I think the shine's off the love apple.

[katernater]

My thoughts on last night's episode aside (if I wanted to see two middle-aged people argue over buying a mattress, I'd follow my parents to Sears on a Saturday) I have to point out that it was nothing in comparison to the bus train wreck of a promo for next week's episode.

For reference.

What happened to the gender roles on this show? And when did House's character jump the rift from "forgivable old bastard" to "creepy old man"?:





And I'm not even one of those radical feminists out there spelling things with a "y" and shivving guys with scraps of underwire. But there are no female role models left on this show. Cameron has gone from being brunette and mostly uninteresting, to blonde and uninteresting and ineffective. Thirteen is bisexual and...I guess that's the only reason she's still around. Amber is House without the Adam's apple. And Cuddy -- Cuddy! -- who was to be my last bastion of XX-chromosome sticktoitiveness, has degenerated into nothing more than a pair of talking breasts. At this point, Wilson is the only girl around there who comes close to matching my cycle.

I know it's a ratings game. I know they've had a hard time of it since the writers strike. But those same writers were around for season one, when the show actually relied on intelligent details and plausible character arcs. House has become a parody of himself. House has become a parody of itself.

And, god love him, you know that Hugh Laurie is trying. He's still in there with the day-to-day, doing brilliant work, but you can tell he's souring on the whole thing. Hugh? I have a bit of advice: Jump out of the plane already. I'm putting on my parachute.



In other news: primary day! Hooray! I get to leave work early to vote!

Comments

[another-myself.livejournal.com]

I want to go back and re-watch season one from start to finish to remind myself what it was pulled me into this show in the first place. But, my fingers are crossed that maybe we'll get something back in season five. I can hope.

Can't go wrong with leaving work early!

[katernater.livejournal.com]

I think they should end it. The sooner, the better.

[another-myself.livejournal.com]

If it's just going to be run-of-the-mill, it's lost what made it special. House was fun to watch because it was different, because of how it didn't follow the mold. Now, I don't know.

[arriterre.livejournal.com]

To be honest, I don't think it ever broke the mold of the Hollywood medical show in any aspect but one: the fact that House could have been an interesting character with a good actor, and he was made a fantastic character by a stunning actor.

My interest in Cuddy as a character stems almost entirely from Kate's portrayal of her in the RPG.

Other than that, I saw nothing other than the commonplace.

[another-myself.livejournal.com]

Kate's writing is exquisite - she has a way of taking characters to a different level. I can completely agree there.

That one aspect was enough for me, as someone that never watched a great deal of medical dramas because I found them repetitive and just lacking something that held my interest. With House, I was pulled in by the character of House himself and the fact that he was a doctor going against the mold, however controversial or completely wrong it might have been, but Cuddy did it for me, too, in the pilot episode. I liked seeing a strong woman making her way higher into the world, digging in her heels and holding a position of power. Sure, there are probably other shows like that out there but I'd never seen one and those two factors were what drew me in.

Now, if I'm honest with myself, I've just grown attached to the characters and the show. There are things I'd wish different, but it's just about entertainment for me now. About characters I've grown to love, and even though the tone of the show has really changed, I'm just too attached to them to let go.

[arriterre.livejournal.com]

I love writing with her. We're an old roleplaying team from way back. Some of my most fun artistic experiences have been with her.

Yes, the one aspect was enough for me, as well, while it was treated with respect and honesty within the show. I stopped watching at the start of season three.

To be honest, Lisa Edelstein's acting never really did it for me. I enjoyed watching her because her person and manner suited Cuddy very well, but as to her acting, I don't think that much of it. It's better than the rest of the cast, though.

I was fine letting the show go because I was starting to enjoy my and Kate's game more, and it had suddenly become more canonical than the show itself in my mind.

Kate, after House the character, to me is the most indespensible aspect of the show.

[another-myself.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it sounds like you and I have a lot in common. :) Kate and I roleplay a good bit, too, and I love the things that end up happening in our games. I never thought about whether or not I'd still be watching it if we weren't roleplaying together, but that's an interesting thing to consider. I'm really not sure, but I know that it's definitely something that contributes to why I love House. The way Kate writes House himself is sensational, too.

I have a soft spot for Lisa Edelstein since I've seen her in other things, and I think she brings something special to the show. There's something strong about her, something capable that I really like. And I think it overflows to her acting, too.

