bromanian rhapsody

[swatkat]

(their love is) like the border between greece and albania:

'Is there?'
'No. No, there's nothing.'

HIS FACE IN THIS SCENE? *FLAPPY HANDS* Dear Hugh Laurie, please stop ripping out my heart on a regular basis. It's not healthy. You keep hurting me, and I just come back begging for more. I've always marvelled at all the fannish theorising about how House does not love Wilson, and seriously, if people STILL say that after this episode? Man, I don't which show they are watching, because it sure as hell isn't the one I've been watching for the past four years.

That said, I found this a remarkably non-depressing episode, despite the always-present dark undercurrent (which is very Classic House). In fact, I found this an unusually optimistic episode, the mood reminding me a little of 'Half-Wit' (albeit nowhere near as awesome; 'Half-Wit' is my second favourite episode in S3, close second only to 'Act Your Age'). Because here we have House, pining and aching and actually reaching out to another person, admitting that he needs human contact and he needs a friend (the friend, to be specific):

'I have one. Had one.'
'Friends are important. You're gonna miss – '
'Shut up. Friends are why you do not sit in a room by yourself.'

House has always had, as Judge Helen Davis pointed out, better friends than he deserves. He's had Wilson and Cuddy stand up for him on numerous occasions, and his Ducklings prove how much they really love him, and he's seldom deigned to respond (except maybe a tentative dinner or an offer to watch a play). Because he would rather sit in his room by himself and watch travel shows instead of actually going out and seeing the world. But dying changes everything, and the world, though ugly, is not as ugly as he has always thought it is, and he knows it, 'Cause the world is not as ugly as you think it is'. The entire discussion with Penny was about this, wasn't it? And when she asked, with a degree of hurt and bitterness House would identify with, 'Think you'd be any different if your leg was fine?', he did not answer. HE DID NOT ANSWER, because for years, that's the excuse he has given himself: his leg hurts and he is in pain, and he has every right to be miserable and sit in a room by himself, because the world is an ugly place. But as Penny has discovered, she still hates dancing with the guys she hated dancing with, her parents are still dead and she is still alone, because it's not just her eye that has made the world what it is. And it's not just his leg that has made House who he is. I actually squeed a little bit in the scene where House unwrapped Penny's bandages:

'And now… things will be… beautiful?'
'Things will be what they are.'

I squeed, because of course I had a flashback to 'Humpty Dumpty' and the 'you see things as they are and you see things as they should be; you don't see the giant gaping chasm between' speech, and the difference here is in House's admission that the world is not as ugly as he's always claimed it is. That's why he got off the bus.

Heartbreaking as the previous episode was, heartbreaking as Wilson's stubborn (and a little desperate), 'Don't do this. Please. Please' was (only a little less heartbreaking than House's 'you're hanging out with everyone else but me'), I can't really be too heartbroken about House and Wilson anymore. Possibly because of the mood of this episode (very 'Half-Wit', as I said) or maybe my own shippy heart, but it all plays out like a romantic comedy in my brain where Wilson's refusal to talk to/about House even as he hangs out with everyone else who are House's friends actually shows how much he DOESN'T want to break up with House (he only THINKS he wants to break up with House). And here's the thing—he can run, he can hide, but he can't really escape, because while House is cancer, he's also not cancer, and while he’s an ass, he's also Wilson's friend, Wilson’s bro and Wilson ♥s him. And House is going to FIGHT FOR HIS MAN AND WOO HIM BACK. THE END. ♥♥♥

etc.:

- I see we are back to the great Blink and You Miss Cuddy days of S2. ONE measly (and pointless) 'Bad House! No cookie!' scene. I'm not impressed, show. Humph.

- I liked PI Lucas. I think I want to slash him with House. (And then Wilson can discover and REALLY pine, because this was not how it was supposed to happen!) I'm not sure if he's interesting enough to have a show of his own, but I did enjoy his dynamic with House. There's something deeply pathetic and awesome about House hiring a friend, which is not the same as hiring prostitutes, because while those were attempts to deny human connection here he's actually seeking human connection, and that's remarkable personal growth, that is. ♥

- Go Cameron and Cuddy and Foreman for being Wilson's friends! I again squeed a little bit when we learnt that Cuddy has been in regular touch with him, because as you know, I'm fascinated by their odd little friendship, and was baffled by fandom's 'CUDDY IS MEEEN TO WILSON' response in the previous episode.

