4.05 Mirror Mirror

Re: racy icons
I am hesitant to do this, but may I politely request that people not use sexual subjects for their icons? I have grandchildren who sometimes visit and come up behind me while I’m at the computer and I don’t want to have to try and explain the facts of life to preschoolers. I'm hestitant, too, but I agree with you. I sneak peeks at work! I enjoyed this episode in the lightest way possible, but I have zero interest in re-watching it. I'm weary of "survivor," and I'm feeling less instead of more invested in the newbies. :( I don't care about 13's "secret" and the doctors without borders guy looks like he's suffering from clinical depression.

I believe that you can disable the graphics and reset them at any time. eta: or maybe not. That's a question for one of the technical threads, but many boards do offer that option.

A few things about this episode and the fandom reactions to it... 1. I really enjoyed Foreman this episode, and appreciated the amount of maturity in his relationship with House. That right there is dynamic character evolution, and one of the most impressive bits of writing/acting of the duckling arc so far. But I've never hated Foreman as vehemently as some do, so obviously I'm biased. 2. Who directed this episode?! That bit where Wilson is all "I am so dominant" to House is made so much more brilliant and hilarious by that tiny detail of House opening the door for Wilson. I caught it on second viewing but boy, little mark of genius right there.

dob and mmp I brought up the issue over in the Troubleshooting area because I have the work issue too (coupled with an open office environment in which you can see what's on almost everyone's screens). On the Taub mirror scene, we see that he's attracted to power. I wonder if that tells us something about why he'd leave a successful plastic surgery practice. After all, the bulk of his work was focused on vanity. In diagnostics, he'd be involved in life and death situations. A plastic surgeon would seem to be very low on the hierarchy of "powerful" surgeons -- especially compared to, say, neurosurgeons, trauma surgeons, cardiac surgeons, etc. They're usually the guys that are the cowboys in every hospital. A plastic surgeon? Not so much. I wonder if he was feeling trapped and powerless in that life, prompting the move into something with a lot more -- to quote House -- balls.

Maybe 13's deep dark secret is that she's Tritter's niece. Or she has some sort of terminal illness. I'm betting on her having murdered her entire family (including the family dog) as a very young child and became a doctor to expiate her sins.... :wink:

What did everyone think about information that 13 is very scared of something? I assumed it just meant she was scared at the moment because she was doing a risky procedure not long after having killed off a pacient. I hope that's all it was because the whole "mysterious #13" thing isn't working on me. I'm less curious about her than I am about most of the other candidates. Not to say that I dislike her, I just don't find her very interesting. I really enjoyed this episode. I was having a crap day and having a lighter episode like this was just what I needed so I may be a bit biased towards it, but I too enjoy a bit of levity to offset the angst. I wouldn't want it all the time because I am a huge fan of the angst. But I genuinely like the character of House and enjoy seeing him happier sometimes. Actually to me, the fact that he clearly tries to enjoy things and have a good time makes those angsty moments all the more poignant. As someone mentioned- it wouldn't do to have every episode filled with House sitting in the dark brooding to angst-filled music. (Though I would totally watch a show that was just Hugh Laurie brooding to angst filled music.)

On the Taub mirror scene, we see that he's attracted to power. I wonder if that tells us something about why he'd leave a successful plastic surgery practice. After all, the bulk of his work was focused on vanity. In diagnostics, he'd be involved in life and death situations. A plastic surgeon would seem to be very low on the hierarchy of "powerful" surgeons -- especially compared to, say, neurosurgeons, trauma surgeons, cardiac surgeons, etc. They're usually the guys that are the cowboys in every hospital. A plastic surgeon? Not so much. I wonder if he was feeling trapped and powerless in that life, prompting the move into something with a lot more -- to quote House -- balls. One of the attractions to plastic surgery is the possibility for a normal life once one is an attending. Even the ones who specialize in non-vanity surgery (cranial malformations, etc.) can schedule their time. There aren't an awful lot of emergency face lifts at 3 in the morning. So Taub is willing to give up a comfortable, structured life where he could make tons of money in return for working with and learning from House. One of the things I like best about House is that it usually balances angst and humor extraordinarily well. It has always been a drama with comedic moments coming naturally out of the characters' personalities. Season 3 got so dark because the characters, especially House, didn't have anything to laugh about. (And there were still a few laughs.) This season I think has tipped a bit too far into the "one hour sitcom" arena for me with the angst artifically added. The only patient I cared about at all was in Alone (to the point where I'm still looking up the episodes to remember who the patients were and what they had.) If I have to chose between this and an episode like Family, I'll take the fluff we've had so far this season. But I'm hoping that the writers find that balance again, soon. ETA: I think 13's secret is that she has some strange disease that leaves people without any discernable personalities. Fortunately it is not contagious.

Overall I thought this was a great episode because it was packed. Sure it may have been packed with details about the newbies that I dont necassarily care about, but it was packed nonetheless. A testament to the great writing and superb acting of course. Thought Frank Whaley kicked much ass. Wasn't as funny as I usually like, but nobody is perfect.