Yeah, she really is indispensible. ;D One of those people that can't be replaced.

By the way, I'm Nikki. :)

[arriterre.livejournal.com]

I'm Blair. Nice to meet you.

I like Lisa Edelstein as a person, definitely. 'Bit of a crush on her. She does seem like a strong woman: I enjoyed seeing a strong woman in power on the television, because a lot of the time, they cast someone who's clearly a limp rag in a position where she shouldn't be. Lot of Hollywood serieses are like that.

Where did you play with Kate?

[another-myself.livejournal.com]

Very nice to meet you, too!

Ha, I can agree on that. Definitely a crush going on Lisa Edelstein, little something that I can't deny. I've also got serious respect for anyone that writes and performs in a musical, because doing something like that is far beyond my own capability. And yes, I liked that she was cast in a top position and actually holding her own instead of just being a pretty female face there for some political reason.

We met playing in Canon Wars a little over a year ago, and now we play in Area 42 as well as privately, because it's fun to explore ideas in that kind of enviroment. What about you?

[arriterre.livejournal.com]

Kate and I have been playing together what, like, two years? Man, I can't even remember.

First there came Vicodin: http://community.livejournal.com/vicodin_rpg

Then the Differential: http://community.livejournal.com/thedifferential

And now we play privately in Sick Set Sail: http://community.livejournal.com/sicksetsail/

[another-myself.livejournal.com]

Two years! That's fantastic. It's great to have that kind of longevity with a roleplay partner.

Those look like some great games. I think I heard of Vicodin awhile back, and I think I'll look through some of the threads. I love reading other roleplay logs.

What do you think, want to be LJ friends? Bit spontaneous, I know, but I think it could be fun.

[swordcanes.livejournal.com]

(It's still Blair, I'm just logged in to my House.)

I'd love to. Already friended you. I'm the same: I like reading other logs. Any logs that you can recommend me as your favourites? And who do you play?

[another-myself.livejournal.com]

Friended you back! And yes, definitely some that rank up there in my favorites. Everything is friends locked in Kate's and my character journals, though, because of that whole LiveJournal content fiasco awhile back. I'll find some that are public for you, though, without a doubt and I'll see about getting you some of my favorites. We explored the past at Michigan between House and Cuddy and it was one of my favorite things.

I play Cuddy. :) I'm sure I'm not up to par with Kate, but I have a great time and her House is fantastic.

[arriterre.livejournal.com]

Short, sharp, to the point and entirely right.

[chemina42.livejournal.com]

I couldn't put it in better words than you, but I totally agree here. Cuddy is not the same Cuddy from the early days and House is more of a bastard for the sake of being a bastard than he used to be. He used to have a reason for doing the things he does.

Didn't Hugh say if the main character changes, there is no show? He better have a get out of jail free card. GET OUT WHILE YOU STILL CAN HUGH!

[katernater.livejournal.com]

I'll continue to watch, but I don't think I can take it as seriously as I have been. I know it's just entertainment and that there's really no redeeming value in tuning in every week -- but, damn, House is the only hour of television that I watch.

And I used to watch it because it was smart. Now I'm going to be tuning in for something like, I don't know, House doing a differential while flipping fish into his pants.

Which I would watch anyway.

[chemina42.livejournal.com]

*snort* I will be too. Can't let Hugh's sacrifice go to waste.

*runs off to watch Season 1 to console self*

[affablestranger.livejournal.com]

Yeah. The show's on the outs. If it makes it another two seasons I'll be stunned. If it makes it past this one...?

[highlander_ii]

You know - I wonder if it has to do with them trying to 'rush' part of what they'd planned for the season before with the 'shippy shit. If they'd just fucking DROP the relationship crap and run the damned show, we'd be much better off, I think.

What they're doing is taking the show they had, tossing the working forumla out the window and doing what all the other shit shows do and play up the relationships.

Hey - House writer monkeys - take a page from Dick Wolf's book - write a STORY and screw the interpersonal character developments except when they move the story along, dammit!

[katernater.livejournal.com]

Oh, don't bring Dick into this, please.

[highlander_ii]

Hey - he created the original L&O - and that formula has NEVER changed!

It's like Coke - when they changed to 'new Coke' - ppl hated it; then they went back to 'Coke Classic' and ppl were happy again.

Basically - don't change what ain't broken!

We want House Classic, dammit!