For weeks now, I’ve ruminated upon why some of my friends in the House, M.D. fandom have become frustrated with the series. Why am I’m still enjoying House’s (the ever-incredible Hugh Laurie) journey, while others have become disenchanted? And still others, who a year ago or more wondered why I was still so intrigued, have rediscovered House, finding it once again enjoyable?
I know the arguments on both sides: what people have told me;
what I’ve read on the couple of fan forums on which I participate—and of course the very lively comment thread at Blogcritics’ Welcome to the End of the Thought Process feature. Personally, I continue to be captivated by House's story. I love that he has struggled this year with his tendency to screw things up, putting in an effort to make things work with Cuddy (Lisa Edelstein). I'm sad it has ended, yet I'm incredibly curious about what will happen now that they have to really deal with each other for the first time since "Bombshells."
I hated that House had gone insane after the breakup, setting his self-destructive button to "11." But it is perfectly in character. We know he fell apart after he and Stacy broke up. I don't imagine he sat in a corner and cried; I do imagine that he set out to destroy himself, leaving Wilson to pick up the pieces.
Yes, he indulges himself with a bevy of hookers, trying to bury his pain over the breakup. Yes, he tries his best to hurt Cuddy back, finding no satisfaction in it. Those two episodes following "Bombshells" are very hard to watch, but not because they are "bad."
I’m certainly disappointed that the pivotal House-Cuddy relationship fell apart so quickly after a multi-year build up, although in “real time” they’d been together nearly a year. But, I’m a big fan of the boy meet girl-boy loses girl dramatic structure, so I’m not entirely sure if in the end, we don’t see House back together with Cuddy (or even Stacy, for that matter).
But the comments from some long-time fans, many of whose opinions I’ve respected since almost the start of the series, have to make me wonder whether there’s something I’m missing? Has the series begun to lose a step? Or has genuine disappointment with the series’ main story arc formed a tipping point after which all the small irritants become now become magnified?
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - On the ledge
Interesting article. I am hoping to see some adult conversation between Cuddy and House about their break up. The absence of that would be, quite frankly, unforgiveable.
For me - coming back as a viewer next season heavily relies on the above, as well as a solid finale, where we are given a glimpse of direction. Of hope. A sense that we haven't been watching the same old storyline over the past 7 years.
Show me something new. Show me something interesting and enthralling.
And for goodness sakes - don't have a finale that reveals that this was all some sort of hallucination. Been there, done that. Multiple times.
2 - Annie
I wholeheartedly agree that the season finales of House are always amazing. The show really steps it up at the end of the season, and I have never been disappointed before.
Regarding the controversy over Season 7: I've never thought that the writing on House was really "bad". However, I do think it isn't as good as before, and I can't really blame the writers for this. The show is nearing the end of its seventh year, so it's unreasonable to expect that the patient cases will be as engaging and the comebacks as snappy as before.
One of my big problems was not that House and Cuddy were broken up (even though I'm an H/C shipper, I also love angst and could never see how House and Cuddy as a content, happy couple), but how the relationship was handled while it lasted. I think H/C shippers like myself were disappointed that we didn't get to see some of the moments between House and Cuddy that we would have liked. For example, they never discussed their past together. Perhaps House would want to avoid this type of conversation, because it must be pretty painful for him to recall those memories, but I still would have liked to see something along those lines. Something like this could have replaced some scenes in the more filler-like episodes, like "Massage Therapy", "Unplanned Parenthood", "Carrot or Stick", "You Must Remember This", etc. More importantly, though, I really didn't like what the writers did with Cuddy's character. In "Now What", she said that she didn't want House to change. While I knew that she wouldn't be able to fully follow through with that promise, I also didn't expect her to go on a three-episode bitchphase where she was angry at House for lying to her.
