What does a psychologist look like? First of all, the image of the rational Sigmund Freud comes to mind, sitting in an office with bookcases and a couch. Someone may remember the energetic leader of group therapy forever in a good mood. But, for sure, no one would take a untidy man in shorts and slippers as a psychologist, welcoming clients in a business center building with a towel and a toothbrush in his hands. But in vain. The main character of the new series "Trigger" Artyom Streletsky is an excellent specialist. But not quite ordinary ...
The development of the “Trigger” was carried out by the production company “Sreda”, headed by Alexander Tsekalo. The idea of the project belongs to Alexandra Remizova, a creative producer of the tape. The script was written by Andrei Zolotarev (previously he worked on the feature films “Ice” and “Coach”), the director's chair was taken by Dmitry Tyurin (“Love with restrictions”). The main role was played by Maxim Matveev.
The first episode of the 16-episode Trigger premiered in October 2018 at the MIPCOM Cannes Audiovisual Products Market. It was also shown as part of the First Series program at the XLI Moscow International Film Festival in April. The whole series will be available in the near future on Channel One.
- © Shot from the series "Trigger"
From the first shots, the viewer gets acquainted with the working method of the protagonist - he conducts a session. Using subtle details, Streletsky finds out the true, deep-seated causes of his patient's problems. He intrudes into the inner world of the interlocutor roughly, bluntly. But effective. By the way, the series was originally called "Provocateur", but the new version sounds brighter, more versatile and refers to medical topics.
Maxim Matveev in conversation with the publication “Evening Moscow” tells about his hero the following: “Artyom takes people out of psychological balance. His method reminds me of acting very much - he acts on patients with shock methods and thereby reveals the true motives, the reasons for their actions. Through tears and difficulties, he leads people to harmony with themselves. ”
Streletsky easily helps people to get out of the vicious circle, free themselves from the pressure of the past. However, he himself was recently released, but not in psychological terms: the hero is released on parole from prison. The circumstances in which he got there will be revealed gradually. At first, viewers only find out that Artyom did not wait for Dasha’s wife (Svetlana Ivanova) from prison, since he could have avoided the deadline, but for some fundamental reasons decided to go to jail.
The hero’s father (Igor Kostolevsky), like Dasha, is sure that Artyom is to blame for his troubles. In addition, according to Streletsky Sr., who is also a practicing psychologist, his son is a charlatan who does not know anything about professional ethics (for example, he “stole” a client from his father).
- © Shot from the series "Trigger"
Like the canonical superhero, Artyom acquires an assistant: during a flight in an airplane, the psychologist manages to reproach the accidental fellow traveler with the fact that she, being too rigid and always dissatisfied, raises a maniac from her son. As a result, Matvey (Vladislav Tyrone) leaves his mother and, in the absence of work and housing, begs Artyom to be secretary.
Now these two live in the office of a friend of Artyom Denis (Roman Mayakin). Among other things, Matvey is responsible for supplying Artyom's coffee without sugar: reaching the comic addiction of the protagonist to a well-brewed drink properly discharges the gloomy, emotionally rich atmosphere of the series.
Flocking to Artyom for help from customers is shocked by his behavior. This psychologist does not care about decency, his proposed solutions to problems are more than pragmatic: change his mistress or have sex with a waiter who resembles a dead husband. The hero, clearly guided by the works of Freud, is ready almost for an intimate relationship with the ward Leroy (Victoria Maslova) in order to break the ties that have strengthened in her mind and help her live her life.
But, as usual, to establish his own life for Artyom is an almost impossible task. He is hardly able to openly express his feelings and instead hurts others with straightforwardness and neglect of the elementary rules of etiquette.
- © Shot from the series "Trigger"
The hero finds a rational explanation for any of his actions. "Volodya we kicked out of humane considerations," - so he comments on the breakup of his ex-wife with her new groom (Danila Dunaev), which he himself provoked. Dasha, in turn, is trying to convince herself that, firstly, she got rid of her attachment to Artyom, and secondly, she guessed his tricks and can resist them.
However, she succumbs to the provocation of her ex-husband and loses a psychological duel, acting exactly as the enemy planned. After all, Artyom is another sociopathic genius like Gregory House or the modernized Sherlock Holmes. But you cannot call him absolutely impenetrable: old love breaks through Freud’s reservations, and the hero literally flees from her, risking his life.