House and jumping off the rails
So I was watching TV last night, and I wasn't pleased with what I saw. Some ideas about why I am displeased have been running around in my head, so without further ado...
This show engages in a great deal of handwaving. That's a given, as in the real world (RW), House would never be able to save every patient he gets in 24 hours and he would never be able to work. He would have been taken down by either a lawsuit or his Vicodin addiction. It's even more likely that Cuddy would never have hired him in the first place. But as this season as gone on, it's gotten worse. What I find disturbing is the handwaving the show engages in with ethics. The ethics are both medical/workplace ethics and simple personal relationship ethics.
As ljs points out, the show has been trying to make characters more human by having them do things that are simply fucked up. As they do these things, they make huge ethical blunders that never seem to have any repercussions -- in fact, they are hardly commented on. In the RW, these things would be enough to lead to lost careers, severed friendships, and possibly a jail sentence.
House -- earlier this season, he looked at Stacy's confidential therapy notes. Naturally, she filed a lawsuit against him and never spoke to him again. Er, no...after being angry at for for a couple of episodes, she decided to propose that they have a permanent relationship. WTF? ASide from that, House breaks rules so blithely that whenever someone does try to take a stand, they appear to be the bad guy. The best example I have of this is 2 episodes ago, when Cuddy wanted to preserve life-saving regulations and even Cameron threw a fit. He risks his subodinates lives and makes them commit illegal acts -- if they don't do what he says, he'll make their lives a living hell. He has created an atmosphere where Foreman stabbing Cameron seemed sort of logical (to Foreman). Foreman had to go risk his life, why shouldn't she? Anyway, House does such wild things all the time, the stuff anyone else does seem mild in comparison, with one exception (Foreman).
Wilson -- Slept with a patient. That's a big deal, and in the RW, he would pay a penalty for it if he got caught (therapists lose their licenses for that). It is possible that he could get away with it, but it's v. wrong.I think he knew it was wrong, and it does not seem to be his usual MO. So why don't we seem any repercussions? Either outside, or inside (guilty struggle, etc.). This was a throwaway. Why was it necessary?
Foreman -- By far the worst case, within only four episodes. Okay, first off we find out he can be ruthless and just not too nice. Not great, but it's within the bounds of what people do, and since he's supposed to be the one most like House, I guess this was their way of showing it. This would certainly be enough to make a point, although it's ethically meh. But then he stabs Cameron with the needle. Then we have this whole thing about Cameron forgiving him, etc. First of all, Cameron's an idiot. If that was done to me, I'd be about saving their lives and then making sure that Foreman 1) Lost his medical license forever 2) Was brought up on charges if I could manage it. Secondly, House just stands there and does nothing except sneer at Cameron for being weak? Having Foreman apologize to Cameron on his deathbed didn't make me feel any better.
Stretching the bounds of credulity even further, last night, Foreman is bouncing around looking great. After a serious illness than included brain surgery, there is no way he would be fit for work so soon (I believe weeks, not months had passed). Since House is a brilliant doctor, he should know that you don't cure brain damage by being cruel to someone. Furthermore, in the RW I don't think Foreman would be allowed to see patients without extensive neurological testing and rehab. ST memory damage is no small thing. I don't think he'd be able to keep up in that setting. Anyway, while I have a lot of compassion for him and his flashcards, I still can't get past the small problem of criminal action. Nor would I want him treating me while recuperating from brain surgery. The whole thing was very OTT and not necessary. IN the RW, he simply would not be allowed back in the hospital.
Cameron -- Throws herself at her superiors (In the RW, a boundary that is, of course crossed, but it's a foolish one to mess around with), and is generally a whiny idiot. Make her go away. Honestly, I feel that her character has been the weakest, and they would be wise to bring in someone else.
Chase -- For some reason, he has been the only one brought before a review board in two seasons. I don't know if this plotline was necessary (the situation was indeed somewhat OTT), but it didn't bother me as much as some other things that have been done recently, possibly because he was indeed properly reviewed and humiliated for something, and it wasn't so sudden. Chase is a character whose weaknesses we have been familiar with for longer, like him or not. I am concerned that they are going to go off the rails with everyone now. This business with money concerns me. Furthermore, they dropped the whole issue completely after the beginning of the season.
Cuddy -- The Steadiest Character. One thing that bothered me a lot last night is how casually Wilson and House violated her boundaries, testing her behind her back. House covered up for Wilson, interestingly. In the RW, I think that doctors could get their asses kicked for that. Why didn't Cuddy do that? It's just another example of how ethics are increasingly blinked at. Anyway, she's been the best. It's worrisome that they may try to saddle her with a weak pregnancy storyline.
So in conclusion, I feel that they have gone so OTT with House's character, that they have become too sloppy with ethics and sloppy with the writing. They are dragging the other characters into very unsympathetic situations and cutting corners dramatically. I am not ready to stop watching the show, by a longshot, because with the exception with Cameron I enjoy these characters way too much (even Foreman, pissed off as I may be). However, I hope they stop heading towards the cliff.