- The surgery stuff was gross, but I'm glad Penny did not die.

- Poor baby Foreman. *pets*

- Kutner really is the smartest of the D2. Why has there been no Kutner/Chase? FAIL, FANDOM.

- I miss Duckling interaction. I would even do with less House/Wilson/Cuddy for an episode if it could be the Ducklings and the D2 could interact more.

Comments

[jaybee65.livejournal.com]

the difference here is in House's admission that the world is not as ugly as he's always claimed it is. That's why he got off the bus.

Oooooooh.

Oh, do I love the way your mind works.

[swatkat24.livejournal.com]

Yes! And for once in his life House is actually going to pursue someone. He came close to it with Stacy in S2, but then ran away with his tail between his legs because he's a coward like that and he'd rather be alone and miserable. But this time? He wants his friend.

Man, I didn't know I could get this enthusiastic about boyslash.

[jaybee65.livejournal.com]

Me neither.

What has happened to me?!? ;-)

[swatkat24.livejournal.com]

What has happened to us?

I demand you write me some Cain/Gina (or Six/Three, that would be nice too. Ooh, or Starbuck/Six!) to distract me from all this icky boyslash.

[jaybee65.livejournal.com]

Heh.

I might be able to manage Cain/Gina or Six/Three. But I hope you know I'm probably incapable of writing anything along those lines that wouldn't be creepy. I'm not sure if that would be a good distraction or not!

[swatkat24.livejournal.com]

Only creepy girlslash can distract me from all this boyslash schmoop (because really, I want them to LIVE HAPPILY EVER AFTER, OH GOD WHAT'S HAPPENING TO ME). I'm losing my edge! I'm becoming one of Them! Only you can help me now. And salvage your own reputation in the process. *begs*

Did that work?

[jaybee65.livejournal.com]

I want them to live happily forever after, too! *Is mortified*

I think creepy girlslash is *definitely* in order -- and soon!

[swatkat24.livejournal.com]

THANK YOU. *clings* I am thisclose to writing schmoop. Stupidstupid boys and their stupidstupid drama.

[sk56.livejournal.com]

What's wrong with wanting people to experience happiness?

I know, I know -- it's the opposite of drama, which means it's the opposite of stories. But still...

[jaybee65.livejournal.com]

Happiness is one of those things I want to see a lot of in real life! But not so much in fiction. A happy life is a boring one, aesthetically speaking. ;-)

But we're not even talking about ordinary happiness here. We're talking *schmoop*, which is a whooooole other level! *g*

[swatkat24.livejournal.com]

Happiness is not cool.

Seriously, though, it's not just wanting them to be happy. It's, like jaybee65 says, the schmoop involved. *facepalm*

[shutterbug-12.livejournal.com]

Oh, man. Word to all of that. <333 I thought it was really optimistic, too. (I still maintain my view of not wanting House to grow too much.) I think House has started to learn something from his experiences with loss. This past one, with Amber and Wilson, and from Stacy. After going ahead and trying to pursue Stacy for months, he got to the big moment, where he would be forced to take a risk, and he fled, (and not because he didn't love her, or because he didn't want her in his life again, but because he was scared of all the unknown variables involved, of taking that chance in favor of reverting back to what he knew) but now I think House has gotten a little braver. Again, not really anxious to see him go through major, major chances and have happy, functional relationships (just maybe a little healthier now), but it's still optimistic.

[swatkat24.livejournal.com]

Oh, I don't want him to be a shiny happy person either! But characters have to grow (for better or for worse), and I'm glad House is making baby steps towards sanity right now. I'm sure he'll screw things up again in the near future, and we'll be there shaking our heads at him, but right now? I'm ridiculously proud of him.