Notebooks Esteve Foundation 42

notebooks Esteve Foundation 42

Television fiction viewed from the perspective Medicine in Television Series of medical professionals

House and Medical Diagnosis. Lisa Sanders Editor: Toni de la Torre The Knick and Surgical Techniques. Leire Losa

The Sopranos and Psychoanalysis. Oriol Estrada Rangil

The Big Bang Theory and Asperger’s Syndrome. Ramon Cererols

Breaking Bad and Methamphetamine Addiction. Patricia Robledo

Mad Men and Tobacco Addiction. Joan R. Villalbí

The Walking Dead and Epidemics in the Collective Imagination. Josep M. Comelles and Enrique Perdiguero Gil

Angels in America, The Normal Heart and Positius: HIV and AIDS in Television Series. Aina Clotet and Marc Clotet, under the supervision of Bonaventura Clotet

Nip/Tuck, Grey’s Anatomy and Plastic Surgery. María del Mar Vaquero Pérez

Masters of Sex and Sexology. Helena Boadas

CSI and Forensic Medicine. Adriana Farré, Marta Torrens, Josep-Eladi Baños and Magí Farré

Homeland and the Emotional Sphere. Liana Vehil and Luis Lalucat Series Medicine in Television

Olive Kitteridge and Depression. Oriol Estrada Rangil

True Detective and the Attraction of Evil. Luis Lalucat and Liana Vehil

Polseres vermelles and Cancer. Pere Gascón i Vilaplana

ISBN: 978-84-945061-9-2 9 788494 506192 42 Notebooks of the Esteve Foundation Nº 42

True Detective and the Attraction of Evil

Luis Lalucat and Liana Vehil

This thriller in the form of an anthology is a clear example of the rise and fall that TV fiction can undergo from its first to its second season. Created and written by Nic Pizzolatto, the eight episodes in the first sea- son, which went to air on HBO in summer 2014, submerge viewers in a sordid and disquieting investiga- tion being carried out by two antagonistic police officers on a serial murder case. Yet the show drew fans not by the police officers’ investigations, but because of the deep discussions Matthew McConaughey’s and Woody Harrelson’s characters got into. The change of storyline, cast and location it underwent in its second season did no favors to what had been one of the revelation series of the year.

A pair of detectives in Louisiana’s Criminal Inves- Robert Mitchum, the serial killer of Seven (David tigation Division, Marty Hart and Rust Cohle, are Fincher, 1995) or the later Zodiac by the same assigned a crime in 1995 that bears markedly director (2007), No Country for Old Men (Joel strange features typical of a ritual murder. In the and Ethan Cohen, 2007) or the perverse criminal course of the investigation, as events are revealed, dwelling within Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of we see not only their reactions to the crime, but the Lambs (Jonathan Demme, 1991). Although also how the powerful emotional shocks accom- all of these offer some common features, they panying these crimes affect their lives. This emo- also display marked differences in their behavior. tional buffeting is exchanged in the context of the The figure of the monster goes back to investiga- complex relationship between the pair. tions carried out on serial killers and ritual crimes, Years later, in 2012, a new case given to two covering both the characteristics of the criminals other detectives reopens the investigation. Marty and their victims, as well as their modus ope- and Rust, who have left the Criminal Investigation randi. Division, are interrogated separately about the In True Detective, the monster is a serial killer events of 1995. This shows the repercussions who is described to us as having the qualities of those events had on their lives. The situation a sadistic and perverse psychopath, or as some- prompts both men to open a new investigation one with an antisocial and sadistic personality on the fringes of the official one, leading to identi- disorder. In this sense, this person meets most fication of the perpetrator, confrontation with him of the behavioral characteristics of serial killers. and to the case being solved. The killer’s criminal profile includes premeditated The entire history of film is rich in figures de- behaviors, the use of deceit, a precise choice of picting horrific behavior, personified by characters victims, a progression in criminal action (kidnap- who display psychopathic behaviors, project- ping, torture, mutilation, death) and disposal of ing evil onto their surroundings. Such characters the body with a return to his habitual activities. populate a gallery of portraits covering extremely The monster of the series is skillful in his crimi- diverse makeups, from the psychopath of subtle nal actions, at the same time as he appears to yet malevolent manners in The Night of the Hunter engage in normal behavior in his occupation, (Charles Laughton, 1955), masterfully acted by which keeps him in touch with the child popu-

