Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Pardon the Interruption: House 8:22 - Everybody Dies

Overall: 8.2

Well. That was far more optimistic than either SABR Matt or I anticipated.


Plot Synopsis:

The official recap can be found here.

The Skinny:

To be honest with you, I think I'm going to need a few more weeks - or months - to dissect the conversations House has with himself in this episode. What I can give you right now is merely my initial reaction -- which, as the score above suggests, is basically positive. I like that House's story has concluded on a vaguely hopeful note.

Earlier this year, SABR Matt and I settled on two possible endings that we were willing to accept: 1) House's nihilism finally drives him to suicide, or 2) House realizes that his manner of living is maladaptive and consequently takes his first step towards real, healthy love. And what happens here, pray tell? That wily bastard Shore executes a head-fake in the direction of option one before fully embracing option two. It's like he's been reading our minds -- or perhaps we've been reading his.

I haven't hazarded a glance at the fan reaction to this finale - that's something I dread, actually - but I suspect this episode will be polarizing for many years to come. Personally, I think it's a good thing that House chooses a personal connection with another human being over the lifestyle of a "tortured genius" -- but then, neither Matt nor I have kept secret our distaste for the sort of personal philosophy that House usually champions. Consistently expecting the worst of people and brooking no acknowledgment of the transcendent? That's no way to go through life, son. Indeed, as House himself has repeatedly demonstrated, that's a good way to end up broken and alone.

So yeah -- House blowing up his life and riding off into the sunset with Wilson? I'm strangely cool with that. But, as the kids on the net say, your mileage may vary.     

Writing: 8.0

A few carry-over issues from last week pull down this score. While the final peek into House's head space is certainly fascinating, it still makes no damn sense that House would face jail time for stopping up the hospital toilets -- especially right after he frelling strangled someone. What the hell, writers?

Acting: 8.5

The performances this week, while still strong, were more low-key.

Message: 8.0

Evidently, Shore doesn't believe House was just fine the way he was -- and thank goodness for that!

1 comment:

  1. On careful second thought...I am now quite pleased with the way House ended in every respect except...I wish it had been a two-hour finale instead of a self-indulgent love-fest for the staff in the first hour so we could really explore House's decision path in greater depth.

    I was, all year, hoping that House was abandon his selfish quests, abandon his tortured genius belief, and go find Cuddy, pill free. I now believe that if he'd gone after Cuddy, it would have been yet another selfish act. After everything that transpired between them, he would be making things VERY hard for her and it would not have served Cuddy any purpose. I believe House made the only truly selfless decision he could make here...disappear and live entirely for someone else. He's not thinking about himself as they ride off on those motorcycles...and that is an absolute first.

    So...actually, this now feels like he loved Cuddy enough to let her go...ditto for Stacy, for Dominika (albeit...a bit too late), and for his team.

    Notice that the people he told about his still being alive were only people who would actually benefit from that knowledge. The rest...thinking him dead...are now poised to move on with their lives and are better people for having associated with him.

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