5.05 - Lucky Thirteen

Another good point, carrie. There's been a Taub episode and 13 episodes galore but no Kutner character exploration. Why bring a handsome, talented young actor onto the show as a regular and not let him do anything? Kutner has fewer lines than Chase most episodes.

Foreman has never said or done a single nice thing as far as Chase is concerned Actually, in "The Mistake" Foreman talked Chase out of helping Kayla'a brother do anything unethical because it would be one more thing that would be pinned on Chase when Kayla died. He told Chase to "be the good guy". But back to this episode. I feel that it was a bit of a retread of "Hunting" and Cameron's reaction to being exposed to HIV, except that the story is being told more in depth and over many more episodes. I don't have a problem with OW as an actress, and I don't think that it's her fault the storyline is falling flat. TPTB need to have the audience invested in a character before they give the character a major storyline to carry. In "Hunting" the audience knew enough about Cameron to care about her reaction. By making 13 "a mystery," TPTB haven't let us get to know her, and we can't put her actions into any larger context. Making 13 bisexual isn't character development, and for all the complaints about how much screen time she gets, the writers haven't taken advantage of that screen time to given us any insights into her life and make her sympathetic.

However, something isn't quite firing on all cylinders with this arc. Then again, the cylinders weren't really all there during Vogler, Cameron's crush, dealing with ketamine, Tritter, Foreman resigning... stop me any time here I think for me the biggest problems with the arc were the rather silly publicity surrounding the introduction of Thirteen--didn't do the character any favours--and the interruption of the season which suspended some things too long, and getting a peek into the new team was one of them. But now that we're getting our looks, I like the development of everyone so far. I like the arc Thirteen has and I think she's been told to play it close to the chest so she can eventually let loose. We just got stuck too long in the playing it close phase due to the way last season got trimmed and put on hold. I think OW did some nice work last night and I really like how her story is intersecting with House's, because with the new six act structure, it is hard to have scenes long enough to bring out hidden things. FOX's insistance on this structure is not doing House any favours. I liked that House was tough with an underlying patience and care with Thirteen. I liked that both of them are fighting with a sense of being alone despite being surrounded by people and that both have to accept that life has changed for the worse and that's that. Opening up is now the brave choice, but it's not supposed to be an easy one. And if Thirteen makes Foreman more sympathetic, which she did last night for me, hooray. I loved the Foreman/Chase scene, too and I am happy that this season there does seem more integration, so I don't have to choose between liking to get to know the new team and liking seeing the old team. But that six act structure really does make the show choppier, and that's unfortunate.

In "Hunting" the audience knew enough about Cameron to care about her reaction. By making 13 "a mystery," TPTB haven't let us get to know her, and we can't put her actions into any larger context. Making 13 bisexual isn't character development, and for all the complaints about how much screen time she gets, the writers haven't taken advantage of that screen time to given us any insights into her life and make her sympathetic. I'll agree that the introduction of 13 with the "mystery" aspect was a lousy move, however, I hated Cameron more (and disliked JMo's "acting" more) at the time of "Hunting" than any ill will I have about 13 at this point.

Anybody else think of LE's character in The West Wing when Wilson was describing his "girlfriend?" OMG....yes and I was frantically trying to remember's LE's character's name.

House: 27 minutes, 10 seconds 13: 26 minutes, 14 seconds Thank you so much for doing that, bailey. It's almost as disappointing as Dying Changes Everything. The difference here is that there are fewer House-Wilson scenes than there were in DCE (though they are more positive and friendly here). Also, for me, the 13-suckfest is even worse in Lucky Thirteen. Did anyone notice that 13 referred to her "online following"? Was that supposed to be a meta-crack at those of us who don't like her? I am so glad that Wilson was joking about dating the hooker. I'm still not entirely clear what House did to Wilson in the beginning. Did he break the chair so that Wilson would fall to the floor when he sat in it? (Forgive me; I've watched only once.) Wasn't that one of House's more dangerous pranks?

