"House" finale (AKA why do I still watch this show??!!)
Well, I definitely need to rant about this, so to all my non-House-watching friends, feel free to skip this.
But DAMN, last night pissed me off. I definitely should never watch this show again with my parents: they watch it because they find House the character amusing. They don't delve into a show's plots and characters like I do. They watch it from a superficial level, which is really smart if you've got high blood pressure like they do.
Me? I get too emotionally invested in TV shows. "Buffy" pretty much ignited that fangirl side of me...at least for the first 3 seasons. Once she hit college, that show jumped the shark for me.
Well...more like jumped the soldier-boyfriend-with-wooden-acting-skills/stupid-robot-demon-supervillian-thingy/emasculated-Spike. ::rolls eyes::
"Angel" replaced Buffy after that...once again, at least for the first 3 seasons. Once Connor came back all emo, and there was Angel-in-a-box-under-the-beautiful-briny-sea...thaaaaaaaat kinda killed it for me.
"Alias" suffered the same fate. First three seasons = hunky-dory (well, definitely the first two...even the third started getting weird...). Fourth onward = block out of every memory...FOREVER.
So...my track record for being a fan of shows isn't too great. One might say that I abandon them when the times get tough.
...and the plots start to suck...
...and the people get assassinated due to bad character development.
That's probably true. But why shouldn't I? I get involved, ok? Can you blame me for getting sick of the show when the things you used to love about it start disappearing??
But then I found "House".
And I thought I found one of the few shows that I could stick with through to its end. It's a procedural medical show, yes. But it was SO original and SO interesting, that it kept my attention. "ER" never stuck with me for long because a.) I was too young to watch/appreciate it from the beginning, thus missing most of the Clooney era, b.) after awhile, I got sick of the doctors' love lives, and c.) the medical cases = NOT that interesting. That sounds arrogant, but hey: I'm probably going to be in some kind of hospital for the rest of my professional life. I'm going to see most of those types of cases. I don't want to watch it on TV. I submerge myself in these fictional worlds because they're different from my reality.
And House, if anything, is different. The premise, the way they set up an episode, the acting, the plots...everything that I consider important in order for me to like a show, House achieved for me.
...And it helps that Hugh Laurie's just AMAZING. :)
I admit, I started getting into this show quite late. Never was a huge fan of Fox, outside of the Simpsons, and I never used to watch TV with my family. Our tastes were like night and day.
But one day last December, my dad got House, Season 1, through Netflix. He's been raving about it since the start of Season 2, and since I was FINALLY curious, I popped in the first disc.
And promptly watched everything in a week. Half of my winter break was devoted to watching all of 1, 2, and through "Merry Little Christmas". I was completely hooked.
Well, ok, I correct myself. I was hooked on the first two seasons. ABSOLUTELY hooked. I loved House the character. Hugh Laurie deserves every award he's gotten, and should really receive more. Who knew an asshole doctor could be so engaging? I mean, of course that archetype could possibly be amusing if played to that angle. Re: Cox from Scrubs.
But Hugh gave House dimension. He's undeniably funny in that mean, snarky way. But an audience member could actually empathize with him. You WANT to know more about him because you feel for his character, and with the way the show was going pre-Season 3, those little hints of a deeper side to his personality kept you coming back.
I don't care what Kaplow or Shore say, but whether it's the way he's written, or the way Hugh portrays him--most likely the latter--House DOES have a redeeming quality. The first two seasons MORE than proved that House isn't the one-dimensional drug addict with a 'tude.
Okay, sure, I had issues with certain storyline arcs. Who doesn't?
But if I look back, especially with the whole Stacy debacle, perhaps I should've figured that the writing would go downhill a bit. At the very least, when it comes to exploring emotional development. The Stacy arc could've really been something, if I'm honest with myself. I hated Stacy by the end of it, even though it really wasn't her fault. The writers didn't do her character justice, the arc was both dragging yet really abrupt, and it REALLY made House look like a true asshole.
...I REALLY should've guessed that was only the beginning.
