House Review: A for Effort...
I really wanna say I enjoyed "Bombshells." I wanna give it credit for being different and well-produced and an interesting change of pace from the typical House formula. Because it was all those things.
But this is the sad truth: when I first saw House grab Cuddy from underneath her bed, I legitimately had to stop the show for a moment and recall where these two stood at the conclusion of last week's episode. That's how much the show has jerked around viewers via this inconsistent relationship.
For that reason, I haven't been invested in the Huddy. I should have been broken up when they broke up tonight, right? But didn't we just see Cuddy scream that she had had enough on "Two Stories?" It's hard to get worked up, or even to follow along, when the status of this couple has oscillated from week to week.
I can safely say, however, that I didn't see House's addiction playing a role. That development took me by surprise.
But I find myself straining to care. I just feel like we've been here before. House tries to be happy, House tries to be normal, House falls back into the routine of someone scared and miserable. Is that the life of an addict? Yes. Does it make for entertaining television? Not seven seasons in.
I was even rolling my eyes at the issue of whether or not House would visit Cuddy when she was sick. This also feel like a weekly storyline. Will House attend Cuddy's fundraiser? Will he be there for Rachel? Will he... do all the normal and caring things that a boyfriend should do? When this is called into question week after week, I stop feeling sympathy for House and his struggles and start to just wonder: why is anyone close to this guy?!?
So, why did I give this episode a decent rating, despite all the criticism? I'll always reward effort, and serious attention was paid to make this an atypical hour of television. The Two and a Half Men mockery was especially timely, of course, and all other genre spoofs were very well done.
While not as funny as usual, there were also enough profound House quotes to keep me interested and I'll never tire of Hugh Laurie.
But I do fear that there's no more story left to tell with his character. We've seen him hit rock bottom over a woman (Stacey) and we've seen him battle pills before (the first five seasons). After waiting so long to get him together with Cuddy, I was hoping the show would give this relationship the time and respect it's earned.
Instead, Huddy has felt off balance from the premiere. I never felt attached to the couple and I'm almost glad they've now split so we can just return to the awkward, wacky, sarcastic, intense world of Princeton Plainsboro and the true heart of the show (Wilson and House's friendship)... but then I remember that we'll be watching House's downward spiral for at least a week to come and I have to stifle a groan.
Can anyone convince me otherwise? I really do wanna fall back in love with the show.
Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.
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April 10th, 2011 8:57 PM
You gyes are really cruil to House I think cuddy should die in a hole and get back to gether
Rank: New User
March 16th, 2011 2:20 PM
Maybe this will help: it makes sense that House and Cuddy would get together. They're hopelessly attracted to one another. It ALSO makes sense that it wouldn't work. He's a lousy boyfriend. As you said, why would anyone get close to House? That's the enigma that fuels the series.
March 9th, 2011 1:39 PM
On a broader topic, it seems, from the recent articles I've read about artificial intelligence, that diagnostic software is the coming thing in medicine. Greg House himself is going to be obsolete before long, if he isn't already. The show has never dealt with this topic, except to make fools of patients who are trying to diagnose themselves online. The only time House is ever seen using a computer is when he's looking up porn or playing a trick on poor Wilson.
And why don't House and Cuddy ever call each other by their first names? They're supposed to be in love, for heaven's sake. Who calls her boyfriend House? You'd think they could come up with some weird pet names, at least.
Rank: Guest Star
March 8th, 2011 11:41 PM
good episode!
March 8th, 2011 7:41 PM
Yet another instance of Sam and Diane Syndrome: spend several seasons getting the couple together, then another couple of seasons breaking them up - or in this case, just one season. I kind of wanted Huddy to work, because they are the only two characters on the show interesting enough to end up together. (Forman, on the other hand, is so dull he doesn't deserve to be with anyone, even Taub.)
The show is over. Every episode is the same, and when it isn't, they resort to cutsie stuff like this. I'm moving on, and I suggest Hugh Laurie and Lisa Edelstein do the same. It's time they played the roles they were meant to play: Spenser and Susan Silverman.
Rank: Extra
March 8th, 2011 6:19 PM
Maybe Cuddy was going to give up on House eventually, but this was too fast. It's not as if she hadn't already agonized over the decision to be with him, considering her daughter, his addiction, their work situation, etc., etc. Did she say "Unless you go back on the Vicodin" - did I miss that? Still, I loved the dream sequences and want to see what happens to Taub/Foreman, Chase, et al. I don't think the show is over; I just want the writers to give us some credit for being able to follow the development of a relationship. Or maybe it's they who have ADD.
March 8th, 2011 3:27 PM
I think the episode was one of the best this season. It made sense why Cuddy broke up with House. It also showed us that despite him being back on Vicodine, he had tried to change (he shots zombies in his dream to help Cuddy, he was with her before her surgery, he solved her case). He might not have changed completely but he changed a bit and that is more than anybody oculd have expected after what we have witnessed from him for the first 5 seasons.
March 8th, 2011 3:01 PM
I stand by my Jumped the Shark episode of last week. This show is over as the writers have nothing to say anymore. Huddy is a mistake from start to finish and never, IMO, felt real or good or sane. They seem to have Masters in bunchy clothing over an ill fitting diaper or something, Chase looked bizarre in most of his closeups and Taub and Foreman are plain weird and last, but not least, whatever balls Wilson had are emasculated beyond repair. Ugh Ugh Ugh. Come On Let's All Get Happy was suitably surreal is about the best I can say about this episode. Vicodin more Vicodin, give me a break.
Rank: New User
March 8th, 2011 1:51 PM
I am glad I am not the only one who felt the addiction angle was a very poor choice. I too would much prefer they give house and cuddy's relationship a real chance. I believe strongly in change and redemption and while House himself might be skeptical of such things his own growth had seemingly been going a positive direction... I felt cheated.
March 8th, 2011 1:01 PM
Read about the medicine behind the episode here:
http://goo.gl/N1cwB