Editorials
Here’s Why ‘Split’ is the Wrong Target for the Mental Illness Debate
We’ve written a handful of articles about M. Night Shyamalan’s Split here on Bloody Disgusting in the past week, and that’s because, well, it’s our duty to talk about this stuff. We posted two reviews, one written by Trace Thurman and the other by Jimmy Champane, and we also dug into a few problems with the film: I wrote about its final act issues, while Chris Webster had a problem with the protagonist. For the most part, issues aside, we all agreed that Split is a damn fine horror film, and we’re incredibly happy to see it reigning supreme at the box office.
A win for original horror is a win for us all.
But one aspect of Split we haven’t yet dug into is the single most talked-about and controversial aspect of the whole damn thing. From the very moment the first trailer hit the net, many were concerned that Shyamalan was furthering harmful stigmas about mental illness – the film centers on a madman with the very real Dissociative Identity Disorder – and countless think-pieces have hit the net in the wake of release. Personally speaking, I’ve had several debates about this very topic on social media, and now that I’ve had a week to really think hard about the film, I wanted to write my own piece.
Contrary to many, I found Split to be anything but insensitive on this particular front.
Now mind you, I don’t personally suffer from any form of diagnosed mental illness, so if that somewhat negates my opinion on this whole issue, I totally understand. It’s hard to be taken seriously when talking about something that doesn’t directly impact you yourself in any real way, so believe me, I get it. If people who do suffer from Dissociative Identity Disorder have taken issue with Split and its depiction of it, I take that very seriously and consider that there must be something to that whole argument. So please know that I’m not disregarding anyone’s opinion, but merely stating my own.
One major issue with the argument against Split, however? I’ve spoken with a handful of active members of the mental health community who feel the film is harmful, stigmatizing and totally insensitive… but they haven’t actually seen it for themselves. They’re basing that opinion on trailers, plot descriptions, and articles they’ve read online; in other words, they never gave the film a chance to prove their hunches wrong. Many decided to boycott based on the trailer alone, which I take issue with for one big reason: Split, contrary to whatever you may have ascertained from the trailer, is a film that actually treats mental illness with a welcome degree of care; furthermore, it depicts those who suffer not as less than, but as more than.
There’s an entire sub-plot in Split, away from the main storyline centered on three young women locked up in a basement by James McAvoy’s mentally unwell Kevin, that’s all about Kevin’s doctor, Karen Fletcher. Played by Betty Buckley, Fletcher is Kevin’s psychiatrist, looking out for and protecting him after everyone else has discarded him. Many have criticized the sub-plot for making the film drag in parts and ultimately taking away from what’s really compelling about the story, but Dr. Fletcher’s storyline is incredibly important when debating the film’s ethics.
Fletcher’s theory on Kevin and others who suffer from his disorder is that they’re more advanced than the rest of us, having unlocked the true power of their brains and, essentially, becoming superhuman as a result of their incredible life traumas. There’s even one scene where Fletcher explains this theory to a classroom via Skype, and the scene seems to exist for the sole purpose of Shyamalan letting us know that he’s actively NOT trying to paint mental illness in a negative light. You could argue that the scene is unnecessary to the actual plot of the film, but it’s there nonetheless, and it’s there for a reason. Those with D.I.D. are not “broken,” Shyamalan is telling us, but rather “more than” the rest of us.
And this idea plays heavily into Split‘s final moments, which I won’t spoil for anyone who hasn’t yet seen the film. Shyamalan hits home the idea that our various traumas and mental illnesses make us stronger and perhaps even “purer”; and if you’re asking me, he ultimately sends a very empowering message to those who, like Kevin and Casey, may feel broken and cast aside by society. Granted, he doesn’t quite hit that ball out of the park (the film feels like its lacking a final scene necessary to really tie everything together and make it all resonate), but he tries. And his positive message, to me at least, was very clear.
Jimmy Champane felt the same way in his aforementioned review. He wrote:
On the topic of the criticism Split has drawn on its villain using mental illness as a catch-all excuse, I personally think Shyamalan treats the disorder with care. A not-so-subtle undertone of the film focuses on Kevin’s therapist’s struggle to bring Dissociative Identity Disorder as the key to unlocking the potential of the human brain – and it works. Additionally, the way Shyamalan carefully uses Casey’s past as a tool to show why she’s able to keep a cool head and outsmart Kevin’s different personalities shows that he went the extra mile to delicately show his respect for those struggling with mental illness.
Yes, many horror films do depict the mentally ill as crazy, broken madmen, and though Split‘s antagonist is indeed a villain who does some awful things, there’s something way more going on just beneath the surface. Shyamalan clearly had something to say with Split, and though you may take issue with the way he went about saying it, I ask you to at least consider that he was trying, like few filmmakers actually have, to not depict mental illness as something we ought to be afraid of. And I also ask, to those who have judged it without seeing it, that you at least give it a chance.
An important issue to raise, but Split is the wrong target.
No conversation about cartoons based on live-action movies is ever complete without mentioning The Real Ghostbusters.
This animated continuation is, warts and all, a notable example of turning a hit movie into a hit series. And although the new target demographic skewed a little younger, even kids-at-heart could partake in the further adventures of Peter Venkman, Ray Stantz, Winston Zeddemore and Egon Spengler.
For a good part of its run, the show required fans to wait at least a week for more Ghostbustin’. That’s torture for a kiddo. Luckily, though, the entire series, or at least most of it, is now available for streaming.
So, as you revisit The Real Ghostbusters on Tubi—for now it’s just the first five seasons there—use this guide to help prioritize some must-see episodes.
