Who's going to lie down on the couch? 'The Sopranos,' the first TV series to tackle mental health
Except that the protagonist of The Sopranos – whose first episode aired on January 10, 1999, on the American network HBO – is not an ordinary patient. Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) is a mafia boss, head of a New Jersey "family." This man, who has a string of misdeeds to his name, falls apart when the wild ducks he loved to watch paddling in his pool fly away.
From today's perspective, following an individual's mental health struggles seems unremarkable. Mental health is now everywhere in TV series, with a wide range of patient profiles. En thérapie (In Therapy), created by Eric Toledano and Olivier Nakache and adapted from the Israeli series BeTipul, with two seasons broadcast on Arte in 2021 and 2022, put a surgeon, a police officer from the search and intervention brigade, a business executive and a student on the couch. 13 Reasons Why (2017) unfolds as an investigation into the suicide of a teenage girl. Atypical (2017) follows a young man on the autism spectrum, while the animated series BoJack Horseman (2014) centers on a washed-up actor dependent on sex, alcohol and drugs.
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LeMonde
7 hours ago
- LeMonde
Who's going to lie down on the couch? 'The Sopranos,' the first TV series to tackle mental health
A man suffers a panic attack. On the advice of his general practitioner, he consults a psychiatrist. She diagnoses him with clinical depression, and he begins therapy. Over the course of their sessions, he talks (a lot) about his mother, with whom he has a complicated relationship. He discusses his wife, his son and daughter, his own childhood, the memory of his deceased father and his work. Nothing particularly remarkable. Except that the protagonist of The Sopranos – whose first episode aired on January 10, 1999, on the American network HBO – is not an ordinary patient. Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) is a mafia boss, head of a New Jersey "family." This man, who has a string of misdeeds to his name, falls apart when the wild ducks he loved to watch paddling in his pool fly away. From today's perspective, following an individual's mental health struggles seems unremarkable. Mental health is now everywhere in TV series, with a wide range of patient profiles. En thérapie (In Therapy), created by Eric Toledano and Olivier Nakache and adapted from the Israeli series BeTipul, with two seasons broadcast on Arte in 2021 and 2022, put a surgeon, a police officer from the search and intervention brigade, a business executive and a student on the couch. 13 Reasons Why (2017) unfolds as an investigation into the suicide of a teenage girl. Atypical (2017) follows a young man on the autism spectrum, while the animated series BoJack Horseman (2014) centers on a washed-up actor dependent on sex, alcohol and drugs.
Euronews
11 hours ago
- Euronews
'Weapons': Why no one needs a prequel to the box office hit of 2025
While it was highly anticipated, Zach Cregger's Weapons has become the breakout hit of the summer no one expected. Not only did the American filmmaker's sophomore horror film top the box office during its debut weekend and has raked in a reported $92 million internationally at the time of writing (on a budget of $38 million), it's also become one of the most critically acclaimed films of 2025. For those who haven't yet had the pleasure, Weapons is a mystery horror gem that takes place in the aftermath of the disappearance of 17 children, who all leave their homes one night at precisely 2:17am. They run into the night and are never seen or heard from again. In our (glowing) review for Weapons, we wrote: 'Cregger skilfully employs a Rashomon-style narrative construction to craft a distressing fairytale that starts off as a small-town mystery thriller with shades of Twin Peaks and Denis Villeneuve's Prisoners. And his novelistic approach pays off, as it only furthers quite how much Stephen King must be green with envy that this suburban US nightmare isn't his baby.' We added: 'Weapons has become the tense and deliriously entertaining horror film to beat this year. Considering 2025 has already been good to the genre, with Presence, Sinners, The Ugly Stepsister, 28 Years Later and Bring Her Back – to name but a few highlights – that should tell you plenty.' But because we can't have nice, self-contained things, there's trouble afoot... There are only three certainties in life: death, taxes and Hollywood greed. The slightest whiff of buzz and box office glory and opportunistic studios start getting ideas, seeking to milk creative properties dry. And because Weapons is a hit, a prequel has apparently been tabled, with Cregger reportedly in early talks for a time-reversing follow-up. Per an exclusive report from The Hollywood Reporter, Cregger is in early discussions with Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema for an origin film set in the Weapons universe – with the prequel focusing on the film's mysterious antagonist. Warning: mild spoilers ahead. The prequel would focus on Amy Madigan's character Gladys – this demented fairytale's witch, who