Since the beginning of season 4 of 'House MD', 粉丝 and 电视 critics alike have been questioning the show's story structure and direction. There have been some significant changes to the show's cast, character development and episode structure. Some of these changes were well-received, while others still anger fans. Here, I want to assess some of these issues, with the aim of defending and promoting critical analysis of a 显示 that many 粉丝 are now abandoning.
The Spring Clean of Season 4
At the end of season 3, Chase, Cameron and Foreman were removed from the main cast, and season 4 saw House choosing his replacement employees reality tv style. At the time, many 粉丝 were angry that Chase, Cameron and Foreman were being replaced. And many 粉丝 became even angrier when Foreman was brought back on the team permanently, whilst Cameron and Chase moved on to other things. Other 粉丝 loved the change of character scenery and enjoyed House's weekly whittling down of potential ducklings.
Ever since the beginning of the show, 'House MD' was critiqued for being formulaic. That is, the 显示 followed a specific format every week and was predictable in its story structure. Now, normally I would say who cares? The story structure needs to be that way because the 显示 is about how medicine can at times be so complex that it takes a freak-of-nature genius to figure it out and even he sometimes cannot find an answer. The medicine, in seasons 1, 2 and 3 was always in the foreground, and therefore the writers had very few options to play with in terms of story structure. In a medical 显示 hat prioritises the medicine and a medical mind (House), it is has not to follow the patient-gets-sick-then-gets-sicker-then-gets-even-sicker-but-then-House-saves-the-day-at-the-last-minute approach. That story structure was kinda the point of the show.
BUT, 电视 critics, and even some fans, were pressuring the 显示 to change things up, accusing the 显示 of getting stale. Realistically, the producers and writers had no choice but to over-haul the 显示 in order to maintain the show’s popularity and critical acclaim. So, in true House fashion, big, dramatic changes were made.
Whether 你 like 或者 agree with such changes is relevant: they happened and they are here to stay. There is still debate, and there always will be, about whether these changes were right 或者 wrong 或者 necessary. It is interesting, however, to look at the by-products of these changes in season 4 and how they are impacting the 显示 through seasons 5 and 6.
The Aftermath of a Clean Up
The shift in focus from House's medical genius to his quest to find the perfect set of new ducklings meant that the 显示 shifted from a medically driven 显示 to a relationship driven show. In season 1, 2 and 3, House's interactions with people had been in the background, occasionally moved into the limelight, then pushed aside again, making way for medical mystery and Houseian genius. However, the need for House to employ new fellows meant that the writers would need to spend 更多 time looking at the individual characters who were applying for the job, as well as House's character and the other people around him (Wilson, Cuddy etc). So it was necessary that character development became a foreground issue on the show, while the medicine took a back seat.
If we then 移动 into the end of season 4, we begin to see a bit 更多 of a balance between the character driven stories and the medically driven stories. And again, we see that they 显示 is criticised for simply reverting back to its old formulaic ways with new characters. This forces the writers to make dramatic changes once again, so they reintroduce Amber and then kill her. Episodes such as 'House's Head' cannot be accused of following the same formulaic story structures seen in earlier seasons.
Again, in the beginning of season 5, the cycle repeats itself. Things settle down again at Princeton-Plainsboro, and critics call it formulaic and boring. So again, the focus shifts to the characters and big dramatic moments define the season and the individual episodes. The medicine, it seems, moving further and further into the background of the show.
Season 6 has been very focused on characters and relationships. Episodes like 'Wilson' and '5 To 9' are perfect examples of the writers changing up the format of the show, but still keeping the focus on the characters. My fear with this kind of change is that we are perhaps loosing House a little. There has been much criticism from both tv critics and 粉丝 that the 显示 is focusing too much on the lives of the other characters on the 显示 and neglecting the main character, House. I don't think that is what is happening. I think 由 giving us a look at the lives of other characters, we see how House impacts their lives. Whether its Thirteen's Huntington's, Cuddy's relationships, living with Wilson, Kutner's death, Foreman's brother, Taub's marriage 或者 people from House's past, looking at their lives gives us an indirect look at House's life and a direct look at how House's behaviour impacts other people.
So What Does This Mean?
Due to the demands of the entertainment industry and the way that the entertainment industry is evolving, it is necessary for tv shows to keep their audience. To do that, they need to keep things interesting. For 'House MD', this has meant shifting to 更多 of a focus on the character development for all characters in the show. Sure, the medicine has taken a back seat, and that is, in some ways, worrying. We don't, for example, ever expect 或者 want the 显示 to turn into 'Grey's Anatomy' 或者 'Scrubs' where the focus is squarely and barely ever diverted from the characters and their lives. 'House MD' needs to be about the medicine, because House (the character) always prioritises the medicine.
