The soul is a mystery, hidden from view. And as you know, any mystery immediately attracts the attention of the public. Therefore, filmmakers do not hesitate to break into the most remote and confusing corners of our minds.
In confirmation, we have collected the best foreign and domestic series about psychologists and psychotherapists, which will help you spend time with the benefit, learn something unusual about the human psyche, a new look at your inner world or improve relationships with other people.
Lie to Me
- Rating IMDB – 8.0
- Genre: Thriller, drama, crime, detective
- US production / 2009
- Directed by: Daniel Sackheim, Michael Zinberg, Vahan Musekyan
- Cast: Tim Roth, Kelly Williams, Brendan P. Hines, Monica Raymund, Hayley McFarland, Mekhi Phifer, Kristen Ariza, Monique Kernen, Jennifer Marsala, Jennifer Beals
Dr. Lightman believes that everyone around him is a liar all the time. To prove his theory, all he has to do is spend a few minutes alone with the person he is talking to. The slightest gesture, word or eye movement is sure to reveal the liar’s true motives. It is only necessary to see the right signals and know what to pay attention to.
Using their talents, Lightman and his team help to exonerate the innocent and put cunning criminals behind bars. He advises the police, governments around the world, the FBI and the House of Senators. But can a man who sees so many lies around him be happy in his daily life?
Cal Lightman’s prototype and series counsellor was UCLA psychology professor Paul Eckman. He devoted more than 30 years of his life to the study of deception theory and is by far the biggest expert in the field.
Too Close
- Rating IMDB – 6.8
- Genre: Thriller, drama, crime
- Production: UK / 2021
- Directed by: Susan Tully
- Cast: Emily Watson, Denis Gough, Thalissa Teixeira, Carl Johnson, Jamie Sives, Riesterd Cooper, Eileen Davies, Chizzy Akudolu, Nina Wadia
A young woman, Connie Mortenson, is accused of the heinous crime of brutally murdering two children. Yet she claims she has no recollection of it and refuses to admit her guilt. In order to understand her testimony and see if she is telling the truth, the police bring in Dr. Emma Robertson, a psychiatrist, to investigate the case. She must unravel Connie’s complicated memories and get to the truth.
The mini-series is based on the novel of the same name by Clara Salaman, better known as Natalie Daniels.
Criminal Minds
- Rating IMDB – 8.1
- Genre: Thriller, drama, crime, detective
- Production: USA, Canada / 2005
- Directed by: Glenn Kershaw, Felix Enriquez Alcala, Rob Bailey
- Cast: Matthew Gray Gubler, Kirsten Vangsness, A.J. Cook, Joe Mantegna, Thomas Gibson, Shemar Moore, Paget Brewster, Aisha Tyler, Adam Rodriguez, Daniel Henney
In sunny Seattle, four young women go missing in a short time. The police immediately put forward a theory about a maniac rampaging through the city. To catch him and prevent further crimes, the investigation involves the best FBI agents led by Jason Gideon. He has specialty is the study of the smallest details of the case in order to compile a psychological portrait of the suspect and quickly catch the villain.
In the show, the character of Jennifer Jareau (A. J. Cook) has a son, Henry. He was played by the actress’ real-life son, Mechai Andersen. After Mandy Patinkin left the project, he denounced the show’s excessive cruelty.
Being Erica
- Rating IMDB – 7.7
- Genre: Fantasy, drama, melodrama, comedy, adventure
- Production: Canada / 2009
- Director: Chris Grismer, Philip Earnshaw, Holly Dale
- Cast: Erin Karpluk, Reagan Pasternak, Michael Riley, Kathleen Lasky, Joanna Douglas, Morgan Kelly, John Boylan, Vinessa Antoine, Paula Brancati, Michael P. Northey
Young woman, Erica Strange’s life isn’t set at all because of bad decisions made in the past. The oppressive weight of long-ago events prevents her from breathing peacefully in the present. Then she takes the desperate step of making an appointment with a progressive psychotherapist, Tom, who offers to make a list of the most unpleasant and wrong moments of her life.
