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The Tufts Daily
Where you read it first | Thursday, March 28, 2024

TV Review | ‘Mind Games’ more shallow than smart

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At the center of ABC’s new psychological drama “Mind Games” is a puzzling contrast: its core premise relies on manipulation of the mind and moral ambiguity, but somehow it still manages to come off as fuzzy and heartwarming. The series showcases the intrinsic darkness of human nature and how it can be twisted — through lying, cheating and other illegal practices — to help those in need. If these things are done for the good of the underdog, it’s all okay, right?

This is the question creator Kyle Killen, of short-lived shows “Lone Star” (2010) and “Awake” (2012) fame, wants the audience to ponder. Like in his previous works, which achieved critical acclaim but less-than-substantial ratings, Killen formed the backbone of “Mind Games” on the quixotic nature of morally questionable characters. The difference here is a lack of depth. In an attempt to blend in with ABC’s usual airy, straightforward lineup, Killen has sacrificed genuine nuance in favor of ratings and accessibility.

Perhaps this is not such a bad thing. “Mind Games” is likely the most uplifting television show about psychological exploitation ever created. It chronicles the success of two brothers, brilliant psychologist Clark, played by Steve Zahn of HBO’s “Treme” (2010-2013), and businessman Ross (Christian Slater), as they attempt to get their start-up off the ground. The goal of their company? To “change people’s minds without them even knowing [they] did it.”

This manipulative power is presumably used for good, at least for now. In the pilot alone, they are able to reverse the policy of a cold, bottom-line obsessed insurance company that had previously refused to fund an ill teenager’s experimental surgery. Clark and Ross, interested more in the potential of what they describe as modern “Jedi mind tricks” than laws or ethics, are able to pull this off with a few calculated moves. When the audience sees tears of gratitude streaming down the young boy’s face after he finally receives the medical care he needs, they forget all about the brothers’ lack of moral conviction.

The same goes for the skeletons in the protagonists’ closets. The former suffers from severe bipolar disorder and has been left broken-hearted by one of his underage students; the latter is a divorced ex-con who served time in prison for fraud. Naturally, neither is complete without the other. Their respective issues are subtly touched upon and, at times, disrupt the business, but in the end, there is no doubt that their unbreakable bond will carry the company to great heights.

A show’s ability to infuse this type of comedy and feel-good emotion into an inherently dramatic story is not usually cited as a fault. The premiere of “Mind Games,” however, comes off less like a balance of these elements and more like an attempt to be something it’s not. It features the especially touchy subject matter Killen is known for — neurological disorders, divorce and teacher-student affairs — but does not deal with them in an upfront manner. Clark insists during a sales pitch that people should be open with their flaws so as not to deceive the listener. The indecisive “Mind Games” could benefit from taking its own advice.

Instead, these subjects are relegated to minor subplots and backstories with little opportunity to shine through. As a result, viewers are spoon-fed a very nondescript series; another psychological thriller with less bite and edge than all the others. It’s entertaining and full of heart, but something more forceful lurks beneath the surface, suppressed by the show’s eagerness for broad appeal. Every few scenes, potential shines through in the main characters’ fragile psyches and gripping moral dilemmas. The show is most compelling when the audience is able to catch a glimpse of these moments under the plot’s light, airy facade.

In the end, “Mind Games” achieves just what it’s meant to. The ideas are straightforward, albeit watered down, and the premise could potentially see similar success to that of other critically praised psychological dramas. What the show needs in order for this to happen, though, is a slightly higher dosage of suspense: for a series based on mind manipulation, it certainly struggles to get the audience to care.