HOUSE - Season 2

[RobinFlamingo]

Is anyone struggling with HOUSE this season? I adore the show, and have the first season DVD, but the last two weeks have just been ... not up to par. I can't decide if the writing has gone south, or if they are changing House's character to accomodate the seven episode edition of Sela Ward.

At any rate, I'm not happy. Comments?

[RobinFlamingo]

Wow. I'm totally shocked. I thought I would at least find a few fellow House fans....I guess my hiatus didn't break my curse. I can even kill my own threads.

[kylerexpop]

I LOVE HOUSE.

i meant to respond immediately, but then had to duck out. sorry.

i think the first season was completely genius, and i think the second season is just as good. i think it's because i like sela ward (if it had been her instead of teri hatcher in 'tomorrow never dies' then i would have believed bond's feelings for paris carver and might even enjoy that one over 'goldeneye!'), because two of my friends who are both into the show seem to think that sela ward (whom they deeply dislike) just brings the show down but if she's not involved, it's just as good.

my mom is a huge fan of the show, and she thinks that the inclusion of sela ward is bad simply because she loves house as a brilliant b*****d but believes that having a woman he supposedly loves on (whom she doesn't like either, just because she thinks she's too aloof and full-of-herself) makes house too vulnerable and it's tough to watch him making a fool of himself over a woman who doesn't appear to truly share his feelings in return.

i guess i'm okay with everything because i see house's behavior with sela ward (for the life of me i can't remember her character's name, but it's been a long day) as further evidence of his intense curiousity getting the better of him: i think he enjoys the chase with her but if he did get her back he'd be instantly bored and be himself (or the more offensive version of himself) to be rid of her again.

maybe because that's my personality, too, i see the similarities and think it's absolutely brilliant. i think a lot of the first season drama is lost now because chase, cameron, and foreman have to be more familiar with house now so they can't rely on "the three ducklings disagree with house because they think his theory is completely mad OH WAIT house was totally right after all OMG LOL" thing as much. but it's still up to par, in my book. fantastic cast, after all.

what do you think?

[RobinFlamingo]

You make some interesting points - I know it's because I don't like Sela Ward that I don't like the way House interacts with her. But I also feel that it was darned early for such shark-jumpers as the old "sleep with the co-worker and then walk on eggshells" plotline, or the ever popular "dad with whom character didn't get along dies, and character acts out because of it". Those seem more seventh-season-and-we're-struggling.

Believe me, it hasn't made me any less of a fan...I'm having withdrawals already today, just knowing there's no episode tonight!!

[cardinal]

House is a great show, but it's already showing signs of its creative strain. Because of the nature of the show (master mind doctor who solves every medical mystery) it's going to age quickly. There is just so many outrageous mysteries to be solved by one person. Sela Ward's character is supposed to add some tension, and I think she does. But ultimately, House cannot wind up with her. Because he would be (1) bored with her and (2) happy. If he becomes bored with her, we might be mad at House's character and if he became happy nobody would watch.
It's just a thought, but I love the show.

The Cardinal

[sarahbot]

I adore House - I don't think I've missed an episode yet. Hugh Laurie deserves every bit of praise he gets. As far as Sela Ward's character, I'm glad she's off. Here's hoping it was a creative slip-up, like the Vogler arc last season.

I think they should stop solving every case in time. Look at the episode last season with the two babies. The patients don't always have to live. That would make it less "Oh for heaven's sakes, Cameron, look at the clock! Of course you haven't solved it, it's only 9:35."

[RobinFlamingo]

I'm not sure if making it episodic would make it better...or would it be another ER or Grey's Anatomy, both of which are fine shows, but they aren't House.

House is so driven by one character, that it takes someone exceptionally strong to match him. Although I have to say that I've been very taken with Robert Sean Leonard's character recently.

[kylerexpop]

i'm not too worried about 'house' losing steam, because it's been pretty much consistently fabulous all throughout. even a lot of the worst vogler and stacy stuff had plenty of amusing moments.

it is sort of weird that more of the other characters aren't more acclimated to house by now. i'm waiting for the triplets to just start blindly following house's every odd observation without a hint of disagreement, or for one or all of them to go to wilson and be all "we think A but house thinks B" and wilson is like "then it's B, fool(s)."

it is unfortunate that the creative forces seem to have to cater to the short-attention span of the "general audience." i, too, would love to see house not solve a certain case and not even figure out what the correct cause of that particular illness was, and perhaps have it stretch across another episode or more where he's determined to figure it out and/or it just haunts him.

or whatever. just keep on keepin' on, house. and he was wearing what looked to be brown converse hi-tops on that last episode. EXCELLENT.

[ravenlynne1]

LOVE LOVE LOVE House...

[kylerexpop]

yep. house was awesome in season 2 and these first few episodes of season 3 have only continued the insanity. fantastic! i can't wait to see where the underage girl flirtation goes. funny how i have absolute faith in anything this show does, but i guess it's earned that right, kind of like 24. neat!

special thanks to the scummy shoplifters of the world, who commit crimes and should be punished, but at the same time ensure that i can get used copies of the newest dvd releases (like, say, season 2 of house) at various used dvd stores at greatly discounted prices, often without ever having been previously viewed. hooray!

[Ms. Jellybean]

sarahbot said:

That would make it less "Oh for heaven's sakes, Cameron, look at the clock! Of course you haven't solved it, it's only 9:35."

Okay, just had to quote that because it's amazingly accurate. I'll have to use that line (or one similar, in case it's not Cameron) next time House comes on. *grumbles to self* Silly American Idol, getting in the way of me and my precious House...

So I just had to revive this thread (even though the title is about season 2, I see no other House-related goings-on in the forums) because I've started watching the show almost religiously. I've got friends with the DVD-released episodes, so I've been able to watch all of those and then get in the routine of watching this season. I adore House... even though there is a formula it follows (so much it prompted an acquaintance of mine to devise the "House Drinking Game," which includes taking a shot every time Cameron gets emotional, Foreman does House's dirty work, etc), the formula works brilliantly.

[sarahbot]

I'm peeved that there's been no resolution of House's shooting. He's been shot! It was all a dream! He's better! No he's not! Besides the weird 'he's better . . . actually, he's not' bunch of episodes, where the hell is his shooter? Isn't anyone investigating this?

There's one moment - I think it was season 2, possibly in the episode with the teenager taking care of his 'crazy' mom - where Hugh Laurie speaks in an English accent. And it's not his own. It's House faking an English accent. Bravo, sir.

[coccatino]

OK... is it weird that I am far more angry with everyone who isn't House for snooping in House's house and insisting on getting their grubby little hands on his medical records than I am at House for FAKING BRAIN CANCER!?!?

[sarahbot]

Say wha? I missed last night's episode. Damn, it sounds good.

I've noticed that no woman can possibly take an interest in House without being mentally ill. The old woman had brain damage from syphilis, the teenage girl was suffering from some sort of fungus, Cameron has a rescue syndrome, and Stacey was OBVIOUSLY a cyborg.

[kylerexpop]

yeah, dude: last week's episode was good, but this one knocked it out of the freakin' park. AMAZING!

my friend, who is borrowing my season sets and watching them in massive chunks o' episodes, summed up my feelings about house: it really is a formula show, but due to the at-times ASTONISHINGLY GOOD writing (see: 'three stories') and the incomparable hugh laurie, you just gotta keep watching.

yep. amazing. and when it comes back at the end of march, 9 straight new episodes? LOL!!!