Dying would be a great adventure

There are so many tremendous new things happening since I last blogged. I am afraid that I will be given over to hysterics the moment I start talking about all that is neat and new and be branded a histrionic (a label I already desperately need to stay away from). But, c’mon! There is a new Radiohead album out today. In Rainbows! I’m going to write a review for that and some other things this week. At the moment though, I don’t feel comfortable talking about it as I’ve only listened to it one and a quarter times.

So here’s what I’m going to do instead: I’m going to talk about last night’s episode of House.
Before I jump into that, let me note that I haven’t seen the first two episodes of the season due to scheduling conflicts. So kindly get off my back if I say something that sounds ill-informed.

First of all, is this doctor elimination game working for me? Absolutely. How about the new doctors…are they gelling? I think so. They’re both radically different from House’s previous tenants yet they remarkably overlap with a few of their key qualities. Was that done on purpose? This is me, smiling. Still, there are enough shades in these guys to bring out new sides to House. How about the ambitious blond girl? I can’t remember her name, and yes, that’s part of the joke…but I liked her scheming efforts. This is like the most sordid parts of elimination reality shows…but fictionalized, so we’re okay to enjoy it. Right? And in a way, last night’s episode vaguely commented on the price of such games. I.E.: their efforts to get into House’s permanent roster ended up killing a patient.
I really liked that. It worked on two levels for me. One: it showed us how silly this competition is and how ambitious these morons are…and, two: really made House seem petty. Sure, he reversed course towards the end of the episode, realizing it was time to cut the crap and try to save this guy before it was too late. But, this just adds another level of moral darkness to his character. He was always a bastard with some heart…but now? He’s just questionable. While I enjoy the writers showing us how tentative life is on this show, House has to save someone soon. Cause that’s probably the only thing about his character that gives him a permit to do the things he does.

Speaking of which, how about that Joshua moment? What I’m getting at is House electrocuting himself to see God. That was both shocking (if I make light of the pun, does that make it any less clever?) and a little out of hand. I know this show is well beyond reality, but would they seriously let him keep working after having shocked himself like that? I guess after all the crap he has done, that’s sort of a moot point. It would have smoothed the whole thing over though if he hadn’t been okay later on in the episode. Give him a week to recover…last time I checked a week was standard procedure for gunshots, overdoses and accidents.

I like Kal Penn’s immature ten-year-old-boy quality in this show. He’s generally annoying as hell, but herein, he’s annoying in a kind of funny way. I especially like him annoying House.

The new doctors seeking advice from House’s old crew is cool, but enough with the Foreman crap. He’s about as enjoyable this season as a sharp stick to the eye. And this better not become a pattern. The new group is shaking things up plenty, but from here on out, if they want advice, they should go to Wilson. This cast is getting too big for its britches.

And yes, I am a spoiler monger…so I already know which three he picks.