Carle's Opening Salvo: January 2011

House, Pilot Episode

Synopsis: The alternate title for this pilot episode of House is "Everybody Lies", which neatly sums up the philosophy of the brilliant but thoroughly obnoxious Dr. Gregory House (Hugh Laurie), infectious disease and nephrology specialist at Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital. Convinced that none of his patients will ever tell him the truth, House responds in kind by refusing to talk to them beyond the bare necessities--and he certainly wastes no time being friendly, comforting or supportive. Right now, House's patented indifference is being directed at 29-year-old kindergarten teacher Rebecca Adler (Robin Tunney), who for no discernible reason has begun suffering seizures and speaking gibberish.

{in order to more fully understand your neurosis, i must, perforce, go to the source. hence, an exploration of the roots of your obsession. i will send these dispatches as i have a chance to view them, then you may, at your leisure, or not, reply and tell me how many times you've heard the same thing from the fan base, with much greater insight and depth, and how much i have missed in my cursory examination.]

ok. never actually got it until today: HOLMES and HOUSE. wow. these guys weren't even trying to be subtle in their theft were they? but hey--if it's out of copyright, right? so, this is how you get a cynical nihilist (with tenure!) to do his job: take the one case that interests him and blackmail him into making up clinic hours. why do i get the idea that deep down inside he was looking for someone to make him do just that? because that's what sherlock was always waiting for: not just the case coming over the transom, so to speak, but also inspector lestrade of scotland yard coming by with an unusual request.

the diff is, holmes would always acquiesce with victorian gentlemen's grace and aplomb. house evades every trap with a savage wit and gallow's humor and enjoys being a cad and a bounder; it only makes his triumph that much sweeter. but, then again, we all wish we could be onstage and have our own brand of yocks become the subject of adoration. probably the way you've extended your performance style into the twitter realm. [i see the faint glimmerings of a thesis in this.] or, as the eagles put it so succinctly: "i know my life/would look all right/if i could see it on the silver screen"

the other parallel, is, of course, the Vicodin ("because they're yummy") but also his addiction to General Hospital. soap operas are no less a drug than any other. (by the by, you might try watching some after your mourning period. can't hurt.) i had originally thought of this as simply another ruse by which he would belittle the concerns of his chief bodacious admin lady. then it comes on at the end as he relaxes watching an operation. telling point: TV DR IN OR--"...because we're doctors! When we make mistakes, people die!" and house gives half-grin and near-chuckle. 

(of course, we learn by others mistakes as well, just hopefully not our doctors...) like the bit about the last, most insignificant observation being the most important clue. good avert for a vegan lifestyle.