emosional attyachar
Feb. 4th, 2009 12:57 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
swatkatI…really liked this episode. Huh.
I have a pain problem:
I have always had trouble with the way this show deals with physical pain, blurring boundaries between what is funny and what is callous and inappropriate, what is For House's Own Good and what is stupid and wrong. I've never watched Detox after that first time, because while fandom adores it, it always felt like David Shore's personal hurt/comfort fantasy to me (the Tritter arc being Detox II: Extended Edition—with added tortured!House). And the most problematic thing about both Detox and the Tritter arc, to me, is not just that it's Shore's hurt/comfort fic, but that it's Shore's hurt/comfort fic with dark!Wilson and dark!Cuddy, who push House into further physical pain For His Own Good. That is what is seriously disturbing, even more so because the show does not call them on their crap at all on Detox, and only very little in Detox Revisited—which is then undercut by House's asshattery that shifts a lot of sympathy to Wilson (and I kind of tend to forgive the stupid plotline of 'Words and Deeds' completely because of Cuddy, who is made of awesome). Hell, I even find Wilson sawing House's cane in half in the Epic S2 Prankwar disturbing, because while it was funny and House's smile was priceless, it was also very nasty and wrong, because you do not do that to a man who depends on his cane. It's hurting him where he is weakest—and I'm not saying House does not do that to Wilson, and everyone else, because he does, he specializes in it—and it's just not done. And you do not make a cripple climb staircases and install a tripwire so that he can fall and hurt himself, no matter how much you want 'vengeance'. Or steal his cane and hide it in the broom closet, for that matter.
The thing about Detox and Detox II is that both seemed to have been written to generate shock and the kind of pleasure that you get out of hurt/comfort, while being a little (but not entirely, because it's for his Good) disapproving of Wilson and Cuddy's actions. Wilson's cane-sawing (which was only a minor version of Cuddy's Getting Back At House in this episode) felt like we were supposed laugh *and* be shocked—which is actually how I reacted; the sense of 'wrong' kicked in afterwards. This episode, it seemed, was torn between being disapproving—which began with Cuddy confessing that she's stooping to his level and being meaner than he is, continued in the slightly guilty look that followed after he walked out with the mop, and culminated in Wilson's Earth to Cuddy lecture—and also generating laughter (there was even a matching adorable smile of recognition from House, like he was almost… impressed that she was being this mean to him).
I couldn't laugh very much, though—it's one thing enjoying House being punched in the face by a patient, and it's another thing altogether to witness House being subjected to some rather unfunny pranking by my favourite character at her personal worst. But I did like it, very much! Because, I think—contrary to what most people are saying, I know—this show seldom fails at character, and it's actually a logical (if rather horrible and unflattering) extension of her character. I won't call it in character, in the sense that she's never been in this situation before and therefore never had to take 'vengeance' on House, whatever that might mean, but it *is* a logical extension—while House is supposed to be the Nasty One and Cuddy is supposed to be the Nice One, she can be quite the jerk when she wants to be and even have beautiful rationalizations for it.
The greatest instances of this are Detox and the Tritter arc, because in no universe is depriving a patient suffering from chronic pain of his medication right, no matter *what* the intention behind it might be (highlighting the fact that he abuses the medicine). And even though House complicates matters in the Tritter arc through his own idiocy, it does not change the wrongness of what goes on in that arc. And 'it was Wilson's idea, and she just went along with it—and she saved the day in the end!' does not end Cuddy's culpability, because she has a brain of her own and she still went along with it. And in this episode, she doesn't even have a rationalization for her actions—which is of course why she apologises, after Wilson hammers the point into her head—it's just a stupid way of venting her frustration for failing to have her perfect, complete life (in 'Joy', she says having the child will make her life perfect—in hindsight, she really believed in it), for enjoying being at work and therefore failing to conform to the socially accepted notion of the perfect woman and her *own* impossible notion of perfection, for enjoying and yes, even needing to be House's babysitter, dirty and thankless as the job is. This is Cuddy dropping her social niceties and bringing out her claws.
