the masochism tango
Dec. 3rd, 2009 03:51 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
swatkatI cannot believe I'm saying this about this show, but I am full of hope for the mid-season arc. *keeps fingers crossed*
in brief:
Ignorance is Bliss: There's often this assumption that in their relationship, House is the Nasty Bastard and Cuddy is the Nice One. However, while House's fuckery comes with no remorse and a lot of evil enjoyment and gloating on his part, Cuddy's version of the same comes with a sense of purpose and ruthlessness—and also guilt and turkey sandwiches. If she was really that nice, she would have run away screaming twenty years ago. She bares her claws, sometimes, and it's not pretty.
Wilson: There's often this assumption that in their friend(-in-law)ship, Wilson is a 'better friend' to Cuddy than Cuddy has ever been. However, while Cuddy's 'friendship' comes along with transparent attempts to use Wilson as her House-whisperer and a ruthless lack of concern for Wilson's well-being when House is in the picture, Wilson's version of the same comes with sneakyness and passive-aggression, and, of course, a complete lack of concern for Cuddy's well-being when House is in the picture. They need each other and use each other and, in a way, completely deserve each other.
observations:
Exhibit A:
Wilson: Don't do this. Please. Please. Don't do this. I'm trying to move on.
Not Cancer
Cuddy: This isn't fun anymore.
Ignorance is Bliss
Exhibit B:
Wilson: What if it's not the rash? What if you noticed the rash in the ambulance or when we were putting her on bypass? What if there is still something else stuck inside your head?
House: You think I should risk my life to save Amber's.
Wilson's Heart
Tucker: Five years ago, when I needed a transfusion, you used your own blood. We have the same type. Which means, you can give me a part of your liver.
Wilson
Exhibit C:
House: Surprise, bad things happen to people who are sick! Doesn't make you responsible!
Wilsom: Oh, not legally, ethically! Ethically!
Wilson
House: Cuddy. Your guilt. It's perverse.
Humpty Dumpty
Exhibit D:
House: You told me what your position is on that one. You're against it, right?
Wilson: She hasn't told you in front of me. She needs to prove she's on my side.
Cuddy: Go to hell.
Dying Changes Everything
Wilson: You could have at least told me. So that I could've coached him on how to prove his worthiness to you.
Cuddy: I know you're upset with me because I didn't choose to date your best friend. But I'm living my life. And for the first time, I'm not gonna change that because of how it might affect him or you.
Teamwork
but much more for the touch of your whips, dear:
Last season, during Joy and the baby-troubles arc, there was a lot of talk about neediness and House. House is, indeed, the overtly needy one in the relationship, but what does Cuddy need from House? Who—even though fandom doesn't like to acknowledge it—has known her for twenty years, for better or for worse, and who is, arguably, still the most important adult in her life, even when she's dating (and quite possibly in love with?) Lucas. Remember 'Lucky Thirteen'?
Cuddy:Are you gonna congratulate me?
House: If you're happy, I'm…
And the way her face sort of crumples when House walks out, gah. She needs his support, she always has, even if she did not have an elaborate knight-in-a-shining-armour-rescues-me hallucination about it. And that is why she is not 'over' House, fandom, because the choice she has been presented here by House (which has then been reinforced by Wilson) is my way or the highway, when what she really wants right now is both her family and her relationship with House, who has never been just a potential date for her (if you seriously think that, I think we've been watching a different show). Or, in other words, a version of:
House: You are King Solomon. If you want us to cut him in half, we're cool with that.
Amber: My boyfriend's too much of a wuss to make the call for himself... And I mean that with all the love in the world.
Wilson: I'm gonna piss off one of them, and they both scare me.
No More Mr. Nice Guy
In her own fashion, obviously, because the situations are different. But it's what she wants, and she's not running away from it.
partners:
And if Cuddy needs House's support, what does Wilson need from Cuddy? Why has Wilson been merely watching (and passing comments on) all of House's schemes, but is up in arms when his best friend's ickle feelings have been hurt? I cite Exhibit D from above: he doesn't want to lose his partner in conspiracy any more than Cuddy wanted to lose her House-whisperer in Season 5. As was evident from the shift of POV in this episode, an 'abandoned by Cuddy' House is a whinier, clingier House, and that's why Wilson will rather 'punish' her and make her question her choices, and not out of any altruistic desire to show her that she's making the 'wrong choice' by moving in with Lucas. A part of Wilson has always genuinely believed that relationships make people happier, which is why he comes across as such a House/Cuddy shipper sometimes, but every time Wilson pushes House at Cuddy he also enables his ridiculous behaviour (5.24 being the most potent example). That he finally 'got mad' also has something to do with the fact that he has been 'abandoned' by Cuddy with a whiny, clingy, sad puppy House, and his final, very Housian gesture of getting back at her makes me fear further for House, who might at this moment be feeling very encouraged.
