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House M.D.: Blowing the Whistle (2012)
Blowing The Whistle
By this time, we all know House M.D. is over; this season is the show's last. I can't yet see how they will choose to end it, but I do know, based on what's left of this show, I fear it will be idiotic, ridiculous, and sad. The better choice would have been to end after season seven with House and Cuddy together, and House still struggling to improve himself and stay sober, but realizing that's what he wanted. This show committed suicide when Cuddy broke up with House pretty much out of left field. House struggling to improve himself was far more interesting than House acting out and behaving like a juvenile jackass. The juvenile jackass stuff was only funny and entertaining in the beginning. After we got to know House better, it was far more interesting to see him try to protect the incredibly sensitive heart buried deep inside, and try to figure out how to deal with various situations when that heart got in his way. This episode taunts us with the idea that House's health is in jeopardy, reminding us long-time fans that it very well could be. House has been a long-time, hard-core Vicodin addict since before the show ever began. We've seen Vicodin wreak havoc on his health and his personal life many times before. It isn't at all out of the question to think it will do so again. As Chase points out, even House expects that to happen. Using House's health was, at this point, a pathetic and poorly executed attempt to hold our waning attention. The medical cases in this show have been increasingly boring, even if there have been a few good ones thrown in. And the non-medical components of this show have been suffering since the original team broke up. House's attraction and indeed deep feelings for Cuddy carried the show through two seasons before the writers put the two of them together—which was a very effective way of maintaining the audience's attention in the show. But here in season eight, Cuddy is gone, most of the original team is gone, and the two new additions are seriously boring—Thirteen's brief appearance at the beginning of this season brought that into sharp relief. I love House, and I love this show. I have been a die-hard fan since it premiered ten years ago. But as season eight drags on, I'm feeling more and more like I'm watching a very slow-moving train rolling down the tracks towards a car stalled on the tracks. I realize the collision is inevitable, but I wish it would just happen already.
House M.D.: Gut Check (2012)
Gut Check
Paternal clocks become an issue in this episode, reinforcing for all of us die-hard fans just how much House has lost. Despite everything he said, he really enjoyed Cuddy's daughter Rachel. And the audience was primed to watch House adjust to and ultimately embrace fatherhood. So we learn Wilson is a father, a secret House has held for the last eleven years. And Wilson is not even remotely angry that House never said anything? We all know Wilson, and we know he would eventually forgive House, but his initial reaction would more likely have been outrage—or some kind of emotion. Because we know Wilson, we know he is as outwardly emotional as House is not. Also, House delivered the information without any fanfare at all. No game, no manipulation, no . . . nothing. He just offers it up. In the most un-House-like way. So what's his hidden agenda? Does he have one? Or was this the best answer the writers could come up with to introduce Wilson's son? Given the quality of the show lately, I was unfortunately leaning toward the latter. By the end of the episode, we learn there was an ulterior motive and a hidden agenda after all. And it was a very sorry storyline for the episode. And Park has moved in with Chase? House and Wilson made fantastic roommates. House and Wilson rooming together was one of the better parts of this series. Foreman and Taub as roommates was also a great component of the show. The dynamic between Chase and both Park and Adams has been strange and awkward since the women joined the show. So where the hell is this going? All I see down this path is disaster. And this seems like a ridiculous source of new drama to fuel the show. I have to say, Chase has always seemed more big brother to Park than source of sexual interest. At the end of the episode, we sort of see some of that come to fruition. Chase is lonely, has no family. Park is a very integral part of her family. By inviting her to crash with him, he's formed a connection to her family, particularly her grandmother. It's nice to see Chase connecting with someone other than a big-busted twenty-something ready to take her clothes off for him. Adams is a useless part of the show. Her character is unremarkable, utterly forgettable. Those of us that know House are all, at this point, wondering why House keeps her around. She's . . . boring, uninteresting, and she doesn't contribute anything the others couldn't do in her place. Park is marginally more interesting. She's weird, and she's obviously got some spunk because she punched her attending after he grabbed her ass. Also, she still lives with her parents, and she has no money. But she's got a generally flat affect, an almost monotone voice, and little range. This is the only thing I've ever seen actress Charlyne Yi in, so I don't know how much of that is the fault of the writers and the directors and how much is Yi's. I questioned the addition of Taub from first episode, but as time has gone on, I've come to see Taub as a real contribution to the show. He and House play well together. His personal life is a good source of dramatic fuel for the show without being too obnoxious or boring. All of this is made that much clearer seeing him beside both Park and Adams.
