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The Lighter Side of House

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Ep3-13: Needle in a Haystack

Another post on one episode. This one has a number of parallel issues: the patient, a 16-year old gypsy who doesn't want to tell the doctors the truth. House is after his parking space, which has been taken by a new female researcher. I don't know what the American disabled act says, but his argument makes sense to me. Although harassing the new researcher, then making a bet with Cuddy probably isn't the best way to get it back... Or is it?

House is somehow even more hilarious in a wheel chair than with a cane (and he does a really good falling over scene when his cane snaps.. which has happened twice!). First he can't reach to put patient's files on a stack. Then he slides in snow and bumps his car, with a really mischievous, kid-playing-in-the-snow kind of look. Not to mention being monitored by Cuddy and Wilson,to make sure he doesn't cheat and walk... Why would he want to walk with a sore leg anyway? Well, how is he meant to get into the car and close the door? Wait... he solves that one already :)

House has some great names for Wilson, but this one takes the cake:
Wilson: Ah yes, if it isn't Dr. Ironside.
House: Ah, if it isn't Dr. I-Had-No-Friends-When-I-Was-Growing-Up-So-All-I- Did-Was-Watch-TV-By-Myself-Which-Is-Why-I-Can-Now-Make-Constant- Pop-Culture-References-Which-No-One-Understands-But-Me.
Wilson: That's my name. Don't wear it out.
Two puns in one go!
Wilson: So you're doing this even though you know you've got no legal leg to stand on.
House: Who needs legs when you got wheels. I'm gonna get that spot. No way Cuddy is going to gyp me.
Looking for your keys in the mailbox might be an act of desperation. Unless you find a toothpick in a colon.
Foreman shows Stevie a toothpick in a vial.
Stevie: That’s cool. I mean, not cool for me but… A lot of damage for something so small.
Of course, what would an episode be without a scene where House has to think on his feet, then jump to his feet, then run/limp over to Cuddy. Watching him "think on his feet" is very intriguing - I want to know what he's going to come up with this time. Something that makes Cuddy feel very guilty... Veni, vidi, vici

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Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Metaphor Galore

Ah, House and the metaphors (and similes). From Moby Dick to House having trouble thinking of a non-sexual metaphor. They're a very useful part of the show - without them, most people watching wouldn't understand what was going on. Especially me. And they're classic House humour. Not that they always make things clearer. Some of House's more obscure metaphors stump even his team and Wilson. And then one of them has to bite...

The metaphors usually refer to the show's patient, as the team try to figure out what's going on. House is usually the one confusing the team, but sometimes one of them rise to the challenge, like in Ep2-12: Distractions:
Cameron: His brain is like a waiter that's got too many...
House: Heyyy! I do the metaphors.
Only to be knocked back by House. But hey, he does them well! Like the murder scene metaphor in Ep2-19:House vs God. Simple, easy to understand, right? Well, as long as you know of the medical stuff he's referring to. But the metaphors are more interesting anyway. Some of his better ones:
Ep1-3: Occam's Razor
House: Hey! How you all doing? Interesting fact: every seven years it's a whole new you. Inspiring metaphor, huh?

Ep:1-10: Histories
Wilson: The something else is going to melt her brain.
House: Poach. Better metaphor.
Wilson tries to appeal to House through metaphors. Maybe it's catching. Comparing House to Moby Dick when he wouldn't stop chasing a disease in Ep2-17: All In was a classic (House wouldn't chase the whale, he'd convince it to be caught). Also great was the image of House as a cat in Ep3-14: Insensitive, when his curiosity about a Sepia patient gets the better of him. Is there a theme here? Obsessive and destructive...

Of course, the best parts are when House confuses not only everyone watching, but the team (and Wilson) too. That moment of silence, while they figure out who's gunna bite. Some apt House-isms.
Ep2-18: Sleeping Dogs Lie
House: Great battles kick up a lot of dirt. Obscure the battlefields so the generals can't see what's going on.
Wilson: ... So what are your orders, General House?

Ep1-17: Role Model
House: You know, when the Inuit go fishing, they don't look for fish.
Wilson: ... Why, Dr. House?
House: They look for the blue heron, because there's no way to see the fish. But if there's fish, there's gonna be birds fishing.
It's not always Wilson who has to take the bait, but he does tend to take one for the team.

There's so much more to show and tell about metaphors in House. But, this post is long enough. I'll visit the metaphors again.

As usual, thanks to www.twiztv.com for the transcripts.

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Wednesday, September 5, 2007

Head-turn Epiphany and Aliens

It's such a commonly used TV show action: someone stops, turns their body or their head, and stares into the camera, or at another actor, or at their boss's stomach. This will be a short one.

House has this habit, which is ok by me. Hugh Laurie does it well. I just thought I'd mention it. Especially since he tends to 'suddenly figure things out' from the most unlikely places. While drinking tea, cutting open a dead cat, talking about frying (or was it poaching?) a brain.

Also today: Ep3-2: Cane & Able! Aliens, great scenes, conspiracy, different DNA in the same person, and crazy medical metaphors. What more could you want. Including this scene:
Cameron: Is your leg hurting?
House: Is that question helping?
Cameron: You're leaning.
House: You're sitting.
Cameron: You're evading.
House: My head's hurting.
Alien abductions... Well, exciting stuff, hey? Watch the episode, and keep an eye on Hugh Laurie. He has some very well executed lines and actions.

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