Count me in with those who enjoyed the episode. I don't usually have too much to say about the episodes on the whole just because by the time I have the chance to look in on the episode threads (no computer at home, but a very understanding workplace) someone -- or several someones -- has already said what I might have, and likely in a much clearer fashion. I want to have a look at the episode again to get a better handle on some of the character interactions, but for now I'll say that while the mirroring was a completely unsubtle way to go about quick character development, it was something that was necessary. And really entertaining. I'm good with that.

ITA. I think I'm going to back off reading these comments about each episode, because I'm finding that it's actually interfering with my enjoyment of the show. Last season, everyone on That Weird Other Place was in a froth because the show had gotten so dark and had lost its humor. This year, here, there are some people who are upset because the show isn't angsty enough and it's lost its focus because it's too light. One of the things I treasure about this show is that it mixes both dark and light. When I tune in, I never know what I'm going to get (unless I start reading the spoilers, which I'm discovering really do spoil it for me). I'll say this once, and then I'll go away: For the most part, I like what the writers are doing. That doesn't mean I love every episode, and I certainly was not fond of the Tritter arc, but on the whole, sure. When I watch the show, I'm almost guaranteed to get some clever writing, humor & angst, insight into human behavor, phenomenal acting by HL, twists and turns I don't expect, and a view into a strange alternate universe that I never once confuse with real life. What more could I ask out of a TV show that doesn't cost me a dime? Do I expect every show to be a gem? No. Do I expect that every episode will be my cup of tea? No. But, as I said in my earlier message, I'm enjoying the ride. I'm looking forward to where this journey is taking me. When I stop enjoying myself, I'll stop watching. I guess the short version is that I don't feel the need to agonize over every detail of every episode, so maybe this part of HHOW isn't for me. See you all in other areas... ITA, Sherlockjr. What I find most attractive about this show -- I mean, aside from the brilliant and always astonishing Hugh Laurie -- is its variety and complexity. It's inevitable that viewers are looking for, and finding, a huge range of aspects to like, dislike, discuss, argue about. The very thing I like most about an episode might be over the top for someone else, and no matter what the writers and directors come up with someone will be unhappy. I could wish that everyone would settle down and stop taking every little detail so seriously, but that might be just what that person enjoys about watching. And no matter what anyone might say, the fact that more and more people are watching this show and analyzing the tiniest little detail is exactly what the producers want. So nitpick away, as long as it means I'll get to keep watching my all-time favorite show.

I thought last season did get way too dark for my tastes. This season has been like a breath of fresh air. I don't expect it to be nothing but comedy but I don't think they've lost their balance, I mean the man did electrocute himself two episodes ago. It took me a while to realize that the reason 13 wanted to go with Cole was because she didn't want to be mirrored, when they were offscreen, I kind of forgot about them. 2. Who directed this episode?! That bit where Wilson is all "I am so dominant" to House is made so much more brilliant and hilarious by that tiny detail of House opening the door for Wilson. I caught it on second viewing but boy, little mark of genius right there. I freaking loved that. Did House even consciously do it? Did Wilson even consciously realize he was doing it? I thought Wilson would continue to needle him about that but nothing was said, which I actually prefered. Oh and Wilson's adorable little shrug after he said he was in charge of their relationship was all kinds of cute.

On House's cane dance: I loved House's physical exhuberance here as he cavorted triumphantly brandishing his cane, riding it and then shooting it. We have rarely seen him so mobile or physically expressive. He was doing several things at once -- showing off to the entire staff, crowing at having had the Mirror re-establish the right order of the Universe with him at the top, applauding himself for having solved the medical mystery, and not incidentally, displaying his physical agility to impress Cuddy. I thought it was a wonderful and light-filled moment in a great episode. On Thirteen's expression of fear: I thought it was pretty clear that she, like the other candidates who met the Mirror, was reflecting an interior emotion that she shared with House. We don't know yet what they fear, but it is certain that there are multiple sources for this in both of them. This episode was tightly constructed, well-written and paced, expertly acted by all parties, complicated in its redemption theme for Foreman, light-hearted in its look at the childishness of House and Cuddy. I am sure we will get back to the brooding and grimness with another swing of the pendulum in the future, but for now this was an excellent tour of the brighter side.

The playfulness between Cuddy and House in this episode reminded me of the guitar-snatching of the first episode, which admittedly, I loved at first viewing but like less and less. I don't think that the new lightness of "House" is in ANY way a return to pre-S3. S2 and S3 are equally good to me and for different reasons, but I don't think S1 or S2 were as light as S4 has been so far. It bothers me only a little. I don't LOVE it, but I love the writing and acting in the show too much to get annoyingly nitpicky about it. I have to say, though, the laxative thing just felt wrong. I could not imagine the Cuddy of ANY of the past three seasons doing that. The characters all feel different to me this season, which I'm sure is to be expected, but a little more of the familiar formula of vintage "House" could go a long way after what I consider a very mixed bag: the first five episodes.

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