Cooler Master CM Storm Trigger gaming keyboard reviewed
We got a chance to get our hands on one of the first samples of Cooler Master’s CM Storm Trigger gaming keyboards and honestly, we did not know what to expect from a mechanical keyboard. The CM Storm Trigger was certainly promising a lot with top-grade Cherry MX Black switches and it is one of the first gaming keyboards done by Cooler Master’s CM Storm department.
Over the last couple of months, Cooler Master’s CM Storm department has launched a new line of gaming keyboards that includes a compact PS2 QuickFire Rapid that is aimed at gamers on the move, QuickFire Pro that is pretty much a vanilla version of the Trigger, a top of the line full size, fully lit, gaming keyboard with Cherry MX Black switches.
The design of the entire series is something that we’re reluctant to comment as this varies from person to person — some like those flashy glossy keyboards and some like their keyboards to be simple. Cooler Master’s CM Storm Trigger is one of those keyboards that keep things as simple as possible and has, sort of, military feel to it. With a large rubber coated wrist rest, subtle full red LED lightning with different modes and level of lightning, top grade Cherry MX switches, 18k gold plated USB plugs with braded cable, five macro keys with 64KB on-board memory for profile storage, anti-ghosting 6-key rollover.
We briefly mentioned the MX Cherry Black switches but actually the Trigger ships with all four different Cherry MX switches. These include black, blue, red and brown, depending on the SKU, but we will get to that a bit later.
The CM Storm Trigger measures 475(L)x162(W)x25(H) mm (18.7(L)x6.5(W)x0.98(H) inch) and weighs in at hefty 1260g (2.78lbs). The weight actually comes in handy, since it prevents the keyboard from sliding all over the place in those long gaming sessions. The build quality is quite impressive as well and although we are looking at a plastic keyboard, the Trigger is as sturdy as it can be with no squeaking and bending whatsoever.
The bottom is rather plain looking and features six rubber stands as well as two rubber legs in case you prefer your keyboard to be positioned at an angle. The wrist rest is quite easily attached and held by three plastic clips. Unfortunately, removal is a bit trickier as we were honestly afraid to break them but luckily, they are sturdier than they look.
As far as the design goes, CM Storm Trigger uses a simple grey/black color scheme with red LED backlight. The layout is pretty good but since it actually depends on the region, it is pretty much pointless to talk about it. As a matter of fact, our sample came with US layout and we were quite happy about it, especially considering that all our previous keyboards used the same layout. While we’re sure we’d get used to another layout, who wants to do that, eh? The CM Storm Trigger uses a font that we found much better than what we see on other keyboards. It looks cool and it is easier to read even in dark with backlight enabled.
The media keys, or rather media shortcuts, are placed on F1 to F11 keys while the five macro key are set on the left side.
The red LED lightning (something that is quite hard to photograph) is quite weird, at least until you take off the key and see what is below. To be quite honest we like it, since using Cherry MX key switches meant that LEDs were placed behind it, thus preventing it to light up the lower part of the key and functions accessed by “shift + key”.
The red LED lighting has couple of modes and three levels of intensity. The first one is all-lit mode that lights up the entire keyboard including the neat CM Storm logo in the upper left corner near the ESC key. The second is a “breathing mode”, which lights up the entire keyboard and automatically raises and lowers the intensity of lightning.
The last but not least is a “gaming mode” that shuts all LEDs except those under the logo, macro keys, WASD cluster, arrow keys and of course NUM, CAPS and SCR lock LEDs.
In both fully lit and gaming modes, you can adjust the level of lightning. The three levels available out-of-the box are separated pretty good and you can see the difference between fully dimmed and pushed to the maximum.
You might have noticed that we said “three levels available out-of-the box” as, in addition to USB hub and USB 2.0 port for keyboard, Trigger also features a DC 5V input. When paired up with a standard DC adapter (not included in the box), this one allows for additional two more levels of brightness as well as an ability to support power hungry USB flash drives and HDDs, in case you want to use them with Trigger’s USB hub.
