House is so much better, but still so delightfully bad
“He’s just agreeing with you because he wants to have sex with you. By the way, I agree with you too — especially in those pants.” – House to Cameron
I love House’s writers. There aren’t many writing teams out there who could actually have House getting better, showing real progress, while still being such a certifiable ass. Thank goodness they are good at their jobs, these writers, because I for one wouldn’t have House any other way.
He’s an ass to everyone, as always — his staff, Cuddy, Wilson, the patient and his people … so much fun to watch … and quote:
- “Can I tell you something? I wasn’t picking lint out of my belly button.” – House to Wilson
- “You want to take this case because he’s another sad puppy. You should have been a vet.” – House to Cameron
- “You do make me feel funny.” – House to Cuddy
Cameron killed Darth Vader on House
[Spoiler alert] My esteemed colleague Deb McDuffee buys that Chase really killed Dibala, (the mass murdering f*ck played by the always-marvelous James Earl Jones) on House this week. Oh no no no. It was Cameron. And this is how they are going to get rid of Jennifer Morrison.
It makes perfect sense: Cameron was told (by Dibala) to make a choice, that she doesn’t have the courage of her convictions, so she decided that he was going to die.
But even if I didn’t know that Morrison was leaving the show, I would think it was Cameron rather than Chase. She has killed before.
House gives a shout-out to Dexter
“I need you to spread your legs so I can do an ‘H’.” – House to Cameron as he’s miming the diagnosis to Foreman
When I first started watching tonight’s episode of House, I was feeling decidedly “meh” about the case of the week. Politics, blah, blah, blah, moral dilemma, whatever. I just wasn’t into it.
By the end of the episode, I was hooked. And not because of the Chase thing, which I won’t mention until after the jump because it’s a huge spoiler. I mean the incredibly clever way being strong enough to act on your beliefs wove itself through the episode. Who would have thought, though all the psychological issues House is having, that he would prove to be so strong in his knowledge and convictions? He’s better than the old House, and now we’re getting to see why.
House’s season six needs a do-over
Okay, so maybe this isn’t earth-stopping news. But it makes me feel better. Based on the comments I had on my post about the season premiere of House, though, I was starting to wonder if I’d seen the same show. So, imagine my JOY when I found out that USA Today critic Robert Bianco didn’t like it either.
I thought Bianco nailed it on the head by comparing Season six’s premiere to an ABC AfterSchool Special. Look at all of these likable crazy people! Let’s hug! Blech. I still maintain that House’s treatment warranted at least a three-episode arc, if not the entire season. Why not juxtapose his recovery with the struggling diagnostics department under Foreman’s leadership?
House’s sixth season is now cooking with gas
This is why I liked it: Well written! The veritable opposite of last week! Fine. The performances last week were brilliant. But tonight’s episode redeemed a lot of what seemed to be an over-simplification last week. Thank God House is still in therapy [with the great Andre Braugher!].
I have been worried about how the writers would handle the New-and-Improved Gregory House. I am pleased to report that they are handling it with grace and subtlety. House is still acerbic and funny (making balls jokes to Wilson as they attend cooking class), yet smart: figuring out that vinegar would slow the cooking of the outside of the balls while allowing them to cook thoroughly inside.
Dr. House is in da crazy house!
I started out this review with mixed feelings, and then they got unmixed as I wrote. In the immortal words of an option not yet available on Facebook: Unlike! Jen Creer doesn’t like this!
“Broken” was cliche in so many ways. I don’t want House to get better and to grow. I want House still to be House. It’s not like he is a real person whose growth I am preventing. If he starts to heal, then I am going to lose interest in the show really fast. A functional (oh come on — yes, he was having hallucinations, but that was the writers’ choice. He functioned for a long time at a pretty high level) miserable asshole is much more interesting to watch limping along like the rest of us than a wet noodle trying to feel good about himself.
Diary of a House Virgin: The first season comes to an end
(Season One, Episodes 20 – 22)
I have got to say I’ve been quite impressed with the first season of House. The good doctor is interesting to watch as he goes through his machinations. The team around him is fun, though I do think Chase is a bit of a weak link. While the show follows a stagnant formula, it’s not afraid to break out of it from time to time, and overcomes this generalized downside by great characterization and strong dialogue writing.
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