House and Cuddy have a weird relationship: she's his boss; they know each other from college; they're attracted to each other; they flirt and banter and bicker like an old married couple and sometimes even siblings; they've done terrible things to each other; they're friends, in a weird sort of a way. He needs her to be his boss and she needs him to be her responsibility. He needs her in his life and she needs his support and yes, even his approval on occasion. It's very difficult to define it within parameters like 'professional', and 'personal', because it's all these things. It's all these things that make them what they are, why they're still a part of each other's lives in spite of everything. All these things and the fact that on occasion, she can be just as much of an ass as he is—if not more.
Oh, show.
The greater good:
I really loved how well-written this episode was, with the POTW's story tying in with the characters' lives (not just House's) and presenting comparisons and contrasts. Not only was the POTW awesome, I loved that she knew she had to walk out. Wilson broke my heart in this episode, with his identification, with his heartbreak over the realisation that his hero has feet of clay—he needs to take care of people, even at the cost of his own happiness, and he cannot comprehend the reasoning behind the POTW's actions. But what is even more awesome? Continuity. Why do House and Cuddy not interact with the POTW, and Wilson and Taub do? Because House does not question his career in medicine—it's his one thing. Cuddy has questioned it in the past couple of episodes and recognised the importance of her career to her happiness.
A lot about bondage:
There is one good thing about Cuddy's otherwise indefensible actions in this episode: it got House to modify his behaviour and be nice to her. Because while House is, after a point, incapable of what counts as sane behaviour, he also does a lot of things because he can. Case in point? Stealing money from random unlocked lockers. Because Cuddy was right in 'Finding Judas' when she said he does know how to censor himself—only, he usually doesn't care enough to do so. Post-Amber and the White Bus, of course, things have been different, and we have seen him making the effort to take responsibility for his actions and their consequences, by trying to watch his step around Wilson, by trying to woo him back, by trying to make peace with Cuddy, by talking to Taub about his wife, by taking an active interest in Foreman and Thirteen's affairs—that is, an active interest that is not *merely* the result of his insane curiosity. The second Cuddy apologises, House falls back into the comfortable routine of insulting her, but everything he does before that? Remarkably mature, even more so in comparison with Cuddy's version of pulling his pigtails. And he cares enough to do it, and have I mentioned how proud I am of House this season? ♥
This is why he was so uncharacteristically involved in Foreman and Thirteen's affairs. He identifies with Thirteen and has taken her under his wing, and he hearts Foreman whether he'll admit it or not (and he did, when he realised that this meant now Foreman would have no reason to disappear from the differentials everyday). This is also why House needs Cuddy's eternal, occasionally stupid optimism. Because as she stated in the pilot itself, and she has continued to state over seasons, she believes he can do better. And in this episode, when she actually appeared to lower her expectations of him, he responded—because he doesn't want to have to curb his asshattery, but he also doesn't want her to give up on him.
Etc.:
* As![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
topaz_eyes pointed out in her journal the other day, the previous episode did some very interesting parallels between House/Stacy and Foreman/Thirteen in 5.13. This episode continued in the same vein with some interesting House/Stacy/Foreman/Thirteen/House/Cuddy parallels and foreshadowing. Both House/Cuddy and Foreman/Thirteen are further complicated by the fact unlike House and Stacy, they also happen to be colleagues and cannot just walk out of each other's lives. Stacy could walk out (parallels with the POTW). Foreman and Cuddy can't, as we have already seen. (Here is topaz_eyes's original post, and shutterbug_12 initiated further discussion in ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
house_stacy).
* Olivia Wilde is really pretty. In that scene when she was telling Foreman that she's not ready for his level of potential deep commitment? All I could do was stare at her lips. Damn all you pretty actors and your heterosexuality-stealing ways! *shakes tiny fist*
* Guh naked Foreman.