I understand why she would be upset, but it seems to me that throughout the whole short existence of their relationship, House was the only one trying, not Cuddy. I think that this is my biggest beef with this season. House tried so hard to make the relationship work, and I loved that he did that. But I just didn't see much effort on Cuddy's end. I guess it's enough to "tolerate" someone like House, but come on, she's supposed to LOVE him. I dislike that the writers seemed, from the start, to be bringing the relationship to an unhappy end. Starting from episode 4, Cuddy seemed to be on a scavenger hunt to find more and more reasons why she couldn't be with House after all.
Another thing, semi-minor in importance, was House's relationship with Rachel. It seemed to be developing, and it was interesting to see House interacting with a child and developing a genuine affection for her, until it suddenly stopped. I hope that the writers will address this sometime in the last four episodes, because I remember how Cuddy warned, in "Massage Therapy", that if she let House into Rachel's life and they then broke up, there would be consequences. I wonder if Rachel has also been affected by their break up.
Overall, however, I still have faith in the writers, despite the disappointment that I've felt during this season. I believe that they will give us an amazing finale, as they always have, and I'm really looking forward to the last four episodes. :)
3 - Elisabeth
I, too, am disappointed with where things stand and I question some of writer's decisions that #2 Annie explained above. But I am going to wait until the end of the season to pass judgment.
4 - MusicandHouse
I totally agree with You Barbara. After each episode, I felt I had missed something because I was liking episodes others hated. Out of the Chute and Fall From Grace were two of my favorite episodes in a season of wonderful episodes. Were they sad?? Yes but the sad and over the top episodes have always been my favorites. The descriptions for all four upcoming episodes have been released and they all sound intreagueing and the finales never dissapoint so I am looking foward to the rest of the season and (*hopefully*) a season 8
5 - Cate
I am one who has gradually grown disappointed with the show. Things have reached a tipping point for me, things that I earlier tolerated, I haven't been able to since the shoddy way they got rid of Cameron and Jennifer Morrison. I'm not a shipper, so the Huddy break up has had no real effect on me, other than to make me smack my head in the way the break has been handled. It has just been a series of disappointments the last season, and the final four episodes will probably be make it or break it for me, in regards to returning for another season.
I'm not saying the entire season was a write off, I really enjoyed the episode where House was babysitting Rachel, but other than that? I can't remember much of any patient of the week, unlike earlier seasons. Whether it is fatigue on my part, or shoddy writing, I'm not sure which. I've just been spectacularly let down by the show as a whole and not just by this season. It began it's slide in season 4, and it's just reached a point where I can't invest my time and energy into excusing it anymore. Perhaps I expect too much, but some people do seem to have blinders on and forgive the show for everything it throws our way. I used to be, but this season makes it very hard to do that, when it's just become overwhelmingly disappointing. Hopefully the finale will make me change my mind. Hopefully.
6 - Doyle
To the credit of the writers, they crafted the relationship between House and Cuddy as real people with real problems. If these two were perfectly compatible about everything, there would've been no opportunities for each of them to show how important that relationship meant to each other. Everyone has issues; Cuddy realized too late that the only way that House could be there for her then was if he were under the influence, but she should have also noted that he was willing to do whatever it took for him to give her what she needed, even though at that particular time he was not ready to do it while not drugged, and that this was an expression of real love.
She also could have considered that House was clean for a year and a half while he was working on his issues with professional help, and he had been relatively successful in overcoming them without resorting to drugs. His needing Vicodin during that particular crisis did not necessarily mean that he would always need it to deal with his issues, and it also did not mean that he would always need to use it to avoid feeling pain.
The only reason why I think that the writers did it this way was because they already decided that this relationship was going to end, and that the Vicodin, which we saw that House was addicted to at the beginning of the series, was going to return as though it were an ingrained part of his life, and this would be the means that they would use to terminate the relationship. But this decision kind of overlooks the efforts of so many, many people who have had emotional, psychological and addictive issues, but with a lot of effort and help have learned to manage them for the remainder of their lives.
7 - Shannon
@Annie
I completely agree with everything you wrote here. I think House believed that he was making a sacrifice in order to be there for Cuddy. It broke my heart that she couldn't see it that way. He had a lapse for what he believed was a desperate situation and it blew up in his face. (Especially sad because he had managed to find a way to do what Wilson had been encouraging him to do all along.)
