigh in on what
> happened to Alex. 
> We will never know for sure, I guess. My
> theory is that he was distracted because of his
> emotional state. He experienced vertigo and hesitated
> before checking his instruments for his orientation.
> At the speed he was flying it would have only taken a
> second to make a fatal error.
Valid theory, but Alex had made a point in last week that he NEVER panics and bragged about training recruits and having to 'save' them in training, also he did a whole speach to Paul about the vertigo thing, he seemed much to experienced to not 'focus on the instruments', but alas, like you say, we will probably never know.
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Mar 18, 2008 10:53 PM
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> As I listened to Alex's father, I thought it was an
> extraordinary coincidence that this particular
> episode should air on the same day that Barack Obama
> delivered his speech on race. The episode and the
> speech seemed part of the same whole. Art and life
> complementing one another. Amazing.
Yes. Serendipity?
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(395 of 503)
Mar 18, 2008 10:50 PM
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As I listened to Alex's father, I thought it was an extraordinary coincidence that this particular episode should air on the same day that Barack Obama delivered his speech on race. The episode and the speech seemed part of the same whole. Art and life complementing one another. Amazing.
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(394 of 503)
Mar 18, 2008 10:49 PM
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> So, Theories on why Alex (most likely) killed
> himself?
>
> The killing of children in Iraq?
> The feeling of emotionally losing his family/his
> self?
> His sexual identity conflict?
> All of the above?
>
> Poll question anyone want to start here?
The last time we saw Alex, didn't he say something to the effect: "It's what everyone wants" re: Alex flying again? I don't remember Alex saying he wanted to do it.
Wonder if Alex was ONCE AGAIN doing what was expected of him, what he was supposed to do, being strong. His father and wife were "united" in "pushing" him back into flying.
Alex may not have been ready and his reflexes failed him
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Mar 18, 2008 10:49 PM
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> New to the forum. I've been watching the series
> since the beginning. But this episode with Alex's
> father blew me away. Amazing... The acting was some
> of the best I've ever seen. And his mannerisms were
> just like Alex! Best episode of the series by far.
That was pretty intense, wasn't it?
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(392 of 503)
Mar 18, 2008 10:46 PM
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> New to the forum. I've been watching the series
> since the beginning. But this episode with Alex's
> father blew me away. Amazing... The acting was some
> of the best I've ever seen. And his mannerisms were
> just like Alex! Best episode of the series by far.
agreed, and welcome! i've been reading reviews which might seem exaggerated (eg. "astonishing") yet the acting is nothing short of that.
no spoilers involved here, thursday's "jake" episode (yes, i am on on demand junkie) is fairly astonishing as well. the pain in his face is palpable...what a cast they managed to put together.
--
can't log on as mamierey, but she is me...
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3/18/08
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(391 of 503)
Mar 18, 2008 10:38 PM
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New to the forum. I've been watching the series since the beginning. But this episode with Alex's father blew me away. Amazing... The acting was some of the best I've ever seen. And his mannerisms were just like Alex! Best episode of the series by far.
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(390 of 503)
Mar 18, 2008 10:37 PM
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jackien,
Glynn Turman was Mayor Royce on "The Wire". I'm not sure how old you are, but he is known for playing Colonel Taylor on The Cosby Show spinoff "A Different World"... he was also in "Cooley High" as a young man.
That was an outstanding episode.
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(389 of 503)
Mar 18, 2008 10:37 PM
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I think the posters here like to talk, so we can do a poll, but everyone will want to weigh in on what happened to Alex.
We will never know for sure, I guess. My theory is that he was distracted because of his emotional state. He experienced vertigo and hesitated before checking his instruments for his orientation. At the speed he was flying it would have only taken a second to make a fatal error.
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Guest
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(387 of 503)
Mar 18, 2008 10:33 PM
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So, Theories on why Alex (most likely) killed himself?
The killing of children in Iraq?
The feeling of emotionally losing his family/his self?
His sexual identity conflict?
All of the above?
Poll question anyone want to start here?
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Posts:
85
Registered:
3/2/08
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(386 of 503)
Mar 18, 2008 10:31 PM
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One of the things that annoys me nowadays is when a guidance counselor, teacher, or mother/father tells their son or daughter, "Wow Jimmy, you're smart...you should be a doctor, lawyer, psychiatrist...". Yes, I know they mean well, but this episode points up the fact that there's a whole lot more to the profession than IQ or talent.
This episode should be MANDATORY viewing for all those who desire to go to med school, or enter the field of psychiatry. Place yourself in Dr. Paul's chair and inevitably wait for that one day when someone's son, daughter, wife, husband, or grandchild arrives at your doorstep. And inexorably someone must be blamed, and guess what...they are at your doorstep. And they're not looking for a cup of coffee.
People who desire to enter this profession must be brutally honest with themselves. Can they sit in Dr. Paul's chair in this episode. Because I'll guarantee you that this kind of thing will happen to every professional shrink at least once in their career, or at least a permutation thereof.
It's one thing to be able to perform well on a MCAT, LSAT, GMAT or GRE. However, your aptitude on those exams will not indicate the strength of your stomach, your fortitude, and your inner strength. Because seriously, I don't know how you could do Dr. Paul's job without being just a bit sociopathic, callous, or a tad glib.
I've heard stories about how some ER doctors make jokes about how some of their patients come into their rooms as being super crispy, etc. To the average observer this may sound like blasphemy. But really, how can you attach yourself to those outcomes? You can't. Not if you desire to last in the profession for more than 2 months. Impossible. Of course you have to be somewhat detached, uncaring, and a bit aloof. The human spirit was not meant to be used any other way.
Truth is, no amount of money could pay me to take Paul's job. I'm not sociopathic enough...I'm joking...just a little. I can't imagine having to sit across from a parent of a deceased patient (deservingly, and justifiably so) interrogating me as to what I did or did not counsel. And if my judgment or counsel was reasonably accurate.
Gabriel Byrne did a good job of showing remorse, or tension as he was sitting in front of the desk as Alex's father had his back turned to him. However, the rest of the episode, Byrne's character did not seem as nervous or as stressed as he should have been. I get the feeling that the writers have not accurately plumbed the depths of how tough, and gut wrenching it is to be a shrink and face this type of situation.
Or maybe they are right. Maybe most shrinks can shrug it off, whistle, and go on about their day. Perhaps they have to.
What I want guidance counselors, teachers, and parents to do when they are in the presence of a smart kid is avoid saying, "wow, you're smart, you should be a...". Instead it is more important to gauge their personality.
For this episode illustrates that you have to have a stomach lined with titanium to make it in this profession...and then some.
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LET'S HUG IT OUT BITCH!
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(385 of 503)
Mar 18, 2008 10:25 PM
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> Very powerful performance tonight by Glynn Turman,
> His and Blair's performance as father and son was
> uncanny.
> The mannerisms of Alex's father was so father/son, I
> was blown away.
Yes, Myles!
And did you notice that Alex's Dad sat on the coffee table, right in front of Paul and was very in-your-face confrontational? - just like Alex was with Paul? BLEW MY MIND..
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Guest
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(384 of 503)
Mar 18, 2008 10:22 PM
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> Jonniedrama, I'm with you. I can't think when I have
> seen a performance so powerful and nuanced as
> Turman's. Where else have I seen this actor? What
> else has he done? Beautifully done.
Check his profile
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0877270/
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