* I am ENRAGED by the fact that fandom goes crazy when it's Hugh Laurie showing skin and says things like 'Keep your shirt on, Foreman' in response to Omar Epps showing skin. WHAT, fandom? Skin is fine as long as it's white? No, 'Foreman is boring' is not an excuse for statements of that tone.
* Taub/Rachel Taub ♥
* Kutner demanding to know Thirteen's whereabouts and House conceding parallels Cuddy getting House to be nice to her (although their actions are very different).
* The Wilson/Cuddy scenes just keep getting awesomer.
* Wilson also needs a hug. Which I will gladly provide.
* Never will believe a single word of any spoiler ever. Because they always get the facts right and the tone wrong.
* Taub continues to have the best line in every episode.
* YAY ETHICAL DILEMMA!
I have a pain problem:
I have always had trouble with the way this show deals with physical pain, blurring boundaries between what is funny and what is callous and inappropriate, what is For House's Own Good and what is stupid and wrong. I've never watched Detox after that first time, because while fandom adores it, it always felt like David Shore's personal hurt/comfort fantasy to me (the Tritter arc being Detox II: Extended Edition—with added tortured!House). And the most problematic thing about both Detox and the Tritter arc, to me, is not just that it's Shore's hurt/comfort fic, but that it's Shore's hurt/comfort fic with dark!Wilson and dark!Cuddy, who push House into further physical pain For His Own Good. That is what is seriously disturbing, even more so because the show does not call them on their crap at all on Detox, and only very little in Detox Revisited—which is then undercut by House's asshattery that shifts a lot of sympathy to Wilson (and I kind of tend to forgive the stupid plotline of 'Words and Deeds' completely because of Cuddy, who is made of awesome). Hell, I even find Wilson sawing House's cane in half in the Epic S2 Prankwar disturbing, because while it was funny and House's smile was priceless, it was also very nasty and wrong, because you do not do that to a man who depends on his cane. It's hurting him where he is weakest—and I'm not saying House does not do that to Wilson, and everyone else, because he does, he specializes in it—and it's just not done. And you do not make a cripple climb staircases and install a tripwire so that he can fall and hurt himself, no matter how much you want 'vengeance'. Or steal his cane and hide it in the broom closet, for that matter.
The thing about Detox and Detox II is that both seemed to have been written to generate shock and the kind of pleasure that you get out of hurt/comfort, while being a little (but not entirely, because it's for his Good) disapproving of Wilson and Cuddy's actions. Wilson's cane-sawing (which was only a minor version of Cuddy's Getting Back At House in this episode) felt like we were supposed laugh *and* be shocked—which is actually how I reacted; the sense of 'wrong' kicked in afterwards. This episode, it seemed, was torn between being disapproving—which began with Cuddy confessing that she's stooping to his level and being meaner than he is, continued in the slightly guilty look that followed after he walked out with the mop, and culminated in Wilson's Earth to Cuddy lecture—and also generating laughter (there was even a matching adorable smile of recognition from House, like he was almost… impressed that she was being this mean to him).
I couldn't laugh very much, though—it's one thing enjoying House being punched in the face by a patient, and it's another thing altogether to witness House being subjected to some rather unfunny pranking by my favourite character at her personal worst. But I did like it, very much! Because, I think—contrary to what most people are saying, I know—this show seldom fails at character, and it's actually a logical (if rather horrible and unflattering) extension of her character. I won't call it in character, in the sense that she's never been in this situation before and therefore never had to take 'vengeance' on House, whatever that might mean, but it *is* a logical extension—while House is supposed to be the Nasty One and Cuddy is supposed to be the Nice One, she can be quite the jerk when she wants to be and even have beautiful rationalizations for it.