-111- True Detective and the Attraction of Evil

lation among whom he selects his victims. His by serial killers, and even go as far as estimating crimes are planned, always choosing the most there are 150 to 300 serial killers in that coun- vulnerable victim. And he does so in a broad yet try. So they constitute a significant social and identifiable radius of action, in which he carries criminological phenomenon, even if their clinical out his actions of capture, torture and death. In classification remains under debate, despite a such actions, he furthermore leaves a recogniz- definition of the clinical symptoms having been able trace through unnecessary elements or fea- arrived at within the sample of criminal psycho- tures in the carrying out of the crime. However, paths as far back as the 1940s. Obviously, this these traces accompany the crime, constituting is a controversial question, since inclusion or not elements that, in one way or another, enable within psychiatric classification of psychopathies the same perpetrator to be identified: the tying, and personality disorders also concerns the legal wounds and torture inflicted on his victims, the imputability of the criminal acts and behaviors of arrangement of the bodies for discovery, and the such subjects. presence of strange objects around them. Equally controversial is identification of the In fact, throughout the season, we only know etiopathogenesis of such disorders, in which it this character through the result of his crimes, is difficult to define to what extent the biological, the plot’s unifying thread. The ritual crime that psychological and social components intervene launches the investigation leads to discovering in the genesis and maintenance of such crimi- a long chain of murders and disappearances of nal psychopathic behaviors. While participation children and young people that has been occur- of a psychogenic component based on child- ring over time, all seeming to point to the same hood experiences of situations of physical and author. Nevertheless, the storyline also gradually sexual maltreatment and abuse is generally ad- reveals the direct or indirect participation of other mitted, the absence or distortion of such social agents. Only at the end of the series is the mon- and affective bonds also appears to be relevant, ster revealed as a flesh-and-blood person, char- related to acquisition of the necessary emotional acterized in his living situation by an atmosphere maturity, capacity for relationships and construc- of degradation and incestuous relationships. The tive exchanges, as well as the incorporation of sole reference to explanatory or etiological ele- social values. The line the monster uttered above ments in his behavior is expressed in a line he seems to refer to a vengeful attitude, in response himself pronounces: “You know what they did to to humiliations, maltreatment or harassment suf- me? Hmm? What I will do to all the sons and fered in his childhood. daughters of man”. The other side of the coin is represented by Serial killers have long held a morbid fascina- the victims, children and young people who tion for viewers, and still do. This is partly linked to have been kidnapped, tortured and killed. The showing the relationship between an external ap- series shows us just one case that did not lead pearance of normality in everyday behaviors and to the victim’s death, since they manage to criminal actions that reveal an absolute disregard rescue the victim at an advanced stage of the for victims. It is likewise to do with showing highly process. Immediate and long-term serious psy- elaborate criminal procedures, in which sadism chological consequences are shown as the vic- and pathological sexuality appear together and tim’s incapacity to develop psychologically and are shown openly in public. This is especially so, emotionally. Years later she lives shut away in a as in the case of True Detective, when the victims psychiatric institution, and displays the mental are children and young people. functioning of disconnection characteristic of au- This type of behavior has been investigated tism. This framing of the character speaks of for years, both from the police and forensic ex- the serious consequences that may foreseeably aminer’s perspective as from the psychiatric stem from an extreme, prolonged traumatic ex- viewpoint. American studies state that 1% of perience on the still-forming mind of a child or homicides committed in the US are performed adolescent. For all the above reasons, the figure