8 - barbara barnett
Doyle, House was off vicodin for almost 2 years. This was a slip, perhaps just one. But the people around don't trust him, and never have. Remember in Now What? Wilson's first thought was that House had gone back to drugs. All during S6 as well.
We don't know what House is doing now that he's coming back to his senses post Bombshells.
9 - barbara barnett
We sometimes forget that Cuddy has her own mishegoss (it's Yiddish). She wants House, tells him that it doesn't matter if he doesn't change (which isn't realistic). But I believe she believes it at the beginning, but begins to have doubts almost right from the start, which work against her (and House). There's blame aplenty between House and Cuddy.
In response to the comment above--I don't have blinders on. I just think my perspective is different than yours. I didn't like Seinfeld; my husband did. The show bored me to tears, yet it's considered a classic. It's a good show, but in my opinion not so much. Perception, perspective. Doesn't make it bad, makes it not your cup of tea anymore. Completely valid, but a different argument.
10 - Cate
Barbara, I never said you have blinders on. I read your column, trying to get a perspective on why I'm seeing an episode as disappointing(and the season) and others are perfectly fine with it. I don't know why I'm so dissatisfied with it, just that I am. It's a combination of things. I just think that there has to be a problem somewhere, given that so many people seem to be growing disillusioned with the show. It's good to see everyone's opinion on the show, I'll give it that, it does have people discussing it, regardless of what it's been like.
And I agree with you on Seinfeld. Can't stand the show myself, yet my husband liked it. I have never understood why it is considered a classic.
11 - barbara barnett
Cate--This is why I decided to write the article. I wonder if people experienced some sort of tipping point moment. What is so weird to me is not that I've not experienced it, but that I've heard from so many friends who'd become disenchanted a couple of seasons ago, telling me they've started watching it regularly again!
12 - Doyle
@Barbara:
There seem to be a LOT of trust issues threading their way through almost every episode this season, don't you think? And everyone seems to be stuck in that "never trust House" rut after all this time. It is especially painful to see it still there in Cuddy and Wilson. In fact, it was obvious throughout the relationship that Cuddy never truly got over those lingering doubts about House's potential as an adequate partner (which unfortunately turned out to be valid just that one time in "Bombshells"). How can House ever hope to achieve some sense of redemption with everyone around him (with the possible exception of Thirteen) refusing to honestly acknowledge his efforts at being a better man?
13 - leakeysfriend
No one would like to see House, the show and the character, thrive more than I. The first epi of Season 7 told me were headed for trouble--no, it clobbered me over the head with the news.
I keep watching, but I keep finding myself picking up a book or journal halfway through or switching to the news.
I respectfully disagree: it's precisely the declining quality of the writing. Your mom was the best mom in the whole world, interminable caressing shot of woman holding baby. Fade. Good god.
If we admit senescence, the truth may yet set us free. It's an old show, it's full of poorly realized retreads, the medicine is dreadful, it has traded shadows and whispers for anvils, yet occasionally has enough of the old character that I can't take my eyes off him.
I want to see what happens. But it's kind of like watching several cars crumple in fastec high-speed digital. Fascinating while upsetting.
14 - ruthinor
I think that the biggest problem for me this season is that the episodes didn't flow well from one week to the next. And I disagree with those who say that the writing has not deteriorated. Part of good writing on a series is making sure that things make sense from week to week. If the writers were going to put House and Cuddy together after years of flirting and more, then they should have done it with more integrity. In the first few episodes, the characters remained pretty true to the people we've come to know. But suddenly, House was combination of mama's boy ("I can do better") and someone who was subtly trying to sabotage the relationship (slammed doors, toothbrushes, toilet seats, not showing up at the awards etc). Meanwhile, the writers also destroyed Cuddy's character by having her totally lose her sense of humor. Couldn't the writers have come up with a relationship in which the characters did not become unrecognizable? All the things we loved about them were gone. No snark, no fighting about anything important, no discussions about anything relating to their lives together, past or present, few scenes of intimacy (not just sex). There is no way anyone will get me to believe that the end of the episode before Bombshells in which House comes to Cuddy's house drunk and tells her she makes him a crappier doctor flows easily into the first loving scene in Bombshells. What the hell happened between those two scenes? IMO it makes no sense at all. The break-up was also not in character for Cuddy. It just seemed way out in left field for someone who knows House as well as she does. If the object from the beginning was to break them up, what was the point of putting them together in the first place?