The greatest instances of this are Detox and the Tritter arc, because in no universe is depriving a patient suffering from chronic pain of his medication right, no matter *what* the intention behind it might be (highlighting the fact that he abuses the medicine). And even though House complicates matters in the Tritter arc through his own idiocy, it does not change the wrongness of what goes on in that arc. And 'it was Wilson's idea, and she just went along with it—and she saved the day in the end!' does not end Cuddy's culpability, because she has a brain of her own and she still went along with it. And in this episode, she doesn't even have a rationalization for her actions—which is of course why she apologises, after Wilson hammers the point into her head—it's just a stupid way of venting her frustration for failing to have her perfect, complete life (in 'Joy', she says having the child will make her life perfect—in hindsight, she really believed in it), for enjoying being at work and therefore failing to conform to the socially accepted notion of the perfect woman and her *own* impossible notion of perfection, for enjoying and yes, even needing to be House's babysitter, dirty and thankless as the job is. This is Cuddy dropping her social niceties and bringing out her claws.
House and Cuddy have a weird relationship: she's his boss; they know each other from college; they're attracted to each other; they flirt and banter and bicker like an old married couple and sometimes even siblings; they've done terrible things to each other; they're friends, in a weird sort of a way. He needs her to be his boss and she needs him to be her responsibility. He needs her in his life and she needs his support and yes, even his approval on occasion. It's very difficult to define it within parameters like 'professional', and 'personal', because it's all these things. It's all these things that make them what they are, why they're still a part of each other's lives in spite of everything. All these things and the fact that on occasion, she can be just as much of an ass as he is—if not more.
Oh, show.
The greater good:
I really loved how well-written this episode was, with the POTW's story tying in with the characters' lives (not just House's) and presenting comparisons and contrasts. Not only was the POTW awesome, I loved that she knew she had to walk out. Wilson broke my heart in this episode, with his identification, with his heartbreak over the realisation that his hero has feet of clay—he needs to take care of people, even at the cost of his own happiness, and he cannot comprehend the reasoning behind the POTW's actions. But what is even more awesome? Continuity. Why do House and Cuddy not interact with the POTW, and Wilson and Taub do? Because House does not question his career in medicine—it's his one thing. Cuddy has questioned it in the past couple of episodes and recognised the importance of her career to her happiness.
A lot about bondage:
There is one good thing about Cuddy's otherwise indefensible actions in this episode: it got House to modify his behaviour and be nice to her. Because while House is, after a point, incapable of what counts as sane behaviour, he also does a lot of things because he can. Case in point? Stealing money from random unlocked lockers. Because Cuddy was right in 'Finding Judas' when she said he does know how to censor himself—only, he usually doesn't care enough to do so. Post-Amber and the White Bus, of course, things have been different, and we have seen him making the effort to take responsibility for his actions and their consequences, by trying to watch his step around Wilson, by trying to woo him back, by trying to make peace with Cuddy, by talking to Taub about his wife, by taking an active interest in Foreman and Thirteen's affairs—that is, an active interest that is not *merely* the result of his insane curiosity. The second Cuddy apologises, House falls back into the comfortable routine of insulting her, but everything he does before that? Remarkably mature, even more so in comparison with Cuddy's version of pulling his pigtails. And he cares enough to do it, and have I mentioned how proud I am of House this season? ♥
This is why he was so uncharacteristically involved in Foreman and Thirteen's affairs. He identifies with Thirteen and has taken her under his wing, and he hearts Foreman whether he'll admit it or not (and he did, when he realised that this meant now Foreman would have no reason to disappear from the differentials everyday). This is also why House needs Cuddy's eternal, occasionally stupid optimism. Because as she stated in the pilot itself, and she has continued to state over seasons, she believes he can do better. And in this episode, when she actually appeared to lower her expectations of him, he responded—because he doesn't want to have to curb his asshattery, but he also doesn't want her to give up on him.
Etc.:
* As
topaz_eyes pointed out in her journal the other day, the previous episode did some very interesting parallels between House/Stacy and Foreman/Thirteen in 5.13. This episode continued in the same vein with some interesting House/Stacy/Foreman/Thirteen/House/Cuddy parallels and foreshadowing. Both House/Cuddy and Foreman/Thirteen are further complicated by the fact unlike House and Stacy, they also happen to be colleagues and cannot just walk out of each other's lives. Stacy could walk out (parallels with the POTW). Foreman and Cuddy can't, as we have already seen. (Here is topaz_eyes's original post, and shutterbug_12 initiated further discussion in house_stacy).* Olivia Wilde is really pretty. In that scene when she was telling Foreman that she's not ready for his level of potential deep commitment? All I could do was stare at her lips. Damn all you pretty actors and your heterosexuality-stealing ways! *shakes tiny fist*
* Guh naked Foreman.