Our Trigger came in a review sample box but CM was more than kind to supply us with a picture of the actual box, in case you’re planning on getting your hands on the Trigger.
We already briefly mentioned that the CM Storm Trigger will ship with all four different versions of Cherry MX mechanical switches, and we were lucky to get the one with Black version — the creme of the crop when it comes to mechanical switches.
There are actually quite a few differences between those four different versions of Cherry MX switches. Cherry MX Brown switches are considered middle ground between typing and «gaming» switches. They have a light, tactile feel half way through the key press that lets you know the switch has activated. Cherry MX Blue switches are the best for typing. The tactile bump can easily be felt, and the resistance is similar to your average keyboard. Cherry MX-Red’s are another switch that can be considered a «gaming» switch. It’s essentially a lighter version of the MX Black, requiring less force to actuate.
The last but not least are the Cherry MX Black switches that are linear (non-tactile) switches and are considered one of the best switch types for gaming. They are described as switches that have high actuation force and are not prone, or rather immune, to accidental key presses.
Mechanical keyboards are becoming quite popular these days. Although we were quite skeptical when it comes to actual typing, which is naturally a big deal considering our line of work, the mechanical switches are not that uncomfortable at all, quite the other way around.
Of course, this is also matter of preference as you either like your keyboard to be soft and silent or provide an audible sound that we actually missed on our previous keyboards, and put a certain feedback on your fingers when you press the key. To be quite honest we tend to describe the Trigger as the keyboard that fights you while you type on it and as weird as it sounds, we liked it, and liked it a lot.
The provided software for the CM Storm Trigger is a bit complicated at first but once you get a hang of it you can get along with it quite fine. It includes macro set-up and profile editing that is stored in keyboard memory. There is also a possibility for on-the-fly macro recording as well.
The only thing that we actually did not like is the fact that we received a keyboard with “CM Storm buttons” set to, well, CM Storm, rather than Window key. In case you got used to Windows shortcuts this tends to be a problem. Luckily, it is easily fixable by storing a new button assignment in the CM Storm driver software.
Impressions and Conclusion
We tried the CM Storm Trigger in various scenarios from light surfing, review and news writing, and gaming, including some of the latest FPS and RTS titles.
When it comes to gaming, the CM Storm performs admirably. Impressive feedback, more than enough 6-key roll-over, and good response time, are just some of the key features that we liked on this keyboard, and full LED backlight is certainly a nice touch for those long night gaming scenarios. We simply did not have any problems with it and it worked like charm.
The typing sessions are a bit different story. The people we asked to try it out said it is too rough for typing but we beg to differ as, although it takes a bit time to get used to it, we tend to like it and our typing sessions were quite an enjoyment. As if happens more often than not with such products, mechanical keyboards are something that you either like or do not, and need time to get used to it.
The price for the Cooler Master Trigger is set at US $119 in the USA, and around €110 in Europe.
This is a pretty steep price but we think that it is worth it. There are quite a few mechanical keyboards on the market today and the choice is yours, but CM Storm Trigger certainly deserves a place on that list.
The CM Storm Trigger is certainly a keyboard that can easily impress you with its build quality, set of features and a flare of enjoyment that only a mechanical keyboard can offer. With these in mind, we can easily recommend it without losing a night of sleep over it.
Cooler Master CM Storm Trigger Z
A sample unit of the CM Storm Trigger Z arrived at our doorstep recently and it is said to be the replacement for the CM Storm Trigger (pretty soon). To our surprise, appearance of the Trigger Z resembles its predecessor, the Trigger in many ways and this leads to only one question – what features has been added or taken away?
The CM Storm Trigger Z is available in 3 type Cherry MX switch – Red, Blue and Brown, with the SRP of MYR395.00.