15 - Jaim
I think that what has bothered me about the show for some time is the fact that we must rely on the finale episodes to redeem an entire season worth of somewhat superficial plot-lines. Another issue I have is that potentially interesting story-lines are abruptly dropped in favor of plots that are somewhat predictable or over the top.
I also think that the most frustrating aspect of this show is the unwillingness to allow the characters to naturally evolve. The old saying, People don't change, is just completely redundant at this point. I feel like it is possible for people to change, in small ways and huge ways. I have noticed changes with all the characters and I don't understand this stubborn need that the writers have to keep House in abject misery. He doesn't have to become Mr. Happy Go Lucky, but he does need to have gained some kind of peace and understanding. I get so tired of House never really learning anything or gaining a changed outlook on humanity. Yes, he has gained some lessons this year, but how soon will the writers drop that bit of character development?
For me, the last four episodes will really determine whether I watch this show next year. If Cuddy ends up not coming back, either through resignation or being killed off(as has been rumored), then I will really be done. I am so tired of female characters being written off so easily. The treatment of the female characters on the show has always bothered me, but never more than in the last few episodes. Hopefully, the writers will redeem themselves but part of me feels as though things will only get much worse.
16 - MHM
Simply put, the writing has gone bad.
Style
I do not understand why the style of writing has been so heavy-handed and less intelligent than prior seasons. Even with the "huh?" factor in prior seasons, the dialogue never felt "dumb." Now, to me, it does.
Content
I do not understand why the content of writing seems to recycle past ideas and bludgeon audience members with obviousness. This includes the medicine. This feels like they just don't care that much anymore or that they are not taking the show as seriously as they did before.
Lack of seriousness/gravitas
The lack of gravitas is showing in the work product. House, while funny and full of quips on the outside, always was serious in its look on the hard issues that patients of the week and/or the main characters faced. I think that sense of seriousness has gone missing. Why are POTWs brushed off and not interwoven better into the show and why does the writing refuse to approach the characters' struggles in a serious manner? That has been the tipping point for me.
I do believe that the lack of seriousness/gravitas with which the stories are written are why I feel like I am watching a skit (or a farce sometimes) as opposed to the great drama that the show used to be. House has never shied away from pushing, from analyzing why things were the way they were. I don't think the writers pushed or analyzed much substance this season. This feel very much on the surface, and this lack of depth, the lack of serious intent is what puts me off. House might say that intentions don't matter, results do.
Well, intentions do matter when they affect the work product.
Yes, I do know that it's ridiculous to accuse people I have never met of lacking some sort of intent because, really, how can you ever prove anyone intended to do something? But, with all the interviews (why does there seem to be one after every single episode now) from the writers and from the producers, I think it's fair to say I can inter intent to some extent. Put into the equation the diverse interests people are/need to pursue in light of contract negotiations, yes, I think I can say that I can infer some intent.
17 - Zaze
Yes House has changed, but following his evolution through relapses is a bit boring, and most important, writers should write more supporting characters and powerful POTW. It's quite normal to see House relapsing (Cuddy was only used for that this season) but we would like to see better written episodes, and less depressing as the first seasons.