The therapist then plans to move the girl into each situation of the past so that she can make a different decision and influence the present. This deal has only two conditions – not to tell anyone about her work with Tom and not to interfere in other people’s fates. Will she be able to get her life together by taking a second chance?
On the wall in Dr. Tom’s office is a portrait of Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis.
Vienna Blood
- Rating IMDB – 7.5
- Genre: Thriller, drama, crime, detective
- Production: UK, Austria / 2019
- Directed by: Robert Dornhelm, Umut Dag
- Cast: Matthew Beard, Jurgen Maurer, Charlene McKenna, Conleth Hill, Amelia Ballmore, Joseph Eilers, Raphael von Bargen, Louise von Finch, Simon Hutzl, Oliver Sztokowski
Max Lieberman, a doctor of psychology, is one of the most talented students and followers of Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychotherapy. He assists Detective Oskar Reinhardt in the investigation of a series of intricate murders in the streets of Vienna at the beginning of the last century. Together, the characters try to uncover the identity of the culprit who terrifies the inhabitants of the quiet town.
The original title of the series is ‘Vienna Blood’. The plot is based on the short stories by Frank Tallis. The shooting took place in the Austrian capital and included many historical locations and architectural monuments: Grafenegg Castle, Vienna Opera House, Museum of Natural History, Pallavicini Palace, archival buildings of Vienna University.
In Treatment
- Rating IMDB – 8.3
- Genre: Drama
- US production / 2008
- Directed by: Paris Barclay, Rodrigo Garcia, Jim McKay
- Cast: Gabriel Byrne, Uzo Aduba, Dianne Wiest, Michelle Forbes, Blair Underwood, Mia Wasikowska, Josh Charles, Embeth Davidtz, Amy Ryan, Joel Kinnaman
Psychotherapist Paul Weston in the workplace is a great doctor who is willing to do literally anything for his patients. However, in real life, he is a typical unattractive man in his fifties, with a lot of punctuation and problems. Trying to cope with his shortcomings, Paul himself applies for therapy, becoming the same patient. After this, he begins to take a new look at himself, everyday problems and client situations.
The film was shot fairly quickly. On average, it took two to three days to produce one episode.
The Alienist
- Rating IMDB – 7.7
- Genre: Detective, crime, drama
- US production / 2018
- Directed by: Jacob Verbruggen, Paco Cabezas, James Hawes
- Cast: Daniel Brühl, Luke Evans, Brian Geraghty, Dakota Fanning, Robert Wisdom, Douglas Smith, Matthew Shire, Q’orianka Kilcher, Matt Lintz, David Wilmot
New York, 1896. The quiet and relatively peaceful city is shaken by a series of brutal murders whose victims are children. The criminal obviously wants to make a name for himself, as his murders are getting more and more complicated and bloody each time.
The best detectives of the city, including the future president, yet police commissioner, Theodore Roosevelt, distinguished reporter John Moore, the first policewoman Sarah Howard and talented psychologist-alienist Laszlo Kreitzler are taken to solve the case.
The film is based on the book of the same name by Caleb Carr. Carr himself acted on the project as a consultant and producer of the picture. Theodore Roosevelt actually served as commissioner of the New York City Police Department from 1895 to 1897.
Dag
- Rating IMDB – 8.5
- Genre: Drama, comedy
- Production: Norway / 2010
- Directed by: Øystein Carlsen, Tuva Novotny
- Cast: Atle Antonsen, Tuva Novotny, Anders Baasmo Christiansen, Agnes Kittelsen, Rolf Lassgaard, Ine F. Jansen, Silje Thorp, Kaja Warjord, Lena Ellingsen
Marriage counsellor Dr. Dag believes that all people should live alone. Not surprisingly, after his ‘help’ about 90% of couples decide to divorce. However, his life changes dramatically after his sister Marianne convinces the hero to go on a blind date with her old friend Eva. The relationship with the woman changes forever the grumpy, infantile doctor, who was not interested in anything but Valium.
The series aired on Norwegian TV2 from 2010 to 2015. The picture received 15 nominations and five awards from the prestigious Golden Screen Film Awards, including nominations for best series, best TV drama, best screenplay and best actor.
