Dr. Isiah Friedlander PhD is a supporting character appearing in Grand Theft Auto V and a main antagonist in Grand Theft Auto Online as part of the continuation of the Los Santos Drug Wars update.
He is a renowned therapist based in Los Santos, and a media celebrity, pharmaceutical corporation owner and psychedelic therapist by 2023.
He is voiced by Bryan Scott Johnson.
History[]
Background[]
Growing up, Dr. Friedlander was bullied, with girls calling him "pube head" due to his curly hair. According to his website, Friedlander received a bachelor's degree in marketing from the University of San Andreas, Los Santos in 1984 and a doctorate degree in psychology in 1986 from an unknown defunct learning institution. He then began practicing psychotherapy in 1987. He has also traveled frequently in Asia.
Throughout his years as a therapist, he treated both celebrities and criminals, becoming a leading authority in the field of sociopathic personality disorder. In the 1980s, Friedlander helped expose the culture of narcissism in the ganglands of San Andreas and also criticized it for its "overuse of hyphens". He was a regular contributor to a Mount Zonah Medical Center radio show called "Debrief Encounters" before it was cancelled, and was featured on the TV show Rehab Island as a psychological pundit.
A few years prior to 2013, he began treating former bank robber Michael De Santa as he dealt with a midlife crisis, meeting once a week. At some point, he prescribed Michael with medications that caused him to constantly wet his pants, cry, sleep at the dinner table, and howl in the middle of the night. Seeing that this did not help him at all, Dr. Friedlander, who thought he might have gotten the doses wrong, took Michael off of the medications.
Events of Grand Theft Auto V[]
By 2013, Dr. Friedlander became one of the most respected and in-demand therapists in Los Santos, at his clinic on the Pacific Bluffs coastline. Michael continues to visit him, in one session blowing up about his life and how he's stuck living in a big house with no one who cares about his problems but Friedlander. Dr. Friedlander tells him to let his rage out, to which Michael acknowledges that he thinks he did.
Some time afterwards, he listens to Amanda and Michael argue about their relationship, but he makes no effort to intervene in any way.
Later in the game (in an optional visit), he tells Michael that he has been offered his own TV show and will be leaving Los Santos. He then informs Michael that he needs to find a new therapist and implies that he is going to use Michael's case on his show. Angered by this, Michael chases after Friedlander. Michael then has the choice to kill him or let him go.
Fate[]
If spared, after some time, Friedlander will send an e-mail to Michael. In the e-mail, Friedlander explains how sorry he is about what he did to Michael, but now he can help more people with his new radio program and TV show. He also says that he values the time spent with Michael and that they should both forget what happened between them and move forward. Michael has the option of replying to the e-mail; if he does so, he will threaten to kill Friedlander should they ever meet again.
If killed, a random amount of money between $2005 and $2300[2] can be looted from his corpse and an Internet article confirms his death. The internet article, posted in the news reel from Los Santos Meteor, reveals that Friedlander published details of Michael's sessions in a best-selling book, (using the alias "Marky De Santos") describing him as an "idiotic, if terrifying and amusingly deluded sociopath". This article still appears even if Dr. Friedlander is spared.[3]
This option was later retconned as non-canon in GTA Online: Los Santos Drug Wars, as Friedlander is still alive in 2023.
The internet news article mentioning his death will still appear regardless if the player spares him or kills him. This is an oversight, as after some time, he will still post on Bleeter. A similar oversight regarding news reporting optional deaths regardless of the player's choice also happens after Hood Safari, Vinewood Souvenirs - Willy and A Starlet in Vinewood.
Ultimately, Friedlander was either spared by Michael or managed to escape during the car chase after his last therapy session, and became a TV/radio celebrity shortly after.
Events of Grand Theft Auto Online[]
Los Santos Drug Wars[]
Almost a decade after starting his radio program and TV show, Friedlander decided to get in the drug game himself and established the FriedMind Pharmaceutical Corporation, at some point before early 2023.
In 2023, Friedlander has his hired mercenaries raid Fooliganz' Freakshop in East Vinewood in order to abduct the gang's chemist, Labrat.
After a brief investigation, the GTA Online Protagonist discovers the location of the FriedMind HQ in the Eclipse Medical Tower in West Vinewood and rescues Labrat with the help of fellow Fooligan member Luchadora, although Friedlander escapes, after revealing his plans. As Labrat was one of three chemists with a PhD in the specialised field of psychedelics and the other two had refused to cooperate, Friedlander used him, his knowledge and Friedlanders stockpile of 80% of the world's precursor chemicals supplies to create a powerful hallucinogen drug ten times more potent than psilocybin to be used in his psychedelic assisted therapy business. He planned to be a pioneer, and wanted to build a "temple of peace and sanity" in the jungles of South America. As Labrat's mind was too far gone to be of use, Friedlander made the offer to the player instead.
