Finished watching House's 3rd season.
Overall a nice and fun series. The writing is mostly good and snappy, and generally enjoyable to watch. I have a certain number of issue with it : lack of consistency in characterization, occasionnal heavy handed handle of themes, abuse of soapish elements, how female characters and written as EMOTIONAL!... but overall it's very much fun.
Of course I couldn't care any less about medical related mysteries so much of the fun comes from dialogues (that's generally good), the characters (good overall, with some frustrating points), and the thematics (generally bad - it's rare where the storytelling really reach a point where it lifts and gains resonnance. Let's not mention their attempts at doing seasonnal arcs.)
So characters, House is a darling of course. There's a few annoying back-and-forth with his characterizations that are quite frustrating, and the increasing level of jerk behaviour tends to lower his appeal (I thought he was actually too nice in season 1 - he was all woobie-like! - then he got to be occasionnally too mean, or maybe just too over the top about it. They need to find a good balance). I think I have more issues with when he's more dishonnest/manipulative (even when it's good/fun drama) than when he's too rude/frank. And sometimes he's too ridiculously childish.
I love the ducklings. Cameron was a favourite at first, then lately it's Chase. But I really like all of them. They've got a good balance of flaws and qualities, secrets and reveals, and they don't suffer as much of characterization inconsistency as House does. Cameron's the one who suffers the most of it, though. I haven't followed up on who wrote which episode, but I got the impression she came out differently depending on who's writing her (especially when they don't know how to write someone who wants to do good / is compassionate without turning it either into hypocrisy or sugar-coated fluff). Chase's the one that comes out as the most consistent, I like how he can pull the sneaky bastard traits, ass kissing, bitter sense of humour all warped into the careless, glib act. Also I like that he's a very original kind of character.
I like Cuddy, but it's very frustrating how she's being written. The incompetence, lack of backbone and the OMG!emotionnal makes me go argh all the time. I was okay with how they did the emotionnal thing with Cameron - it's her shtick, and as long as they do it (more-or-less) well, it works - but doing it with Cuddy is out of bound given her character's responsabilty and comes across as really sexist. I like Cuddy, though. She's got good dialogue and sassiness and most of the interraction with House is very fun. And she's hot :)
I dislike Wilson. Am I the only one here? Help? Why does everyone adore him and House/Wilson? Bugger if I know. I think the only thing i like about him is the occasionnal playfulness and pranks they have going on. Otherwise... yeah, I dislike him. I don't get him. I don't get how and why he cares. About anything really, but House in first. I don't buy it. I can really love a character who's manipulative and passive agressive behind a nice and pretty act (hello, Remus?), but with Wilson I don't get what's his issues and reasons are like being a werewolf is for Remus, so it all falls down to is his massive hypocrisy and nosiness - which I can't stand. (Yes, House can be extremely nosy as well but it's for the sake of a/ knowing stuff/solving a puzzle, b/ getting a very specific aim which is undoubtly selfish. He doesn't pretend it's for someone's own good).
Relationship wise, what I'm interesting is the House/Ducklings interraction in general. It hits my self used Mentor/Students button very squarely. I don't (necessarly) mean in a shippy way (although I liked the House/Cameron shippiness in S1, mostly because of how dysfunctionnal it was). I like that he's protective of them, and they're protective of him. I like that he wants them to be confident in their own decision. Lots of interesting dynamics.
For slash purpose, although House/Chase and House/Foreman would both be interesting to explore, I have some big suspencion of disbelief in writing House as bi - why the hell wouldn't he be out about it and using it to jerk people around, along with everything else? I assume people's who's read fics have seen different treatments of that, is there any convincing one?
So, yeah, I'm taking fic recs. Anything but House/Wilson ;)
Overall a nice and fun series. The writing is mostly good and snappy, and generally enjoyable to watch. I have a certain number of issue with it : lack of consistency in characterization, occasionnal heavy handed handle of themes, abuse of soapish elements, how female characters and written as EMOTIONAL!... but overall it's very much fun.