The Undoing
- Rating IMDB – 7.4
- Genre: Thriller, drama, detective
- US production / 2020
- Directed by: Suzanne Beer
- Cast: Nicole Kidman, Hugh Grant, Edgar Ramirez, Noah Jupe, Lily Rabe, Matilda De Angelis, Edan Alexander, Michael Devine, Donald Sutherland, Ismael Cruz Cordova
Grace Fraser is a successful psychotherapist from New York City who is the envy of many. She seems to have everything one could dream of – a loving husband, an adorable son, a good job, a beautiful home, and financial prosperity.
This goes on for quite a long time until in an instant the heroine’s fairy-tale life begins to crumble before her eyes. Her husband disappears somewhere, after which he is accused of murder, the fairytale life turns out to be quite unsweet and she herself faces an unpleasant reputation scandal.
The series is based on the fifth book by writer Jean Hanff Korelitz. Actor Michael Divine, who played Detective Paul O’Rourke was actually once a police officer.
State of the Union
- Rating IMDB – 7.8
- Genre: Drama, melodrama, comedy
- Production UK / 2019
- Directed by: Stephen Frears
- Cast: Chris O’Dowd, Rosamund Pike, Brendan Gleeson, Patricia Clarkson, Janet Emsden, Jeff Rohl, Laura Cubbitt, Elliot Levy, Ashlyn Bee
Married couple Tom and Louise, who have lived together for many years, are on the verge of divorce because of their wife’s infidelity. Because of this, they regularly visit a marriage therapist to make sense of what happened and figure out where to move forward. And before the sessions, they go to the pub opposite the therapist’s office and talk about life, family problems and the reasons that led to their separation.
The first season was filmed in London. The main location for the series was a local pub called Thatched House. It is a functioning establishment located in the Hammersmith area.
Gypsy
- Rating IMDB – 6.8
- Genre: Thriller, drama
- Production: USA, UK / 2017
- Directed by: Koki Gidroych, Victoria Mahoney, Alik Sakharov
- Cast: Naomi Watts, Billy Crudup, Sophie Cookson, Karl Glusman, Purna Jagannathan, Brooke Bloom, Lucy Boynton, Melanie Liebird, Brenda Vaccaro
Jean Holloway is an unusual therapist. She listens to her patients’ secrets, rubs off on them, and then becomes intimate with her clients’ relatives. Gradually, professional life and addiction are intertwined so strongly that they can no longer exist separately from each other. After this the young woman’s life begins to collapse from within, entangling the fates of those around her in a series of disastrous events.
In August 2017, the series was shut down after the first season was released. Interestingly, a couple of weeks before that, the platform was in talks with producers and writers, and they even managed to write a few storylines for the sequel.
Masters of Sex
- Rating IMDB – 7.9
- Genre: Drama, melodrama
- US production / 2013
- Directed by: Michael Apted, Adam Arkin, Jeremy Webb
- Cast: Michael Sheen, Lizzy Caplan, Caitlin Fitzgerald, Annalee Ashford, Teddy Sears, Kevin Christie, Beau Bridges, Helen York, Nicholas D’Agosto, Julianne Nicholson
The action takes place in the 1950s and 1960s, at the dawn of the sexual revolution. Dr. William Masters is the head of a team of researchers into human sexuality. Scientists study the patterns, phases of arousal and various deviations inherent in representatives of different sexes.
Both married couples and homosexuals, representatives of the oldest professions and people with intimate problems take part in the experiment. Scientists and subjects have a difficult and long way to go, overcoming prejudice, distrust, and misconceptions about sex, before the necessary data will be collected and published for the benefit of all mankind.
The story is based on the biographies of William Masters and Virginia Johnson, as well as several biographical books by various authors.
Shrink
- Rating IMDB – 8.0
- Genre: Comedy
- US production / 2017
- Directed by: Ted Tremper, Graham Linehan, Chuck Martin
- Cast: Tim Baltz, Megan Fay, Sue Gillan, Mary Holland, Kyle S. More, Joel Murray, T. J. Yagodowski, Claudia Michelle Wallace
David Tracy is an atypical psychotherapist. He is, you might say, a shrink willy-nilly. After racking up the pile of debt during college and failing to get into residency, he is forced to start a psychotherapy practice right in his parent’s garage to keep himself busy and get away from his hated home.
