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**markm** · January 2, 2015, 02:04 AM

hey lyxia,
I haven't seen this particular show you're talking about, so I'll speak in generalities:
If BP or mental illness in general is shown in a realistic, matter-of-fact way so it "normalizes" to society, that's probably a good thing. If it's demonizing of a condition, or worse, the person with the condition, then that would be an unfortunate stereotyping. I mean, why not have TV, books, movies, etc, portray life in real terms, not covered up, hush-hush, let's not talk about it, maybe it'll go away. We do that with too many things too often. There have been some great portrayals of mental illness, and some terribly done as well.
Bottom line, as long as it's not a gratuitous use of BP, like anything else, as an element in a movie, etc, then it has purposeful, fortifying meaning.

**uni** · January 2, 2015, 04:03 PM

Hello Lyxia. Thanks for the link. I think the show could be interesting and/or disturbing. I can see where it could make you panicky. Watching the promo got my adrenaline up, but I'm having kind of an anxious day as it is. On a calmer day it probably wouldn't have the same effect.

I often have trouble with the way mental illness is portrayed in TV shows and movies. However, if the material is handled in a sensitive and realistic manner, then it's a different story. In this case may be a moot point; I gather from reading the comments beneath the video that the show got cancelled after a short run. All the same, it would have been interesting to watch at least one episode.

Bottom line for me when it comes to the portrayal of mental illness in any sort of dramatic presentation: it's about keeping the audience entertained and leaving them wanting more. If it helps educate, bonus. And of course if it makes no money, then that's the end of it. That may sound cynical, but it's the way I see it.

**paul m** · January 3, 2015, 01:18 AM

Hello Lyxia. I barely made it through the utube video and I agree that this is not a good show. Usually promos try to put their best foot forward,so to speak. If that's the best that ABC can come up with then I hope the company soon goes bankrupt. Based on the totally unrealistic promo, I wouldn't even consider watching the show. I read a couple of reviews about the show and apparently after missing one dose she goes into full blown mania. It doesn't happen that way and the show spends little time dealing with the depressive side of bipolar, just the manic side. Plus if you miss enough doses of your meds, you may become depressed rather than manic, but the show doesn't mention that.

I like fiction shows, even science fiction shows, but I have never liked poorly written works of fiction and based on the promo that is what I feel this show is. I noticed that near the end of the promo, they said it was brought to us by the same producers who produced the series House. While I liked House for a while, I didn't like the last few seasons when they portrayed him as a man with an addiction problem and a mental illness. I felt the way they showed Dr House dealing with those problems were totally unrealistic.

For a while ER , another popular series, had one of Dr's mother having bipolar. That part was played by Sally Fields, an actress who has won many awards and who is very good. However an actress is only as good as her script allows her to be and the way they depicted her was horribly inaccurate.

However those are just my rants. For some good info on the damage that the media does to those with a mental illness and the stigma that it can create go to: http://psychcentral.com/lib/medias-d...llness/0002220 .

From another review I took this quote ". We’re supposed to believe that this woman is a world-class neuroscientist and yet she has a “history of noncompliance” and, according to the above example, becomes acutely manic moments after missing a single dose of medication? We’re supposed to believe that this has been her life and she’s still managed to become a world-class neuroscientist? " Take Care. paul m

**paul m** · January 3, 2015, 01:24 AM

Hello Lyxia. I barely made it through the utube video and I agree that this is not a good show. Usually promos try to put their best foot forward,so to speak. If that's the best that ABC can come up with then I hope the company soon goes bankrupt. Based on the totally unrealistic promo, I wouldn't even consider watching the show. I read a couple of reviews about the show and apparently after missing one dose she goes into full blown mania(it doesn't happen that way and the show spends little time dealing with the depressive side of bipolar, just the manic side. Plus if you miss enough doses of your meds, you may become depressed rather than manic, but the show doesn't mention that.

I like fiction shows, even science fiction shows, but I have never liked poorly written works of fiction and based on the promo that is what I feel this show is. I noticed that near the end of the promo, they said it was brought to us by the same producers who produced the series House. While I liked House for a while, I didn't like the last few seasons when they portrayed him as a man with an addiction problem and a mental illness. I felt the way they showed Dr House dealing with those problems were totally unrealistic.

For a while ER , another popular series, had one of Dr's mother having bipolar. That part was played by Sally Fields, an actress who has won many awards and who is very good. However an actress is only as good as her script allows her to be and the way they depicted her was horribly inaccurate.

However those are just my rants. For some good info on the damage that the media does to those with a mental illness and the stigma that it can create got to: http://psychcentral.com/lib/medias-d...llness/0002220 . Take Care. paul m

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Using bipolar illness in entertainment inappropriatly... overuse...

Using bipolar illness in entertainment inappropriatly... overuse...

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