Some time later, Friedlander takes his new hallucinogen to Parsons Rehabilitation Center for trials, where he and his mercenaries are cornered by the Fooliganz. As soon as the player, Dax and Luchadora arrive, they end up becoming a test subject for the psychedelic drug after falling into a trap, and Friedlander escapes during their trip.
Dax captures and tortures one of Friedlander's mercenaries for information. The mercenary informs him that Friedlander is on a Cargo Plane at Los Santos International Airport, preparing to relocate his new product to South America. The player and Luchadora manage to intercept the Cargo Plane, by crashing a Velum 5-Seater into the cargo bay, then fighting their way past Friedlander's mercenaries to the plane's cockpit where Friedlander is nowhere to be found. Friedlander emerges from a wooden crate with a parachute and bails out of the plane.
The GTA Online Protagonist takes control of the aircraft and lands it at the Sandy Shores Airfield to unload Friedlander's product and secure it back to The Freakshop.
Character[]
Personality[]
Dr. Friedlander is portrayed as an over-the-top version of a Hollywood psychotherapist. On his official website, he is said to be a media personality, secular Buddhist, and keen model boat enthusiast. He charges exorbitant rates for sessions (as seen in an email where he raises his rates by a "reasonable" 75%) and does not appear to care much about his patients and their problems. During Michael's therapy sessions, he is seen looking at his watch waiting for the session time to expire. He appears unconcerned about Michael's behavior as the latter confesses that he is able to kill without remorse. He makes several Bleeter bleets further reinforcing his apparent disdain for his patients.
While attempting to convince the protagonist to join him in South America in 2023, Friedlander unabashedly insists that "[they'll] be rich!", revealing one of his main motivations.
Influence[]
Dr. Friedlander is likely based upon Dr. Sidney Freedman from M*A*S*H. The two are similar in name, appearance, and mannerisms (though Friedlander appears to care far less about his patients). This is one of two known M*A*S*H references in Grand Theft Auto V; the other being a quote by Jack Howitzer.
Mission Appearances[]
Grand Theft Auto V[]
- Franklin and Lamar
- Marriage Counseling (Post mission phone call)
- Chaos (Boss)
- Evil (Boss)
- Did Somebody Say Yoga? (Voice/Hallucination)
- Mr. Richards (Post mission text message)
- Negativity (Voice/Boss)
- Derailed (Post mission text message)
- Fucked Up (Voice/Boss)
- Reuniting the Family
- Abandonment Issues (Boss/Can be killed/Non-canon death)
Grand Theft Auto Online[]
Los Santos Drug Wars[]
Gallery[]
Artworks[]
Grand Theft Auto V[]
Grand Theft Auto Online[]
Other[]
Website[]
He operates www.dr-friedlander.com on the Internet in GTA V.
Home[]
The home page outlining his services and a list of "Typical Conditions" he can treat.
Meet Dr. Friedlander[]
A biographical section outlining his education and history.
Media[]
A section detailing his past published history and appearances, as well as announcing his book SOCIOPATH - Inside the Mind of America's Most Deluded Criminals.
Do I Need Therapy?[]
A timed word-find puzzle requiring the participant to write down as many words of empowerment as they can on a piece of paper, followed by a recommendation to seek help from Dr. Friedlander.
Testimonials[]
A group of short patient testimonials from:
- Mary from Rockford Hills
- Joel from Morningwood
- Alice from Vespucci Beach
- Susan from Vinewood Hills
- Naomi from Del Perro
Trivia[]
- An after-credits scene shows his Psychiatric Evaluation which notes the player's behaviour. This includes, but is not limited to, the way the player makes friends, laziness, addiction to chaos, whether he thinks Michael justifies his actions, how often he partakes in hobbies like Yoga, and how he handles women.
- Dr. Friedlander owns a red Comet, which can be seen parked outside his office at the beginning of each therapy session.
- If the player accesses the Affordable Healthcare section of the Grand Theft Auto V website and opens the photo of him and his name in green in a new tab, they can see that Rockstar Games have labelled him "World Champ" in the URL.
- Michael will sometimes reference Dr. Friedlander when attacking pedestrians saying 'Come on kill me, I need something to talk to my shrink about', even after the events of the mission Abandonment Issues. This is most likely an oversight.
- If Michael goes near Ron, he will sometimes remind Michael to call his therapist.
References[]
- ↑ Last Dose 4 - Checking In
- ↑ drf5.#sc:
PED::SET_PED_MONEY(iLocal_400, (2000 + MISC::GET_RANDOM_INT_IN_RANGE(5, 301)));
- ↑
Los Santos Meteor article that appears after Abandonment Issues. The article appears regardless of whether or not Dr. Friedlander is killed. (Non-canon)