Or the emphasis on Thirteen's story is there for the same reason the emphasis on anything is there on this series -- David Shore thinks it is an interesting theme to explore. And I would agree with him. It is an interesting theme to explore. Though I continue to be mystified by why this theme is handled not with grace and elegance as other themes have been, but with a sledgehammer. Not only is the time devoted to this completely lopsided but the writing is so on the nose, so obvious, that's it's painful to watch. Almost as if they assume the audience has become remedial. How many times will House openly say "Since you got your Huntington's diagnosis." In theory, how someone deals with a death sentence that makes House's leg pain and inability to walk well seem like an inconvenience does seem interesting. However, I do find the execution (writing and acting) of this theme to be lacking. More than lacking, I'd say. There are several problems with the approach. One is the introduction of a character that plays everything so close to the vest that she is essentially unknowable. A good actor can make up for this tell not show deficiency by offering something interesting in the background or any other visual clue that there may be more beneath an intentionally blank surface. OW is utterly incapable of doing this. The result that she's blank within and blank without. A second problem with the advent of her character is that not only is she "mysterious" but she's essentially gloomy. All the time. Gloomy without any spark of gleeful mischief, without any recognizable personality without any particular point of view or positioning statement. Without any redemption, essentially. Unlike House, her brilliance is contrived, virtually appearing out of thin air. House's abilities are in tune with his every day insight into human behavior and particular notice of small details. The original fellows all began very much as students and we saw their skills improving as the show evolved. 13 is just awesome because she is. (The scene where she charged in and saved the day was beyond contrived, aided in no small part by some continuously awful acting.) So while I agree that a dying doctor presents a multitude of opportunities and compare/contrast themes to House, their approach is so mind-numbingly awful that I can't even rally around the general idea. I wonder how much better this would be if we could see this happening to a character the audience actually liked. Theoretically--and just throwing this out there, so no bites, please--Jesse Spencer could act the hell out of this. How devastating would that be? And how much more realistic would House's reaction be? (Note: I adore Chase and do NOT want JS off the show. But if they're going to string this particular storyline along anyway, I'd sure like to see it be effective and, frankly, I think giving JS a long-running, noble death storyline would be a hell of a lot more interesting than what he's got now.) Nothing in the way 13 has been written or how OW is playing her makes me care even the sligh-*test*-('") bit for 13's plight which, by all accounts, should be tragic and heart tugging. And the fact that they are literally giving so much airtime to her absolutely boggles the mind. One of the more obvious conclusions that the show has touched upon came from House's dad back in "Daddy's Boy" that House didn't realize how lucky he was. Of course, House hated his dad which obviously diluted the message for him but a military guy would, by necessity, come across a multitude of injuries and situations that put House's to shame. I really wish the show would have just found a much more effective way to bring this theme home. All that aside, I am happy for Cuddy---the look on her face when she said she'd been approved for adoption was beatific. Of course, you can't always get what you want, so I don't expect that to last for her. Best line of the night: "If you build it, they will come." eta: Did anyone notice that 13 referred to her "online following"? Was that supposed to be a meta-crack at those of us who don't like her? Yes, thanks for reminding me. Her comment was something to the effect of her asthma inhaler having an extensive online following. It made me think that an online following of her medical devices was probably a lot more likely than an online following of the actual character---something, despite much searching, I can find scant evidence of.

House: 27 minutes, 10 seconds 13: 26 minutes, 14 seconds I'm pretty sure they shortened the 'sex' scene in the teaser. However, had they kept the original, Thirteen may have beaten House in terms of screen time.

(2) I think the new H/W relationship is much more complex than is apparent. Yeah, they're going bowling, etc. But Wilson also kept from House the Cuddy "secret." It's as if Wilson is going through the motions of a relationship with House but is no longer willing to let House into his life -- maybe so he doesn't get hurt again? (3) Wilson's second wife was Canadian -- at least a little continuity (he married her while at McGill or went to McGill to be closer to her). ... Finally, I never thought I'd say this, but I actually miss the emphasis on the medical mysteries as well as the explantion. They seem rushed, thrown in at the last minute, not explained. Last night, I barely caught the full name of "LAM," let alone every rally understood if it was cancer or not and didn't catch the name of the final diagosis and missed (although it was probably said) how she got it, why it was hard to diagnose, etc. It was almost an afterthought and I found myself a bit dissatisfied. On #2, I agree that the relationship is still complex, but I didn't see Wilson keeping Cuddy's secret as Wilson keeping House out of his life. It was just keeping a secret temporarily for Cuddy's sake. She said she was keeping it quiet until she knew whether she was approved -- once that happened, Wilson let House in on it. On #3, Wilson went to McGill undergrad, and he didn't divorce his first wife until after med school, so I doubt he met Bonnie at McGill. Also, their first date was in Boston, although they could've met somewhere else. I didn't think Bonnie sounded Canadian when we met her but I could be wrong there. On the last paragraph, even though I love House-Wilson interplay I have to admit that I miss the strong medical mysteries, too.

