# "House, M.D.": I ain't impressed! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 3, 2005, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-m-d-i-aint-impressed/319932 "2005-09-03T21:19:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Paranoid\_Randroid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paranoid_randroid/32/18_2.png) [@Paranoid\_Randroid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paranoid_Randroid)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2005, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-m-d-i-aint-impressed/319932/21 "2005-09-04T06:35:45Z")
> [@](#): > > I’m certain the similarities are intentional, and that House’s prickly, hate-the-patient-love-the-puzzle personality is at least somewhat derived from Holmes’ character. The primary difference being that Holmes was not a complete asshole. Oh - sure - he was full of himself; he was short with Watson on at least one occasion; he enjoyed narcotic substances, almost certainly as a measure to self-medicate bouts of depression (perhaps the down edge of a mild bipolar disorder?). But the House character’s just a fucking jerk, plain and simple. The show makes me cringe: just why should we be celebrating an attitude like that? ---
**Author:** ![Interrobang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/interrobang/32/17463_2.png) [@Interrobang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Interrobang)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2005, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-m-d-i-aint-impressed/319932/22 "2005-09-04T06:55:42Z")
> [@Cheese Monster](#): > > But the House character’s just a fucking jerk, plain and simple. The show makes me cringe: just why should we be celebrating an attitude like that? To the extent that we should be celebrating his attitude, it’s because he fiercely advocates for his patients without compromise and against all obstacles, including the patients themselves. But the show doesn’t (simply) celebrate House’s attitude. Every other character on the show frequently points out that House is a jerk. Yes, House is brilliant, but the other major characters aren’t fools without valid points of view. They cut diagnostic corners that House is unwilling to cut, but they frequently get results because of their interpersonal skills that House is unable to manage himself. I don’t think House is interesting because he’s a jerk, plain and simple. I think he’s interesting because he’s a multifaceted, brilliant guy who happens to be a jerk. Sometimes it works for him, sometimes it works against him. Makes for good drama. ---
**Author:** ![Sarah\_Woodruff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sarah\_Woodruff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarah_Woodruff)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2005, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-m-d-i-aint-impressed/319932/23 "2005-09-04T08:33:38Z")
Bertie Wooster, M.D. is OK - but the other actors (with the exception of Robert Sean Leonard) cannot act, and Hugh Laurie can act, and the contrast is cringe-making. I keep expecting him to make a _Blackadder_ comment and for the others to go, “Wha-?” There’s not enough black humour in there for me. [Green Wing](http://www.british-sitcom.co.uk/green_wing/characters.shtml) is more my type of hospital-com. But I’m currently liking _Gray’s Anatomy_, mostly because of Sandra Oh. ---
**Author:** ![Capt\_B.Phart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc29f/32.png) [@Capt\_B.Phart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt_B.Phart)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2005, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-m-d-i-aint-impressed/319932/24 "2005-09-04T11:08:49Z")
> [@wolfman](#): > > As everybody else said I don’t have a problem with his accent as far as location. It’s just that he has a bit of an annoying habit of an over-emphasised " It’s a funny scene" voice, or “it’s a serious scene” voice depending. It doesn’t seem natural, It’s like a sesame street actor over emoting to make sure the three year old get the feeling. It must be that over-emphasis that sounds odd to me - rather than the accent. Thinking about it, he does that in a British accent too – just that all the other roles I’ve seen him do have been comedy ones so it doesn’t seem unnatural ---
**Author:** ![merrily](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@merrily](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/merrily)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2005, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-m-d-i-aint-impressed/319932/25 "2005-09-04T16:59:01Z")
Well, for goodness sake, you saw **one** episode. Maybe it was the bad one–every season of every show has at least one bad one. I’ve only seen a couple of episodes myself, and I liked it well enough, without really loving it, to watch those. Then I saw the second to the last of the season, which I posted about [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=332706). It was one of the best hours of television I have seen in my entire life. And, according to what I read about it since then, a real break from the usual plots. Maybe that is where they will be taking the show. I have trouble seeing him as a cliche, when the only example we’ve been given is a show from the '70’s. Something similar every 30 years? I think I could stand that. And he certainly isn’t being held up as an example in his entirety–that is one of the things that is so refreshing. He isn’t a simple character. He doesn’t make character mistakes and learn from them–while he may be growing, he certainly is still a jerk in a lot of ways. But he tells the truth, and that is what has won my heart. And he doesn’t let mistakes stop him. So: maybe you should try a couple more shows. Maybe the show simply isn’t for you–maybe you resonate with different types of characters. Feel free to despise it in your heart, but at least give it a chance before you feel the need to go public. ---