18 - scotty
Im just upset about the time intervals inbetween episodes :(
19 - Linda
There has been a big shift in fandom. I have been a part of it for many years and there's a very different feel in it, different than I've ever seen. The Huddies, after 'Bombshells', were furious or at least very upset. Mostly not just because they broke up, but because of the interview David Shore gave afterwards saying that's it. That's all you get. Then it seemed time after time Huddies tried to rebuild their hopes and another interview would come out and destroy those hopes, not only for Huddy but for House too. After a bit, I think about the tenth or so interview roughly, it felt like something snapped in the fandom. Now it seems the anger has largely faded into apathy and weariness and pessimism. The fight and passion is gone from a great many Huddies.. And most of the ones I've talked to over the past month or so are all waiting on the finale to see if it gives them any hope. If it does, then many or most will be back. If not, then I truly believe they will not be back next season.
I think much of what Anna said is what I've seen around fandom as common disappointments. People are disappointed because they didn't get what they'd hoped. They got a lot of really great moments but people wanted to see some of that passion and wit that was present before season six between House and Cuddy. They wanted some interviews with Hugh and Lisa. People begged for them, but never got even one and this on the season House and Cuddy became canon. I think that's a large part of why people resented them doing one for Olivia's comeback episode. The whole season was about the couple they've been slowly drawing together all this time finally coming together and they can't spare one interview for the Huddies who've hung in there waiting all this time? Hugh hasn't done a video interview with anyone this season but Olivia. They do it for a single episode on a character that's moderately liked. People wanted to see an in-depth exploration of certain issues and also get a little of that passion that House and Cuddy had before they were an item. The flirt, the spark, the chemistry was weaker this season, strangely enough. We got better kisses in 'Joy' and 'Under My Skin' and 'Help Me' than any this season. To be fair, the writers wrote a lot of kisses between them but it seemed Hugh and Lisa lost something between last season's finale and this season in that regard. Cuddy used to bat things back to House and be able to stand toe-to-toe with him. This season, because they had only fifteen episodes for the relationship in mind (which is another sore spot) they had to cover the fights and drama (also because this season focused on them so they needed things to have drama about since the show is a drama) most of the season. House had a lot of things he needed to work on and he tried and because Cuddy was the 'normal one' she was always exasperated with him over much of the season instead of having fun with him, flirting with him and debating him on interesting or serious matters. That's why I think some people, not me but many, felt she came off as a whiny b--ch this season. Many people didn't know if they would stay together but they hoped for at least a season's worth of exploration for the show's main relationship because it involved House being in love, taking a chance on it, and actually trying for the first time ever on the series.
All of this would've boiled over quickly if it hadn't been pounded home time and again that Huddy was doomed from the start, it was originally supposed to not even last fifteen episodes, that House and Cuddy would probably never get together ever again because they didn't want to jerk Huddies around. That was the killer. If people thought there was a chance to still get some of these things they wanted this season someday, they'd have held on. But it seems like this won't happen. House and Cuddy lasted only fifteen episodes and people waited years on them only to get told after that that's it, folks. I'm trying to convey the disappointment that people felt after that. I know that something has changed in the people around me as a fan. I like the show a lot and I am still a House fan. But I don't even know if I'll be back next season. As I said, many people are waiting to see what they do in the finale. I really hope it's as fantastic as their finales usually are. I hope everyone is so bowled over they want to come back and find their love and passion for the show restored. I hope that's what happens.
20 - DanieGermany
I still have faith in the writers and am sure they'll give us a kick-ass season finale, but, as some people here said earlier I am also pretty dissappointed by the way the writers handled Huddy this Season.