Specification
|
Dimension |
476mm |
|
Weight |
1. |
|
Cherry |
Red Blue Brown |
|
On-board |
128kb |
|
Key |
|
5±kgOverview
As this is a sample unit, some content might not be available but to our knowledge, the official packaging should come with content as following:
– CM Storm Trigger Z
– Detachable arm rest
– Detachable gold plated USB-to-USB cable
– A ring type key cap puller
– User’s Manual
A closer view on the USB cable, the braided gold plated USB connector with CM Storm logo.
As you may have already know, braided cables is more durable and less prone to damage due to excessive pulling and the implementation on gaming peripherals has been notably common nowadays.
The CM Storm Trigger Z unit we have here is the blue switch version. The keyboard is very sturdy as it has a metal support plate to give the keyboard a better support, less prone to flexing. If you did notice, the metal plate lying underneath the key caps is actually blue in color. The main enclosure is treated with rubberized coating as well, so do take care of it well if you wish to avoid it turning sticky.
The function keys which can be activated by pressing the combination of FN key with either one of the function keys at the same time.
Macro keys helps making your life easier, but do note that it doesn’t comes with any function right out of the box. You can program these macro keys to perform almost any desired task with the help of the CM Storm Trigger Z software.
The noticeable different and rather disappointing – unlike the CM Storm Trigger, the CM Storm Trigger Z had the mini USB port from its predecessor replaced to a USB 2.
0 port for connection to your PC, but it no longer comes with the 2 extra USB 2.0 port and the 5V DC connector port.
Other than the aesthetic engraved CM Storm logo, there’s 6 large rubber feet at the back of the keyboard to provide excellent grip to your desk, preventing any accidental slippage in the heat of battle against your opponent.
The included arm rest is treated with rubberized coating for an improved experience to the touch and multiple large rubber feet to improve the grip to your desk. The only thing we don’t like about rubberized surface is that it needs to be taken care properly, otherwise it will worn out and turns unpleasantly sticky – which is not a good thing.
The arm rest can be easily installed and removed but the downside is that we’ve noticed is that the clip on arm rest doesn’t comes with any type of structure to secure it to the keyboard, not to mention that the clip on structure is prone to damage if it’s not taken care in a proper way.
The arm rest does provide better comfort for long term usage.
Cherry MX switches with 3mm LED mounted on is the key to invididual key LED backlit.
One of the characteristics of Costar built mechanical keyboard is the metal wire stabilizer which can be found on mechanical keyboards OEM by Costar – Filco and Rosewill is among the popular choices of mechanical keyboard from Costar.
A slight comparison on the key cap – CM Storm MECH (left), CM Storm Trigger Z (right). Quality wise, the MECH key cap appears to be much superior as the finishing of the paint job is much better compared to the Trigger Z key cap.
The LED backlit is available on each and every keys on the Trigger Z upon pressing the turn on backlit function key, except for the windows key lock indicator F12 key that on lights up when the windows key lock is triggered.
There’s 5 level of brightness for the keyboard which you can adjust to suits your needs, except for the windows key lock indicator (F12) and the indicator LED that stays at the same brightness all the time.
It’ll be great if the brightness of these LED can be adjusted as well.
Keyboard Software
The interface of the keyboard software is pretty simple and straight forward we’d say. To setup a macro, simply click on any key on the keyboard image and you will be prompted with a list of macro options on the top right of the interface:
- Default key will restore the targeted key to its original function
- Single key allows you to set a targeted key to a single key press, pretty similar to the warkey concept used by DotA players.
- Advanced allows you to set a targeted key to perform common tasks such as volume up/down, minimize to desktop, etc.
- No function will remove the programmed macro on a targeted key
- Launch program allows you to set the targeted key to launch certain programs when pressed
You can program up to 15 macros on each profile, making the total of 75 macros available.
At the settings tab, you can configure at such where the profile is applied based on the application launched.
The interesting part here is that the macro profiles are stored on the on-board memory of the keyboard, meaning that you don’t have to reconfigure the macros when the keyboard is plugged into a different PC.
The software also allow you to backup your macro profiles to your PC. This is very convenient in such where you need to switch to a different profile that doesn’t exists in the keyboard memory without having to delete the existing macro profile that you still need for other purposes.
