House Review: Cuddy 2.0
Halfway through "Risky Business," I started looking at my watch.
Typically I only care about the time to see if House is coming up with his routine epiphany at five to the hour. But tonight it was purely out of boredom. Here's was the problem with the episode: I only care and know about Wilson and House.
Not only did I learn nothing new about House this evening - he's an ass, he's conniving, he's dishonest, he's brilliant - I also noticed that Dr. Adams is quickly moving into a type of role with which I'm uncomfortable.
First, she's trying to control House in a similar way Cuddy did. Remember that episode way back in season three that the writers have clearly forgotten about? It was called "One Day, One Room" and in it, Cuddy gave House more clinic hours in the hopes that he might actually feel something for people and spark some humanity in him.
And here we are, five years later presented with a cleavage-y, smart, slightly naive character (minus 15 years of age) that is Cuddy's poor stand-in. Also Thirteen's, because she is so clearly willing to go to bat against the patients. Or was that Cameron? Sigh... I've lost track of young, sexy female doctors that have come through the series at one time or another.
Also, did House and the patient share any other quality than "asshood?" I'm just a bit confused on his role in light of the rest of the episode. Typically there's something tying the two together. At the beginning of the episode, I thought the parallel was that the patient missed his dead wife and was trying to move away from his grief by doing something a bit insane.
Was House's "insane" parallel that he went to jail? Does a patient parallel count if it's paralleling House's actions in a different episode? Or are we supposed to just take a look at House and how he conducts business among his staff and understand that it's quite risky and could have gotten Park fired just as the patient's business was also risky, for his investors and for his family life?
What House and the patient lacked in loyalty in a backwards way, they made up for in the pushing people away department. The patient risked his relationship with his daughter and House continues to test those around him that choose to care about him, no matter how futile the task is. Bottom line, this episode was a filler and I could have used some laughs if it wasn't even pretending to be dramatic.
And how about that last scene? House manages to get everything he wants (again!) including: revenge on his neighboring doctor, the satisfying feeling of manipulating Wilson, money for his department, and his version of foreplay, i.e. Dr. Adams destroying everything with House's guidance and permission. I suppose it's nice that House is imparting his destructive wisdom. It takes baby steps to reach the point of driving one's car into an ex's house. But I digress.
Maybe the destruction of the other doctor's office was more like a Monster Truck Rally high, rather than a deeper, "I'm angry and hurt" explosion.
Any way you slice it, I will never watch this episode again. If someone wants to comment about any part of the installment that was truly worthy of analysis, please let me know. And while you're at it, tell me what you like about Dr. Adams. I'd like to like her. And Dr. Park. But I'm having trouble.
Next week, Chase and Taub return! This show is sorely lacking in the familiar face department. At this point, I'm happy to see Taub and his nose. Desperate times...
More House News
House Report Card: Everybody Grades
House Finale Review: Enjoy Yourself
House Series Finale Clips: "Everybody Dies"
House Review: A Flood of Emotions
House : From what I hear, nothing black is tiny. Except your penis.
November 15th, 2011 6:36 AM
House is just thrashing around for something to say this season. It's been awful. I have not even bothered to watch the full episodes on two occasions because I'm bored. The characters are a mess - too many/ too predictable and too cliched. Like House himself, I feel I have no empathy or interest in any of them now. Except Taub. he continues to be the best thing about the series now.
November 4th, 2011 4:59 PM
I have not like the way this season has started off. All the characters are a mess. You wanted comments about Drs. Park and Adams. The only this Dr. Park has is the appearance of backbone. The way she mumbles her lines; it is like she has gravel in her mouth. She needs to go. Now Dr. Adams, she is a character that can be built on. During the earlier episodes she appeared to be one thing, but then she showed more by the way she played with Dr. Park and then became some what dark when she revealed her problems with her husband. My thought at the end of Episdoe 4 was she and House are going to end up drunk or high and in bed or some other weird relationship. Still Dr. Park has to go!
