Stay Tuned

The Daily Star, Oneonta, N.Y., Friday, December 11, 2020 4 By Rachel Jones TV Media T his is not your average couples' reality TV show, and it definitely isn't a re- peat of the VH1 celebrity show. There's no drama-filled brawling or suspenseful pa- ternity test reveals. No, Show- time's "Couples Therapy" is a whole other ball game. The se- ries premiered in September 2019, and, while the new sea- son won't return until 2021, the upcoming special will bridge the gap until then. You can catch "Couples Therapy: The COVID Special" on Sun- day, Dec. 13, on the network. If you haven't seen it yet, you're missing out on some- thing that's never really been done before. The characters in this special aren't just actors playing roles — they're real- life couples. And the psychol- ogist at the helm of it all, Dr. Orna Guralnik, is a respected therapist who specializes in psychoanalysis and gender and sexuality. "Couples Therapy" is an in- timate look at what really goes on beneath the surface of a couple's relationship — and couples of different back- grounds at that! Showtime has made a point to make the show inclusive, filming and releasing episodes that fea- ture people of color, a same- sex couple, a trans/cis couple and a heterosexual couple. Neither the couple nor the doctor has a script, and the therapy outcome is not pre- contrived. The upcoming COVID-19 special is an hour-long episode that will include therapy ses- sions with couples as usual, only this time the sessions be- tween Guralnik and her clients will be conducted entirely via Zoom. As many couples could personally attest to this year, the couples in this special have been essentially trapped to- gether due to the COVID-19 pandemic and it's causing some unexpected problems. As a result of this uniquely 2020 situation, Guralnik and the couples will be discussing some deep-rooted issues at- tached to the stresses each couple is experiencing. Expect a "warts and all" kind of expe- rience. According to an interview on Indiewire, Guralnik assured fans of the show that it is not just the TV couples who need advice right now. The New York-based clinical psycholo- gist explained that many are facing relationship issues due to the close and constant con- finement during the pandemic. She went on to offer some ad- vice and urged: "Keep return- ing to this idea of being gentle, and keep reminding yourself that what we're in the middle of is not normal life. Find artifi- cial ways to make up for the kind of boundaries that we've lost because of this quarantine; boundaries of space and time and location." Critics and viewers alike have heaped praise on the first season of the show, calling it "riveting" and claiming that it can actually help couples who are struggling with their rela- tionships. Initially, Guralnik was just going to be a consultant for the "Couples Therapy" show. In- stead, filmmakers Eli B. De- spres, Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg, who all worked to- gether on "Weiner" (2016), decided to recruit her to be the central figure in the show rath- er than just advise. Over 1,000 couples applied to be a part of the upcoming special — a telling number with regard to the stress that 2020 has brought upon us all — and, while the couples that were chosen were obviously aware they were to be filmed, a great deal of effort was made to keep the production staff and film crew out of view from the couples as much as possi- ble during their sessions. The hope was that these measures would make the couples feel more comfortable and give them an experience that was as close as possible to a typical therapy session. "Couples Therapy" goes be- yond the normal "reality TV" charade to examine the true nature of human reactions and emotions, offering insights and glimpses into the challenges faced by many partners. By showing a side of their lives that's almost never seen by an audience, you can tell that many couples are not as hon- est with each other as they should be. Guralnik even says at one point in the show, "peo- ple do better with the truth than without it." It's a straight- forward theory, but for many couples complete honesty is not always that simple. coverstory Dr. Orna Guralnik in "Couples Therapy: The COVID Special" Pandemic partnership: COVID special of 'Couples Therapy' airs on Showtime By Adam Thomlison TV Media Q: Why aren't the other Roloff children on "Little Peo- ple, Big World"? A: It looks like a range of reasons led Jeremy, Molly and Ja- cob to step away from "Little People, Big World" (by "other" I assume you mean besides Zach, who remains a central figure on the show), but their reasons can be boiled down to the rig- ors of reality TV. Jacob, the youngest child, has been outspoken about why he refuses to appear. He took to social media to criticize how artificial the show is and how he hated being told what to say and how to behave. "For the sake of 'the episode' and ratings," he said, "I've seen a lot of storylines drawn up (loosely) about our lives." He insisted that he's still close with his family but re- fuses to be on the show with them because "the family that is filmed is not my family. They are the Roloff characters." Jeremy and Molly took less hardline exits, though Jeremy also announced his departure from the show on Instagram, writing the following in July 2018: "A year ago I made the deci- sion that this season would be our last. It has been an amazing run, and I can't say thank you enough to all of you who have watched and supported us along the ride." He said he and his wife wanted to focus on other projects, which includes their two young children. But this new branch of the Roloff clan lives just a short drive away from the Roloff farm. Molly never said explicitly why she was leaving the show, but the distance in this case might be a factor. A few years ago, she and her new husband moved out of state to Spokane, Wash., and so it would be hard for her to continue to be a part of filming. However, she pops up now and then and frequently appears in photos on the family's social media accounts. Q: I really loved the Hallmark holiday movie "The Christmas Club." What else has the woman done? A: The female lead in 2019's "The Christmas Club," starring opposite telefilm mainstay Cameron Mathison, was Elizabeth Mitchell. She, unlike Mathison, was a relative newcomer to the telefilm game, but the ones she's done have been prestigious. She's mostly known for her roles in a couple of sci-fi series, having played Dr. Juliet Burke/Carlson on "Lost," Erica Evans on the recent "V" remake and Rachel Matheson on NBC's "Revolution." In this case, however, it might be her (limited) telefilm work you know her for. She briefly carved out a niche for herself in high-profile true stories, playing the title role in the 2000 CBS biopic "The Linda McCartney Story," Teresa Earnhardt in "3: The Dale Earnhardt Story" (2004) and a leading role in another notable biography, the 1998 HBO movie "Gia," starring Ange- lina Jolie. Though, as a Christmas-movie aficionado you might know her as Carol Newman/Mrs. Claus in the big-screen comedies "The Santa Clause 2" (2002) and "The Santa Clause 3: The Es- cape Clause" (2006). If you liked her work in "The Christmas Club," you'll be pleased to hear her profile is about to go up again — she re- cently booked a series regular role in the second season of the teen-focused Netflix drama "Outer Banks." Have a question? Email us at questions@tvtabloid.com. Please include your name and town. Personal replies will not be provided. hollywoodQ&A Towne Floring 3 x 2

• Cover