**Author:** ![Batsinma\_Belfry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@Batsinma\_Belfry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batsinma_Belfry)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2005, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-m-d-i-aint-impressed/319932/26 "2005-09-04T17:13:09Z")
I can’t get into a show that doesn’t have a single likeable character. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2005, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-m-d-i-aint-impressed/319932/27 "2005-09-04T17:30:34Z")
> [@Interrobang!?](#): > > I don’t think House is interesting because he’s a jerk, plain and simple. I think he’s interesting because he’s a multifaceted, brilliant guy who happens to be a jerk. Sometimes it works for him, sometimes it works against him. Makes for good drama. True. But the “brilliant-jerk” character is still a type, and has been overused. I think because a lot of the audience resents brilliance, and the character gives them a little feeling of superiority; and perhaps also because another part of the audience resents false niceness, and feels not-nice people are more “real.” ---
**Author:** ![Gail](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Gail](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gail)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2005, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-m-d-i-aint-impressed/319932/28 "2005-09-04T18:32:16Z")
I must say, I’m a sucker for House’s character. He is a jerk and extremely cynical…I admire his cynicism because I feel the way he does, sometimes. People tend to be pretentious and in denial and try to fool themselves. He sees through all that. I also find House interesting because he uses his cynicism as a wall to protect him from being hurt. At one point he must have been idealistic and sensitive and he was let down in a big way. I know, people shouldn’t be jerks just because their life has sucked in the past…but if only happy, well-adjusted people were portrayed on TV, that would be boring I also think he’s funny—I think he should meet John Becker and Perry Cox from **Scrubs**. They could open a clinic and call it A Dose of Sarcasm. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2005, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-m-d-i-aint-impressed/319932/29 "2005-09-04T19:09:28Z")
Hated it. Hated, hated, hated it. But then I hate **ER** , and almost every “realistic” medical drama out there. Why? Because while they may be “realistic” enough for most viewers, I spend the entire show muttering things like: “That’s unethical.” “Where’s the funding for THAT coming from.” “Holy Jesus, THAT’S just not physically possible” “That drug takes 3 days to work” “That Lab test takes 3 weeks to culture before you get a result” “You don’t inject that IV” “Why is that patient still conscious after that much blood loss?” “Breaching confidentiality like that in real life would get you struck off.” “Nobody in their right mind would try and repair a triple A in an elevator” Which sort of ruins it for me (and anyone else who happens to be in the room). The only medical shows I watch are \*\*Green Wing \*\* and **Scrubs** , mostly because the medicine in them is very minor, and when it does crop up it’s perfectly researched. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Angel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d26b3c/32.png) [@Johnny\_Angel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Angel)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2005, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-m-d-i-aint-impressed/319932/30 "2005-09-04T19:29:15Z")
One thing that bothers me about the show is that House never pays the price for his arrogance, but my heart goes out to Cuddy who, as the series develops, quite often does. At some point I’d like to see House acknowledge that Cuddy doesn’t just have to deal with him, but she has to stand between him and all his enemies. ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2005, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-m-d-i-aint-impressed/319932/31 "2005-09-05T01:12:02Z")
> [@Gail](#): > > I think he should meet John Becker and Perry Cox from **Scrubs**. They could open a clinic and call it A Dose of Sarcasm. 😉 How could you do that to poor Margaret? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2005, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-m-d-i-aint-impressed/319932/32 "2005-09-05T01:38:50Z")
“You _are_ the sickest link. Goodbye.” A nasty leading character is enough of a novelty to keep the show going for a bit, but I don’t predict a long run. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2005, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-m-d-i-aint-impressed/319932/33 "2005-09-05T01:42:46Z")
