Schizophrenia and "Perception": Will it be Accurate?
Tonight TNT unveils a new series called “Perception” , in which Eric McCormack plays a brilliant neuroscientist with a full-blown case of schizophrenia.
According to the NY Times, here is the premise:
Colorful characters that only Pierce can see pop up to help him solve murder cases he consults on for his spunky F.B.I. buddy, played by Rachael Leigh Cook. These apparitions badger Pierce with what appear to be non sequiturs and useless information until the last 10 minutes of an episode, when the light bulb goes on, and the murderer is identified.
"Perception" and Mental Illness Stigma
Eric McCormack plays a neuroscientist in “Perception” on TNT. - JanThijs/TNT
The review goes on to say that this is "TV-Fantasy schizophrenia" - so what does that mean? The hallucinations are useful? Cute? Just a manageable feature of a slightly-eccentric personality?
Will the fictional Daniel Pierce take meds? Will he have had any hospitalizations in his past? Does his family stick with him? Does he have friends? Is he stigmatized at all by his illness?
Will this show help spread misconceptions about schizophrenia as a cute illness, handy for solving crimes, rather than an acute illness?
We will have to wait and see. I'm taping it tonight. I've suggested to Ben that he watch it too, but I can see that the idea made him uncomfortable. So that, too, will have to wait.
