Monday, January 23, 2012

#7 - The Therapist

Villains tend to surround themselves with lackys - with Yes-men and henchmen who will do the deeds the big bad can't or won't do himself. The Baron Von Briar Thorn is no different. He has a crew of characters who do his bidding... some just a bit more willing than others... In fact, only one really does what the Baron wants with gusto, but we'll get to that; the others accomplish tasks less than happily.
And high on this list of the Baron's court is the Therapist.
Oh, the poor Doctor - the whipping boy to the Baron and the butt of jokes from everyone else. He tries his best, but sadly, his best only gets him misery.
For what ever reason - reasons unclear to most - the Baron hired himself an anger management therapist. Yup, a therapist to work out the evilness that makes the Baron so bad. Seems like a logical thing, right? An ill-tempered fella might need someone to find the root of their evil. There have been many villains who could have used a good doctor to figure out what makes their clock tick backwards. Some villains don't even need a doctor. We all see what makes them so... wonky. Prince John in Disney's Robin Hood would suck his thumb and cry for mummy when things didn't work out. Obviously some mother issues, right? How about Gaston? Someone sure wasn't told "No" enough when they were just a little meathead. Some times the bad guys just need a good sit down and cry session with a competent shrink. And somehow, the Baron thought he'd do just that. He went out, kidnapped himself a professional, and put him to work.
This once proper gentleman is now at the mercy of the erratic evil ruler. He cannot escape his duty as mental physician, so he tries and tries again to crack the hard shell of the Baron. He tries to get deep into the murky madness of Von Briar Thorn and hopefully discover what makes him so evil. Although, typically, the sessions end with the Therapist getting blasted with some magic and yelled at until he leaves the room. But ever-loyal, he keeps coming back for more. He puts up with a lot from the Baron and everyone else because he is determined to do his job.
He wouldn't be the first who attempts his duties despite everyone shoving him aside. Cogsworth is constantly under-minded by the rest of Beast's court, Swearengen's men let him go bananas on them and they still cry when he's hurt. What about the hapless Smee?
Maybe it's because they know what would happen if they left. The Therapist in the Princess Knight is a bit like Zazu from the Lion King. He has no choice once Scar takes over. He serves reluctantly, sure - but he does his job.
Whatever the case, the Doctor is at the Baron's side through the course of the show constantly sharing his feelings on matters, whether the Baron wants to hear it or not... and when he doesn't want to hear it...
The Therapist tends to loose a little bit of himself.
One of the best parts about the role of the Therapist is all the physical humor he gets to do. I grew up watching the Three Stooges with my Dad and my Grandpa Jack. I love a good smack in the face gag. And the poor Doc in our show gets a wide variety of injuries throughout the entire adventure. He might just be as much of a mental case as the man he is trying to help, but he is still trying. He's no fool. He does know a thing or two. Here is a scene between the Therapist and Chester while the Baron sits watching in annoyance...

CHESTER
Doctor, I have told many tales about many different types of people. I think I know more than you do.

THERAPIST
Ha! Ha-ha! Oh? Is zat so?

CHESTER
...yes... "Zat" is so.

THERAPIST
Oh ho-ho-ho! Vell, do tell me, "Prin-zez". Tell me about zeese characterz you know zo vell.

MUSIC BEGINS

CHESTER
I know a master detective
whose skills of detection astound.
He can enter a room, see the smallest of details,
and soon the truth is found!
Sure he doesn't know the earth circles the sun
and his retorts are less than complimentary,
but to him even the most complex of crime
is merely elementary!

THERAPIST
Hmmm... Yes... Quite zimple... AHEM
(Speaking very rapidly)
Uneven obzessionz vith random topicz, a narrow range of capacities for memorizing lists or trivial information, visual-spatial skillz are not zigns of an enthuziast... Azperger's.

CHESTER
(Pazed slightly)
... Oh... Okay... um... That doesn't prove anything! I still say I am better at reading people.

THERAPIST
Round two zhen?

CHESTER
A child of the deep blue ocean,
but dreaming to be part of our world.
Collecting treasure upon treasure
is this vocally talented girl.
She doesn't know what half the things do
but she keeps them all to inspire
to motivate and drive her hopes
to join the world above the water.

THERAPIST
(Speaking rapidly)
Und compulsively collecting and hiding avay items zat she has developed an emotional attachment to - neglecting day to day responzibilitiez. Maybe you don't know zee people as vell as you claim. Zat is Disposophobia.

CHESTER
Dis-a-what now?

THERAPIST
Hoarding.

CHESTER
Oh...

THERAPIST
Again?

CHESTER
A Beauty who gets lost in books
with no place he town for her

THERAPIST
Zelf-imposed zocialy izolated
Schizoid Personality Disorder

CHESTER
A chatcher in the rye
who lost his friend, brother, and borrowed sweater

THERAPIST
Should talk vith me as soon as can be
about his pozt traumtic stress dizorder.

CHESTER
A Good witch who gives ruby shoes
To help Dorothy to find catharsis

THERAPIST
Puts zat poor girl through a long unnecessary journey.
Classic Sadist is my diagnosis.

It iz now your time to admit
zat I am zee expert and you don't know spit!
Put your sorries in a sack
it is YOU who is zee hack!
I won't take anymore interruptions today--

BARON
Doc!

THERAPIST
Vat?!

BARON
Go away.

(The Baron blasts the Therapist square in the chest sending the poor doctor directly out of the door and out of sight.)

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