House M.D.: We Need the Eggs (2012)
We Need The Eggs
From the beginning of this series, I have cringed at the blatant errors made regarding pretty much every medical procedure, large and small. Doctors do not do 98% of the things these doctors do themselves. Granted, it makes much better TV for the doctors to do everything themselves, because admittedly it would be far less entertaining to watch them write orders in the chart then sit around drinking coffee or whatever doctors do until the results of the procedures come in. But for the record, doctors do not transport patients anywhere, ever; they do not run the MRI or CT machines, ever; they do not hang drugs, draw blood, or give medication, ever. Specific to this episode, anyone paying the least bit of attention would have seen the Chase and Adam thing coming. The writers seemed to flirt with the idea near the beginning of the season, but mercifully, they seemed to let the issue drop. Unfortunately, they're at it again. Chase has become something of a horndog, and Adams is attractive. Makes since the writers would take us in this direction. But it will take the show down several notches. House's feelings for his fake wife Dominika change from episode to episode. He seems disinterested, then interested, then not. There isn't any real reason for him to have agreed to fake marry her in the first place, and certainly none for him to continue upholding the farce in order to get her a green card. The only one who stands to gain anything is her, and as has been made perfectly clear in this season, House has reverted to his old self-serving self; it is extremely unlikely he would do anything for this near stranger unless he stood to gain something in return. When we learned of the marriage, he said she agreed to be something like a maid/cook/prostitute to him four days a week in exchange for the marriage and subsequent green card. But shortly after that, we learn she's gone away with her boyfriend, reneging on her end of the deal. When she does return, what possible motive would House have to help her in any way? Yes, he would like to avoid going back to prison. Yes, she's offered to pay him thirty grand. But it just seems like there is something lacking with this storyline, and I can't figure out where the writers might be taking us with it. I will say that in a lot of ways, Dominika is well suited to House. She's not above subterfuge, games, and manipulation—all House's specialties, and qualities he holds in high regard. But are they so well suited they stand a chance at any longevity? I don't see a lot of ways in which the writers can end this show, and I seriously suspect Dominika will be part of it. However, after Cuddy, it's hard to see any other woman, particularly Dominika, as the woman in House's life and heart. On a related note, the hooker thing has been played to death in this show. House parading a string of hookers through his office as he interviews them for a replacement for his favorite about-to-retire hooker is outlandish, even for House. Granted, House does have a history of inability to accept change. It does make sense that he would cling to his favorite hooker. But this whole hooker storyline is really ridiculous, pointless, and very, very uninteresting. A patient with a doll for a girlfriend? Naturally, House will eat that up. This is one thing the show has never done before, and shouldn't be surprising for any long-time House fan. This medical mystery is boring, and takes a backseat to the non-medical story lines in this episode. This has become the norm with this show, particularly in season eight. It seems the writers' bag of tricks has been picked clean. Too bad. Early in the show, they were often able to take a fairly run-of-the-mill disease and present it in a unique way, unique and exciting enough that it was interesting to House and the audience. They've lost that edge. Indeed, even Hugh Laurie seems bored with his character these days. He has no call for any real range or depth; it's the same old grumpy immaturity every single episode. We never see him play the piano anymore, never see him struggle to connect with a patient, never see him try to connect with a coworker. Hugh Laurie is an amazingly talented actor. It has been a delight to watch him dazzle us with the magnificent range House has required of him over the lifetime of this show. Unfortunately, so very little of that has happened in season eight, whatever audience has stuck it out this far is quickly losing interest. Bonus highlight of the episode: Park's jam session with the band guy. The song was great, the band guy (Patrick Stump) can really sing, and it brought some much-needed depth to Park. It was a throwback to the many episodes in which the other characters, namely House, played music. It was nice, and well done.
House M.D.: Everybody Dies (2012)
Everybody Dies
This episode, the series finale, is directed by series creator David Shore. A nice bit of symmetry, as he also directed the series pilot. Where it begins, it also ends.
With this end, we see the return of Kutner, Amber, Stacy, Cameron, and nearly all other characters past. One notable exception is Cuddy. I tried to decide if that was a detriment to the episode or not, and I have come to no conclusion. What would a Cuddy hallucination provide that Stacy didn't? What would her presence at the funeral have provided that Stacy and Dominika didn't? I will say that given how many past characters came out of the woodwork for the funeral, it is strange that she wasn't there, her absence conspicuous, but it seems to have worked out anyway.