The macro recording function of the software allows you to record a combination of key press which can be then assigned to a targeted key, this can be recorded on the fly without having to leave your current task/ gameplay just to record the macro. This is very ideal for fast paced actions such as buying weapons in Counter Strike, DotA, etc where the actions are triggered by shortcuts.
The key rollover test is as usual, the total amount of key press that can be registered is observed with the help of Aqua’s KeyTest utility.
Although we weren’t able to simulate the advertised 64 KRO due to our lack of fingers, but that pretty much shows the impressive amount of keys that can be registered before signal blocking occurs (aka Ghosting).
Final Thoughts
SRP of 395 MYR might be a little pricey but the CM Storm Trigger Z has been a good solid gaming keyboard in overall – metal support plate to reduce flexing, 64 KRO which is plenty much enough to even gamers, on-board memory to store up to 5 macro profiles etc. Still, CM’s decision on removing the USB 2.0 hub for this revision is left questionable as it is a very useful function for users to access their USB devices easier.
Pros
- Solid & Sturdy built quality
- Adjustable brightness of the backlit LED
- Durable braided and gold plated USB cables
- Detachable arm rest
- Large rubber feet providing exceptionally well grip to the desk
- Macro profiles are stored on the keyboard, works on any PC
- On the fly macro recording function
- Simple but useful keyboard software
Cons
- Doesn’t inherit the USB 2.
0 hubs from it’s predecessor - Plastic clip on structure on the arm rest might break if not handled properly – it’s plastic
- Rubberized surface gets sticky over time if not taken care properly
- Unclean paint job on certain key caps
- Rather pricey
At the end of this review, the CM Storm Trigger Z is awarded with our Silver Award.
Trigger — «Psychological portraits of the heroes of the 1st season of the TV series «Trigger» (2018): psychotherapy, detective, drama»
All my friends know about my passion for psychology. It is worth saying that my friends are generally specific and, as a rule, are also fond of psychology. Therefore, from time to time we exchange impressions about this or that memorable series. And one of the reasons for the discussion was the first season of the series «Trigger».
Someone suggested it to me, and I watched it literally in 2 days, and then I walked around for some more time under the impression of the denouement.
Yes, sometimes domestic cinema gives heat, playing on the emotions of the viewer. The directors did their best: they painted the portraits of the heroes, so much so that you won’t remain indifferent (someone will piss off somewhere, you will regret someone, you will admire someone). What else is needed for an indelible impression, when a compote of not quite conscious emotions, preferences, likes and dislikes boils inside? Catching myself on such a seething, for the first time I wanted to speak about each character separately, to sort it out for myself in order to understand what haunts me, thereby determining what captured me so much in this series?
Well, the heroes (characters, characters) — here they are.
Main character: Artem Streletsky (psychotherapist). Young, handsome, ambitious in some way, like a teenager, proving something of his own, and already taking a sip of life. He was imprisoned for his principles (or adherence to principles), his wife did not appreciate this (and she can be understood), she wants to live a family life here and now, but the man has something else in his head (accept me, love me as I am).
Spouses have different values, views, it happens. For these reasons, they often get divorced. Despite the fact that the protagonist is quite good in his professional activities, in his life he continued to be beaten by trash. Some of his dashes across the road in a state of passion are worth something. It is natural that he was hit by a car, however, he still got off lightly, but this is the will of the case, since it doesn’t happen at times.
To some extent, Streletsky Jr. can be compared with Dr. House. He also does not stand on ceremony with people (clients, a close friend, Motei’s assistant), chooses risky decisions, and is not particularly happy in his personal life. In general, there is a lot of sympathy for the hero, some respect, some misunderstanding, but I would like to be friends and deal with such a comrade. He is somehow brave and real, albeit with his own cockroaches, which you can accept.
The main character’s wife: Dasha. Oooh, this lady evoked in me a storm of emotions not of the most pleasant nature.
