Do Hollywood writers work through osmosis?
Never mind the sudden flurry of characters named John (or Jack, or Jenny) Sheppard from a few years back, this week both House and NCIS dealt with their main character and their daddy issues.
Now, House we've know he had big huge issues from way back when (was is season one or two?) his parents dropped by for a visit and he avoided them the whole episode, only to reveal that he hated his father in the final minute. Then we had that other mention (season... three? I'm fuzzy here) were it was revealed that his father used unusually harsh punishments for lil Greg... abusive, if you will (in particular ice baths were mentioned ). So House trying to avoid giving a eulogy at his father's funeral was never going to be a lighthearted storyline (though with House's antics you can always expect a chuckle, especially an appaled one) The episode was amazing. Not only the B story (or is it the A story? after all, we didn't tune in for the medical mystery, though it was really well done, but to get that extra tidbit of insight into one Greg House) was so well done and funny and sad and by turns heart wrenching, and the POTW ended up tying into it much more subtly than I expected at the beginning. I think I could wax poetical about this episode for pages (there was just so much going on in both text and subtext that I really hope results in some good fic coming out of this, but I don't really have the time now. I'll just add that tightropegirl is one of the authors of this episode (yes, the real one!) and that she left a post about it here. I don't think she's going to reply, but you can comment on it and it's something that I still find amazing about the internet, that I can tell a Hollywood writer directly and within a few hours that I loved their work. GO AGE OF COMMUNICATIONS!!
Now, NCIS on the other hand I'm pretty sure we didn't know about Gibbs having any issues with his dad. McGee mentions that Gibbs said he was dead, and even if that happened, I'm really glad they decided to ret-con that as Gibbs lying about his personal life (not like it'd be the first time) because holy cow that was awesome. The casting was great, and the chemistry too, and the dialogue and and... everything. Gibbs helping out in the dad's shop like a teen, his dad treating him... well, like a kid sometimes, and the team's glee at meeting Jack Gibbs, not to mention Gibbs's glee at driving the car! His dad preparing and giving him the car! Gibbs being sullen and childish about his dad moving on with his life after his marriage ended, making peace in the end... this was certainly much more satisfying than House, though House wouldn't have rang true if he had managed to make some sort of peace with a man he hated for so long. The numbness in the end was all he could achieve.
I have to say, watching them back to back was an experience, and it really underscored for me what it is that I love about both shows, and how different they are.
In other news, today I had to cough up 130 € to get the battery changed (and the little light in the dashboard) in my car. It had to be done, I guess, though if the thing ups and dies on me again I'm going back to that garage and I'll start screaming. I'm still not convinced that that's what was wrong with it, but what can you do when the mechanic tells you so? "No sir, I have no expertise in this whatsoever and you have at least fifteen years experience, but I think that that's not the problem, it was just the easiest thing to do." sigh. I guess I'll just have to wait and see.
Now, House we've know he had big huge issues from way back when (was is season one or two?) his parents dropped by for a visit and he avoided them the whole episode, only to reveal that he hated his father in the final minute. Then we had that other mention (season... three? I'm fuzzy here) were it was revealed that his father used unusually harsh punishments for lil Greg... abusive, if you will (in particular ice baths were mentioned ). So House trying to avoid giving a eulogy at his father's funeral was never going to be a lighthearted storyline (though with House's antics you can always expect a chuckle, especially an appaled one) The episode was amazing. Not only the B story (or is it the A story? after all, we didn't tune in for the medical mystery, though it was really well done, but to get that extra tidbit of insight into one Greg House) was so well done and funny and sad and by turns heart wrenching, and the POTW ended up tying into it much more subtly than I expected at the beginning. I think I could wax poetical about this episode for pages (there was just so much going on in both text and subtext that I really hope results in some good fic coming out of this, but I don't really have the time now. I'll just add that tightropegirl is one of the authors of this episode (yes, the real one!) and that she left a post about it here. I don't think she's going to reply, but you can comment on it and it's something that I still find amazing about the internet, that I can tell a Hollywood writer directly and within a few hours that I loved their work. GO AGE OF COMMUNICATIONS!!
Now, NCIS on the other hand I'm pretty sure we didn't know about Gibbs having any issues with his dad. McGee mentions that Gibbs said he was dead, and even if that happened, I'm really glad they decided to ret-con that as Gibbs lying about his personal life (not like it'd be the first time) because holy cow that was awesome. The casting was great, and the chemistry too, and the dialogue and and... everything. Gibbs helping out in the dad's shop like a teen, his dad treating him... well, like a kid sometimes, and the team's glee at meeting Jack Gibbs, not to mention Gibbs's glee at driving the car! His dad preparing and giving him the car! Gibbs being sullen and childish about his dad moving on with his life after his marriage ended, making peace in the end... this was certainly much more satisfying than House, though House wouldn't have rang true if he had managed to make some sort of peace with a man he hated for so long. The numbness in the end was all he could achieve.
I have to say, watching them back to back was an experience, and it really underscored for me what it is that I love about both shows, and how different they are.
In other news, today I had to cough up 130 € to get the battery changed (and the little light in the dashboard) in my car. It had to be done, I guess, though if the thing ups and dies on me again I'm going back to that garage and I'll start screaming. I'm still not convinced that that's what was wrong with it, but what can you do when the mechanic tells you so? "No sir, I have no expertise in this whatsoever and you have at least fifteen years experience, but I think that that's not the problem, it was just the easiest thing to do." sigh. I guess I'll just have to wait and see.