This episode leaves us with the most transformed House we have seen since his strides to be a better partner for Cuddy. Whether or not it was his plan all along, House uses the fire to fake his own death. As it stands, he faces the reality that he will be in prison for the last few months of Wilson's life. Instead, he gives up his life, his career, everything he owns, in order to be with Wilson during those last five months.
Until now, nothing was as important to House as his mind and his ability to solve the puzzle. Puzzles made life interesting, and thus worth living. During the hallucinations in the fire, House seems to be giving up until he proclaims that he can change—the ultimate contradiction to his long-held belief that people can't change—and that he actually wants to change. This gives us hope that perhaps he will survive Wilson's death rather than self-destruct.
To bring closure to the show, we hear kind professions from those in House's life as they speak at his funeral. He touched a great many lives, and though his touch wasn't always kind or soft, he changed the people around him, in many ways for the better. He taught them things about life and about themselves they maybe wouldn't have learned otherwise. This reality gives him value that will live on, even after the world believes him dead.
Adams and Park stay on the team, with Chase now at the helm—a natural and expected choice. Taub leaves, which he did before. He wanted to work for House, and seems to have no interest in the job with the man himself. But he seemed regretful in his final scene, and a part of me suspects he'll eventually reconnect with the team. He was good at the job, and good for the team. I like to believe he'll rejoin it.
The writers, directors, producers, and whoever else really stepped it up for the last few episodes of this series. If they had performed as well throughout season seven and all of season eight, perhaps House M.D. would have seen a season nine. The show itself was a wonderfully entertaining premise with great characters. It was over the top at times, as all medical dramas are, but it was different enough to be fun to watch.
It's sad to say goodbye. House has a way of burrowing into one's heart. He wasn't always easy to love or watch, but we did love him, and we will miss him. This isn't the ending I foresaw, but that's okay. It leaves room for each of us to imagine what happens next, and this way we can each believe in the ending we most want to see for House.
House M.D.: Holding On (2012)
Holding On
So this episode begins with an emotional announcement from Wilson, and an extremely boring medical case.
Bravo to House. Filling the cafeteria with Wilson's patients, the survivors of cancer—really nice touch. And done in true House fashion: as completely fake. Though fake, it was an emotional scene that endeared Wilson to us that much more.
The return of Thirteen! Another nice touch. Wilson needs to reach out to someone who might understand his situation, and Thirteen has a terminal condition. It makes sense. And Thirteen might be the only other person in the world House stands a chance of listening to. He has a great deal of respect for her, therefore he will consider whatever she has to tell him.
The Wilson storyline continues. House is adjusting more quickly to Wilson's decision to cease treatment than he ever has to bad news in the past. And he continues to be a supportive, loyal friend. With a minor manipulation, of course.
A common error throughout this series has been that lumbar punctures are done with the patient's head elevated to some degree. In fifteen years, I have never once seen an LP done with the patient's head elevated in any way. I realize of course having the patients' heads elevated makes them easier for the cameras to see, but I wanted to set the record straight.
And the ceiling collapses in the MRI suite, naturally. As that is just about the most expensive occurrence. Few, if any, pieces of equipment in a hospital are as expensive as an MRI machine. If House's antics would destroy anything, it would be one of these.
In this episode, we see the return the old, out-of-control House. And we see some genuine emotion from Park when she hits House over the head with his own cane and shouts at him. The latter is long overdue. Had there been more time, I'm beginning to suspect Park's character could have been fleshed out in a way that would have made her a very interesting component of the show.
At the end of the episode, we get more bad news that no doubt directly sets us up for the finale. House is supposed to go back to jail, as his vandalism violates his parole. He'll be sent up for six months. Wilson doesn't have that long, and therein lies the problem I suspect will drive the final episode of this series.
I admit, this show will not end in any way I had foreseen. And that's probably good, as my premonitions were bleak. But I'm not willing to say things look good.
