House MD -- latest (Hulu) episode

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Just watched the "Social Contract" episode on Hulu. This is one of my favorite Houses. I like the direction this show is going now. The "softer" House less of a caricature and more of a person. I think they went a little too overboard with the vicious crap for a while.

RonB
"There's a story there...somewhere"

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[nq:1]Just watched the "Social Contract" episode on Hulu. This is one of my favorite Houses. I like the direction this ... think they went a little too overboard with the vicious **** for a while. RonB "There's a story there...somewhere"[/nq]
I don't know from Hulu, but I know all the House eps - which one was this? Thumbnail story line please? And I agree - I get tired of the gratuitous nastiness and people pointing out that House is bitter, blah blah blah, Captain Obvious. But you have to admit, the sequences where he messes with a cop and gets his comeuppance over several eps is pretty satisfying.
And, for the record, there are plenty of jerk docs out there, but someone like House would never last ten minutes in a real hospital. He'd get shuffled into research - Asylum (not a medical term, I just made it up) - and if he kept insulting people he'd get sent to Princeton for the Genius thing they have going there.

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Two things that really irk me about House (the show, not the character):

Those doctors apparently know everything. When they sit around throwing out obscure suggestions for diagnoses, wouldn't it be refreshing if instead of saying "No, that can't be it - the anterior platelet response time is far too high!" one of them responded, "What? I've never heard of that one".

And when they ask each other barbed questions about their private lives, why does no-one ever say "Mind your own damned business"?

OK, three things:
Why is everyone so concerned about the psychological reason for every tiny comment or decision? "You're not drinking coffee today... You've decided to tell your aunt's sister that she warped your mind when you were four years old!"
Bert

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[nq:1]Two things that really irk me about House (the show, not the character): Those doctors apparently know everything. When they sit around throwing out obscure suggestions for diagnoses, wouldn't it be refreshing if instead of saying "No, that can't be it - the anterior platelet response time is far too high!" one of them responded, "What? I've never heard of that one". And when they ask each other barbed questions about their private lives, why does no-one ever say "Mind your own damned business"? OK, three things: Why is everyone so concerned about the psychological reason for every tiny comment or decision? "You're not drinking coffee today... You've decided to tell your aunt's sister that she warped your mind when you were four years old!" Bert[/nq]
I know! I like the medical sleuthing, , but in those conferences the occasional "Wtf is THAT" (to some obscure ref) would be nice. And the office politics is/ are just silly - it's going into soap land. AND why does every patient collapse into convulsions at Minute 2.3? Convulsions are not usually a symptom. Give us some credit - we want to see a medical show, not a show about "Oh no! She fell down went boom, thrashing! Crash cart, stat!"
So this is why I like House - the medical stuff - but I prefer the Law and Order franchises, because the office politics are a lot more believable - mostly - they do have the OMG eps, but my idea is - better luck next time, the writing is good and I love the actors.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Two things that really irk me about House (the show, not the character): Those doctors apparently know everything. When they ... the anterior platelet response time is far too high!" one of them responded, "What? I've never heard of that one".[/nq]
That doesn't bother me it's just the jargon, kind of like SF movies were they spew a lot gobble-de-**** and, as long as they just rush through it and make the right authoritative noises, it doesn't really bother me. It's when they slow down and try to explain the "science" that they usually lose me because it's usually a lot hooey (is that a word?). I think it would be the same with the medical jargon on House. These guys are supposed to be the "elite" who are expected to rapidly propose multiple possible symptoms never mind that they always almost kill the poor sap two or three times before they (or, usually House) happen on to the cure. And Laurie does a good job of letting us see when the light flashes on.
[nq:1]And when they ask each other barbed questions about their private lives, why does no-one ever say "Mind your own damned business"?[/nq]
Because it's such an honor to work for House that they put up with his notorious behavior. At least that's the premise.
[nq:1]OK, three things: Why is everyone so concerned about the psychological reason for every tiny comment or decision? "You're not drinking coffee today... You've decided to tell your aunt's sister that she warped your mind when you were four years old!"[/nq]
Because human emotions ad motives are more interesting than the mechanics of doctoring. That's what I liked about tonight's show especially the last interchange between Wilson and House. A lot of saying of one thing and meaning another.