House himself in a relationship behaved like I expected him to behave: he's a romantic, who tried everything to make the relationship work. But Cuddy wasn't the Cuddy I new before. She didn't come across as if she was happy to finally be in a relationship with a man she had all this sexual tension with over 6 years. Instead she always seemed to be afraid it couldn't work out in the end, like she was always keeping her guards up, as if she was sure the relationship would fail eventually. If you always think a piano's gonna fall on your head it will. House was trying and trying, working his ass off to please Cuddy and make her happy and she so often showed House and us her pissed off, whiny, bitchy side, that I though: Man, these people have been together for not even a year and the toilet-seat debate comes up already, WTF ?! In my view, House's only mistake was to have his Vicodin-relapse, but the break-up was entirely Cuddy's fault. And here I blame the writers. They let her act totally out of character from the beginning of that (not very credible) "you lied to me" arc, from were the relationship went down the toilet. Cuddy has been a strong, understanding and very TOLERANT woman all the years before and more importantly she always knew how Dr. House ticks. And suddenly she's staring to get upset when he lies to her to save a patient or if he left the toilet seat up. With all these thing the writers killed Huddy before it even started, plus it made Lisa E.'s character really look bad. House so often showd her love for her and she almost never really did. I really hope the writers give her and us a second Huddy-chance and show us the loving, caring, hot and spicy relationship we all expected to see right from the start.
21 - Jessica aka JLCH
Good article Barbara. One of the biggest flaws of this season was that the House-Cuddy relationship was not really explored. After nearly six years of build-up and an obvious history between the two characters, we were left feeling incomplete. These two complete each other and the usual banter, tension, chemistry, and obvious longing for each other is a part of who they are. These two are naturally drawn to each other. They are both lonely, flawed, workaholics who throw their everything into anything but a real relationship. Cuddy has Rachel but her baby is the hospital and House of course has his puzzles. But that's all they have. Other than Wilson they have no friends, they have no real relationship with family, they're two lonely souls that keep circling each other. As flawed and screwed up as both are, they do make each other better and I think that it would have been interesting to see them together battling all their inner turmoils and deal with the baggage both bring to the relationship and both have a lot of baggage! The House and Cuddy we know are NOT quitters and I can't see them giving up as easily as they did, it simply isn't in their character, not when you've longed for someone for so long and have so much in common (as much as they may not want to be alike, in many ways they are).
I don't mind House taking a step back but I want to see him take a step forward too. I am hoping that he isn't back to square one. Obviously in the last two eps House was sans Vicodin. Not sure what he took in the beginning of Ep 19 but it did not appear to me to be Vicodin.
The House we know is not a quitter. He's faltered many times but he's no quitter and I don't believe he'll give up on himself, his patients or the people he cares about most which is obviously Cuddy and Wilson. He has a hard time facing pain, his own and that of others but I think he can slowly try to sort that out. House has come a long way in seven years, we have seen him at his worst and his best. Despite what TPTB try to imply, House does care and he has a heart. It's hard to see sometimes but it's there. There are countless examples over the past seven years, examples in which House, in sometimes the tiniest ways has shown himself to care for his patients, his friends and his coworkers. You can go back to Season 1 and begin thinking about the little things, they're there.
This season we've seen some pretty over the top things and yet I still have hope because we've seen House overcome a lot of obstacles and we've seen him face some pretty bad things and yet somehow he manages to overcome them. I think with every obstacle overcome he changes just a wee bit, for the better.
I don't expect House to get happy overnight and find love and meaning in the world and ride off into the sunset with Cuddy. But what I do want to see is House facing life's challenges while juggling great POTW stories, dealing with this team in the same manner as he always has, with wit and sarcasm and humor, and also maintain his dysfunctional yet obviously meaningful relationships with Wilson and Cuddy.
Can House change? Yes. Does it have to be major changes? No. Each of us at our core are who we are and that core really doesn't change but circumstances and experiences in our lives change us, sometimes for worse, sometimes for better. But we do change.
House has changed, over the years we've come to know and love him. And I believe even though he's still a misanthropic SOB, I think he can find some good things in his life. He doesn't have to always be ok with it, doesn't have to be comfortable with it, but it's there.
I want to see House facing challenges and obstacles, sometimes taking a step back but always taking a step forward too. And he can do this while trying to build a meaningful relationship, struggling with his addiction and his past, solving his puzzles, and being the same sarcastic misanthropic SOB we know and love.
22 - Sam
Thanks for you article, it was an interesting read. House was at one point my favorite tv show, but I have to say I no longer watch it.