> [@Interrobang!?](#): > > Well, not really – House shrunk the tumor to trick a surgeon into agreeing to perform surgery on the patient. The surgeon would have been unwilling to do perform said surgery had he known how large the tumor was in its natural, fully hydrated state. If House were a “nice guy,” like every other doctor on the show, he’d never have tricked the surgeon in the first place. I think they could have pulled off a Marcus Welby character doing that trick with the tumor. He would merely justify/rationalize it in more elevated, eloquent, and high-minded terms, perhaps illustrating it with a homespun tale about weighing rules against the greater good. To dispel any confusion: I have absolutely no complaints about Hugh Laurie’s acting job. Everything I don’t like about this show is the fault of the writers. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2005, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-m-d-i-aint-impressed/319932/34 "2005-09-05T03:56:31Z")
> [@](#): > > But the House character’s just a fucking jerk, plain and simple. The show makes me cringe: just why should we be celebrating an attitude like that? Because he _isn’t_ just a jerk. There’s a story behind his jerkiness and behind the pain that he lives with. And it took an entire season to scratch the surface. Next season is looking interesting with Sela Ward. We don’t miss this one. I had no idea that he was British! When you say that he was the goofy guy from _Blackadder_, I have to ask: Does anyone remember the _Blackadder_ in which the goofy guy was writing a dictionary? I think he started with “C” and defined it as a “blue wobbly thing with mermaids.” If that is the _same_ goofy guy, I may lose consciousness from the shock. It’s been so long since I watched _Blackadder_ and I’ve forgotten so much. But I loved that line. ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2005, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-m-d-i-aint-impressed/319932/35 "2005-09-05T05:11:00Z")
It entertains me… nuff said. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2005, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-m-d-i-aint-impressed/319932/36 "2005-09-05T05:34:00Z")
> [@Zoe](#): > > Because he _isn’t_ just a jerk. There’s a story behind his jerkiness and behind the pain that he lives with. The practical difference between _that_ and just being a mean ol’ jerk is pretty subtle, though. So much so that it’s easy not to give a fuck _what_ his motivations or background are and just punch his lights out. ---
**Author:** ![Silentgoldfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2005, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-m-d-i-aint-impressed/319932/37 "2005-09-05T06:26:54Z")
> [@irishgirl](#): > > Hated it. > Hated, hated, hated it. > > But then I hate **ER** , and almost every “realistic” medical drama out there. > Why? > > Because while they may be “realistic” enough for most viewers, I spend the entire show muttering things like: You’ve missed the more basic ones like “Why are they doing an MRI in the dark?” “Where are the radiologists? The other lab techs?” “Where’s the other patients?” “Why are there 20 Doctors for every Nurse?” I’m willing to overlook those for House just because I like Hugh Laurie that much :). Scrubs still kicks it’s ass up and down prime-time though :). ---
**Author:** ![SolGrundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@SolGrundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SolGrundy)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2005, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-m-d-i-aint-impressed/319932/38 "2005-09-05T07:49:45Z")
> [@Beware of Doug](#): > > He’s an anticliché. But still a cliché. I do think there’s a similar (though not so well-developed) character: Prof. Kingsfield from the early 80s show _Paper Chase_. Both he and House have one foot in the ivory tower of Socratic formalism and the other foot on the ground, kicking ass. They both suggest that sometimes, the people who care the most are those least likely to show it. But you want them on that wall, you need them on that wall (to paraphrase _A Few Good Men_), because it’s a tough world, and a tough world needs tough people, and _someone_ in this debased world where we’re all either cold-blooded mercenaries or touchy-feely wimps has to Stand For Something. Dang, that may be my new favorite post. I’m always trying to explain exactly why movies and TV shows like “House” and “Becker” and _Bad Santa_ bug me, but always come up short. Which I will now demonstrate: People seem to always get stuck on the idea that since cloying sentimentality and feel-good endings are stupid, then the opposite of that is automatically the opposite of stupid. But just being anti-cliche isn’t automatically smart. And even when, on “House” for example, all their best efforts don’t pay off and the patient does die, that feels every bit as forced and formulaic as the predictable, always-a-happy-ending shows. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2005, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-m-d-i-aint-impressed/319932/39 "2005-09-05T08:22:13Z")
You know, don’t you, **Sol** , that now that you and I have cracked that secret, Hollywood will very likely send someone to kill us. ---
**Author:** ![Sarah\_Woodruff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sarah\_Woodruff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarah_Woodruff)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2005, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-m-d-i-aint-impressed/319932/40 "2005-09-05T08:35:25Z")
> [@Zoe](#): > > Does anyone remember the _Blackadder_ in which the goofy guy was writing a dictionary? I think he started with “C” and defined it as a “blue wobbly thing with mermaids.” If that is the _same_ goofy guy, I may lose consciousness from the shock. [Don’t pass out, Zoe!](http://www.bbcprograms.com/pbs/catalog/blackadder/images/XM03_Blackadder.jpg) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-m-d-i-aint-impressed/319932.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-m-d-i-aint-impressed/319932.md?page=3)