I have no idea what the writers are playing at, but I'm intrigued.
to fandom, with a bucket of vitriol:
Your double standards are showing. And I don't always like to play the misogyny card, but if you crucify a female character for being mean to the hero and then turn around and applaud a male character for being a bastard, and if you seriously believe that a female character 'deserves' to be 'punished' for rejecting our martyred hero, hell yes I will play the misogyny card. We lovingly call male characters 'bastards'; female characters, though? They're just 'bitches'.
in brief:
Ignorance is Bliss: There's often this assumption that in their relationship, House is the Nasty Bastard and Cuddy is the Nice One. However, while House's fuckery comes with no remorse and a lot of evil enjoyment and gloating on his part, Cuddy's version of the same comes with a sense of purpose and ruthlessness—and also guilt and turkey sandwiches. If she was really that nice, she would have run away screaming twenty years ago. She bares her claws, sometimes, and it's not pretty.
Wilson: There's often this assumption that in their friend(-in-law)ship, Wilson is a 'better friend' to Cuddy than Cuddy has ever been. However, while Cuddy's 'friendship' comes along with transparent attempts to use Wilson as her House-whisperer and a ruthless lack of concern for Wilson's well-being when House is in the picture, Wilson's version of the same comes with sneakyness and passive-aggression, and, of course, a complete lack of concern for Cuddy's well-being when House is in the picture. They need each other and use each other and, in a way, completely deserve each other.
observations:
Exhibit A:
Wilson: Don't do this. Please. Please. Don't do this. I'm trying to move on.
Not Cancer
Cuddy: This isn't fun anymore.
Ignorance is Bliss
Exhibit B:
Wilson: What if it's not the rash? What if you noticed the rash in the ambulance or when we were putting her on bypass? What if there is still something else stuck inside your head?
House: You think I should risk my life to save Amber's.
Wilson's Heart
Tucker: Five years ago, when I needed a transfusion, you used your own blood. We have the same type. Which means, you can give me a part of your liver.
Wilson
Exhibit C:
House: Surprise, bad things happen to people who are sick! Doesn't make you responsible!
Wilsom: Oh, not legally, ethically! Ethically!
Wilson
House: Cuddy. Your guilt. It's perverse.
Humpty Dumpty
Exhibit D:
House: You told me what your position is on that one. You're against it, right?
Wilson: She hasn't told you in front of me. She needs to prove she's on my side.
Cuddy: Go to hell.
Dying Changes Everything
Wilson: You could have at least told me. So that I could've coached him on how to prove his worthiness to you.
Cuddy: I know you're upset with me because I didn't choose to date your best friend. But I'm living my life. And for the first time, I'm not gonna change that because of how it might affect him or you.
Teamwork
but much more for the touch of your whips, dear:
Last season, during Joy and the baby-troubles arc, there was a lot of talk about neediness and House. House is, indeed, the overtly needy one in the relationship, but what does Cuddy need from House? Who—even though fandom doesn't like to acknowledge it—has known her for twenty years, for better or for worse, and who is, arguably, still the most important adult in her life, even when she's dating (and quite possibly in love with?) Lucas. Remember 'Lucky Thirteen'?
Cuddy:Are you gonna congratulate me?
House: If you're happy, I'm…
And the way her face sort of crumples when House walks out, gah. She needs his support, she always has, even if she did not have an elaborate knight-in-a-shining-armour-rescues-me hallucination about it. And that is why she is not 'over' House, fandom, because the choice she has been presented here by House (which has then been reinforced by Wilson) is my way or the highway, when what she really wants right now is both her family and her relationship with House, who has never been just a potential date for her (if you seriously think that, I think we've been watching a different show). Or, in other words, a version of:
House: You are King Solomon. If you want us to cut him in half, we're cool with that.
Amber: My boyfriend's too much of a wuss to make the call for himself... And I mean that with all the love in the world.
Wilson: I'm gonna piss off one of them, and they both scare me.
No More Mr. Nice Guy
In her own fashion, obviously, because the situations are different. But it's what she wants, and she's not running away from it.
partners:
And if Cuddy needs House's support, what does Wilson need from Cuddy? Why has Wilson been merely watching (and passing comments on) all of House's schemes, but is up in arms when his best friend's ickle feelings have been hurt? I cite Exhibit D from above: he doesn't want to lose his partner in conspiracy any more than Cuddy wanted to lose her House-whisperer in Season 5. As was evident from the shift of POV in this episode, an 'abandoned by Cuddy' House is a whinier, clingier House, and that's why Wilson will rather 'punish' her and make her question her choices, and not out of any altruistic desire to show her that she's making the 'wrong choice' by moving in with Lucas. A part of Wilson has always genuinely believed that relationships make people happier, which is why he comes across as such a House/Cuddy shipper sometimes, but every time Wilson pushes House at Cuddy he also enables his ridiculous behaviour (5.24 being the most potent example). That he finally 'got mad' also has something to do with the fact that he has been 'abandoned' by Cuddy with a whiny, clingy, sad puppy House, and his final, very Housian gesture of getting back at her makes me fear further for House, who might at this moment be feeling very encouraged.
I have no idea what the writers are playing at, but I'm intrigued.
to fandom, with a bucket of vitriol:
Your double standards are showing. And I don't always like to play the misogyny card, but if you crucify a female character for being mean to the hero and then turn around and applaud a male character for being a bastard, and if you seriously believe that a female character 'deserves' to be 'punished' for rejecting our martyred hero, hell yes I will play the misogyny card. We lovingly call male characters 'bastards'; female characters, though? They're just 'bitches'.
