Season 1, Episode 6: "The Socratic Method"

Part One

this sounds pretty cool: ask questions until the thing-itself gives answers. the point that gets misunderstood today is that you have to ask the RIGHT questions. talking heads who think they're reporters think they're being probing when they phrase a question as "some people say" or "informed sources have it" or "it has been said" because a talking point has gotten a headline or some blogosphere nut has been quoted on fox, when they are really deflecting the probe into another area that is non-productive (to the discussion) or entirely self-serving (to them having a trenchant retort to end a segment).

but housearbeit?--he always ask questions; that's his job, what makes him good. because he goes after the edges, inconsistencies, aberrations. that's where science has more "huh?" moments than "aha!" moments, and that's what lead to breakthroughs. he always questions "the disease", as if it were an uninvited guest he has to figure out how to make at home.   

not much else to say about the ep. couldn't quite figure it out. the ending i mean. vague. the woman was FAKING it? pretending to be schizo so her son would be taken away and not have to deal with her death-by-tumor? so how did we get the voice-overs of multiple personality disorder? what did i miss? i could rewatch it, but thought you might remember.

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As I recall, it wasn't that the woman was faking being schizo.  It was the son's attempt to take care of her that was pushing whatever disease it was    into overdrive, plus whatever meds she was on.  (If you remember me ten years ago, you have a walking, talking example of what the wrong meds can do to you.)  

 
Hearing voices is not a sign of multiple personality disorder; it is a symptom of being psychotic.  I've spent enough time hanging around the halls of New York City's mental health system to know the difference.  In fact, I've never actually met anyone with multiple personality disorder, unless they managed to maintain the same personality during the duration.

Here's a quote from the recap from televisionwithoutpity.com: I couldn't quite remember, except that the son's over-controlling ways was part of why his mother was so fucked up:

Friedman grits that he's never thanking House, because House turned Friedman in. That is so much more important in the grand scheme of things than the fact that House saved his mom from the copper prison of her mind, and also from DYING AT AGE THIRTY-EIGHT. SHUT IT, Friedman. Friedman's mom just shifts uncomfortably until House rescues her, saying he just wanted Friedman out of his life: "That's why I had Doctor Cuddy call Social Services." Ha! The elevator reaches its destination, and Friedman wheels his mother away. 

This was a fun recap because it was written by someone who didn't know and didn't like the show. 

I think House called Social Services, just to keep the brat out of his hair.  I'm not sure why they let the kid back into her life, and always wondered if she went into an epic downward spiral afterwards.

no. it was the mother who dropped the dime on the kid. house was simply trying to live up to his role as healer; he's not after credit or  thanks--just wants the patient out of his life ASAP because THAT'S  WHAT HE'S SUPPOSED TO DO! he gave him the gift of hate. hate is a very  powerful focusing mechanism, as shirley maclaine says to dean martin at the end of "what a way to go!", or as michelle bachman says every  night to her mirror.

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Part Two: Who Do You Love?

In this season, I think the creators were going for the whole sexual romantic tension thing with Cameron.  I don't want to give too much away, but suffice to say it didn't happen.  There are still crazed fans out there who haven't gotten over it.  Inadvertently it happened with Wilson, in my opinion.  The guy who recapped the last two or three episodes from this period kept making observations about how gay they were, and I know the two actors enjoyed playing the hell out of the subtext, just to annoy Fox's censors.

Chase became the doctor who could perform almost ANY surgery known to God or Man.  I have a soft spot for him in those early seasons because I like little boys, and those rosy lips and blond hair do something to me.  Not necessarily a healthy something.  Also, particularly in this season, he's a weasel who will kiss House's ass so much he practically gets dragged around by his lips.

 

OK. but now i find out [last ep] that this is a TEACHING HOSPITAL, or  did i misconstrue some remark? sort of stands to reason, then, that  MAYBE dr house might want them to run their own tests to see what  might go wrong? this isn't an apologia--bytheby--as much as a  plausible alternative view that fits in with an approach to medicine.

it's called Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital (or PPTH for short), and House is kicking their asses both for his own amusement but also to teach, not just medicine, but various life skills.  That last sentence was so lame I'm ashamed of myself. everything  house does RIGHT is usually only after he, or the others, do something WRONG. you can't make an intern without breaking ovum.

  

OK. the pretty boy is chase? so how come no one tells him he's a dead  ringer for the dish on GH? i mean, house himself commented on the F  asst's 1st class assets [and she is cute, but not porn star cute]; how  come nobody else notices this guy? no reason on earth he shouldn't be  boffing candystripers by the gurneyload.  or would that spoil your relationship with him?

No, I'm willing to share.  My favorite duckling is Foreman (the black guy), just because.  I don't have the hots for him, I just like the actor and the character.  Any complaints I have will have to wait until later on.  

Dr. Foreman is judging you. Harshly.

Jesse Spencer auditioned but didn't get a callback.  But he wanted the part so badly he flew back to LA from Australia on his own dime and auditioned again.  At first the character was going to be an American playboy, but they let Spencer be Australian.  Since Hugh Laurie is British and has to act with an American accent (he's likened it to "having a pebble in his shoe" in regard to his acting), there's a certain amount of envy there.