And this cool psychologist Artem chose her as his wife? Did you play saviors (remember the Karpman triangle) or did you look in the wrong direction while you were young? This is how we choose a person with a similar neurosis as partners, and Artyom does not like it at all. For a long time I tried to determine why Dasha pisses me off so much? This woman is a bomb (not in the best sense of the word). She has packed a bunch of negative emotions in herself: full of anger, resentment, not being able to openly talk about it, and therefore she is torn to pieces and thrown against people by her inner charge. It would be better if she threw a scandal and a tantrum, broke the dishes, cursed, sent to hell. Than this endless longing and thirst for love in the eyes of a child offended by the world.
If Sagittarius wants to be loved with his special principles, then Dasha wants everyone around to drop everything and rush about with her like with a written bag, and she would periodically spit poison on them from a high bell tower, because there is no skill for accepting love, and inside there is a constant psychological conflict that breaks out and into relationships.
Dasha hates herself, Artyom, Artyom’s father, and can hardly honestly admit this to herself, because later (after recognition, awareness) it will be very difficult for her to endure it (such a bunch of negatively charged emotions) with her desire to be good, to be a lady in a white coat, when the protruding tail is clearly visible to the naked eye. Dasha’s inability to be in direct confrontation, to bear herself badly in front of another person confirms her style of behavior in the last episode of the first season, when the unpleasant truth surfaced about her (I will not spoil it). When you need to explain to a loved one why you did this, that you wanted to show and prove, cry, beg, break dishes, but not kick you out of the apartment, sitting on the floor and sadly eating pills in order to die (the infantile position of a teenager, when first love is forever, and a break is the end of life in the truest sense of the word). Instead, Dasha isolated herself, broke off relations again because the truth hit her hard in the face.
In short, neurosis rules.
Client and mistress of the protagonist: Lera. A spectacular girl who knows how to achieve her goal by any means and does not accept refusals. As the story progressed, her attitude changed. At first it seemed that she was proud, a bitch, a manipulator, that it was unpleasant to deal with her. Then new features and colors of her character were exposed. It was amazing how selflessly and fearlessly she tells the truth to people in person (that’s the opposite of Dasha — silent). She is like the opposite of the protagonist’s wife. If Dasha is ashamed of her ugly behavior, Lera uses it for her own purposes. Dasha withdraws into herself, and Lera goes ahead, not trying to be good for everyone. Where Lera will challenge society and its foundations, Dasha will reproach and shame herself for the fact that she acted so badly and dirty, low (and she did). Already in all this it is seen that Lera is not a couple for Artem, because he loves, alas, others — not as bold and arrogant as Lera, but those who stand in the kitchen with claims to her husband (simpler girls).
Lera simply could not be flexible and spit on someone who is not interested in her because of her neurosis (to get away from non-reciprocal feelings), but the fight, you see, was more important for her (to prove, to achieve a man).
The situation with her death is all the more incomprehensible. A strong woman, a gray cardinal suddenly what: acts like a teenager who could not withstand the influx of emotions and the strength of the storm? Something here doesn’t work for me. But this is the basis for another round of the plot with an investigation, was it a murder or a suicide? On the other hand, many talented people did not survive their depression, and it turned out to be stronger than the desire for life.
Sister of the protagonist: Katya. A girl from a wealthy family with her quirks that everyone owes her. He does not know how to respectfully communicate with men, rots guys, asserts himself like a teenager. (There is a feeling that half of the heroes remained at this psychological age).
Although she is a student, maybe she is still due to her age?
Mind is not very much and I want easy money that covets on webcams. A sort of transitional and little interesting character, trying to reconcile the father and brother of the Streltsy, brother Artem and his wife Dasha, Artem’s assistant falls in love with Katya (you need to somehow justify her presence in the series).
Father of the protagonist: Streletsky — senior (also a psychotherapist). An ambiguous character and a significant figure in the series, as well as the bearer of the main conflict (fathers and children). The character causes rejection, well, and the denouement in the last series only adds pepper. All series of father and son compete in the professional field, with the father for the old conservative psychological school, and the son for newer short-term methods of psychotherapy. The son blames his father for the death of his mother. Everything is intertwined in a single tangle of hatred, pride, claims and the desire to remake the other for themselves.
