Paul Weston (In Treatment)
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| Dr. Paul Weston | |
|---|---|
 Gabriel Byrne as Dr. Paul Weston |
|
| First appearance | "Laura: Week One" |
| Created by | Rodrigo Garcia |
| Portrayed by | Gabriel Byrne |
| Information | |
| Gender | Male |
| Age | 50 |
| Occupation | Psychotherapist |
| Family | Mother (deceased) Father Stepmother |
| Spouse(s) | Kate |
| Children | Ian Rosie Max |
Dr. Paul Weston is a fictional character on the five-nights-a-week HBO series, In Treatment. The character is portrayed by Gabriel Byrne, who has recently been coined as TV's "latest Dr. McDreamy" by the New York Times for the role.[1]
Contents |
[edit] Background
Growing up, Paul did not have a happy childhood. His father, who was a cardiac surgeon, left the family for a patient 26 years his junior when Paul was young. He was then left to take care of his depressed mother, playing the parental role in the broken family. Whilst at high school, Paul often got into trouble with the authorities, and when asked by counsellors about his aspirations for the future, he replied that he wanted to be anything but his father. Paul and his stepmother were often mistaken as either siblings or a pair of newlyweds whenever he joined his father's new family on special occasions as a young man. His decision to marry Kate in his late 20s was due to his admiration for her strength, something he did not see in his own mother in the aftermath of his parents' separation.
[edit] Overview
Professionally, Paul is a successful psychotherapist who appears to be the breadwinner of the family. His achievements have not only brought him to a respectable place, but also a well-off position in terms of wealth, allowing his family and him to live comfortably. Paul has exceptional listening abilities that aid him in his work, but lately, he feels as if he has been "losing patience with [his] patients."
At home, problems are apparent between his wife (Kate) and him. Paul is most comfortable in his office, creating a distance away from Kate and the children.
[edit] Character History
Little is currently known about Paul's professional background or training, except that he holds his Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania[2]. Paul left the professional supervision of his mentor, Gina, nine years ago after a large row over an unknown issue. Since then, he has been conducting his practice from a home office, much to the objections of his wife. Kate is frustrated at the fact that Paul always seems to be so "energetic" and "alive" in the office, but acts like an "anemic old man" outside of it. His suspicions of Kate conducting an extramarital affair were later confirmed when his wife admitted it during a heated argument.
Furthermore, an extra tension was built up when Laura, a 30-year-old patient, revealed her feelings for Paul (addressed as "erotic transference") during one of their sessions together on Mondays. Realisation of his own love for Laura slowly dawned on Paul when he began to visit Gina for guidance on his problems both at home and work. In the end, Paul confessed of his love for Laura at her home in the finale episode of Season 1, but a panic attack after receiving a call from his daughter, Rosie, stopped him from consummating their relationship. Later, when a distraught Paul stopped by Gina's house to tell her what happened, Gina concluded that Laura's decision to reject him after his anxiety attack meant that through therapy, Paul had successfully made her realise that her attraction for him was merely a case of erotic transference. However, Paul appeared to have been genuinely in love with her and was crestfallen, saying that Laura may have been "the last love of my life, and I let her go."
When one of his Tuesday patients, a fighter pilot named Alex, passed away in a flight accident, Paul could not help but feel responsible for Alex's death. His confidence increasingly diminished as he started to doubt psychotherapy and himself.
[edit] Trivia
- He and Kate used to go scuba diving occasionally.
- When he was 14, Paul had a major crush on his Biology teacher.
- He loves sailing and collects models of ships and boats as a hobby.
- Paul has asthma.
[edit] References
- ^ The New York Times - 'He Listens. He Cares. He Isn't Real.'
- ^ Weston's degree is visible at the 27 minute mark of episode 27.