-112- Notebooks of the Esteve Foundation Nº 42

Medicine in Television Series

of the serial killer, such as we have analyzed here, in the information he provides us regarding his becomes configured in the collective imagining life story and reactions to different significant life as the representation of evil. events. It is relevant to consider an initial block Productions that depict the figure of the psy- of events and their evolution since childhood. He chopath, the serial killer and the monster tend to is the son of an affair of his mother’s with a sol- present viewers with characters or antagonists dier on leave. She abandoned both the father on who constitute a counterpoint, in the shape of his return and her two-year-old son. Father and common personalities, who in contact with the son move to Alaska, where they live in an isolated lead characters reveal new aspects of them- situation, until Cohle decides to return to Texas. selves. In this interaction between these two There, he marries and has a daughter, experi- contrasting characterizations, not only the pro- encing family life for the first time. The accidental tagonists’ lives but their minds are affected. This death of his daughter ends his marriage in a de- likewise occurs in True Detective, so we will try to structive emotional context for the couple. Once include it in the analysis we conduct. more he experiences abandonment through his It is commonly accepted that exposure to wife leaving. His daughter’s death, both the fact traumatic events generates psychological con- itself and its consequences on family and himself, sequences in the exposed subjects, and clini- seems to become a determining event in his later cal history offers numerous examples of such evolution. A job transfer from the Larceny division situations. People who have been exposed to a to Narcotics begins his descent into hell. Living traumatic event, whether experiencing it them- undercover for four years among drug traffickers, selves, witnessing it, or recognizing its conse- he begins abusive substance use, takes part in quences, receive a psychological impact. This violent acts, causes several deaths and reaches is still greater when deaths or threats to physical a borderline situation, causing him to be admit- wellbeing have occurred. Each person responds ted to a psychiatric hospital. The diagnosis re- to the event in a different way, according to their mains unclear, since he says that “for a long time own psychological makeup, but a certain de- after, I... I didn’t really sleep. Nightmares, PTSD, gree of fear will habitually have been generated, exhausted nerves, whatever”. The description of a hopeless response, or they will have experi- his state prior to admission is compatible with enced intense horror. The psychological conse- the clinical symptoms known as post-traumatic quences possess a certain specificity, linked to stress disorder (PTSD), understood as a set of their memory, making themselves felt in dreams, individual reactions to exposure to intense stress or in maintaining a persistent psychological –and factors. This presupposes a one-off or ongo- sometimes intense– unease with everything re- ing, intense, emotional reaction to one or several lated to the traumatic event. Some symptomatic such factors, for a brief or prolonged period. The manifestations of such consequences are shown point of departure may be situated in the death in physiological alterations that can affect not only of his daughter and later family decomposition, sleep and appetite, but habits and behaviors. when presumably a process of identity was being True Detective shows how contact with a initiated at the family’s core, creating the corre- crime of special characteristics acts as a trau- sponding affective bonds, a sense of responsibil- matic event that affects the investigators in ity and participation in a shared project. This loss charge of investigating it. Below, we will analyze does not lead to full grieving, and the couple’s in what way the series presents the psychological consequent rupture prompts him to act in an ever characteristics and certain psychopathological more precipitate and self-destructive fashion, re- elements of the main characters, Cohle and Hart. peatedly putting his own life at risk. Cohle is described in the series through his Once he is released from hospital, he refuses behavior and comments about himself, and the an offer of retirement on “a psych pension” and opinions of others interacting with him. Yet it is asks to be transferred to the homicide division. necessary to store all these descriptive elements So he chooses to rejoin the police force, to once