I don’t know how much sincerity there was in their mutual sobs, kneeling when Streletsky, the elder, came to his son for a consultation as a client. But if there is a lie (and there is one from the side of the father to the son, which surfaced in the last episode of the season), until you clear it up, everything else is useless.
Perhaps it was the presence of so many antipathies, ambivalence towards the characters that ensured the success of this series, including for me. Plus the final chord, which added fuel to the fire.
By the way, I couldn’t watch the second season of the series. Seeing in the first series the sour mine of Streletsky’s wife with her enduring neurosis (stay still, come here, don’t leave, I won’t let you in), I howled. Again she in this image of the victim? And turned off the series.
But I definitely consider the first season of the series successful and worthy of viewing!
Review of the series «Trigger» with Maxim Matveev
Russian serials
Timur Aliev
October 17, 2022 14:00
On October 17, Channel One starts the second season of the popular TV series Trigger about a manipulative psychologist played by Maxim Matveev.
How exciting and believable the show turned out to be, says film critic and certified psychologist Timur Aliyev*.
Psychologist provocateur
Artem Streletsky (Maxim Matveev) is a young, daring and self-confident specialist psychologist. At the beginning of the first season, he is released from prison, in which he served four years under the article «Incitement to suicide». According to the official version, Streletsky is guilty of the death of one of his clients. In fact, everything is more confusing . In the second season, Artyom again stays in a closed space (a trailer on a construction site), sorts out difficult relationships with his father and accepts new clients, whose requests are clicked once or twice.
Two is an important number for Artem. Being a supporter of a provocative technique, better known as shock therapy, not to be confused with electroconvulsive therapy, which was practiced by punishing psychiatrists during the times of the USSR, Streletsky sells his services as the fastest and most efficient solution to almost any psychological problem: from deep depression to various phobias.
Just one or two sessions — and there is already a result. Many customers who are dissatisfied with trips to other specialists buy into this.
Artyom’s success and his release from prison are not happy with his own father Alexander (Igor Kostolevsky), also a professional psychologist who practices traditional methods and does not approve of his son’s «innovative approach».
In parallel with solving the problems of clients (the series is mainly built on the vertical principle of «one episode — one client»), Streletsky is trying to improve relations with his family. Not only the father appears on the horizon, but also sister Katya (Angelina Strechina) and ex-wife Dasha (Svetlana Ivanova). The lone hero Artyom, after his release, is forced to work with a young assistant Matvey (Vlad Tiron), without whom he is not able to connect a computer in a new office.
Artyom’s main method for 32 episodes is manipulation, and everyone around him . The psychologist’s clients often look like small change in his dangerous and risky game of survival, and not at all living people who «dump» all their fears, complexes and doubts on the couch.
Meeting each of them, Artyom seems to be asking Dostoevsky’s eternal question, “Am I a trembling creature or do I have the right?”: to use his own technique, which allegedly always works, or still manage with the banal gift of persuasion, hiding it behind the guise of “professionalism”.
Shock hoax
Provocative therapy — the approach in which Streletsky works — is not an invention of screenwriters, but a real-life direction. His father is considered to be a psychologist and business coach Frank Farrelly, a student of Carl Rogers, one of the founders of humanistic psychology. In short: the main idea is to develop the so-called constructive anger in the client — an emotion associated with deductive introspection, thanks to which you can get rid of almost any problem. For this, situations are modeled in which the client, plunging into the darkest corners of his «I», begins to realize the problem and thus heal.
Among the main theses of shock therapy (as it was called in popular psychology) are quite conceptual, if not radical statements.
For example, followers of Farrelly believe that the client can handle any problem if he wants to. If there is no desire, then there is no result. Roughly speaking, if you are not healthy, it means that you didn’t really want to be cured. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. Because of such, to put it mildly, exaggerated generalizations, psychologists working in other areas are wary of provocative therapy.