Of course I couldn't care any less about medical related mysteries so much of the fun comes from dialogues (that's generally good), the characters (good overall, with some frustrating points), and the thematics (generally bad - it's rare where the storytelling really reach a point where it lifts and gains resonnance. Let's not mention their attempts at doing seasonnal arcs.)
So characters, House is a darling of course. There's a few annoying back-and-forth with his characterizations that are quite frustrating, and the increasing level of jerk behaviour tends to lower his appeal (I thought he was actually too nice in season 1 - he was all woobie-like! - then he got to be occasionnally too mean, or maybe just too over the top about it. They need to find a good balance). I think I have more issues with when he's more dishonnest/manipulative (even when it's good/fun drama) than when he's too rude/frank. And sometimes he's too ridiculously childish.
I love the ducklings. Cameron was a favourite at first, then lately it's Chase. But I really like all of them. They've got a good balance of flaws and qualities, secrets and reveals, and they don't suffer as much of characterization inconsistency as House does. Cameron's the one who suffers the most of it, though. I haven't followed up on who wrote which episode, but I got the impression she came out differently depending on who's writing her (especially when they don't know how to write someone who wants to do good / is compassionate without turning it either into hypocrisy or sugar-coated fluff). Chase's the one that comes out as the most consistent, I like how he can pull the sneaky bastard traits, ass kissing, bitter sense of humour all warped into the careless, glib act. Also I like that he's a very original kind of character.
I like Cuddy, but it's very frustrating how she's being written. The incompetence, lack of backbone and the OMG!emotionnal makes me go argh all the time. I was okay with how they did the emotionnal thing with Cameron - it's her shtick, and as long as they do it (more-or-less) well, it works - but doing it with Cuddy is out of bound given her character's responsabilty and comes across as really sexist. I like Cuddy, though. She's got good dialogue and sassiness and most of the interraction with House is very fun. And she's hot :)
I dislike Wilson. Am I the only one here? Help? Why does everyone adore him and House/Wilson? Bugger if I know. I think the only thing i like about him is the occasionnal playfulness and pranks they have going on. Otherwise... yeah, I dislike him. I don't get him. I don't get how and why he cares. About anything really, but House in first. I don't buy it. I can really love a character who's manipulative and passive agressive behind a nice and pretty act (hello, Remus?), but with Wilson I don't get what's his issues and reasons are like being a werewolf is for Remus, so it all falls down to is his massive hypocrisy and nosiness - which I can't stand. (Yes, House can be extremely nosy as well but it's for the sake of a/ knowing stuff/solving a puzzle, b/ getting a very specific aim which is undoubtly selfish. He doesn't pretend it's for someone's own good).
Relationship wise, what I'm interesting is the House/Ducklings interraction in general. It hits my self used Mentor/Students button very squarely. I don't (necessarly) mean in a shippy way (although I liked the House/Cameron shippiness in S1, mostly because of how dysfunctionnal it was). I like that he's protective of them, and they're protective of him. I like that he wants them to be confident in their own decision. Lots of interesting dynamics.
For slash purpose, although House/Chase and House/Foreman would both be interesting to explore, I have some big suspencion of disbelief in writing House as bi - why the hell wouldn't he be out about it and using it to jerk people around, along with everything else? I assume people's who's read fics have seen different treatments of that, is there any convincing one?
So, yeah, I'm taking fic recs. Anything but House/Wilson ;)
no subject
Date: 26 August 2007 11:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 27 August 2007 06:16 am (UTC)Although that's an interresting theory.
no subject
Date: 28 August 2007 04:42 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 29 August 2007 03:55 am (UTC)House is fantastic,and yeah he can get very manipulative, but I hope he'll finally hit his true rockbottom so he can come up and just be leveled out.
The ducks are lovely, I adore their dynamics with each other and with House, though I'm more fond of Foreman of the three. hehe.
I really don't ship anyone (definitely not in with the whole house/cuddy thing) but if there were some intelligent house/anyone else, I would probably read it. Fun series, despite the really gross/detailed surgery/mishap scenes. XD always flinched and look away.