-113- True Detective and the Attraction of Evil

more form part of a group, playing on the duality The resolution of the case, in a fresh collab- of identity and belonging. In his new job, the case oration with Hart, seems to open up a new life he and Hart are assigned activates the charac- perspective for him, as if he had finally managed, ter’s main conflicting cores afresh, centering on for the moment, to break the infernal cycle his life the loss of his daughter, and giving him a need to had become. get to the heart of the matter, to solve the case The series presents PTSD in a manner similar so as to face his own conflicts. The successive to habitual diagnostic descriptions and classifica- discoveries he will make, the appearance of new tions, but one should not forget that this diagnos- criminal cases committed against children, once tic has very broad margins of application. It arose more bring to the fore his inner conflicts, lead- after the Vietnam War to respond to the many ing him to act increasingly more obsessively, so cases of soldiers who displayed the psychologi- that he will start to disregard any legal or moral cal and emotional consequences that fighting in limit that might curb his own behavior. He thus re- the war had caused in them. It was formulated peats his behavior from the time when he worked as a diagnosis to group reactions that showed undercover in the narcotics squad, including sub- certain similarities. Even so, the effect of war and stance abuse and participating in violent actions. the traumatic experiences suffered always has an His disciplinary suspension from the force leads individual background due to each individual’s life him to follow a path towards increasing isolation baggage, and is expressed in differing intensity, in which he pursues his own individual investiga- characteristics and recovery capacity. True De- tion, meanwhile establishing a continued pattern tective seems to place the final accent on capac- of alcohol consumption that is abusive and self- ity for individual recovery, despite the succession destructive. of traumatic events, and their intensity and dura- Throughout the narration, references appear tion. It also focuses on the way they affect the to the perceptions Cohle has at different times, character. Perhaps too, they put one in mind of formulated as a perception disorder known as another evolution, more of a definitive collapse, or synesthesia. He defines it as “a misalignment of of prosecuting risk behaviors that lead to him rec- synaptic receptors and triggers… alkalis, colors, ognizing he is incapable of committing suicide. and certain metallics. It’s a type of hypersensi- Meanwhile we would emphasize that the se- tivity. One sense triggers another sense. Some- ries does not provide any information on the times I’ll see a color and it will put a taste in my treatment or treatments Cohle undergoes during mouth. A touch, a texture, a scent can put a note his hospital admission, though it is plausible to in my head.” Nevertheless, in a certain scene a assume that he was on a detox program linked perception appears that insinuates hallucinatory to the substance abuse and addictions that re- content, as when, from the car in which he is sulted from his time in the Narcotics division. traveling, he sees a girl waving at him, leading Let us now look at the character of Hart, an in- him to ask Hart if he believes in ghosts. dividual with no special biographical background Cohle sustains his life continuity in a life philos- worth mentioning. As the series opens, he is mar- ophy that gives him a certain rationalization, sta- ried with two daughters, and his family situation bility and strength to face his own self-destructive seems to be following a track displaying no sig- impulses. He bases it on relevant authors and nificant elements. However, winds of unease ap- texts, summarizing as: “I’d consider myself a real- pear to be blowing in the figure of his wife Mag- ist, alright? But in philosophical terms I’m what’s gie. This family environment will be progressively called a pessimist. ... Means I’m bad at parties.” affected by Hart’s involvement in the case he has He believes “human consciousness is a tragic been assigned. The character’s slow involvement misstep in evolution. … We became too self- in a storyline full of dark aspects, which gradually aware … programmed with total assurance that reveal a chain of ritual crimes whose victims are we are each somebody, when in fact everybody’s the young and the innocent, little by little increase nobody. … And I lack the constitution for suicide.” his emotional tension. This experience ends up

