Showtime's "Directed By" series, including the latest half-hour film The Gift, continues to be something of a gift, full of refreshing, often intriguing ideas that stand nicely apart from the usual telly fare that you can predict from the log line.

As written by Emily Tracy from a story by her and Laura Dern, then thoughtfully directed by Dern, it's a play of difficult ideas on battling the depressive departure of a much loved one, who, we soon learn, isn't truly worthy of much love.

Catherine (Mary Steenburgen), who has a terribly loving soul, is abandoned by Joe (Peter Horton), who doesn't seem to have such a loving soul. He wants to roam around and find himself, possibly associating with a series of younger women.

Catherine journeys through all her previous life and wallows in her doubts. All her fibers remember Joe and nothing much of all the wisdom dispensed by her friends (Bonnie Bedelia, Mary Kay Place, Diane Ladd, Isabella Rossellini) does much good.

Dern paints an involving emotional landscape. This, of course, is "a woman's picture," but there are a few things that the males among us can learn about souls and how to be a scoundrel.

DIRECTED BY: THE GIFT

SHOWTIME

Chanticleer Films in association with Showtime Entertainment

Executive producer Jana Sue Memel

Associate producer Hillary Anne Ripps

Producer Robert Degus

Director Laura Dern

Writer Emily Tracy

Story by Emily Tracy, Laura Dern

Director of photography James Glennon

Editor Margie Goodspeed

Music Melissa Etheridge

Production designer Don Day

Cast: Mary Steenburgen, Peter Horton, Bonnie Bedelia, Amanda Foreman, Diane Ladd, Monica Mikala, Mary Kay Place, Isabella Rossellini, Jason Adelman, Ryan Alosio, Doug Ballard, Stephen Burleigh, Jennifer Campbell, Taylor Donlan, Claire Forlani, Paul Guyot, Niki Haas, Simon Haas, Jim Haynie, Clare Hoak, Frederika Kesten, Will Leskin, Jimmy Marsden, Ramsay Midwood, Christy Noonan, Emily Tracy, Mark Voges, Shannon Whirry.

Airdate: Sunday, Oct. 23, 10-10:30 p.m.