Since the guy is unlicensed, clients can receive therapy for free. ‘Frames’ from all over the city begin to flock to him, telling frightening, funny and ridiculous stories from life. As the saying goes, what you can’t do for science.
The number of therapy hours David needs to be certified as a clinical psychologist is 1,920.
Premonition
- Rating IMDB – 7.6
- Genre: Thriller, drama, crime, detective
- US production / 2012
- Director: Chris Misiano, Kenneth Biller, Greg Beeman
- Cast: Eric McCormack, Rachael Leigh Cook, Kelly Rowan, RJ Smith, LeVar Burton, Scott Wolf, Brad Rowe, Jonathan Scarfe, DJ Qualls, Dan Lauria
The series will tell the story of talented psychotherapist and neurophysiologist Daniel Pierce, who has been hired by the FBI to help with the most complex and confusing cases. The eccentric doctor uses atypical methods of work and has an unusual personality, which does not prevent him from making friends in the Bureau and organizing his own team of specialists, which includes former student Kate, assistant Max, and best friend Natalie.
During the filming of the second season, one of the main characters, actress Rachel Leigh Cook, was in her final months of pregnancy. That’s why in the final episodes she is constantly sitting up or covering her belly with something.
Necessary Roughness
- Rating IMDB – 7.1
- Genre: Drama, melodrama, comedy
- US production / 2011
- Director: Kevin Dowling, John Fortenberry, Kevin Hooks
- Cast: Cully Thorne, Mark Blucas, Scott Cohen, Mehcad Brooks, Patrick Johnson, Hannah Marks, Evan Handler, Gregory Alan Williams, Jay Tiroff
A talented psychotherapist’s personal life falls apart when she learns that her husband has cheated on her with another woman. To distract herself from her wounds, Dr. Dani Santino plunges headlong into her new job.
Her tough but effective method of therapy helps athletes, politicians, and entrepreneurs get results. Gradually the woman’s career goes upward, but another difficulty arises–it’s hard to be a top-notch specialist and a good mother to two teenage children at the same time.
The series is based on the true-life story of psychotherapist Donna Dennenflescher, who counselled the New York Jets players for a long time.
Mental
- Rating IMDB – 7.0
- Genre: Drama
- Production: USA, Columbia, Canada / 2009
- Director: Guy Ferland, Rod Hardy, David Jackson
- Cast: Chris Vance, Jacqueline Mackenzie, Marisa Ramirez, Derek Webster, Nicholas Gonzalez, Annabella Sciorra, Edwin Hodge, Warren Cole, Amanda Doug, Jamie Ray Newman
After the eccentric Dr. Jack Gallagher becomes head of the psychiatric department at a Los Angeles hospital, things are looking up at the clinic. The doctor uses an innovative method of delving into a patient’s psyche to find the shortest path to recovery. But this approach frightens the other doctors, who regard Gallagher as a freak, a genius and a charlatan all rolled into one.
Although the action is set in Los Angeles, it was filmed in Bogotá, Colombia. The film is set in the city of Bogotá, where no Colombian actor is involved in the series.
Wire in the Blood
- Rating IMDB – 8.3
- Genre: Thriller, drama, crime, detective
- Production: UK / 2002
- Directed by: Andrew Grieve, Peter Hoare, Declan O’Dwyre
- Cast: Robson Green, Mark Letheren, Emma Handy, Mark Penfold, Simon Labib, Hermione Norris, Alan Stokes, Tom Chadbon, Thomas Byrne, Michael Smiley
Dr. Tony Hill has incredible empathy. With his gift, he can penetrate the depths of other people’s minds and understand their motives, thoughts, and actions. Together with detectives, he works on the investigation of complex and high-profile cases. To do this, Hill uses the darkest part of himself – mentally reincarnating as the killer to hunt them down and catch them.
The series is based on books by crime writer Val McDermid. The picture was shut down in 2009 due to high production costs. Each episode cost the creators £750,000.