Returning to the series. While creating a work of art, the Trigger team invited Sergey Nasibyan, a psychologist and business coach, who works using Farrelly’s theory, as a consultant. Sergey also became the prototype of the main character: some of the stories are taken from the personal practice of Nasibyan and his colleagues. It seemed that a plausible image of a specialist psychologist would finally be presented to a wide audience. Perhaps Sergey himself thought the same way. Alas, the creators of Trigger have gone as far from reality as possible, engaging in, in fact, mystification of the profession, and not its intelligible and respectful representation .
An unrealistic technique
Already in the first episodes, the hero of Maxim Matveev demonstrates such primitive unprofessionalism that even a person familiar with psychology at a superficial level will notice it. The hero reads people without permission in the best traditions of The Mentalist, and throughout the first season the audience sees Streletsky as more of a profiler than a psychologist. The character of Matveev seems to be cosplaying a specialist in his field, but is not really one.
Inventing the type of Artyom, the creative team of the Sreda company apparently relied on their own series: here is the bestial instinct of Klim, and here is a pinch of madness from Method. We will also borrow deduction from classic detective stories (Sherlock) and family problems from psychological procedurals (Lie to Me). The desire to demonstrate one’s knowledge is the softest blunder in the character of Streltsy, partly due to his egocentrism and megalomania (his father comes to a similar conclusion in one of the episodes).
In reality, a psychologist never works without a request.
It is more interesting for the authors to show the colorful shell than to dig deep. What are the numerous episodes of Maxim Matveev’s exposure in the shower of the fitness center worth.
These same-type scenes, which in no way move the plot forward, seem to be aimed solely at demonstrating the protagonist’s hypersexuality. Or, if you like, they are designed to emphasize the high class of the business center, which is managed by Streletsky’s childhood friend, Denis (Roman Mayakin). Look, Moscow fitness has showers, and open space employees have a kitchen!
To other characteristics of the «unique specialist»: for Artem, in the analysis of customer problems, there is only his opinion and the wrong one . In particular, the hero tends to broadcast his own beliefs, often offending clients, directly rude to them and repeatedly get in the face, answering for the «bazaar», and, what is more destructive, imposing a personal point of view, decomposing the problem into small components.
Provocative therapy, like any other, does not set the task of interpreting the disease. The essence of psychological counseling is to push the client himself to the conclusions, and not to pronounce the “correct behavior” instead of him.
Fathers and children
An important line of the story is the confrontation between the hero and his father. Here you have the notorious conflict of generations, and the opposition of approaches to work in the same field, and a string of unspoken complexes and abusive manipulations of the father, some of which were forced out of the memory of the main character. If at the beginning of the series we observe irreconcilable enemies, then closer to the finale, the horrific details of what happened in the Streltsy family while Artyom was in prison are revealed, which inevitably leaves an imprint on the relationship between father and son.
Generation Clash is one of the main themes of . The screenwriters, apparently, are not too immersed in the context, since in all interpretations of the problems that Streletsky resorts to, only the theses of Sigmund Freud appear.
His book «Basic Instinct» does not actually exist; it’s an easter egg to a twist inspired by Paul Verhoeven’s film of the same name. is the first work in psychology that the assistant to the hero Motya begins to read, plunging into the world of his boss. From the lips of Artem, and then from other heroes, there will be more than once mentions of the complexes of Oedipus and Electra (their characteristics are literally spoken out loud so that even the most inexperienced viewer understands them), enumeration of the protective mechanisms that protect our psyche, from substitution and repression to sublimation, compensation and auto-aggression. Other psychologists, according to the authors of the script, have not appeared in the 140 years of the existence of psychology as a science.
Incidents of ethics
The script moves of the Trigger may seem unpredictable, but they raise a number of questions for the authors and the consultant of the series. For example, Artyom can easily conduct consultations in crowded public spaces.
It’s amazing how the scriptwriters forget about the basic principles of a psychologist — a person whom clients trust the most intimate (what they will not tell either their best friend or the bartender). How to talk about the personal in a noisy club or restaurant when you are deprived of the most important thing — a sense of security?