"No Reason" should've been the BIG tip-off. Entertaining? Yes. Original? Sure. Loaded with FABULOUS H/C moments? Absolutely.
But...soap opera-ish? Oh yeah. To the Nth degree. And that sentiment is usually my poRteNT of doOm.
But I remained optimistic. I wanted character development. The House writers may scream that House isn't supposed to change, and that him no longer being miserable and loaded with issues the size of California would kill the show....but how SMART is it to keep a character static? A good show succeeds because of some winning formula, yes...
But Jesus, you're ALLOWED to tinker with it a little bit. I thought that was what they were doing the first two seasons! You start out with a complex character with a buttload of secrets, and spend the rest of the series slowly revealing them. Any decent three-dimensional character is supposed to REACT to everything that happens as a result. Guess what? That means CHANGE, no matter how small it is. And that was certainly what House was doing. He's HUMAN. If he doesn't change at all, then what's the point of the show? You might as well paint him yellow and stick him in The Simpsons. Lord knows they haven't changed for the past NINETEEN YEARS. The absolute worst thing the writers can do is make House a caricature.
And with this season, that's what they're doing. All the development that House has been making...GONE. All...GONE. It's a shame that Hugh Laurie doesn't watch a single episode. I wonder if he realizes that the writing has gone to shit. He's a smart man. Surely he's noticed the drivel they're forcing on him to use.
I love the man, but he's no Jesus. There's only so many ways to deliver storylines when they're just so BAD. I would love to say that he's so amazing that he pulls it off, but I can't.
Why? Because he is NOT the only person on the show. Bad writing affects the entire cast, and this season really REALLY butchered my favorite characters. It warped all the qualities that I loved about Cameron, Cuddy, Wilson, AND House. The only characters that I can stand right now are Wilson--mostly because he absolutely makes the most of the little screen time he gets--and Chase--because his character actually DEVELOPED. Everyone else became pod people. Horrible, HORRIBLE pod people.
...ACK! Ok, so I've been ranting for about an hour. I need to go. Most likely I'll still be angry enough to finish this rant.
But I WILL conclude for now by saying that this show is REALLY of the suckage. How eloquent is that?
But DAMN, last night pissed me off. I definitely should never watch this show again with my parents: they watch it because they find House the character amusing. They don't delve into a show's plots and characters like I do. They watch it from a superficial level, which is really smart if you've got high blood pressure like they do.
Me? I get too emotionally invested in TV shows. "Buffy" pretty much ignited that fangirl side of me...at least for the first 3 seasons. Once she hit college, that show jumped the shark for me.
Well...more like jumped the soldier-boyfriend-with-wooden-acting-skills/stupid-robot-demon-supervillian-thingy/emasculated-Spike. ::rolls eyes::
"Angel" replaced Buffy after that...once again, at least for the first 3 seasons. Once Connor came back all emo, and there was Angel-in-a-box-under-the-beautiful-briny-sea...thaaaaaaaat kinda killed it for me.
"Alias" suffered the same fate. First three seasons = hunky-dory (well, definitely the first two...even the third started getting weird...). Fourth onward = block out of every memory...FOREVER.
So...my track record for being a fan of shows isn't too great. One might say that I abandon them when the times get tough.
...and the plots start to suck...
...and the people get assassinated due to bad character development.
That's probably true. But why shouldn't I? I get involved, ok? Can you blame me for getting sick of the show when the things you used to love about it start disappearing??
But then I found "House".
And I thought I found one of the few shows that I could stick with through to its end. It's a procedural medical show, yes. But it was SO original and SO interesting, that it kept my attention. "ER" never stuck with me for long because a.) I was too young to watch/appreciate it from the beginning, thus missing most of the Clooney era, b.) after awhile, I got sick of the doctors' love lives, and c.) the medical cases = NOT that interesting. That sounds arrogant, but hey: I'm probably going to be in some kind of hospital for the rest of my professional life. I'm going to see most of those types of cases. I don't want to watch it on TV. I submerge myself in these fictional worlds because they're different from my reality.
And House, if anything, is different. The premise, the way they set up an episode, the acting, the plots...everything that I consider important in order for me to like a show, House achieved for me.
