Morrison believes most viewers get a positive impression of science from television, but worries "there are a significant number of viewers who cannot always discern what is real and what is fiction."
"Every doctor has had patients come in complaining of a disease they saw on Grey’s Anatomy or desiring some treatment they saw on House," he added. "I wish patients wouldn’t watch medical shows for answers, but many do. This has been going on since the first medical shows appeared, and will continue as long as there are medical dramas. It’s something we have to bear in mind, both as doctors and writers. The most important aspect of this for the writers, as far as I'm concerned, is that they not give false hope to patients with a serious disease, and conversely, that they don’t exaggerate the seriousness of other diseases."
Sanders isn't as concerned. "I think people have enough real-life experience that they're consistently and accurately able to draw a line between fiction and reality. The specifics of disease, which House often gets wrong, no one cares about that."
"But I know that people know that when they're in a hospital, if they don't want something done to them, they say no," she said. "I think most people know that in a hospital, nobody is going to stab you with a scalpel or a needle just to see what happens."
"I think the ways House is outrageous are ways people are familiar with and understand."
Sanders is most bothered by the questionable ethics of House. "I think there are very few doctors who set out to kill a patient, even out of mercy, and yet that has happened more than once on House. I think there are very few doctors who would be willing to force their perspective on a patient. Not only is it against the law, as House has touched on, not only is it assault, but it really goes so deeply against so many of the things we value."
"The way House stabs people with syringes when they're not expecting it, it's only because he's such a limited human being that he has to resort to that," she continued. "The rest of us use our relationship with the patient."
However, while she believes the viewer is on House's side even in his darker ethical moments, she doesn't worry that he'll be taken as a role model. "What can you say, the guy's a jerk. Doctors shouldn't be impaired when they're taking care of patients, either."
Article comments
1 - Namaste
Thanks for the interviews, DK. It's good to get the point of view of the people who are medical professionals out there -- and who have nitpicked with the best -- and to know that they appreciate the difference between reality and entertainment as well. I do agree that it's sometimes a wide gulf, but I always say that if I want reality, I'll watch Discovery Health (and even reality is heavily edited).
2 - Diane Kristine
Hi Namaste, good to "see" you. I agree, and it's funny that we seem to expect more from a medical drama than a cop show or show set in an office, for example. There's not a lot of accuracy about any workplace you see on TV.
3 - Mary K. Williams
This was very, very good Diana. Glad you're keeping track of the good Dr. still.
4 - Phillip Winn
If work environments were realistically portrayed on television, what would be the point of watching? We could just go to work!
Real-life hospitals are fascinating at first, then dreadfully boring most of the time. A TV show has to remain interesting 17 hours a year for as many years as it can. I've watched 79 episodes of House and I'm still interested. I can't imagine still being fascinated after 55 hours of observing a real hospital.
5 - Karen Smith
Thank you Diane for a well written, very insightful look at the BEST show on television. Great job!