Episodes

After a short winter break, we’ve returned to tackle Netflix’s hit series The Queen’s Gambit. Join us as we sit across the board from orphan turned chess champion, Beth Harmon. Dr. Sam and Dr. Fran explore what makes Beth a prodigy, investigate her time in foster care and review her battle with substance use. Plus, what are those little green pills or “magic vitamins” they’re giving out at Methuen Home? Is that really a thing that happened in orphanages in the 1950s? As her star in the chess w...

Every lover of podcasts liked Freudian Scripts a lot, But the Grinch, who never listened or downloaded, did not! The Grinch hated psychology. The other Whos, they would tease him. It was especially bad during the holiday season. So on this week’s episode, Dr. Sam and Dr. Fran decided to psychoanalyze this little green man. What’s going on at the top of Mt. Crumpit? If there’s a diagnosis to be had, we’ve never been stumped yet. Is it attachment, anxiety or clinical depression? Listen and fig...

On Thursdays, we wear pink and listen to Freudian Scripts. That’s right. This week, Dr. Sam and Fran are reenrolling at North Shore High School to meet up with Cady Heron, Regina George and the rest of the Plastics. This is going to be so fetch! We’re not “pushers” like Ms. Norbury, but we’d highly encourage you to listen to this episode if you’re interested in learning about adolescent relationships and friendships, cliques and bullying as well as body image. At the very least, we promise you’...

This session we transfer you from Ratched’s Lucia State Hospital to Oregon State Hospital as we discuss a classic, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Join Dr. Sam & Dr. Fran as they discuss inpatient psychiatric hospitalization as portrayed in the 1975 film and take a dive into the history of psychiatric hospitals in the US. What’s the difference between voluntary and involuntary commitments? What does treatment look like? And is ECT still a thing? The answer might SHOCK you. Plus, we also try t...

Welcome to Lucia State Hospital… where the nurses are not nurses, the doctor is taking more medication than he prescribes, and the only problems the patients face are the people “treating” them. Don’t lose your head! For a special Halloween treat and final episode in the Spooky Session Series, Dr. Sam & Dr. Fran discuss Netflix’s popular show, Ratched. Join us as we attempt to better understand Nurse Ratched. Is she an angel of mercy or angel of death? We also chat about Edmund and his motivati...

This week Dr. Sam & Dr. Fran discuss our second psychological thriller, Shutter Island, as part of October’s Spooky Session Series. Join the doctors and Teddy Daniels as they embark on a journey to Ashecliffe Hospital in search of a missing patient. This week, Dr. Emily Weber, a forensic psychologist, joins as we discuss the evolution of forensic hospitals and treatment as well as trauma, delusions, and hallucinations. Are transorbital lobotomies still a major form of treatment for the “criminal...

Hello, Freudian Scripters. This week Dr. Sam & Dr. Fran discuss a classic psychological thriller, The Silence of the Lambs. This movie may have won a ton of awards, but would they win one for their portrayal of psychological themes? This week, the doctors are joined by an expert in forensic psychology—Dr. Adam Coffey. The doctors discuss serial killing, psychopathy, and whether the two are related. Dr. Adam also gives an introduction into forensic psychology and the “CSI effect.” And finally, we...

Do you have questions about applying to or attending graduate school? What about how to navigate a research career or career in academia? Well, you are in luck! Join Drs. Sam and Fran as they welcome Dr. Andres De Los Reyes back to for a Mini-Session. Dr. De Los Reyes returns to Freudian Scripts to answer listener questions on just these topics.

With great podcasting, comes great responsibility. Dr. Sam and Dr. Fran take a detour from discussing a single show or movie and instead attempt to tackle an entire universe. Join us as we discuss the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), including the personality traits and potential diagnoses for Tony Stark (Iron Man) and Peter Parker (Spider-Man). Iron Man is a self-declared narcissist, but is he actually? Peter Parker on the other hand is a shy adolescent. But that’s only when he’s not wearing a ...