The Boogieman Cometh
“The Boogieman Cometh” (Season 1)
Season One’s “The Boogieman Cometh” is a classic episode featuring one of the show’s more iconic villains. It’s hard to forget the unique character design used for the Boogieman (whose creepy voice was provided by Ray and Slimer’s actor, Frank Welker). In this story, Egon is reunited with that bump-in-the-night entity who haunted his own childhood, all while trying to keep him away from his latest targets: the brother and sister claiming to have the Boogieman in their closet. Although the Ghostbusters do save the day here, the Boogieman eventually returns (“The Bogeyman Is Back“). That same episode also features the love-’em-or-hate-’em Junior Ghostbusters.
Mr. Sandman, Dream Me a Dream
“Mr. Sandman, Dream Me a Dream” (Season 1)
You could say the namesake of “Mr. Sandman, Dream Me a Dream” had good intentions for putting mankind to sleep for the next few centuries—he wanted to end war and keep everyone dreaming. Sounds nice until you remember that whole free will business. But when it seems like the Ghostbusters have lost to their latest foe, the last one standing, Winston, gains a sudden ally. Janine’s dream of becoming a Ghostbuster is manifested, and she helps put this rogue spirit to bed.
When Halloween Was Forever
“When Halloween Was Forever” (Season 1)
Before the show’s execs capitalized on Slimer’s popularity by making him the focus of later episodes, early stories like “When Halloween Was Forever” better utilized that gooey ghost. Here, the spirit of Halloween itself, Samhain, hopes to make the holiday a permanent thing by stopping time. And who does the embodiment of All Hallows’ Eve use in his nefarious plot? Slimer, of course. Thankfully, the lil’ green bud knows where he really belongs, and Samhain is banished (at least until Season 3’s “Halloween II 1/2“).
Night Game
“Night Game” (Season 2)
Because Season Two was rather long, in comparison to other seasons, it accumulated quite a few solid episodes. One of the most beloved, though, is that ultimate good-versus-evil story, “Night Game“. Winston gets to shine here as he participates in a battle that was 500 years in the making. Except this time, the fighting is done on the baseball field. The other-dimensional settings in The Real Ghostbusters are always great, but the one here is particularly memorable.
Drool, the Dog-Faced Goblin
“Drool, the Dog-Faced Goblin” (Season 2)
Not all ghosts and whatnot were bad in The Real Ghostbusters. As “Drool, the Dog-Faced Goblin” showed, some were actually benevolent. Sadly, it took a lot of convincing, and one very heroic act, for Peter and the others to see past this goblin’s grotesque appearance. The heroes find more than one shapeshifter at a sideshow carnival in the Poconos; a sinister Class-4er called the Metamorph does a swell job of menacing the Ghostbusters before they finally realize Drool’s not their culprit. The good guys indeed win here, but that victory is a bittersweet one.
The Collect Call of Cathulhu
“The Collect Call of Cathulhu” (Season 2)
While “The Collect Call of Cathulhu” does misspell “Cthulhu” in the title (probably to avoid legal issues), it is clearly the Old One in this Lovecraft-inspired episode. The story kicks off with the Necronomicon being stolen by the deity’s modern-day cult, who then raise their ancient god at Coney Island. From there, the Ghostbusters’ typical methods don’t work on the big guy, so they seek advice from an old issue of Weird Tales (or “Wierd Tales”, as it’s spelled on screen). That build-up to the finale comes with a decent amount of dread before the Ghostbusters, as well as a scholar named Alice, face off with one of the show’s most powerful entities.
Knock, Knock
“Knock, Knock” (Season 2)
A number of Real Ghostbusters episodes could be reworked into big-screen features, but perhaps “Knock, Knock” is the most hopeful. It helps that this story feels in step with the first two movies. Here, some ignorant construction workers accidentally uncover and open an ancient door in the subway. What’s behind said door is none other than those unspeakable evils that only the Ghostbusters can quell. A good deal of the imagery here is prime for adaptation.
The Grundel
“The Grundel” (Season 3)
One of the darker episodes, which was written by the prominent J. Michael Straczynski, is “The Grundel“. Here, a boy is being influenced by the titular entity, a type of ghost who ultimately turns his targets into new Grundels. The episode does have something of an after-school special quality to it, but that doesn’t take away from the eerier moments. For more Grundel lore, be sure to check out the episode “Grundelesque” from the sequel series, Extreme Ghostbusters.
Standing Room Only
“Standing Room Only” (Season 4)
It’s no secret that The Real Ghostbusters experienced multiple changes after the second season. Out of all of them, though, retooling the show so that Slimer would get more of the spotlight is maybe the most egregious. Thankfully, Season Four (the first to be called Slimer! and the Real Ghostbusters) didn’t completely obey that new directive; episodes like “Standing Room Only” felt more like the old days. The focus here was on the well-being of the city and its people, rather than on the series’ green mascot (or the Junior Ghostbusters). In the episode, Peter’s new ghost attractor isn’t to blame for the ensuing chaos; the ghost-eating Mee-Krah is what’s really imperiling everyone. And the Ghostbusters must dish out everything they have to avoid a doomsday situation.
The Halloween Door
“The Halloween Door” (Season 5)
While many fans will skip the later seasons in their rewatches, episodes like “The Halloween Door” are still worth checking out. This colorful helping of Halloween pandemonium premiered on primetime, so the animation is better than usual. And save for a random musical moment, it’s an enjoyable event. Here, a group of anti-Halloweeners tries to cancel the holiday, but they only end up making things worse by unleashing a baddie named Boogaloo.
The first five seasons of The Real Ghostbusters are available on Tubi, starting on July 15.
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