-114- Notebooks of the Esteve Foundation Nº 42

Medicine in Television Series

causing him to indulge in compensatory behav- ing a series of ritual crimes in which children iors, such as drinking more, and marriage infideli- have been maltreated and murdered, can affect ties. Both sorts of behavior seem to have the aim the mental and emotional balance of a “normal” of an emotional release for him, but also of family subject, unleashing a series of behaviors that end preservation. However, they end up unleashing up destroying the life project that this person has the opposite effect: a distancing from his family, been building. about whom he is less and less concerned, and The series’ development reveals a well-formed Maggie leaving, because she does not accept his narrative. Nick Pizzolatto’s script shows a consis- affairs. Likewise, his behaviors in and outside the tent narrative thread that gives coherence to the home become increasingly violent, particularly whole of the production, in particular in relation when he kills a detainee, as well attacking two to the lead characters’ psychological character- young men in the police station who had been istics. They offer us descriptive elements of his having sex with his adolescent daughter. This sit- personality traits and biographical data on which uation goes through two different phases. In the his behaviors and reactions may be based. The first, Maggie throws him out, and only accepts evolution of events and the protagonists’ involve- him back after he has undergone a process of ment and behaviors maintain a clear connection giving up alcohol and attending relationship ther- with the opening scenes and their biographical apy. However, a new affair leads to their definitive background. break-up as a consequence of Maggie’s con- The references to clinical and psychopatho- scious choice to be unfaithful with Cohle in a situ- logical aspects fall within the acceptable margins ation she provokes. Later it is revealed that she of professional descriptions. In this way, they manages to re-orientate her and her daughters’ help to understand the behaviors and to offer lives in a new marriage, from then on appearing an understandable view of the responses of the as Mrs. Sawyer. individuals subjected to especially stressful or Hart’s character does not display precise psy- traumatic conditions, both in the personal and chopathological characteristics, but personality professional sphere. On the whole, the series en- traits that in habitual contexts rather characterize ables a humanized approach to the characters him as a person with social skills, who is funny and a certain degree of identification with them, and quite an extrovert. He has no particular in- attuning to their transformations and suffering. terests beyond his family life and social relation- This means that even their most unsuitable be- ships, both in and outside work. Nevertheless, haviors or psychopathological references do not subjected to a stressful situation, as occurs have a stigmatizing effect. with the investigation to which he is assigned, The scarce references to therapy procedures he starts a process whereby his emotional ten- in the series does not enable an evaluation of sion progressively rises, and increasingly violent their suitable or correct nature, though at certain behaviors appear that compromise his family moments explicit mentions to couples therapy, project. The increase in emotional tension due to detox measures or therapy groups appear. the investigation and the discoveries as they are The series analyzed provides a description of revealed leads progressively to a situation of a evil through criminal behaviors of diverse natures, lack of control and non-governing of his own be- the product of a serious personality disorder in haviors, which are increasingly orientated toward which the notion of rules or limits does not ex- obtaining immediate compensations through the ist. Only the satisfaction of one’s own desires and consumption of alcohol or extramarital sexual needs prevails, linked to perverse content. Nei- experiences. These are elements he describes ther does the character have the notion of guilt as essential, or rather, as the result of a need to as an element in the service of self-control and awaken his mind and get some relief. reparation. Evil is also depicted as an expression In any case, the series shows us in what way of revenge and as a path that leads to confronta- a progressive stress situation, such as confront- tion culminating in self-destruction.

-115- True Detective and the Attraction of Evil

Nevertheless, what is perhaps worth high- via healthy relationships in order to evolve toward lighting from the series are those figures that, those milestones that carry them toward their life departing from different personal characteristics, goals. We would also stress the importance that are attracted to and even fascinated by the evil the series grants the relationship between both they have come across in their professional lives, characters: highly conflictive at different times, in its specific manifestations, which the case is but which plays a significant role in their per- investigating. They are characters both fragile sonal recovery. The friendship that binds these and also provided with the necessary strength characters exists within a relational and affec- to equip them to rebuild their lives and create tive framework that endows them with humanity, fresh personal projects. They are capable of be- enabling them to develop capacities for each of ing reborn through their confrontation of crime their recoveries, and on which their capacities for and violence, and of building a contention dike resilience also lie.

-116-