The Bright Sessions

The Bright Sessions is an Audio Drama created by Lauren Shippen and produced by Lauren Shippen and Mischa Stanton. It premiered on Nov 1st, 2015. It features the vocal talent of  Julia Morizawa (Dr. Bright), Lauren Shippen (Samantha Barnes), Briggon Snow (Caleb Michaels), Anna Lore (Chloe Turner), Charlie Ian (Damien), Ian Mcquown (Agent Green), Alex Gallner (Adam Hayes), Andrew Nowak (Mark Bryant), Alex Marshall-Brown(Director Wadworth, Phillip Jordan(Frank Sawyer), Alanna Fox (Rose Atkinson), and Reyn Beeler (Charlie Decker).

I think everyone likes Superpowers and they show up in abundance in our pop culture, The action and adventure of X-men, the horror of Carrie, and more modern dramatic works such as Heros(2006) or The Umbrella Academy(2019). Since classical times when Icarus flew too close to the sun, the is some form of the fantastic that draws us to dream beyond our mortal capabilities. We ask ourselves, what if we could fly, or Time Travel, or read people's thoughts. What we don't ask ourselves is how hard it would be to deal with these abilities. The Bright Sessions center around Dr. Bright a enigmatic therapist who helps people with "Special Abilities", like a internet researcher whose panic attacks take her thru time and space or an empath who has anger issues. The premise is unique taking both are love for "superheroes" and combining it with a mystery drama centering around the lives of people who are just trying to live a normal life.

What perked my interest in The Bright Sessions was the format. Found Footage was no longer a nascent genre booming in 1999 and going softly into that good night around 2007 with the advent of the Paranormal Activity series. Found Audio was just beginning. Archive 81, Alice Isn't Dead and Within the Wires premiered the year after The Bright Sessions each with their own take on the genre whether it was Cassette tapes or listening to a truck driver with a Ham radio. The Bright Sessions are recordings of Therapy Sessions.

Going to therapy can be a difficult process just as it can be a relieving one. On the surface it is a conversation but underneath it is a complicated back and forth of what the therapist needs to know and what the patient wants to (and doesn't want to) talk about. One of the strengths of the show is how they play off these conversations leading to a massive amounts characterization in what can be fairly short intervals. Morizawa is an excellent actress and while her character can sometimes be seen as more analytical than emotive she demonstrates her wide emotional range. Her patients act as a foil to the therapists more taciturn demeanor. Several times throughout the first session the patient emotions run high. Caleb's angry response in his first episode or Chloe's suspicion of Dr. Brights intentions in episode 9 help raise the emotional stakes of the show and help contribute to the subtle drama that plays behind the more apparent slice-of-life and the Unresolved mystery of the premise.

The characters are dynamic, interesting, and distinct. Like Heroes, The Bright Sessions works as an anthology switching between multiple perspectives with Dr. Bright acting as the 'bridge narrative'. I actually enjoy this style quite a bit as it provides a bit of space between the different storylines and realistic mimics how Dr. Brights schedule would actually work. The first season focuses on only 3 of her patients: Sam Barnes, Caleb michaels, and Chloe Turner. As the series progresses other characters and patients are introduced to the fold.

Two of the main themes of the show are Trust and Confidentiality. For the Patients they have to open up about a very private and personal part of their lives and they trust their therapists to protect their privacy. The idea of Doctor-Patient confidentiality is brought up often in the show from Dr. Bright asking Chloe to refrain from infringing on her patients rights to the fact that the show itself is a violation of the confidentiality itself. Dr. Bright violates her patients trust with every recording and by being a spectator we ourselves are culpable in the crime.

This breach of ethics helps fuel the interest and mystery around Dr. Bright, her reasons and intentions are constantly in question. She seems to have personal reasons as to why she is a therapists and the first season leaves a lot unanswered, especially regarding her benevolence. As the series progresses the mystery unravels, deapens, and generally sheds a lot of light over who Dr. Bright is as a person and why she is a therapist for "the strange and unusual".

Overall, the bright sessions is and amazing Audio Drama, both the characters and the overarching mystery of the premise drew me in. While this review was mostly based on the first session I definitely recommend listening to the series in its entirety. It is four seasons in now and the first ten episodes are only the beginning of the lives of Dr. Bright and her patients. The Bright Sessions provides Drama, Mystery, and Slice-of-Life in turns as it helps navigate 'the strange and unusual' lives of its cast. The episodes lengths are about 15 to 20 minutes and are the perfect thing for a afternoon walk or a lunch break.

Check Them Out.