* I am ENRAGED by the fact that fandom goes crazy when it's Hugh Laurie showing skin and says things like 'Keep your shirt on, Foreman' in response to Omar Epps showing skin. WHAT, fandom? Skin is fine as long as it's white? No, 'Foreman is boring' is not an excuse for statements of that tone.
* Taub/Rachel Taub ♥
* Kutner demanding to know Thirteen's whereabouts and House conceding parallels Cuddy getting House to be nice to her (although their actions are very different).
* The Wilson/Cuddy scenes just keep getting awesomer.
* Wilson also needs a hug. Which I will gladly provide.
* Never will believe a single word of any spoiler ever. Because they always get the facts right and the tone wrong.
* Taub continues to have the best line in every episode.
* YAY ETHICAL DILEMMA!
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2009-02-04 08:02 am (UTC)Uh, and also: a very thoughtful post, and I agree. I really enjoyed Cuddy's actions today--not because they were right, but because they were believable, and because they were effective. Behaviour modification and House don't go easily together, but she managed it!
no subject
Date: 2009-02-04 08:30 am (UTC)Shh. Calm down. They're idiots and do not know that such statements qualify them for RaceFail09. They've been called on it, too, and shut up now, but I don't think they recognise that 'double standards' (which was what they were accused of) actually stands for 'YOU ARE FULL OF FAIL YOU IDIOT'.
I really enjoyed Cuddy's actions today--not because they were right, but because they were believable, and because they were effective. Behaviour modification and House don't go easily together, but she managed it!
After reading some episode reactions, I was seriously worried that I would hate it. But I don't! Because it made sense! And that's all I want, for their actions to make sense, whether I like them or not.
Also, Foreman's actions in this episode are a logical extension of his character:
Foreman: I don't want to solve cases, I want to save lives.
House: Do you think she cares? Do you think the husband cares? Do you think the children she can now have because of me are going to care why I saved her?
Foreman: I care.
House: About yourself. About your own ego!
Wilson: [warningly] House.
House: You're the selfish bastard, not me. It's why you took so much pleasure in drawing out this little goodbye of yours for the last 3 weeks, wasn't for me, wasn't for anyone, sure as hell didn't help anyone.
(from Human Error)
He has this thing about playing God, and in the process he left Thirteen without her agency.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-04 11:41 am (UTC)I really liked the POTW, and House's involvement in Foreman and Thirteen's mess.
Naked Foreman was probably the hottest thing we've seen all season. I'm afraid Taub bored me to death, however, and I would by far prefer a Kutner plot to a Taub one, even though Kutner has a habit of choosing exactly the opposite side from me in various debates.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-04 11:58 am (UTC)Oh, I'm not happy that she did it (it was awful and mean, and just because I heart her doesn't mean she gets to do things like this), but it made sense, character-wise, and it was actually handled very well. It makes sense that she's capable of this - that's one of the many reasons why they've been friends this long. I was expecting far worse, having read some episode responses before watching (I should stop doing that, I know).
We agree on Foreman. Not so much on Taub, because he's really grown on me and I heart him with his wife. I'd love a nice Kutner plot, though!
no subject
Date: 2009-02-04 12:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-05 05:53 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-04 02:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-05 05:34 am (UTC)Also, word on the goatee.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-05 05:44 am (UTC)That said, facial hair is hit-or-miss at best.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-04 05:31 pm (UTC)WHUT? Christ on a cracker.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-05 05:32 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-04 05:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-05 05:32 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-05 05:36 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-02-05 05:54 am (UTC)only white skin is prettyhe is boring.