What I am saying, is that we need to take a critical look at our fandom. Critics are paid to write their opinions and, lets be honest, the bulk of them will write something that will grab attention rather than actually be a critical analysis of the show/ But we, as fans, have the power to critically assess the 显示 on a much deeper level than some 随意 tv reviewer. The problem is we need to start actually doing it.
Due to the intensity that certain episodes have 给 us (for example 'House's Head', 'Broken', 'Simple Explanation' and so on), I think we have become addicted to epic moments. That is, we crave intensity and life-changing moments every week. If it isn't shocking, it isn't good. If it doesn't fit what I expected 或者 wanted to happen, it isn't good. A good example (and I hesitate to use it due to the obvious reasons!) is the Lucas/Cuddy storyline. Lets face it, Huddy has the largest, loudest 粉丝 base (please note that that does not make Huddy superior!). But back when Lucas appeared on the scene in season 5, people loved him (in general). Now, in season 6, people hate him, and some hate Cuddy too, claiming that the characters have changed and become bad people. Firstly, the characters have not changed, they have been developed, due to the process that I have described in the first part of this article. Secondly, and most importantly, the kind of emotional reactions that Luddy has generated are exactly what drives the change from a medically focused 显示 to a relationship driven show. 由 buying into the relationships to the degree that we do as hardcore fans, we are supporting that shift in story focus. I'm not saying that is a bad thing 或者 a good thing, but it is an explanation. 粉丝 and critics alike have blasted the 显示 recently for becoming a soap opera; yet we crave, demand and support that soap opera each week.
So, I think what we need, as a fandom, if we are to continue to positively participate in the support of 'House MD' is some critical thinking about what makes this 显示 so great, where we think it could improve and why we think those things. For some of us, the 更多 最近的 seasons have been disappointing. Some of us have stopped watching altogether. Some of us are loving every twist and turn. Instead of arguing about couples and characters, abusing the writers and producers and mourning seasons past, I think we need to critically and logically evaluate the 显示 as it is and put 前锋, 期待 our ideas in a way that helps us express our points of view 更多 effectively to fellow 粉丝 and the people who write and produce the show.
The Spring Clean of Season 4
At the end of season 3, Chase, Cameron and Foreman were removed from the main cast, and season 4 saw House choosing his replacement employees reality tv style. At the time, many 粉丝 were angry that Chase, Cameron and Foreman were being replaced. And many 粉丝 became even angrier when Foreman was brought back on the team permanently, whilst Cameron and Chase moved on to other things. Other 粉丝 loved the change of character scenery and enjoyed House's weekly whittling down of potential ducklings.
Ever since the beginning of the show, 'House MD' was critiqued for being formulaic. That is, the 显示 followed a specific format every week and was predictable in its story structure. Now, normally I would say who cares? The story structure needs to be that way because the 显示 is about how medicine can at times be so complex that it takes a freak-of-nature genius to figure it out and even he sometimes cannot find an answer. The medicine, in seasons 1, 2 and 3 was always in the foreground, and therefore the writers had very few options to play with in terms of story structure. In a medical 显示 hat prioritises the medicine and a medical mind (House), it is has not to follow the patient-gets-sick-then-gets-sicker-then-gets-even-sicker-but-then-House-saves-the-day-at-the-last-minute approach. That story structure was kinda the point of the show.
BUT, 电视 critics, and even some fans, were pressuring the 显示 to change things up, accusing the 显示 of getting stale. Realistically, the producers and writers had no choice but to over-haul the 显示 in order to maintain the show’s popularity and critical acclaim. So, in true House fashion, big, dramatic changes were made.
Whether 你 like 或者 agree with such changes is relevant: they happened and they are here to stay. There is still debate, and there always will be, about whether these changes were right 或者 wrong 或者 necessary. It is interesting, however, to look at the by-products of these changes in season 4 and how they are impacting the 显示 through seasons 5 and 6.