House M.D.: Post Mortem (2012)
Post Mortem
The beginning of this episode pulls out all the emotional stops. A very tragic and sad moment as the patient is pronounced dead and transported to the morgue. Then a surprising and confusing moment when the pathologist turns the scalpel on himself. It's kind of interesting to see hospital happenings through the eyes of the pathologist. It's also interesting that he only trusts House, because of House's diagnostic rating. And that he believes Chase to be the best surgeon. I love Wilson. And as I say over and over again, he and House are perfect together. And so fun to watch. This episode is no different. This episode leaves us on a cliffhanger, wondering what will become of Wilson after his CT scan, in which we deduce from House's look that the cancer did not shrink and is therefore not operable. Is this episode positioning Chase to move on from House? Good for Chase, back for the show. Besides those with Wilson, some of the most genuine interactions occur between House and Chase. Interestingly, House lets Chase leave with nothing more than a handshake and an anticlimactic, "It's been fun." This is the second team member he's let go this season, both done with zero fanfare or temper tantrums on his part. Maybe House really is changing after all. He's being decent to his best friend in his time of need, and he's being supportive of his team members as they do what's best for themselves. On the issue of medical errors, a nasal cannula is never to be worn around the head like it is in this episode. It is to be worn around the ears and under the chin. Wearing it as in this episode is a huge risk for strangling the patient, a risk no caregiver would ever take. More good directing, this time from Peter Weller, who makes a brief appearance in the beginning. As with previous episodes, the medical case takes a backseat to the non-medical story lines. The case in and of itself is not particularly interesting. It is used well to set Chase up for his departure, finally spreading his wings and leaving the nest. And it presented in a way that was interesting. At this point, there isn't much more we can ask. As this series continues to move toward an end, the Wilson storyline is amping up. With Dominika out of the picture, and Chase now out of the picture, and only a couple more episodes to go, I worry more and more about what end the writers might have in store for us.
House M.D.: The C Word (2012)
The C Word
Bravo to Hugh Laurie and Robert Sean Leonard. Hugh Laurie directed this one, which means we don't see quite as much of him. House taking a backseat is a bummer. But the direction is good. In my opinion, this is the best episode in a long time. We see depth from all the actors we hadn't necessarily seen before. The other episode directed by Laurie was "Lockdown," which was another of my favorites. But I've said before: Laurie is extremely talented. This kid is super cute, and the case has the potential to be interesting. The mother/doctor thing brings great tension and added problems. But with House out of the picture and the team working a case on their own, tension had to come from somewhere. Thank heaven it wasn't stirred up from personal crap between the team members. And to that end, this episode was incredibly enjoyable because there wasn't any personal crap between the team members. Probably, Adams is in it until the end of the season, which is the end of the series, and that is unfortunate. She brings the show down; she's dead weight. She was mildly interesting in S8.E1 as the jail doctor, but bringing her on as a regular was a bad decision. Her performance here was marginally better than in previous episodes, but not enough to consider her a contribution. House and Wilson continue to explore Wilson's cancer diagnosis. What great emotion from Wilson (Robert Sean Leonard)! Bravo! It is really nice to see the camaraderie between House and Wilson—it's been a while. Hugh Laurie and Robert Sean Leonard are friends off screen, and some of that translates on to the screen. They are good together, and too much of their time together lately has been spent in hostility or anger. And House is downright pleasant in this episode. He sacrifices himself and his own comfort to care for his friend. From administering a medicinal cocktail with the very real likelihood of killing Wilson, to putting together a slideshow that will make Wilson laugh and boost his mood—he was a friend, plain and simple. House the good guy has been out of the picture too much lately; it was very nice to see him return, even if the appearance may prove to be fleeting.
House M.D.: Body and Soul (2012)
Body And Soul
This episode holds promise. A strange medical condition, unique to a small culture within the population: classic House. And a damn shame it's coming too late. So this kid (a really cute kid, by the way) belongs to a small culture with a history of unexplained deaths. After arriving at the hospital, the kid speaks a language he's never heard, a pig is found slaughtered in the kid's bedroom, and the grandfather believes in spirits and that the kid's soul has been stolen from him. And he has bruises from his dream! Excellent! And then he levitates over his hospital bed? Even more excellent! On the personal front, things continue to evolve between House and Dominika. Of course House would throw away Dominika's INS approval. He doesn't want her to leave, because maybe he's starting to like her for real. And somehow, the writers have managed to endear Dominika to us. I actually found myself rooting for her with House. The more we learn about her, the more we understand she can actually match wits with House on many levels. So naturally, he screws it up, and she gets wise to his game. And of course he would let her go. What the hell is going on between Chase and Park? First they're friends, then there is some hint of attraction on Park's part, then they're more like siblings, then back to attraction? What happened to Chase's interest in Adams? The schizophrenic love interests scream of the writers' pathetic attempts to drum up personal drama between the characters. It's annoying, and very boring. And Wilson, the oncologist, has cancer? How poetic. Is this really the direction to take? This makes me seriously worry about the way this show will end.