(2) I think the new H/W relationship is much more complex than is apparent. Yeah, they're going bowling, etc. But Wilson also kept from House the Cuddy "secret." It's as if Wilson is going through the motions of a relationship with House but is no longer willing to let House into his life -- maybe so he doesn't get hurt again? I don't think so, I agree with dee here. I didn't see this as Wilson attempting to keep House out of his life. Had he been keeping a secret about himself, I might think differently, but Cuddy didn't want anyone else to know until she had been approved and Wilson was just respecting her wishes. He let House in on it at the end. I think if Wilson were just going through the motions, he wouldn't have gone so far to mess with House. I think they both enjoyed their game last night. There may still be some lingering issues between them that may or may not come up later, that was a really big and painful rift they went through afterall, but I don't see a lack of trying or willingness to try from either House or Wilson. House: 27 minutes, 10 seconds 13: 26 minutes, 14 seconds Ooooh boy. Too close, much too close. I don't hate 13, I'm fine with her, but I do not want her getting more screentime than House. That's just ridiculous, IMHO. Did he break the chair so that Wilson would fall to the floor when he sat in it? (Forgive me; I've watched only once.) Wasn't that one of House's more dangerous pranks? Yes, it's my understanding that he messed with Wilson's chair so he would fall. Dangerous? Sure, but no more than Wilson sawing House's cane in half, or the two of them dosing each other.

House: 27 minutes, 10 seconds 13: 26 minutes, 14 seconds Ooooh boy. Too close, much too close. I don't hate 13, I'm fine with her, but I do not want her getting more screentime than House. That's just ridiculous, IMHO. I agree. I don't have a problem with 13, but given the show is called "House", he should certainly get more screentime than anyone else. Did he break the chair so that Wilson would fall to the floor when he sat in it? (Forgive me; I've watched only once.) Wasn't that one of House's more dangerous pranks? Yep. He removed the wheel...that's what he tossed to Wilson (I think, anyway). It was his way to deliver the donut. Sweet in a completely Housian way.

I didn't think Bonnie sounded Canadian when we met her but I could be wrong there. On the last paragraph, even though I love House-Wilson interplay I have to admit that I miss the strong medical mysteries, too. Sounded Canadian? Can you really tell? In my experience, most Americans can't tell whether someone is Canadian or not by accent, unless that person is French-Canadian, which I don't think Bonnie is. :D I miss the strong medical mysteries too. I do think they went a little soapy in this last one, although I still enjoyed it. I don't like the fact House is losing screen time, although I suppose it means Hugh isn't being worked off his ass anymore by virtually being in almost every scene. It seems they've gone towards becoming more of an ensemble show, with House getting 1/2 the screen time in the A or B story and one or two of the other characters getting character development in the other half. I would like to see more of Kutner, he is definitely my favorite newbie, although I also like Taub, 13 is last on my list, although I don't hate her. I wouldn't miss her if she left though, kinda like Cameron.

Did anyone notice that 13 referred to her "online following"? Was that supposed to be a meta-crack at those of us who don't like her? Yes, thanks for reminding me. Her comment was something to the effect of her asthma inhaler having an extensive online following. It made me think that an online following of her medical devices was probably a lot more likely than an online following of the actual character---something, despite much searching, I can find scant evidence of. Think of the inhaler as a sex toy, batteries included.

And I agree that if this had been H/W, there would be much different attitudes. Those who were squicked out by the scenes would be labeled insensitive, and this would be considered art of the highest level. As I've previously mentioned nothing about this episode offended me, other than I find alot of the writing and characterization and acting painful these days, so as a great fan of show, I'm offended by what I see as a mediocre product. Having said that, I don't think I could ever agree with the assertion that if it were H/W it would be great art versus the reception that the 13/random girl is getting. I'm pretty sure "art" went out the window when the uncut preview was blasted all over the internet with the description of "watch OW get it on!" It was marketing and pandering to the lowest common denominator. Art, it ain't.

The sex scenes didn't bother me, they were part of the plot and moved the story forward. They were pretty, the lighting was good, it wasn't offensive. But the story relied on girl on girl action too much. The opening scene established their relationship, and it was hot. That's really all I needed to know where 13/PotW stood. The spider bite scene was steamy but...eh...It was like the Red Sox losing, I know what it looks like. I don't want to watch the instant replay. Hell, the Boy got sick of the lesbotic tendencies within that episode and I didn't know that was possible for a dude.

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