The Patient Episode 9 is out now! Created by Joel Fields and Joe Weisberg for FX on Hulu, the executive producers for the series are Joel Fields, Joe Weisberg, Steve Carell, Caroline Moore, Victor Hsu and Chris Long. The production companies for the series include Joel Fields Productions, Flim Flam and FXP.
The main cast features Steve Carell as Alan Strauss, a therapist and Domhnall Gleeson as Sam Fortner, a serial killer and the new patient of our therapist in question. Actors Linda Emond plays Candace Fortner along with Laura Niemi as Beth Strauss, Andrew Leeds as Ezra Strauss and David Alan Grier as Charlie Addison. Alex Rich is also part of the cast. The ninth episode of The Patient has a runtime of approximately 30 minutes.
– The Patient Episode 9 Review Does Not Contain Spoilers –
The Patient Episode 9: Auschwitz
Images of the concentration camps at Auschwitz have been haunting various episodes of The Patient now and then but, it was not until the ninth episode that the audience must have found some meaning in it. The school of existentialism in psychology boasts people like Rollo May and Irvin Yalom but, one name that never escapes is that of Victor Frankl. If you haven’t made the connection between the two lines as mentioned earlier yet, then let me tell you.
The birth of existentialism and logotherapy, which shares bits from the humanistic approach of psychology is because of Austrian psychiatrist Victor Frankl, who saw and survived the horrid life in a concentration camp that gave the silver lining in all the clouds of gloom we talk about- hope. Frankl’s approach was always to find man’s purpose and give meaning to life and it only makes sense that our therapist in the show, who has been a Car Rogers in every way possible is relating to Frankl’s way of cognition and life as his hope for living slowly fades away with every passing moment.
In The Patient Episode 9, we not only see Alan have a dream where he interacts with Victor Frankl but, also go on to share it with Sam. The latter, of course, is desperate to get better and knows that Alan is serving no help. Alan knows it too and, maybe that is why he suggests Sam should call Mary over- this could be Alan’s last chance at getting help or really helping Sam build sustainable relationships that might bring some kind of meaning to his life and give him a touch of empathy.
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It is a grim time for both Alan and Sam in The Patient, currently. And, with Sam bringing up Ed Kemper as an example to correlate to and, Alan dreaming of Victor Frankl along with his dead therapist, it is evident how our characters are mentally dealing with themselves.
The Patient Episode 9: Final Thoughts
So where is The Patient heading? In honesty, it feels like Alan has given up. In The Patient Episode 9, Alan did have a chance to attack Sam but, it is beyond imagination why is he letting moments slip by him. At the same time, Alan is revisiting his past constantly and trying to find meaning in his life which shows something else, it shows a will to live. Meanwhile, Sam is presently a case that cannot be redeemed. It is clear to the audience as it is to Alan but, will his interaction with Alan be the straw of empathy is something we will have to hold our horses to find out in the finale.
You can watch The Patient Episode 9 now streaming on Hulu.
To read our review for the rest of the episodes, click here.