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September 20, 2006: To Live and Die in Princeton (Again)
Since my earlier post suffered at the hands of the Technical Difficulty gods I'm re-submitting. Here's hoping the second time's a charm?
I'm no fan of the rat but the opening scene on tonight's show was just gross. I'm not usually squeamish but I had just finished dinner. Was it really necessary to see Ezra Powell (Joel Grey) cut into a live animal and then later learn that the remaining rodents had gnawed on him? Despite that, I liked this episode directed by Laura Innes of ER (and might I add that I am anxiously awaiting that hospital show's premiere on Thursday).
This week, famed Dr. Powell, the man who wrote the medical textbook, is the team's patient and he is suffering what he knows will be an incurable affliction. His wish? To die. So, why come to Dr. House, a physician known for going to incredible lengths the cure his patients? Because as House knows, people may accept death but no one really wants to experience it. With this in mind and up against a self-imposed diagnosis deadline House pulls a faux-euthanization with Chase's assistance and continues to search for the cause of Powell's problem. Now there are all kinds of things wrong with that move but that aside, can you imagine waking up from an induced coma after you thought you had been put to sleep? The shock would be enough to kill a person.
As usual the team squabbled about course of action but Cameron was more mutinous than usual refusing to work at all. She's certainly become confident of her place on the team. Loved when House told her to do her job.
Is it me or is House wittier when he's in pain? Yes, it's true the cane is back in full force ? was that Jai-Alai he was playing with it. ? and so are the sarcastic one-liners. Despite the heavy subject matter, I was laughing through most of the show. I generally find Chase to be pretty useless but he too was rather amusing tonight though not as much as that striped tie he was sporting. Ugga. Let me take a moment to be superficial here. I was not digging Foreman's pink on pink ensemble and Cameron's hair is either growing on me or they've taken steps to improve it. Cuddy actually looked professional in her gray suit. Did you catch her denying a pregnancy? Please! She's so pregnant (okay, watch me be wrong).
The show was surprisingly Wilson-free tonight. He had, maybe three lines, for which I was thankful. I needed a break from Dr. Annoying-of-Late. Wilson's airtime this week was instead taken up by the rare sighting of nurses at Princeton-Plainsboro. I was stunned seeing as how Cameron, Chase and Foreman do all the grunt work.
Which leads me to the clinic. Cameron interrupted a little Lolita-like lusting on House's part but to be fair the little darling was putting it out there. Hello Jailbait and from the previews, hello stalker. Though she may have been showing too much thong, her rear ending at least served a medical purpose ? a diagnosis for House and a death sentence for Powell. That last scene with Cuddy implied that he did not die naturally. Funny how after weeks of Wilson predicting that House and his ego would kill a patient, it is Cameron and her principles that actually do.
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TVGuide Links:
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Sep 20, 2006 7:02 PM
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Could your technical difficulties be due to the new format?
It's slow and difficult to find things. I posted a message on a forum two days ago and now I can't find it to see if there is a reply. I looked at every topic for the date and it doesn't seem to be there.
Another is the ad for gilmore dvd. Once it pops up there is no place to cancel it. I can't go around it and it stays until I click on back and forward arrows. The gilmore ad is so annoying I won't consider the dvd or watch the program. If they are so desperate to have an ad stay up without a way to cancel then it may mean the program and the dvd ratings and sales are not going well. Why watch a dying program?
I use to go to tvguide.com on a daily basis to read the comments and participate. Now it takes too much time and I can't spend my entire lunch hour wading through the mess that is the new tvguide.com and miss out on the rest of my emails and gossips.
See you when there is something interesting to comment upon, maybe in a few days and soon to be every few weeks once the new season has settled down.
Sorry Ausiello and Ask Matt and all you commentary writers. You have lost a fan due to the new tvguide.com format.
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Sep 21, 2006 1:25 AM
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Could your technical difficulties be due to the new format?
It's slow and difficult to find things. I posted a message on a forum two days ago and now I can't find it to see if there is a reply. I looked at every topic for the date and it doesn't seem to be there.
Another is the ad for gilmore dvd. Once it pops up there is no place to cancel it. I can't go around it and it stays until I click on back and forward arrows. The gilmore ad is so annoying I won't consider the dvd or watch the program. If they are so desperate to have an ad stay up without a way to cancel then it may mean the program and the dvd ratings and sales are not going well. Why watch a dying program?
