Blogcritics Author: Barbara Barnett

House, MD: A Little Speculation About Next Week's Episode, "Birthmarks"

Barbara Barnett — Tue, 7 Oct 2008 22:45:16 EDT

In next week's House, MD, House is confronted with the death of his father. How will he react to the news?
The FOX Network press release for next Tuesday’s House, MD tells us that House’s father dies. On most television shows, we would know what to expect. Funeral, family, tears and hugs, reconciliations and regrets. But seriously, guys, this is House, MD we’re talking about, right? Nothing is ever conventional about House or House....

TV Review: House, MD - "Adverse Events"

Barbara Barnett — Thu, 2 Oct 2008 22:11:34 EDT

House, MD's third outing of season three examines perception vs. reality as the team treats an artist in "Adverse Events."
(Apologies to my dear readers for the lateness of this review -- the Jewish High Holy Days delay more than Congressional votes!) “I wanna be what you see when you look at me.” A patient’s teary confession to his girlfriend. It sounds romantic, wanting to be an idealized version of yourself, to make a significant other happy;...

Acting Legend Paul Newman Dead at 83

Barbara Barnett — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 10:43:39 EDT

Acting legend Paul Newman has died at the age of 85 after a long battle with cancer.
My mother is 85 years old. And she was in love with Paul Newman. And this morning, as my mom lies in the hospital dealing with pneumonia, we learn that Paul Newman has died, succumbing to a long battle with cancer. So ends an era. Like many women “of an age,” my mother’s heart went aflutter as she shared Newman with me on the...

TV Review: House, MD - "Not Cancer"

Barbara Barnett — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 23:14:36 EDT

The second entry of season five finds House dealing with his own grief.
Over the course of four seasons of House, MD, we have observed its central character (played to perfection by newly-minted executive producer Hugh Laurie) go through a lot. We’ve seen him battered and bruised (emotionally and physically); we have watched him cynical, sarcastic, sappily romantic, desperately ill and in the throes of...

Fool Me Twice: Why Trusting Bush on the Bailout is Not an Option

Barbara Barnett — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 23:25:31 EDT

Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me. Why skepticism about the bailout is unsurprising and necessary.
We’ve seen this movie before. Different setting, more fantasy than reality (as this one appears to be). But the principle applies. Catastrophe looms. The president proposes an expensive plan with little or no oversight, essentially saying “trust me.” He insists, as do his advisers that Congress needs to act immediately. Now!...

House, MD: House and Wilson in "Dying Changes Everything"

Barbara Barnett — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 00:44:33 EDT

A closer look at that devastating final scene of the House season premiere.
After Hugh Laurie, nominated for his third Emmy, was yet again robbed for his nuanced and brilliant portrayal of the confused and driven Gregory House in last season's "House's Head," I have to wonder what Laurie has to do to win the award? My theory is that he inhabits the role so completely that Academy voters don't think...

TV Review: House, MD Season Premiere- "Dying Changes Everything"

Barbara Barnett — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 16:34:11 EDT

Wilson resigns from the hospital in the season five premiere of House, MD.
“Almost dying changes everything--for about two months.” House believes that a near death experience has but a fleeting affect, if any. First said to Foreman following his brush with death in “Euphoria” and oft repeated, it has become a truism from a man who has had several close encounters with death. But in "Dying...

Hugh Laurie, Lisa Edelstein, and Jennifer Morrison on House, MD New Season

Barbara Barnett — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 23:23:42 EDT

House stars Hugh Laurie, Lisa Edelstein and Jennifer Morrison offers their take on the new season.
House, MD season five picks up “eight weeks after the death Amber. Wilson is still mourning her death, and his relationship with his best friend House is shattered. Needing to make a change in his life and give himself time to recover emotionally, Wilson resigns from Princeton-Plainsboro.” So reads the summary from FOX about tomorrow...

Enough!

Barbara Barnett — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 14:39:37 EDT

Enough of the politics of the playground!
To echo Barack Obama: “Enough!” Enough of the politics of playground! We’ve all been through it. Mostly when we were kids or teenagers, serious and resolute about something important (to us, anyway). And every time we endeavored to open our mouths to start talking about whatever that “it” was, someone else, usually...

Anticipating House, MD Season Five: A Brief Chat With Writer Eli Attie

Barbara Barnett — Tue, 9 Sep 2008 07:09:33 EDT

House, MD begins its fifth season next week. I caught up with the premiere's writer Eli Attie for his thoughts.
The season four finale left House, MD fans breathless with anticipation of the new season. Back in May it seemed that the summer hiatus would last an eternity (well, four months, anyway). But, indeed, summer is over and House, MD returns next Tuesday for the premiere of its fifth season. Airing in a new time slot (8:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. CT), the...