Mental: Riddles of the Mind

Original title: Mental Production and year: USA, Colombia, Canada, 2009 Genre: Drama Cast: Chris Vance, Annabella Sciorra, Jacqueline McKenzie, Marisa Ramirez, Nicholas Gonzalez Medical topic: Mental illness Other information: 1 season (13 episodes) The series is set in the psychiatric ward of a hospital in Los Angeles. Dr. Jack Gallagher, a young psychiatrist, becomes the head of the ward. In his work, he frequently employs extremely unconventional methods that allow him to deeply understand his patients’ conditions. Understanding the mechanisms of their disorders enables him to select the appropriate therapy for each patient. Each episode of the series features a patient with a different, interesting mental disorder. The approach to treating mental illness depicted in the series does not reflect the reality of a psychiatrist’s work—it is obvious that in reality, a doctor does not spend the entire day deciphering the deepest secrets of the human mind. However, it’s worth watching “Mental” to remind ourselves that sometimes, to understand a patient and help them, we need to step off the beaten path and try less conventional methods.