In this short comedy film, an anxious waiter grows suspicious of his unconventional psychiatrist.
Dennis Jennings (Steven Wright), a perpetually worried man, seeks help from the seemingly professional Dr. Schooner (Rowan Atkinson). During their sessions, Jennings recounts his anxieties and strange dreams, which Dr. Schooner diligently records. However, Jennings begins to suspect that the doctor is not only romantically pursuing his girlfriend, Emma (Laurie Metcalf), but is also stealing his life story for a new book. The patient’s paranoia escalates as the lines between therapy, betrayal, and plagiarism begin to blur completely.
This transatlantic co-production was a curious and successful hybrid, constructed as a vehicle for the singular comedic voice of American stand-up Steven Wright. The narrative serves as a framework for Wright’s signature deadpan delivery and surrealist observations. Made for BBC Two in the UK and HBO in the United States, the film was shot in New York but featured a prominent British star in Rowan Atkinson, cast against type as the smarmy, unethical psychiatrist. The project’s critical success was absolute; it won the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film in 1989, a rare feat for a piece of television comedy.
Broadcast: BBC Two – Noel Gay Television / HBO / Schooner Productions, 1 Episode, 27 March 1989
Written by: Steven Wright, Mike Armstrong
Director: Dean Parisot
Producers: David V. Picker, Paul Jackson
Main Cast: Steven Wright (Dennis Jennings), Rowan Atkinson (Doctor Schooner), Laurie Metcalf (Emma)