cast a spell on the kiddies and ends up meeting a particularly gruesome end. On a surface level, a prequel could make some artistic sense. Weapons is a non-linear story that explores multiple viewpoints, and the film never gets Gladys' perception. There's no doubt that Madigan would ace it if she were to return to the role, and Cregger has proven that he's not to be underestimated. However, one of the many reasons why Weapons works so well is a lack of backstory for the evil character. We don't need answer dumps or to be clued up on the 'why' behind her nefarious motivations; it's a lot creepier when these elements remain unknown. Prequels not only run the risk of botching continuity, canon and tension, but dish out unnecessary explanations. Recent examples like The Hobbit trilogy, Furiosa and Wonka prove it. Moreover, they are always poison when it comes to the most interesting characters: villains. A villain origin story that reveals motive ruins mythology, quashes audience imagination, and tanks the scare potential of a truly excellent antagonist. Norman Bates is far more scary without a motive. Darth Vader definitely lost his threatening edge when George Lucas decided to go back and unveil his entire backstory. Hannibal Lecter is much less frightening once you've been force fed the origins of his cannibalistic ways. And the nightmares triggered by aunt Gladys will be more underwear soiling if audiences are purposefully kept in the dark about why she's parasitically invading families' spaces and terrorising small towns. 'It's a lot scarier when there's no motive, Sid.' Wise words from Billy Loomis in the first (and best) Scream film. So, Mr. Cregger, if you're reading... First of all, congrats and enjoy your moment – it's merited. Secondly, please don't bend to studio pressure and fight for Weapons to be a standalone. We understand you're already busy with the upcoming Resident Evil film, as well as an original film you're reportedly working on titled Flood. Do those. And if you won't listen to Euronews Culture, please listen to Billy. Murderous tendencies aside, he had a point.
Euronews
16 hours ago
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‘Baby Shark' song not plagiarised, South Korean top court rules
South Korea's Supreme Court ruled today that the globally popular children's song 'Baby Shark' was not plagiarised, ending a six-year legal battle over an American composer's copyright claim. US composer Jonathan Wright accused South Korean kids content company Pinkfong of copying elements from his own earlier version of the tune. He filed a lawsuit in Seoul in 2019 and sought 30 million won (approx. €18,500) in compensation. Wright, also known as Johnny Only, released his version in 2011, four years before Pinkfong's, but both were based on a traditional melody popular for years at children's summer camps in the United States. South Korea's top court upheld lower court rulings dating back to 2021 and 2023 that found no sufficient grounds to conclude Pinkfong infringed on Jonathan Wright's copyright. Throughout the case's prolonged run, the courts consistently ruled Wright's version did not differ enough from the original melody to qualify as an original creative work eligible for copyright protection, and that Pinkfong's song had clear differences from Wright's. The Supreme Court said its ruling reaffirms the established legal principle on existing folk tunes as derivative work. 'The Supreme Court accepts the lower court's finding that the plaintiff's song did not involve substantial modifications to the folk tune related to the case to the extent that it could be regarded, by common social standards, as a separate work,' it said in a statement. Pinkfong said in a statement to that the ruling confirmed its version of 'Baby Shark' was based on a 'traditional singalong chant' that was in the public domain. The company said it gave the tune a fresh twist by adding 'an upbeat rhythm and catchy melody, turning it into the pop culture icon it is today.' Chong Kyong-sok, Wright's South Korean attorney, said he hadn't received the full version of the court's ruling yet, but called the outcome 'a little disappointing.' 'Anyway, the matter is now settled,' he said. 'It's our work that came out first, so we can handle the licensing on our side and I guess we then each go our separate ways.' Pinkfong's 'Baby Shark' became a global phenomenon after it was released on YouTube in 2015. A year later, the company uploaded a second video which showed two child actors doing hand movements on the song's catchy "doo doo doo doo doo doo" hook. 'Baby Shark Dance' became the most-viewed YouTube video of all time, now exceeding 16 billion views. The song was also featured in various cultural products, including in The Angry Birds Movie 2 and in TV series The Umbrella Academy. 'Baby Shark' remains a crucial product for Pinkfong, which earned 45.1 billion won ($32.6 million) in revenue in the first half of 2025, according to its regulatory filing. The company has turned the five-member shark family - Baby Shark, Mama Shark, Papa Shark, Grandma Shark, and Grandpa Shark - into TV and Netflix shows, films, smartphone apps and globally touring musicals.