There were other incidents as well. The main character often makes diagnoses to clients and encourages them to use medications. But there is a nuance: a psychologist is not a doctor, and therefore has no right to make a diagnosis (this is done by a health worker), much less prescribe pills.
Moreover, one of the weakest points of the provocative therapy presented in the «Trigger» is the complete disregard for the principle of consent (in consultation it works the same way as in intimate relationships). Some people around Streltsy sometimes do not realize that they are participants in his immoral and immoral multi-way «parties», the purpose of which seems to be a good deed (helping the client), but the question of its price remains without any answer.
In reality, this is a violation of professional ethics. By the way, about ethics. Part of the plot of the first season: a line with his father’s claims, which later transforms into Artyom’s check by the Russian Psychological Society, a real-life organization. There is not even a general federal law «On Psychological Assistance to the Population» (it cannot be adopted in any way since 2014) . Any threats received by Streletsky in connection with the «recertification» are the fiction of the screenwriters. The RPO sanctions limit is a warning or suspension of membership in a society with public information.
The activity of a psychologist in our country does not require any licenses, only higher education (licenses can be obtained, but there is about zero sense in this). The likelihood of her recall and, as a result, the inability to receive clients is used by Streletsky Sr. as a mechanism for «educating» an adult son. Members of the ethical commission of the RPO demand that Streletsky provide audio recordings and a patient register.
But in reality, not every client agrees to record meetings with a psychologist, and keeping a journal, like many other things in a specialist’s activities, is not legally stipulated.
Expectation and reality
There is a more significant claim to the provocative therapy that Artem uses. This approach is far from universal, and therefore cannot work as often as in the series. Not every person is capable of constructive anger towards himself. People tend to shift responsibility to others (including a psychologist who, according to a wide audience, should give important advice, or even solve the problem for the client, because he pays money for the session!).
This is not so much the fault of the authors of Trigger, but the psychological illiteracy of the Russian population, for whom a psychologist, even in 2022, is something between a psychiatrist, a psychic and a sorcerer who removes damage.
But it would be worth reproaching the scriptwriters of the series for not paying attention to an important aspect of shock therapy — the likelihood of a severe retraumatization effect.
In one of the episodes, Streletsky analyzes the problems in building relationships with a girl who was harassed in early childhood. To immerse the heroine in the past, he invites a real recidivist to participate in therapy: Artyom shows his client a certificate of his conviction for sexualized violence. Such harsh methods can not only provoke the destruction of the comfort zone, but also multiply the trauma experienced years earlier. We are not talking about getting rid of its consequences.
Finally, the icing on the cake is Artyom’s intimate relationship with his clients: both in the first and in the second season. Yes, this can partly be explained by the unstable state of the “professional psychologist”, who, as it turns out later, is looking for the need for a relationship (somewhere around the corner is hiding dislike in his own family). But in reality, this is a gross violation of ethics, involving the destruction of personal and professional boundaries . Such episodes can lead to the most catastrophic consequences.
For such situations (and other complex cases that a specialist cannot cope with for a number of reasons), there is a supervision procedure — a short-term advanced training, during which problematic episodes from the psychologist’s practice are analyzed and analyzed by his senior colleagues. However, for the writers of «Trigger», apparently, nothing of the kind exists.
«Trigger» is a real storehouse of miscalculations, manipulations and tinsel that covers an unstable psychotic posing as a professional manipulator.
“Psychiatrists take care of the sick, I just help restore peace of mind,” the protagonist absurdly brushes aside in another argument. Since the time of Dr. Lightman, whose prototype was the famous American psychologist and author of neurocultural theory Paul Ekman, this profession has been represented dozens of times with varying success. But such a symbiosis of pseudo-science, hack-work and ignoring the basic components of the professionalism of psychologists, as in the TV series «Trigger» by Alexandra Remizova and Alexander Tsekalo, perhaps no one has achieved.