Michael: Every Day

David’s attempt to help his patient, Mr. Brian Ogilvie, overcome his fear of squirrels takes a deadly turn, and exacerbates David’s depression. It has been five years since his favourite patient Michael moved to Toronto, and David is on a downward spiral. Their once twice-weekly sessions are now FaceTime chats every two months. Struggling to find happiness with his impending divorce from Sammy, the death of Mr. Ogilvie and the void left by Michael, David takes the advice of his personal therapist, Dr. Wasserman and starts a “depression journal.” Sammy insists David attend an awards show when their TV show is nominated. A few too many bottles of wine at the awards ceremony followed by an ill-advised dose of therapeutic marijuana sets David on an emotional rollercoaster that ends in conflagration; both emotionally and literally. Michael is adjusting to life in Toronto – building a successful career and living a relatively stress-free life. Michael gets a promotion after a successful presentation at work, but is quickly resistant when his boss tells him he has to leave by plane for Calgary that night. When plans change at the airport, Michael suffers an anxiety attack and boards a bus to Ottawa.

Michael is back in Ottawa to work with David on tackling his fear of flying. David and Michael have different end goals for their therapy sessions. While in Ottawa, Michael is staying at a hotel and coincidentally David is staying there too while his apartment is under renovations. Michael reaches out to his ex-girlfriend Claire. They meet for drinks at the hotel bar, but the reunion escalates into a steamy night upstairs in Michael’s room. Claire invites Michael to stay with her while he’s in Ottawa. Meanwhile, David is having money problems. With Beth’s help, David hires another therapist, Dr. Meredith Lawson, to share his office space. Frustrated with David’s lack of progress, David’s therapist, Dr. Wasserman encourages him to make a friend outside of work. David finds a friend in his claims adjuster Gary and invites him for drinks at his hotel. A few too many drinks turn into a wild night and the evening becomes a regretfully honest one for David when he tells Gary what really happened the night of the apartment fire.

Michael is terrified by the thought of peeing in public; David is convinced this is connected to his fear of flying. David suggests Michael practice when he is home alone but with Claire always at the house, Michael escapes to the library. Michael’s constant absence worries Claire. To help Michael with his anxiety, David proposes a remedial immersion in the library bathroom. Meanwhile, David’s personal life spills into his professional life. In order to help with his money problems David is learning to share his workspace with a new therapist, Dr. Meredith Lawson. When David’s high praise for Meredith unintentionally encourages Sammy to start seeing her, he grows frustrated with his new business partner. Brian Ogilvie’s brother Douglas calls the office with questions about Brian’s death.

Tensions rise between David and Meredith. Meredith holds a Panic Camp for patients with a fear of flying, but with David, Michael, and Mr. Ogilvie’s brother Douglas all in attendance it is sure to be a bumpy ride. In addition to his fear of flying, Michael begins to show signs of an eating disorder. As Michael grows distant, David and Claire worry about his lack of honest communication. Dr. Wasserman urges David to own up to his failures. David’s financial situation gets worse when his credit card is declined at the hotel. With his apartment under renovation and nowhere to go, where will he sleep?

It is finally time for Michael to face his fears and fly to Sudbury, but David has a different plan – a road trip. When David confesses that he talked to Michael’s therapist in Toronto, Michael eventually tells the truth about his double life. Unfortunately for Michael, David reveals a past relationship that significantly influences their dynamic. The two are making progress, breaking down their communication barriers, until they hit a moose that won’t die and end up at a truck stop dive bar with a stripper. David calls Dr. Wasserman for help, but will the cranky old therapist make it in time? The night’s not over. David needs to drink.

After an interesting night at the truck stop dive bar, David and Michael wake up in a motel in the middle of nowhere with a local stripper. Unfortunately, Michael remembers everything, and David remembers nothing; truth is…David’s an alcoholic. But is anyone surprised? It turns out that Dr. Wasserman, who is stranded in the middle of nowhere, wasn’t the only one David called in his drunken nightmare. Sammy shows up at the motel to drive David and Michael to Sudbury for Michael’s presentation. During his presentation Michael has an epiphany: is he really afraid of flying or is there another fear lingering inside him? Meanwhile, Michael isn’t the only one with a change. David begins to come to terms with his own issues. With both of them accepting reality, the question is whether the therapeutic process ever really ends?