Over the past twenty years, television has experienced a surge in series that use therapy sessions as a key narrative device. This trend, largely popularized by The Sopranos, has since spread across genres, with shows like In Treatment dedicating entire episodes to a single session. Even innovative series like Fleabag bring a confessional tone, breaking the fourth wall to deepen the connection between character and viewer. Marshall Meyer suggests that television and therapy share a natural affinity—both unfold in episodes or sessions with time in between, capturing the complexity and continuity of the therapeutic process. Join us as we explore how this dynamic not only makes therapy a prevalent theme in TV but also hints at television’s own therapeutic potential.

• Marshall Meyer is a PhD candidate in Interdisciplinary Humanistic Studies at Johns Hopkins University and a Candidate Scholar psychoanalyst in training at the Lacanian School of Psychoanalysis. He is currently completing a dissertation entitled The Spectacular Commodity, which uses the tools of psychoanalysis to better understand the medium of television and our relationship with screens more broadly.
• Sponsors (i.e., departments, programs, partners, etc.):  Brought to you by Hopkins at Home

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