Whoa, this really ran long. I need to go do stuff before Lost comes on. That's another one of those frustrating shows that I watch because I enjoy the characters.
This show engages in a great deal of handwaving. That's a given, as in the real world (RW), House would never be able to save every patient he gets in 24 hours and he would never be able to work. He would have been taken down by either a lawsuit or his Vicodin addiction. It's even more likely that Cuddy would never have hired him in the first place. But as this season as gone on, it's gotten worse. What I find disturbing is the handwaving the show engages in with ethics. The ethics are both medical/workplace ethics and simple personal relationship ethics.
As ljs points out, the show has been trying to make characters more human by having them do things that are simply fucked up. As they do these things, they make huge ethical blunders that never seem to have any repercussions -- in fact, they are hardly commented on. In the RW, these things would be enough to lead to lost careers, severed friendships, and possibly a jail sentence.
House -- earlier this season, he looked at Stacy's confidential therapy notes. Naturally, she filed a lawsuit against him and never spoke to him again. Er, no...after being angry at for for a couple of episodes, she decided to propose that they have a permanent relationship. WTF? ASide from that, House breaks rules so blithely that whenever someone does try to take a stand, they appear to be the bad guy. The best example I have of this is 2 episodes ago, when Cuddy wanted to preserve life-saving regulations and even Cameron threw a fit. He risks his subodinates lives and makes them commit illegal acts -- if they don't do what he says, he'll make their lives a living hell. He has created an atmosphere where Foreman stabbing Cameron seemed sort of logical (to Foreman). Foreman had to go risk his life, why shouldn't she? Anyway, House does such wild things all the time, the stuff anyone else does seem mild in comparison, with one exception (Foreman).
Wilson -- Slept with a patient. That's a big deal, and in the RW, he would pay a penalty for it if he got caught (therapists lose their licenses for that). It is possible that he could get away with it, but it's v. wrong.I think he knew it was wrong, and it does not seem to be his usual MO. So why don't we seem any repercussions? Either outside, or inside (guilty struggle, etc.). This was a throwaway. Why was it necessary?
Foreman -- By far the worst case, within only four episodes. Okay, first off we find out he can be ruthless and just not too nice. Not great, but it's within the bounds of what people do, and since he's supposed to be the one most like House, I guess this was their way of showing it. This would certainly be enough to make a point, although it's ethically meh. But then he stabs Cameron with the needle. Then we have this whole thing about Cameron forgiving him, etc. First of all, Cameron's an idiot. If that was done to me, I'd be about saving their lives and then making sure that Foreman 1) Lost his medical license forever 2) Was brought up on charges if I could manage it. Secondly, House just stands there and does nothing except sneer at Cameron for being weak? Having Foreman apologize to Cameron on his deathbed didn't make me feel any better.
Stretching the bounds of credulity even further, last night, Foreman is bouncing around looking great. After a serious illness than included brain surgery, there is no way he would be fit for work so soon (I believe weeks, not months had passed). Since House is a brilliant doctor, he should know that you don't cure brain damage by being cruel to someone. Furthermore, in the RW I don't think Foreman would be allowed to see patients without extensive neurological testing and rehab. ST memory damage is no small thing. I don't think he'd be able to keep up in that setting. Anyway, while I have a lot of compassion for him and his flashcards, I still can't get past the small problem of criminal action. Nor would I want him treating me while recuperating from brain surgery. The whole thing was very OTT and not necessary. IN the RW, he simply would not be allowed back in the hospital.
Cameron -- Throws herself at her superiors (In the RW, a boundary that is, of course crossed, but it's a foolish one to mess around with), and is generally a whiny idiot. Make her go away. Honestly, I feel that her character has been the weakest, and they would be wise to bring in someone else.
Chase -- For some reason, he has been the only one brought before a review board in two seasons. I don't know if this plotline was necessary (the situation was indeed somewhat OTT), but it didn't bother me as much as some other things that have been done recently, possibly because he was indeed properly reviewed and humiliated for something, and it wasn't so sudden. Chase is a character whose weaknesses we have been familiar with for longer, like him or not. I am concerned that they are going to go off the rails with everyone now. This business with money concerns me. Furthermore, they dropped the whole issue completely after the beginning of the season.
Cuddy -- The Steadiest Character. One thing that bothered me a lot last night is how casually Wilson and House violated her boundaries, testing her behind her back. House covered up for Wilson, interestingly. In the RW, I think that doctors could get their asses kicked for that. Why didn't Cuddy do that? It's just another example of how ethics are increasingly blinked at. Anyway, she's been the best. It's worrisome that they may try to saddle her with a weak pregnancy storyline.
So in conclusion, I feel that they have gone so OTT with House's character, that they have become too sloppy with ethics and sloppy with the writing. They are dragging the other characters into very unsympathetic situations and cutting corners dramatically. I am not ready to stop watching the show, by a longshot, because with the exception with Cameron I enjoy these characters way too much (even Foreman, pissed off as I may be). However, I hope they stop heading towards the cliff.
Whoa, this really ran long. I need to go do stuff before Lost comes on. That's another one of those frustrating shows that I watch because I enjoy the characters.