December 12, 2006: Merry Little Christmas
Viewers have been vocal about their dislike of the Tritter (
David Morse) story line, pointing specifically to his seemingly unlimited powers. "It's unrealistic," they scream. In real life, there's no way a cop would be able to freeze bank accounts and impound cars and whatever else Tritter has done. But that's the kicker, isn't it? And that's why I haven't been all that bothered by Tritter's boundless powers. If we are going to hold dramas to the standards of reality, then we'll all end up watching documentaries. I'm open to suspending reality in my entertainment viewing. It's what kept me tuning in to shows like
24 and
Alias. However, I am growing a bit tired of the Tritter arc, mostly because it forces me to recognize the unrealistic elements that are the cornerstone of this series. I have to step back and say, like so many others,
that's so unrealistic! Tonight's episode, featuring Abigail (Kacie Borrowman), an apparent dwarf with multisystem failure, and her actual dwarf mother (
Meredith Eaton-Gilden), provided the perfect opportunity to do so.
First off, what is Cuddy's problem? She's pissed at Wilson because he took action to end the Tritter-House standoff? Cuddy's priorities are as self-centered as House's. She is so wrapped up in turning a profit for the hospital that she repeatedly opens up said hospital to litigation by allowing a known drug addict to practice medicine. Now that she has no choice, Cuddy pulls House's privileges until he accepts the deal. If there were some degree of concern for House then Cuddy's actions wouldn't bug me so much, but as it stands her sudden hard line rings false.
Then there's the annoying Cameron and her petulant approach to standing on her principles. She disapproves of Cuddy and Wilson's methods of persuasion, yet she's so disrespectful of her superiors in expressing that disapproval that it's a wonder she still has a job. In the real world that would be a whole different story. I'll cut Cameron some slack because her actions stem from true concern for House, and because the pair did share a nice moment at his home where she discovered him cutting himself to relieve his leg pain. But still, her sourpuss needs to lighten up.
Despite his shortcomings, House has good friends. But I have to ask: Is there really a friend as loyal and caring as Wilson? How much will this man go through to save his friend? Wilson first betrays House to Tritter but then decides not to testify, risking the possibility of jail because "statistically, House is a positive force in the universe." So tell me why Wilson would then find House on the verge of an overdose and leave him collapsed on the floor? Does this make sense? Not to me!
Miraculously, House gets it together enough to accept the deal before his time runs out. Or so he thinks, because not only can Tritter make these deals, but he can also take them off the table. Who needs a DA?
On top of all of these oh-so-realistic happenings is the medical aspect of the show. Patient Abigail has a team of doctors who may as well be the three stooges because without House - the
Vicodin addict - none of them can come up with anything that resembles a diagnosis. Why are these doctors so inept? House, in his own withdrawal haze, can "out-diagnose" Wilson. It's unclear to me why there's even a staff of doctors at Princeton-Plainsboro when they only need the one.
On the whole, it was disappointing to see the depths to which House had fallen. He's the hero of the show. We don't want to see him with foam oozing from his mouth or just being plain old nasty to characters we like. I knew that at some point the show would have to address the addiction - and it is doing a phenomenal job of illustrating that problem. But I for one am missing the crackle of the medical drama as it used to be. Tritter's presence has turned the show into a soap opera, filled with extremes that make me long for a guest star that we'll only see once.
Questions: Was House's call to Mom a goodbye before a suicide attempt? Did Tritter ever intend to let House take the deal?