Excelsior! You voted. We listened. Join us as Dr. Sam and Dr. Fran put Silver Linings Playbook on the couch this week. (Just don’t sit in Pat’s dad’s favorite spot or you’ll mess up the juju.) This week, the doctors discuss the critically acclaimed 2012 film, Silver Linings Playbook, which bravely explores mental health through the outstanding performances of Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence and Robert De Niro. With so much to cover, the doctors focus their attention on one of the most often ...

Are you Jack’s eager ears? This week Dr. Sam and Dr. Fran cover the cult favorite, Fight Club. And we do mean cult. The doctors dive into the possible psychopathology of both the narrator (played by Edward Norton) and Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt). We learn more about the narrator’s insomnia and gain a better understanding of his mood and motivations. We then compare and contrast the narrator with his new best bud, Tyler. Next, the doctors break the first two rules and talk about the creation and p...

What’s a-poppin? Join Dr. Sam and Dr. Fran this week at Sherman Oaks High School as they break down Netflix’s hit series, Never Have I Ever. Follow 15-year-old Devi Vishwakumar as she navigates grief, trauma, friendships, family and romance. Drs. Sam and Fran help to explain why Devi’s legs may have “given out.” Spoiler alert: No Ben, she’s not faking it! The doctors also discuss traumatic grief and examine how Devi attempts to contend with the loss of her father, which includes getting attacke...

Kick off your flippers! We’re headed to Eden West to take a deep dive into Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau’s 2009 vacation comedy Couples Retreat. There’ll be kayaking, jet skiing and, of course, couples skill building. It’s the Pelican Package, only instead of Monsieur Marcel, you’ll be guided on your journey by Drs. Sam and Fran. We discuss the Gottman Institute’s “Four Horsemen,” as it relates to conflict in relationships, and how they apply to each of the couples from the movie. For example, it...

Have you ever been part of a “therapy” session in an abandoned, high school bathroom? Hopefully not! This week Dr. Sam and Dr. Fran tackle sex therapy, adolescent development, and mental health in LGBTQ+ youth while discussing Netflix’s Sex Education. In this week’s session, we evaluate Otis Milburn’s skills as a sex “therapist” and dive into the various situations in which he finds himself. And wait, should Otis even call himself a therapist? Maybe he should stick with “sex kid” and leave the ...

Have you been stalking Freudian Scripts? How appropriate! This week Dr. Sam and Dr. Fran analyze their first TV show, following Joe Goldberg as he, um… “falls in love” and becomes infatuated with Guinevere Beck in the first season of Netflix’s, You. In this week’s session, we discuss stalking as Joe tries to prove his affection for Beck. We learn more about two personality disorders—antisocial and narcissistic personality disorder. And Dr. Sam and Dr. Fran diagnose Joe by introducing a fun, new...

Have you found yourself wondering, what is the difference between a psychiatrist and a psychologist? And, how do the doctors really feel about the portrayal of psychology in entertainment? Join Dr. Sam and Dr. Fran for their first Mini-Session (or mini-sesh, if you will) as they tackle these and other burning listener questions with a little help from producer, Brandon.

This is a podcast of learned doctors! But unlike Dale and Brennan, we actually mean it. That’s right, this week Dr. Fran and Dr. Sam take on the comedy cult classic, Step Brothers. They discuss “failure to launch”—not an actual diagnosis, but another great movie—and the sometimes precarious nature of transitioning to adulthood. How common is it for adult children to live at home with their parents? Then like Dale’s fist into Derek’s face, they dive right into the explosive family dynamics. Wha...

In the first episode of Freudian Scripts, Dr. Fran and Dr. Sam introduce themselves and welcome you to the podcast where they’ll be putting your favorite TV shows and movies on the hypothetical couch to take a deeper dive into the way psychology is portrayed in the media. Get to know the doctors, why they decided to pursue clinical psychology, and their favorite binge-worthy comedies and dramas, all before tackling their first subject—the 1997 classic, Good Will Hunting. With Good Will Hunting...

Psychology is everywhere – often showcased on our screens. But, how do we know whether what we see is accurate or dramatized for our entertainment? Introducing Freudian Scripts with Dr. Fran & Dr. Sam. Do criminal profilers actually use psychological principles to solve crimes? Do therapists really have their patients lie down on a couch and analyze their dreams? Well, the doctors are here to break it down for you, answer your questions, and provide some interesting and factual information about...