I started out this review with mixed feelings, and then they got unmixed as I wrote. In the immortal words of an option not yet available on Facebook: Unlike! Jen Creer doesn’t like this!
“Broken” was cliche in so many ways. I don’t want House to get better and to grow. I want House still to be House. It’s not like he is a real person whose growth I am preventing. If he starts to heal, then I am going to lose interest in the show really fast. A functional (oh come on — yes, he was having hallucinations, but that was the writers’ choice. He functioned for a long time at a pretty high level) miserable asshole is much more interesting to watch limping along like the rest of us than a wet noodle trying to feel good about himself.
The main problem with the program for me was that I really enjoyed watching it — yet I couldn’t completely stop picking it apart in my head. Yes, isn’t it clever that the doctors are smarter than House. Gee, House is actually going to have to try to get better. And in the process, he is going to connect with all the crazy people, and have many moving moments. Blah blah, I’ve seen this before. Lots. As House himself would say: Boring.
I may have to start admitting that House is done. This show has been such a comfort food to me — such a good friend. I feel disloyal saying that it’s just lost that fresh feeling, you know? Dr. Nolan (the always terrific Andre Braugher) asks House, “Why did you check into a psychiatric hospital? Why didn’t you just check into rehab?” Is it simply because he won’t be able to practice medicine without a letter from his doctor? Or is it also because House already did rehab during Season 3 in “Words and Deeds,” when Detective Tritter was after him? He has already faked his way through rehab once.
If the show’s producers truly wanted to have House start to get better, I think they should have had House be in the loony bin for this entire season. That could have been some really ground-breaking television. Would anyone have watched? Well, I would have. And at the rate they’re going, they’re going to get canceled anyway. Might as well go out with some really great television and risk-taking than pump out this two-hour trite quick-fix shit. Let’s all hope House is still broken. Or let’s give the good doctor the dignified death he deserves.
Clacked by Jen Creer
on Sep 22, 2009 @ 09:00 EST5EDT
I thought it was handled nicely, probably the best episodes ever because none of the lame characters were there.
And House is still House, but he does need to grow a little. I can’t stand watching show where no one grows and House was starting to reach that point.
I hate not having an edit button..
The guy asked… “Why did you check into a psychiatric hospital? Why didn’t you just check into rehab?” because House really had an issue that went further than the meds, that was the whole point of the second episode.
I thought the shows were wonderful and could have had most of the season taking place in there. I don’t know what show you are watching, but this was great TV, something House couldn’t say it was last year.
Pardon my rudely intruding here, Jen; Oreo, did you turn Dark Blue’s TNT forum onto us? If so, that was awesome of you. Thanks so much! :-)
I thought this was one of the best ‘House’ episodes to date. What we got to see was a character who broke himself down and pulled himself back together again. I certainly don’t think he’s going to be all teddy bears and sugar now, but he’ll be more manageable than he has been.
I’m not too sure why you wouldn’t want to see House grow as a character, particularly when others are growing around him. I think that was House’s biggest issue, frankly. I personally would like to see ‘some’ growth in the character to keep it fresh.
I don’t mean to exclude Oreo from this reply at all.
I had to really think about what you said, though, Rich, about why I wouldn’t want to see growth in House when everyone around him has grown. That is an excellent question.
I think it goes back to the speed with which it happened. I really would have liked to see them explore House’s mental health issues in actual detail over a season. And who knows? Just because he’s out doesn’t mean he doesn’t have work to do, so maybe he will continue to grow.
I was riveted throughout the whole two hours. As far as I’m concerned, every single character but House is now expendable. I didn’t miss any of them.
I liked the psych ward setting. Sure, some of the people were cliches, but I enjoyed the fact that there were no “bad guys”. Everyone seemed there to help which is a refreshing change of pace from what we usually see about psych wards. I think the House producers should use this as the spin-off show we’ve been hearing sporadic rumors about.
I agree with everyone except Jen, heh. ;-) I adored this premiere, but I did start off in the first few minutes completely stressed that they stepped out of the formula. Then, I let go and loved every single second of it. Damn, if we didn’t already know that the incredible Hugh Laurie caries this show, we sure do now! I am so anxious to see the subtle ways in which House’s relationships with the regular cast members change this season. It was brilliant the way they showed us his growth, while still showing us that he’s the same old snarky House that we love.
I actually think that House MD is at its best when it steps out formula. This may have been my favourite since season 1’s “Three Stories”, another ep which broke from the usual formula. Some other memorable non-formula stories including the “survivor” hiring process and also the events surrounding Amber’s death.
I’m sure the formula will return next week though. Will be interesting to see where they go from here, the writers seem to always keep things fresh on this show.
“Three Stories” is my all-time favorite House episode!
I didn’t like this episode. It seemed to drag on forever, and had some silly cliches (the near-catatonic patient just needed her music box! Now she’s fine!)
Every scene where House was talking to Andre Braugher was amazing, though. They should give him a job at Princeton-Plainsboro and fire Chase, Cameron, Foreman, and 13.
Thank you, Michael! When he gave her the music box and she said, “Thank you,” I wanted to stab the television with a fork.