5.14 - The Greater Good

I respectfully disagree. She may be a role model and an inspiration to other females, but that's a side effect of her being in the field she was in, not the reason for it, and it shouldn't be the reason to stay in it if that's not what she wants. I guess I just have a problem with modern prioritizing, or what is viewed as the proper way to function in modern society. I think without some overarching mode of control, society doesn't work. I find this whole idea that you should only do things because they fullfill you to be dangerously selfish and, in many ways, nothing more than a product of an overindulgent society, a civic culture that allows citizens to be lax in taking care of their repsonsibilities. I can think of so many good places to go with this. House is the perfect poster boy for this sort of thing. He is accepted, ultimately because he exists within such a modern, highly connected, society. In an agrarian society, especially a Feudal society, I see him starving or getting his head bashed in. He only gets away with much of what he does because we live in a land of plenty. I would think he would understand this, I would think that he would realize that, for all his misanthropy, he can't exist without other people. I just felt like everyone got the wrong message from the POTW. People who give up shouldn't be canonized. Who you are is who you are. Even if you would rather not be labled a certain way, you have to understand that your actions are going reflect on your socio-economic status, your gender, etc. Political freedom and social freedom are not akin to free ice cream. People fought for freedoms but with those freedoms come responsibilities.

I just felt like everyone got the wrong message from the POTW. People who give up shouldn't be canonized. I don't think the writers feel there was one right message everyone should get. I think the issue of the greater good vs personal freedom is one that has been debated for ages and there's arguments to be made on both sides. E.M. Forster was all for priorising the personal over the greater good: "I hate the idea of causes, and if I had to choose between betraying my country and betraying my friend, I hope I should have the guts to betray my country." - E. M. Forster, Two Cheers for Democracy I don't think the POTW was supposed to be giving up, she was supposed to be reaching for what she wanted to do. What she wanted for her happiness and what others wanted for the greater good were two different things. I don't think there is one right answer to a dilemma like this for everyone.

Yes I appreciate that they finally got around to saying this, but it was too little, too late. They already made Cuddy react in a completely inappropriate, OTT way that pretty much trashes the character IMO. You can't take that away. Also, the way they played the apology, cane-giving-back scene implied to me that the PTB think this whole storyline is amusing. Well, I wasn't amused. Word. The damage is done for me.

Yes I appreciate that they finally got around to saying this, but it was too little, too late. They already made Cuddy react in a completely inappropriate, OTT way that pretty much trashes the character IMO. You can't take that away. Also, the way they played the apology, cane-giving-back scene implied to me that the PTB think this whole storyline is amusing. Well, I wasn't amused. Word. The damage is done for me. I didn't like it much myself, but I also hated Wilson's actions in Meaning, which were much more hurtful in my opinion, and I didn't much like him asking House to do the DBH, either, and never even acknowledging what he'd asked, but I did build a bridge and get over it and still love Wilson, so I'll find a way past this.

She could have pulled rank on Cameron and insisted she give the acting dean thing another go. She could have designated another acting dean. She could have installed a bassinet and a nanny in her humongous office. Blaming House because she feels torn between her responsibility to the hospital (i.e., keeping him in line) and parenthood is just lashing out at a convenient target. And that's behavior unbecoming a dean of medicine, IMO. She could have worked from home, if House was the only thing that was pulling her back to the hospital. House doesn't need constant supervision; he needs her yay or nay, what, a couple of times a week? And he almost never has her actually look at anything; it's just him talking and her replying. Wilson got it right in the end: Cuddy was back because she wanted to be back. It's frustrating that a show that had House unable to climb even a few stairs a few years ago, tonight has him able to climb four flights.

Wilson got it right in the end: Cuddy was back because she wanted to be back. And I think that's the realisation Cuddy came to, as well. She went through a process of realising what made her happy, and it was something she wasn't at all sure was right, so she displaced her discomfort--unlike the POTW who was comfortable in her own skin and did not take on other's discomfort. Cuddy right now is not comfortable in her own skin and it shows.

It's frustrating that a show that had House unable to climb even a few stairs a few years ago, tonight has him able to climb four flights. And pretty silly that we are supposed to buy that there are only two elevators in a hospital that size. And that Cuddy knew House would be the first one through the door with the trip wire. Sloppy writing.

like it
Best part about this episode: Wilson is trailing Cuddy, and saying, "You're hurting him. You're physically hurting him." Second best part: Wilson in his apartment washing dishes, looking sad. There simply cannot be enough Wilson in an episode for me. House was good too, in the scene in the Exam Room when he's taping up his scraped knee. And it amused me how surprisingly compliant he was with Cuddy, until she apologizes. I actually didn't mind Foreman/Thirteen this time -- it seemed to work, and perhaps, perhaps one of them is going to get kicked off the team! Thereby reducing the no. of ducklings to three and finally getting the show down to a manageable size. More Wilson, please.

Forgot to mention my favorite little detail, House sleeping in Wilson's office. I loved that, he could have gone to his own, but he didn't. Sure, Wilson's got the couch, but House has slept on his big, yellow chair before. I'm just glad they had three scenes together. I almost felt spoiled, which is kind of depressing. The coffee cup washing was nice but, all I kept thinking was how disgusting that thing had to be by now. It's been what? Half a year? Maybe a little more? And it's just been sitting there? I would think it would need a better scrubbing than what it got. Best part about this episode: Wilson is trailing Cuddy, and saying, "You're hurting him. You're physically hurting him." That was nice. I liked that he emphasized the 'physically' part.