The Aftermath of a Clean Up
The shift in focus from House's medical genius to his quest to find the perfect set of new ducklings meant that the 显示 shifted from a medically driven 显示 to a relationship driven show. In season 1, 2 and 3, House's interactions with people had been in the background, occasionally moved into the limelight, then pushed aside again, making way for medical mystery and Houseian genius. However, the need for House to employ new fellows meant that the writers would need to spend 更多 time looking at the individual characters who were applying for the job, as well as House's character and the other people around him (Wilson, Cuddy etc). So it was necessary that character development became a foreground issue on the show, while the medicine took a back seat.
If we then 移动 into the end of season 4, we begin to see a bit 更多 of a balance between the character driven stories and the medically driven stories. And again, we see that they 显示 is criticised for simply reverting back to its old formulaic ways with new characters. This forces the writers to make dramatic changes once again, so they reintroduce Amber and then kill her. Episodes such as 'House's Head' cannot be accused of following the same formulaic story structures seen in earlier seasons.
Again, in the beginning of season 5, the cycle repeats itself. Things settle down again at Princeton-Plainsboro, and critics call it formulaic and boring. So again, the focus shifts to the characters and big dramatic moments define the season and the individual episodes. The medicine, it seems, moving further and further into the background of the show.
Season 6 has been very focused on characters and relationships. Episodes like 'Wilson' and '5 To 9' are perfect examples of the writers changing up the format of the show, but still keeping the focus on the characters. My fear with this kind of change is that we are perhaps loosing House a little. There has been much criticism from both tv critics and 粉丝 that the 显示 is focusing too much on the lives of the other characters on the 显示 and neglecting the main character, House. I don't think that is what is happening. I think 由 giving us a look at the lives of other characters, we see how House impacts their lives. Whether its Thirteen's Huntington's, Cuddy's relationships, living with Wilson, Kutner's death, Foreman's brother, Taub's marriage 或者 people from House's past, looking at their lives gives us an indirect look at House's life and a direct look at how House's behaviour impacts other people.
So What Does This Mean?
Due to the demands of the entertainment industry and the way that the entertainment industry is evolving, it is necessary for tv shows to keep their audience. To do that, they need to keep things interesting. For 'House MD', this has meant shifting to 更多 of a focus on the character development for all characters in the show. Sure, the medicine has taken a back seat, and that is, in some ways, worrying. We don't, for example, ever expect 或者 want the 显示 to turn into 'Grey's Anatomy' 或者 'Scrubs' where the focus is squarely and barely ever diverted from the characters and their lives. 'House MD' needs to be about the medicine, because House (the character) always prioritises the medicine.
What I am saying, is that we need to take a critical look at our fandom. Critics are paid to write their opinions and, lets be honest, the bulk of them will write something that will grab attention rather than actually be a critical analysis of the show/ But we, as fans, have the power to critically assess the 显示 on a much deeper level than some 随意 tv reviewer. The problem is we need to start actually doing it.
Due to the intensity that certain episodes have 给 us (for example 'House's Head', 'Broken', 'Simple Explanation' and so on), I think we have become addicted to epic moments. That is, we crave intensity and life-changing moments every week. If it isn't shocking, it isn't good. If it doesn't fit what I expected 或者 wanted to happen, it isn't good. A good example (and I hesitate to use it due to the obvious reasons!) is the Lucas/Cuddy storyline. Lets face it, Huddy has the largest, loudest 粉丝 base (please note that that does not make Huddy superior!). But back when Lucas appeared on the scene in season 5, people loved him (in general). Now, in season 6, people hate him, and some hate Cuddy too, claiming that the characters have changed and become bad people. Firstly, the characters have not changed, they have been developed, due to the process that I have described in the first part of this article. Secondly, and most importantly, the kind of emotional reactions that Luddy has generated are exactly what drives the change from a medically focused 显示 to a relationship driven show. 由 buying into the relationships to the degree that we do as hardcore fans, we are supporting that shift in story focus. I'm not saying that is a bad thing 或者 a good thing, but it is an explanation. 粉丝 and critics alike have blasted the 显示 recently for becoming a soap opera; yet we crave, demand and support that soap opera each week.
So, I think what we need, as a fandom, if we are to continue to positively participate in the support of 'House MD' is some critical thinking about what makes this 显示 so great, where we think it could improve and why we think those things. For some of us, the 更多 最近的 seasons have been disappointing. Some of us have stopped watching altogether. Some of us are loving every twist and turn. Instead of arguing about couples and characters, abusing the writers and producers and mourning seasons past, I think we need to critically and logically evaluate the 显示 as it is and put 前锋, 期待 our ideas in a way that helps us express our points of view 更多 effectively to fellow 粉丝 and the people who write and produce the show.