Season One, Episode Two: "Paternity"

Synopsis: Suffering from double vision and horrible nightmares, 16-year-old Dan (Scott Mechlowitz) traces the source of his problem to injuries sustained during a Lacrosse match. As usual, Dr. House (Hugh Laurie) has other ideas, first diagnosing Dan with MS, and then declaring that the boy is being sexually abused. By the time House has figured out the real reason (maybe!) and has scheduled Dan for brain surgery, the boy disappears from the clinic--and the chase is on.


I like the use of the word "fungible". don't know if it applies, but it is one of those words that makes a conversation smarter, if frequently less clear.

ok. already i have a continuity problem. likes to sit up with feet on desk. fine. bad leg, makes sense. HOWEVER!--UNLESS THOSE SHOES ARE BRAND NEW EVERY EPISODE (and given his personality, the likelihood of him popping butter down on fresh kicks is remote) THEY DO NOT REFLECT A PATTERN OF PROPER WEAR FOR A MAN WHO FAVORS ONE LEG! (i know: how many times have you heard THAT before?)

"Stupid to have two 'I's in a mnemonic."--really great aside on "MIDNITE" acronym.

off the top, by now i am wondering what they do about malpractice insurance there. this touches on that briefly. never really thought of pain as pornographic, but then again, orgasm and invasive procedures--with the proper close-up of delicate, star-quality features--are interchangeable  this is the one where he ends up caring and watching the kid on the lacrosse field as rickie lee jones tears your heart out with piano keys. ok. so he cares. well, why not? as said above, certain things are interchangeable and do not differentiate unless described in greater detail. so then, his nonchalant, devil-may-care attitude is merely a mask so that his imperturbable calm in life-or-death situations, and cold, calculated rationalism holds sway when all others might have concerns beyond the immediate solution? yes, we like that. yes, we want to be manipulated, wrung out like a hankie after an ocean of tears. or by someone with their hand down our pants.

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Oh my god, are you going to watch ALL of the episodes???  In Season 1 the show was finding its feet, so to speak.  House's sneaker obsession is repeatedly referred to (that, and close-ups of grody used shoes aren't sexy).  At one point he says to (I think) his ex is, "I'm gay.  It fits.  Obsession with sneakers, always with Wilson..."

Also, later on there are numerous references to the hospital having a large budget simply for House's malpractice suits.  Robert Sean Leonard in an early interview said, "House is designed to be attractive." There's the whole tormented genius thing, repressed inner pain (remember Spock's meltdowns and much fans loved them?  Neither do I).

However, this show has a lot of continuity/believability problems.  Like the fact that the doctors do everything nurses, aides, etc. do.  It's to give the cast more to do and cut down on casting costs.  There is a real nurse, Bobbin Bergstrom, who is the ONLY person besides Hugh Laurie to be in every single episode.  She's there to help the actors make what they do look right.

this is the one where he ends up caring and watching the kid on the lacrosse field as rickie lee jones tears your heart out with piano keys.

That's the kind of ending they stopped using (thank God) in favor of more depressing endings.

 

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