Case Study: Dori Media Group’s In Treatment

Dori Media Group’s Nadav Palti talks to TV Formats Weekly about the company’s scripted drama In Treatment, which has been adapted to critical acclaim worldwide.

A charismatic therapist (who himself is seeking therapy) is at the heart of Dori Media Group’s In Treatment, a brainy drama that has been successfully adapted in territories around the world.

Originally an Israeli production titled BeTipul, the format first crossed borders in 2008 with a U.S. version on HBO. “The American adaptation won many important awards and gave HBO a lot of prestige, which drove [the network] to sell its version worldwide,” says Nadav Palti, the president and CEO of Dori Media Group.

Since then, the format has been picked up in 17 territories, among them Argentina, Japan and Poland. “The story is easily adaptable to any culture, religion and mentality,” Palti says. “And it has super international scripts: [it can be set] in Tel Aviv, Buenos Aires, New York, Rome or any place in the world.”

The original Israeli series—which was co-created by Hagai Levi, Ori Sivan and Nir Bergman—centered on a psychologist who, after treating an assortment of troubled characters, ends up seeking counseling for his own mental woes. Most of the international adaptations have stuck to that premise, though a few have tinkered with key elements in order to accommodate local cultures and tastes, Palti says.

“Substantial changes were made in some territories,” the executive notes. “In Japan, it is not customary to share your problems with a psychoanalyst, so they changed the format to tell the story of teenagers going to a counselor. In Poland, it is not customary that the psychoanalyst be a man, so they changed the lead to be a female therapist.”

One of the more successful of the format’s adaptations is the Argentine version, En Terapia, which has aired for three seasons on pubcaster TV Pública.

“That version attracted the biggest stars in Argentina, including Oscar nominee Norma Aleandro,” Palti says. “The local press notes that therapists are saying that a lot of their patients have been quoting [lines] from the series in their own sessions.” The finished tape of that version has been sold to broadcasters in Spain, Colombia and Uruguay, and is also available across Latin America for streaming on Netflix.

“The [In Treatment] format is the most successful Israeli format ever,” Palti says. “It has become a success everywhere it has been on air, and Dori Media keeps on selling it.”

Palti hopes to score format deals in Germany, France, Spain and Mexico, though he notes that some markets may be tougher than others.

“There are territories where going to a therapist is not common, like Asia, so it will be harder to sell there, but the time will surely come,” he says.

The executive points out that the drama’s biggest selling point at the moment is its cost-effectiveness. Because a huge chunk of the action takes place in a therapist’s office, “most of the money spent is on talent, both on screen and off,” he adds. The HBO version, for example, managed to pull in renowned Irish actor Gabriel Byrne to lead the cast, with Oscar-winning actress Dianne Wiest playing his shrink. Byrne netted a Golden Globe and Wiest an Emmy for their respective roles.

“Due to its phenomenal success worldwide, the series enables broadcasters and production companies to attract the best cast in their territories,” Palti says. “It is unique programming.”