Best part about this episode: Wilson is trailing Cuddy, and saying, "You're hurting him. You're physically hurting him." Agree. I hated that Cuddy was physically hurting House. Watching him climb the stairs was painful. Perhaps Cuddy was taking out her anger on House because she was pissed at herself for wanting to be at the hospital and not being home. She says she wants to be home but Wilson had her figured out. That's what friends do for each other. They open your eyes to things you don't want to see. Why or why does Wilson make my heart weep for him?

It's funny... I liked this episode, but I didn't love it. Yet I loved so many scenes! House diagnosing, House visiting 13, House in exam room, Wilson busting Cuddy and so many more. How can that be? I go over it in my head, all the scenes and am like "Yep, liked that one, ooh this one too... love that one..." WTF? LightMyCandle we actually had a discussion on twitter about how disgusting that mug must've been.

I respectfully disagree. She may be a role model and an inspiration to other females, but that's a side effect of her being in the field she was in, not the reason for it, and it shouldn't be the reason to stay in it if that's not what she wants. I guess I just have a problem with modern prioritizing, or what is viewed as the proper way to function in modern society. I think without some overarching mode of control, society doesn't work. I find this whole idea that you should only do things because they fullfill you to be dangerously selfish and, in many ways, nothing more than a product of an overindulgent society, a civic culture that allows citizens to be lax in taking care of their repsonsibilities. I can think of so many good places to go with this. House is the perfect poster boy for this sort of thing. He is accepted, ultimately because he exists within such a modern, highly connected, society. In an agrarian society, especially a Feudal society, I see him starving or getting his head bashed in. He only gets away with much of what he does because we live in a land of plenty. I would think he would understand this, I would think that he would realize that, for all his misanthropy, he can't exist without other people. I just felt like everyone got the wrong message from the POTW. People who give up shouldn't be canonized. Who you are is who you are. Even if you would rather not be labled a certain way, you have to understand that your actions are going reflect on your socio-economic status, your gender, etc. Political freedom and social freedom are not akin to free ice cream. People fought for freedoms but with those freedoms come responsibilities. Points taken. I actually think the PotW was very clumsily drawn. She gave up something that could have made a huge difference in the world to pursue what were basically hobbies. She would have come across as far less shallow if her "follow your bliss" philosophy had taken the form of giving up research to work for the Peace Corps or Doctors Without Borders or the Red Cross. Or becoming a musician or a cook because it can be a very soul-nourishing, life-affirming vocation -- not just because it gave her pleasure. In the end, though, the lesson that the other characters took from her was not doing what feels good, but doing what feels right and is important to them. Wilson: moving on from Amber. Taub: revisiting the idea of having children. Foreman: doing the right thing by his drug trial patients. Personal note: I left a career that I found frivolous for one in which I believed I could make a difference. And I did, a little, but the biggest difference I made was in my wallet. I couldn't pay my bills working in that new field. After three years, I went back to the old one because it was the responsible thing to do. I can now afford to make a difference on my own time, through music, volunteer work and other extracurriculars.

oh yeah
Oh yeah, what else did I love about the episode? Every single continuity shout-out. Blu the Janitor -- hello! Wilson is talking about Amber, admitting that he's still in her apartment. Yeah, we noticed this when House went to Wilson's place in "The Itch," but it's nice to have it confirmed in canon: Wilson is living in Amber's place because he can't let go. Big continuity shout-out, the one that had me gaping at the screen, amazed: when House confronts Foreman with the line that while Foreman was trying to save her, Foreman didn't ask Thirteen what she wanted. Perfect. "Three Stories." Thank you, writers, you have officially made my week. Thirteen's reaction to Foreman: "We've been going out for two weeks and you're already risking your medical licence...I don't think I'm ready for that yet." Another continuity issue tied up. Very good. I even liked Cuddy's apology. She knows she's messed up. And House forgives her, in the completely House-like way. It's uncharacteristic that he doesn't strike back, like Wilson said, but...the man can actually tone it down, he's not entirely insane. Okay, I agree with everyone on the board: Cuddy is ridiculous, acting so frazzled, and messing around with a colleague with pain issues. But (and don't flame me) we could be unhappy because we're entirely invested in House as a character, and we don't want to see him hurt. :) We love House. I love House. On the other hand, if the person who got hurt was the biggest a*****le at work that you know in Real Life, wouldn't feel just a smidge of schadenfreude to see him fall? Again, don't flame me: I heart House. I don't care what kind of a jerk he is; no one should make a cripple climb four flights of stairs. :)

Thought this was a solid episode. Lots of great scenes (loved the appearance of Blue the janitor). Random thoughs: Great scene with Wilson and the POTW ("I don't know how to get unstuck"). He sounded very honest when he said that Amber was the only person he had loved in a long time: she was honest and knew how to be good for him. She hit him like a ton of bricks:, she'd want him to wash the cup and move on too. House looked terrific, loved "Rational Man"... he's less of an ass lately and Cuddy is more of one. Maybe she's just more of a jerk than we had thought, especially when she's out to prank House (the laxative for someone on pain meds was medically indefensible too). I think it has to do with her frustration with him after seeing the hooker with him, her frustration at having to be at work to make decisions on his cases, and her frustration at all the ramifications (not concerning House) of her choice to adopt. I agree with air that Wilson has been much crueller to House (for his own good) and equally cruel as a prankster (sawed through his cane). I pretty much got over that, but it comes back when I see Meaning. "Lock-a-room" ha! I love this show.

View Full Version: 5.14 - The Greater Good