I use to go to tvguide.com on a daily basis to read the comments and participate. Now it takes too much time and I can't spend my entire lunch hour wading through the mess that is the new tvguide.com and miss out on the rest of my emails and gossips.
See you when there is something interesting to comment upon, maybe in a few days and soon to be every few weeks once the new season has settled down.
Sorry Ausiello and Ask Matt and all you commentary writers. You have lost a fan due to the new tvguide.com format.
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Sep 21, 2006 1:27 AM
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Sorry to post the same comments twice.
When I clicked Post the first time I received an error message that the message wasn't sent, clicked back and sent it again.
also, gilmore may not be a dying program as I originally thought. It may be because the new tvguide.com is so poorly designed that they put a difficult to find cancel button for the ad. Sorry gilmores. Still, your ad annoyed me and even if it wasn't the fault of the new format and I won't be watching for a while. Boycott. Your fault or tvguide.com's doesn't matter.
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Sep 21, 2006 1:34 AM
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I agree. House is definitely funnier when he is in pain. I enjoyed this episode, but how funny was the preview they showed for the next episode. When House banged against the glass and said "You can't destroy our love!" I laughed pretty hard.
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Sep 21, 2006 3:55 AM
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nellybell29 I know, I chuckled at that too. Can't wait to see what happens next week.
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Sep 21, 2006 8:55 AM
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Hmmmmm, I forgot what I originally said. I know I liked the episode. I think it was because House was being the skilled doctor, diagnostician, and teacher that he's supposed to be. I liked how he found a way for Cameron to learn the lesson and get the point, and eventually do the right thing.
On the superficial side, Cameron's mop top hairstyle has got to go. But I was glad to see that they finally dressed Cuddy in some "big girl" clothes.
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Sep 21, 2006 12:04 PM
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When House talked into Cuddy's pin, it reminded me of Will talking into the pin in the bathroom stall on Alias... anyone else?
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Sep 21, 2006 4:01 PM
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For those of you who haven't seen it on the home page, there is a headline "Is House in danger of jumping the shark?" I posted on Jon Hein's article which reads:
I know it's early September, but I've already spotted some fins to keep an eye on this fall season:
House (FOX) - Only Hugh Laurie can pull off being a nice guy in the first episode and dealing with an alien story line in the second. I was worried, but the cane is back along with the surliness we've all come to know and love.
My rant: Please, are you kidding me with this? A catchy headline to put on the home page, "Is House in danger of jumping the shark?" When the writer's answer is, Uh, no. And based on what, Greg House was a bit cheerful in the first few episodes of the season? That's laughable (pun intended). House is for my money, and many others', the best show on television. To use the old cliche of jumping the shark (to determine the exact moment when a once-good series becomes ridiculous), is here ridiculous in itself. Just 'cause old Greg did a little skateboarding does not a leather jacket-wearing, waterskiing Arthur Fonzarelli make.
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Sep 21, 2006 6:29 PM
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AC, it's sensationism. This "question mark" B.S. was roundly spoofed by John Stewart recently. Go to YouTube and search for "Daily Show Question Mark". It's freakin' hilarious...
The upshot is, apparently you can get away with saying anything you want in the media just by putting a question mark at the end of the sentence. For example:
Brushing your teeth could kill you?
Puppies cause traffic accidents?
TV Guide's new web site a mistake?
OK, well that last one did happen to be true... the exception that proves the rule, I guess...
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Sep 21, 2006 7:23 PM
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I'm going to go out on a limb with my theory- feel free to laugh at me! I don't think House's leg is actually in the kind of pain it used to be; I think what happened in that first episode revealed alot about what House is actually addicted to. His drug is the puzzle, the solution, and being correct in his diagnosis- in other words, his ego. Once his leg was "cured", suddenly everyone questioned his every thought, move, and solution- he was no longer invincible. He can't live like that- so he magnified the cramping in his leg to justify going back to the drugs and the cane. Why? Because with the drugs and the cane suddenly he gets the extra latitude to make the whacky diagnosis that just ends up being right- and everyone worships his skill again. Ego soothed, minions and coworkers placating him- what could be better?
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Sep 21, 2006 9:22 PM
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