...And it helps that Hugh Laurie's just AMAZING. :)
I admit, I started getting into this show quite late. Never was a huge fan of Fox, outside of the Simpsons, and I never used to watch TV with my family. Our tastes were like night and day.
But one day last December, my dad got House, Season 1, through Netflix. He's been raving about it since the start of Season 2, and since I was FINALLY curious, I popped in the first disc.
And promptly watched everything in a week. Half of my winter break was devoted to watching all of 1, 2, and through "Merry Little Christmas". I was completely hooked.
Well, ok, I correct myself. I was hooked on the first two seasons. ABSOLUTELY hooked. I loved House the character. Hugh Laurie deserves every award he's gotten, and should really receive more. Who knew an asshole doctor could be so engaging? I mean, of course that archetype could possibly be amusing if played to that angle. Re: Cox from Scrubs.
But Hugh gave House dimension. He's undeniably funny in that mean, snarky way. But an audience member could actually empathize with him. You WANT to know more about him because you feel for his character, and with the way the show was going pre-Season 3, those little hints of a deeper side to his personality kept you coming back.
I don't care what Kaplow or Shore say, but whether it's the way he's written, or the way Hugh portrays him--most likely the latter--House DOES have a redeeming quality. The first two seasons MORE than proved that House isn't the one-dimensional drug addict with a 'tude.
Okay, sure, I had issues with certain storyline arcs. Who doesn't?
But if I look back, especially with the whole Stacy debacle, perhaps I should've figured that the writing would go downhill a bit. At the very least, when it comes to exploring emotional development. The Stacy arc could've really been something, if I'm honest with myself. I hated Stacy by the end of it, even though it really wasn't her fault. The writers didn't do her character justice, the arc was both dragging yet really abrupt, and it REALLY made House look like a true asshole.
...I REALLY should've guessed that was only the beginning.
"No Reason" should've been the BIG tip-off. Entertaining? Yes. Original? Sure. Loaded with FABULOUS H/C moments? Absolutely.
But...soap opera-ish? Oh yeah. To the Nth degree. And that sentiment is usually my poRteNT of doOm.
But I remained optimistic. I wanted character development. The House writers may scream that House isn't supposed to change, and that him no longer being miserable and loaded with issues the size of California would kill the show....but how SMART is it to keep a character static? A good show succeeds because of some winning formula, yes...
But Jesus, you're ALLOWED to tinker with it a little bit. I thought that was what they were doing the first two seasons! You start out with a complex character with a buttload of secrets, and spend the rest of the series slowly revealing them. Any decent three-dimensional character is supposed to REACT to everything that happens as a result. Guess what? That means CHANGE, no matter how small it is. And that was certainly what House was doing. He's HUMAN. If he doesn't change at all, then what's the point of the show? You might as well paint him yellow and stick him in The Simpsons. Lord knows they haven't changed for the past NINETEEN YEARS. The absolute worst thing the writers can do is make House a caricature.
And with this season, that's what they're doing. All the development that House has been making...GONE. All...GONE. It's a shame that Hugh Laurie doesn't watch a single episode. I wonder if he realizes that the writing has gone to shit. He's a smart man. Surely he's noticed the drivel they're forcing on him to use.
I love the man, but he's no Jesus. There's only so many ways to deliver storylines when they're just so BAD. I would love to say that he's so amazing that he pulls it off, but I can't.
Why? Because he is NOT the only person on the show. Bad writing affects the entire cast, and this season really REALLY butchered my favorite characters. It warped all the qualities that I loved about Cameron, Cuddy, Wilson, AND House. The only characters that I can stand right now are Wilson--mostly because he absolutely makes the most of the little screen time he gets--and Chase--because his character actually DEVELOPED. Everyone else became pod people. Horrible, HORRIBLE pod people.
...ACK! Ok, so I've been ranting for about an hour. I need to go. Most likely I'll still be angry enough to finish this rant.
But I WILL conclude for now by saying that this show is REALLY of the suckage. How eloquent is that?