I found the approach to what was the House/Cuddy relationship cowardice, and after the build up it was given for the 6 years prior - I have no idea why. I found it to be portrayed as a shallow, passionless checklist of immature obstacles leading to what felt like a predetermined expiration date, in which the character of the female lead was disintegrated. I tried unsuccessfully to watch the following episodes and to put it simply... was utterly disappointed and disgusted.
I miss the show terribly, but my time can be better spent, as I know longer care about any of the inconsistently portrayed characters.
23 - tauwja
So many people have put it so well already, I can only say I completely agree.
Doyle #6: "To the credit of the writers, they crafted the relationship between House and Cuddy as real people with real problems."
TBH one of my problems was that that was all there was to it -- the writers seemed meticulously follow the check-list of 'what kind of issues do regular couples come across', apparently completely forgetting that this couple was supposed to be anything but regular! Something they had Cuddy say in Unwritten, so it seems they did still realize this early on. Then why did it soon after become so utterly common? Why were all the deeper and more interesting issues they could have explored abandoned in favour of the silly little 'problems' we got? This relationship should have been anything but common, it should have been a continuation of the completely unusual, complicated, passionate and fascinating relationship House and Cuddy had always had, and then perhaps with something like the toothbrush/toilet seat thing thrown in way in the back of an episode (covered in a single line or short scene) to humourously show that in some ways, sometimes, they were almost normal. But seriously, what we got? Was quite possibly the most boring couple ever. It definetely lacked all of the passion and snark and intelligence House and Cuddy had before. And indeed, very early on already, Cuddy suddenly had me wondering whether she wanted to be in this relationship at all. Which is not as I know her at all. My god woman.
It would have been so much more interesting if they'd have managed to keep the snark, the wit, the passion, the humour, keep the characters who they'd always been (indeed especially Cuddy was way off this season), have them struggle and fight and give it their all, but in the end it still not working out because they're both so fundamentally flawed. That's not how it felt here. The exploration was ridiculously shallow, Cuddy seemed to hardly try, and then they gave up so very easily it made my jaw drop. Seriously, that's it? After all these years?
24 - tauwja
Oh, and I, too, am one of those people who is wait till the finale to decide whether she wants to watch at all anymore. But it's going to take a LOT to make up for the huge disappointment and mess this season has been. They'd better have something utterly amazing planned.
25 - Veresna
This is still the only network show I watch, and I hope to stick with it until the end, but I do find myself actually hoping that next year will be their last, and that it will be a well thought-out and intelligently-scripted season. Of course the show has evolved, it never was the straightforward "procedural" that it was tagged with, but I do confess that as much as I have enjoyed seeing more of the characters lives outside of the hospital, it has been at the expense of interesting, absorbing patients that were seen at the beginning of the series. You can flash pictures of patients from Season 1-3, and I can probably identify most of them. From Season 4 and onward, there are much fewer patients that have remained memorable. I was certainly one who was bored by Season 4, and for me the last four episodes (particularly the two-parter that ended that Season) were the spectacular reason I came back for 5. This is not the first time I have stated it, but I feel that in the end Season 4 was saved in a weird way by the Writers Strike, because it pushed their "oh, let's have House have amnesia" idea from what would have been a promisingly interesting show into an outstanding episode when the story threads came together with the Wilson/Amber story. And Season 5 was uneven in quality, but their decision to write Kal Penn's departure as Kutner's suicide again opened up an unexpected opportunity that turned into a spectacular late-season arc of House in a downward spiral that eventually led to Mayfield. I found his attempts to continue therapy and attempt to find happiness in Season 6 very involving, and just when I had given up Huddy ever happening, we were handed that in the season finale. But, I'll echo others' sentiments that it ended up being dealt with in a very unsatisfying way as far as I was concerned. I am crossing my fingers and hoping these final episodes once again astound me. But, I just read one of HL's interviews about his blues album, and for the first time he made it sound like he was fully committed to his contract calling for another year, but sounded disinclined to continue with the series after that. To me, that's just confirmation that a great series is showing its age, and the people who care about it want it to go out with some dignity.