November 3rd, 2011 3:21 PM
George, all women you mentioned had a hard time adapting to House, because they all were sensitive. And Park isn't even irritated by him, as they have much in common.
And I don't see how House is manipulating her more than any other person.
November 3rd, 2011 12:55 PM
@Carlos
Foreman makes no sense and is completely unbelievable as [functioning] superior to House. Even if you forget about all the instances that could have contributed to the unlikelyhood that he would would have been chosen as dean(the "plagiarism*", the assault, the drug trial, etc.), All of which i think could be considered null and void given a strong enough recommendation from Cuddy.
The fact is in every other instance in which Foreman was equal to or higher than house, it flat out didnt work. Its abundantly clear that Foreman has, has never had, and will never have any kind of control over house.
You really expect me to believe that you let house walk out the door with a $200,000 machine, but you still ANY KIND of have control over him? Wheres the tight leash we were promised in the 2nd ep? It is clear that House is still doing WHATEVER he wants WHENEVER he wants, making Foreman as the faux dean of medicine an obsolete figurehead. Colonel Klink had more control over Hoga
November 2nd, 2011 9:52 PM
For a show that is supposedly on its last season its start has been very weak. If the producers intent to keep Adams and Park for the whole season then House is towards jumping the shark. The actual cast of characters is very weak and unbalanced.
November 2nd, 2011 3:35 PM
I absolutely agree with Alex, Martina and Kelly.
Foreman is NOT my favorite character either.
However, Foreman IS a great ANTAGONIST for House, as he was once House's subordinate. That makes it that much MORE annoying when he interferes with House's plots. I LIKE to be annoyed by Foreman, it makes it that much more satisfying when House eventually comes out on top. Alex is right, there is a huge problem for me with Foreman being unavailable as a Neurologist, the writes need to keep details like that very well checked, otherwise continuity suffers greatly.
Dani: I don't LACK the understanding that reviews are subjecting. I AM CRITICIZING the review because the viewpoints expressed in it are OPPOSED to MINE. Last time I checked, in a DEMOCRACY we ARE allowed to bash views contrary to our own.
What you fail to see, Dani, is that House HAS changed: he hasn't changed his philosophy, but he HAS evolved, accepted and self-inflicted punishment for his mistakes AND has learned to
November 2nd, 2011 10:07 AM
I liked the last scene. Its like an anger relief. Although she didnt seem very irritated in the episode.
November 2nd, 2011 6:37 AM
Dr. Park is cool, I really adore her. She's logical, strong personality and fun. From all women who worked with House, she's probably the best in dealing with his idiosyncracies.
Meanwhile, Dr. Adams is... meh... Her only advantage - she's very beautiful (combined with prety clothes she wears, her looks are damaging my self-esteem :D). But her character is plain/undeveloped. I don't like such girls in real life, I don't like them in House.
The last scene was absolutely out of Adams' character; not to mention, that scene was irritating and illogical. This should bring House back to jail, but somehow it will not.
November 1st, 2011 11:48 PM
Why is everyone crying about missing characters? Look at it as a completely new show with completely new characters. The episode is quite fine if you aren't spending the whole 42 minutes crying about Chase, Taub, Kutner, Amber, Cameron, Cuddy, Thirteen and Masters not being there.
All of these characters were all NEW to us at some point. Now we get to experience a new batch of characters that might come and go as well. I definitely believe House has two more seasons left in it so don't be crying about how this is the last season. I also want to point out that both the prison and psychiatric institution episodes were two of the best in House history and both solely featured House with a bunch of new characters. House CAN carry the show by himself.
The only problem I have with the show in its current transition state is Foreman. Foreman couldn't get a job at any other hospital due to his exposure to House and yet the board makes him Dean of Medicine? That just doesn't make sense.
November 1st, 2011 9:41 PM
I've learned not to judge a House episode on one view only.