Bull
- Rating IMDB – 7.0
- Genres: Drama, comedy, crime
- US production / 2016
- Directed by: Dennis Smith, Dan Lerner, Michael Smith
- Cast: Michael Weatherly, Geneva Carr, Jamie Lee Kirshner, Christopher Neil Jackson, Freddie Rodriguez, Mackenzie Meehan, Anna Lucia Attanasio, Yara Martinez, Inna Muratova, Jazzie Williams
Dr. Jason Bull is the founder of an unusual consulting firm. He and his team specialize in studying the behavior of lawyers, judges, and juries in order to advise lawyers and their clients before cases are heard.
The guys do an incredible job of constructing a psychological profile of each actor in order to better select arguments for the defendant’s innocence. Sometimes experience and talent are not enough for an acquittal, and the defendants themselves are not distinguished by honesty and innocence.
The series about a group of psychologists and psychotherapists is based on the early career of popular writer and TV host Phil McGraw, who rose to fame after making his screen debut on ‘The Oprah Show’ and later producing his own program, ‘Dr. Phil’.
The Pretender
- Rating IMDB – 7.5
- Genre: Fantasy, drama, detective
- US production / 1996
- Directed by: Frederick King Keller, James Whitmore Jr., Terrence O’Hara
- Cast: Michael T. Weiss, Andrea Parker, Patrick Bauchot, John Gries, Ryan Merriman, Richard Marcus, Alex Vexo, James Denton, Sam Ayers, Harve Presnell
There are people in the world who can easily master any profession. Jared was one such genius. Experts from the Center Corporation tried to use his extraordinary abilities for experiments. They isolated the young man, but even after that, he managed to escape.
Now Jared changes one profession after another – doctor, plumber, military. But each time he remains a real man, kind and sympathetic. In the meantime, the Center’s staff never misses an opportunity to track down a fugitive and bring him back under their full control.
The prototype of the main character was the American Ferdinand Waldo Demara, who for many years lived under different assumed names and worked as an engineer, a policeman, a psychologist, a deputy warden in Texas, a monk and even a surgeon. And the patients to whom Demara performed surgeries – survived and was cured of their illnesses.
Sybil
- Rating IMDB – 8.2
- Genre: Drama, biography
- US production / 1976
- Directed by: Daniel Petrie
- Cast: Joanne Woodward, Sally Field, Brad Davis, Martin Bartlett, Jane Hoffman, Charles Lane, Jessamine Milner, William Prince, Penelope Allen, Camilla Ashland
The main character is a young woman with a tragic history, who suffers from multiple mental disorders, which were the result of years of elaborate abuse by her mother. As a result, the girl’s psyche failed, and her subconscious created more than ten different personalities, each with a different role depending on the situation. All to protect Sybil from the people around her and from herself.
The script is based on true events. The series has received many prestigious awards, including four Emmy nominations.
Mindhunter
- Rating IMDB – 8.6
- Genre: Thriller, drama, crime, detective
- US production / 2017
- Directed by: David Fincher, Karlklin, Andrew Douglas
- Cast: Jonathan Groff, Holt McCallany, Anna Torv, Sonny Valicenti, Stacey Roca, Hannah Gross, Joe Tuttle, Zachary Scott Ross, Kotter Smith, Albert Jones
Young FBI Special Agent Holden Ford is in charge of negotiating with hostage-taking criminals. After another conversation with a murderer ends with the perpetrator putting a bullet in his head, Ford concludes that he can use circumstantial data to create a psychological portrait of the criminal and thus anticipate his next moves.
The agent tries to develop this idea but does not find support from his superiors, because in fact, he proposes to track potential killers and stop their activities even before the crime is committed. But he finds support in fellow behaviorist Bill Tench and university psychologist Dr. Carr, studies the behavior of serial killers.
Travelling across America with a training program for police officers, the agents conduct some curious interviews with incarcerated criminals and compile psychological portraits in which they try to find patterns that then allow them to stop potential maniacs before they commit their murders.
David Fincher and Charlize Theron approached HBO with the project idea back in 2009 but were turned down.