RonB
"There's a story there...somewhere"

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[nq:1]I don't know from Hulu, but I know all the House eps - which one was this? Thumbnail story line ... to admit, the sequences where he messes with a cop and gets his comeuppance over several eps is pretty satisfying.[/nq]
But that was a couple years ago. The newest episode on Hulu is "Social Contract." This is the one where we find out that Wilson's brother was in a mental hospital. It also had the editor who couldn't lie. Kind of a House-like which, of course, is played to the hilt.
[nq:1]And, for the record, there are plenty of jerk docs out there, but someone like House would never last ten ... - and if he kept insulting people he'd get sent to Princeton for the Genius thing they have going there.[/nq]
I know. But I'm not really interested in reality when I watch TV, so I just usually accept it. I may wince every now and then, but I just go on. I thought they had pretty much killed the character (House) the last couple years but, in the last three or four episodes, they are definitely making the House character more human. I still don't know why they've got the two doctors (can't think of their names right now) who were part of the original team still hanging around.

RonB
"There's a story there...somewhere"

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Because human emotions and motives are more interesting than the mechanics of doctoring.[/nq]
Oh, sure. If one or two characters behaved like that, it would be fascinating. But when everyone does it, it just teeters over into the unbelievable, for me. Sometimes a cup of coffee (like a cigar) is just a cup of coffee...
We're a series behind the US, but by means various I've seen most of the latest shows. I was shocked at just how vicious Laurie's character has become: he was always barbed, always sarcastic, always arrogant, always self-centred, but never as vile as he was to Cuddy when she lost her surrogate baby, for example. And it's not just him: her response (trip wire, cutting off his electricity, and the rest) was totally out of character too - and quite unbelievable, to boot.
I thought the first series was superb, and likewise the first half of series three - the storyline with the vengeful policeman. But the latest series seems far less compelling, sadly.
Bert

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]Two things that really irk me about House (the show, not the character): Those doctors apparently know everything. When they sit around throwing out obscure suggestions for diagnoses, wouldn't it be refreshing if instead of saying "No, that can't be it - the anterior platelet response time is far too high!" one of them responded, "What? I've never heard of that one". And when they ask each other barbed questions about their private lives, why does no-one ever say "Mind your own damned business"? OK, three things: Why is everyone so concerned about the psychological reason for every tiny comment or decision? "You're not drinking coffee today... You've decided to tell your aunt's sister that she warped your mind when you were four years old!" Bert[/nq]
[nq:1]I know! I like the medical sleuthing, , but in those conferences the occasional "Wtf is THAT" (to some obscure ... OMG eps, but my idea is - better luck next time, the writing is good and I love the actors.[/nq]
I've tried House. I really have. But every episode seems the same to me.

A film is a director's vision... there is, however, much input an actor or actress can have.
? Natasha Richardson

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]I've tried House. I really have. But every episode seems the same to me.[/nq]
That's a fair point, and of course it's one that becomes more pertinent as the series roll by. For the show at its best I'd recommend the very first episode, and also series 1 ep 27, "Three Stories" (which won an Emmy for writer/creator David Shore). Both are worth hunting down.

Bert

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[nq:1]Just watched the "Social Contract" episode on Hulu. This is one of my favorite Houses. I like the direction this ... and more of a person. I think they went a little too overboard with the vicious **** for a while.[/nq]
I thought House was such a nicer young man before he went to medical school, when he lived with that Jeeves fellow.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]Because human emotions and motives are more interesting than the mechanics of doctoring.[/nq]
[nq:1]Oh, sure. If one or two characters behaved like that, it would be fascinating. But when everyone does it, it just teeters over into the unbelievable, for me. Sometimes a cup of coffee (like a cigar) is just a cup of coffee...[/nq]
True.
[nq:1]We're a series behind the US, but by means various I've seen most of the latest shows. I was shocked ... wire, cutting off his electricity, and the rest) was totally out of character too - and quite unbelievable, to boot.[/nq]
I think your reaction was shared by a lot of folks. It wasn't working because they were changing House into something completely unlikable with no redeeming qualities at all. I think that's why the last few episodes have veered, fairly rapidly, to House's "softer side." (One episode was even called "Softer Side.")
[nq:1]I thought the first series was superb, and likewise the first half of series three - the storyline with the vengeful policeman. But the latest series seems far less compelling, sadly.[/nq]
I mostly agree. But I think the last few episodes are better. Maybe I was just in a good mood when I watched them.

RonB
"There's a story there...somewhere"

House MD -- latest (Hulu) episode

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