Profiler
- Rating IMDB – 7.2
- Genre: Thriller, drama, crime, detective
- US production / 1996
- Directed by: Ian Toynton, Jeffrey Levy, Lee Bonner
- Cast: Robert Davi, Julian McMahon, Roma Maffia, Peter Frechette, Ellie Walker, Erika Gimpel, Dennis Christopher, Caitlin Wax, Heather McComb, Michael Waley
A series about the work of the forensic investigators of the fictional ‘Major Crimes Unit.’ The action takes place in Washington, C. The central figure of the ‘Major Crimes Unit’ is Dr. Samantha Waters, or as her colleagues call her, simply Sam. She is no ordinary forensic psychologist.
Samantha has a unique talent for seeing through other people’s eyes, which gives her the ability to understand much more deeply, or rather, to penetrate the minds of criminals. For all of her assignments, she performs as diligently as possible. And for this, she has good tragic reasons.
Once upon a time, her husband was killed by a serial killer who could never be caught. Together with her team of forensic professionals, Sam copes with the most complicated cases.
The Act
- Rating IMDB — 7.9
- Genre: Drama, biography, crime
- US production / 2019
- Directed by: Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre, Steven Peet, Adam Arkin
- Cast: Patricia Arquette, Joey King, Annasophia Robb, Chloë Sevigny, Calum Worthy, Denitra Iler, Rachel Ticotin, Steve Coulter, Justin Miles, Ashley Duleni
At the center of the true story is a wheelchair-bound Gypsy Blanchard and her mother Dee Dee, whose endless care for her daughter delights the entire neighborhood. No one realizes that Dee Dee’s thirst for control and overprotective care has long since crossed all boundaries. Growing up, Gypsy begins to protest her mother’s suffocating love, and this rebellion has far-reaching consequences.
‘The Act’ is an anthology series that tells the surprising details of real-life criminal offences. The plot of the first season is based on journalist Michelle Dean’s 2016 article, ‘Dee Dee wanted her daughter sick, and Gypsy wanted her mother killed.’
Prodigal Son
- Rating IMDB – 7.7
- Genre: Thriller, drama, crime, detective
- US production / 2019
- Directed by: Adam Kane, Omar Madha, Antonio Negret
- Cast: Tom Payne, Michael Sheen, Lou Diamond Phillips, Halston Sage, Aurora Perrino, Frank Hearts, Keiko Agena, Bellamy Young, Esau Pritchett, Kasjan Wilson
The story’s protagonist is a neurotic criminal psychologist Malcolm Bright has a brilliant grasp of the mindset of maniacs. And all because he is the son of the famous serial killer Surgeon. Malcolm helps the NYPD to solve intricate crimes.
At the same time, the man tries to establish communication with his difficult relatives: a manipulative mother, an annoyingly normal sister, and a homicidal father who seeks to establish a relationship with his son.
Those Who Kill
- Rating IMDB – 7.2
- Genre: Action, thriller, drama, crime, detective
- US production / 2014
- Directed by: David Petrarch, Phil Abraham, Joe Carnahan
- Cast: Chloe Sevigny, James D’Arcy, James Morrison, Omid Abtahi, Bruce Davison, Ann Dudek, Michael Rispoli, Kerry O’Malley, Kathy Baker, Kyle Bornheimer
Boston police detective Katherine Jensen and forensic expert Thomas Schaeffer. She is said to be a positive newcomer from every angle: smart, determined, strong, and fearless. Schaeffer keeps up with her: a handsome intellectual with a doctorate in psychology. The two of them are obsessed with penetrating deep into the motives of serial killers and catching them.
Web Therapy
- Rating IMDB – 7.4
- Genre: Comedy
- US production / 2008
- Directed by: Don Rus, Dan Bucatinsky
- Cast: Lisa Kudrow, Dan Bucatinsky, Julie Clare, Tim Bagley, Victor Garber, Lily Tomlin, Michael McDonald, Rashida Jones, Rosie O’Donnell, Alan Cumming
The eccentric psychotherapist Fiona Walls has developed a new method of communicating with her patients: just three minutes of conversation and no unnecessary words or memories. The technique is broadcast on the Internet via webcams to attract investors, who should help Fiona spread the new the technique around the world.
