Is the plot of every "House" episode basically the same?
08-03-07, 10:31 AM
#26
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
Originally Posted by souvenir
Is House somewhat of a rip-off of Dr. Cox from Scrubs? I've never seen House, but he seems like a very similar character. Even season five of Scrubs references the likenesses. If they are closely-related, then why does Hugh Laurie collect award after award when John C. McGinley remains completely unrecognized?
House is very formulaic, but so is almost every current CBS Crime Drama. The CSI's are the biggest offender of being way too repetitive. CSI: Miami is the winner for most formulaic television show. Some episodes are so much like the last you wonder if you where watching a new episode or a repeat. At least NCIS, Criminal Minds, etc... mix it up a bit sometimes.
08-03-07, 11:08 AM
#27
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MadTV covered this pretty well last year:
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08-03-07, 11:12 AM
#28
DVD Talk Legend
To elaborate on the formula even more... my barebones script:
An old man is coughing and reaching for his chest. His perfectly healthy looking grandson rushes over to help. Suddenly the grandson starts bleeding from the eyes.
Opening Credits
The crew brainstorms. They instantly shoot down each other's theories with seemingly obvious facts that for some reason the theorizer didn't think of him/herself. They debate:
Cameron: "It's athlete's foot."
Forman: "No, it's gingivitis."
House: "We'll treat him for both athelete's foot and gingivitis. Somebody's right, and somebody's a moron."
The ideas fail.
House: "It turns out you're both morons."
The underlings illegally break into someone's house for clues. They find a crack pipe. House visits patient. "You said you weren't taking drugs. Which means you're either lying, or you're a moron. Or you're lying AND you're a moron." House gets new theory and wants to cut into the guy's brain. Cuddy: "You could paralyze him!"
House: "Maybe you'd rather I cure him with your cleavage?"
During the operation things get much much worse. "We're not curing him, we're killing him!" When things looks most dire, House sees a donut and instantly realizes the answer.
House: "Its a ringworm."
Cameron: "But we tested for ringworm!"
House "We tested his brain for ringworm, we didn't test his pancreas. The ringworm is shutting down his megareceptors, the brain is overcompensating and causing the bleeding. Get him on metaphrenocil to kill the worm."
An old man is coughing and reaching for his chest. His perfectly healthy looking grandson rushes over to help. Suddenly the grandson starts bleeding from the eyes.
Opening Credits
The crew brainstorms. They instantly shoot down each other's theories with seemingly obvious facts that for some reason the theorizer didn't think of him/herself. They debate:
Cameron: "It's athlete's foot."
Forman: "No, it's gingivitis."
House: "We'll treat him for both athelete's foot and gingivitis. Somebody's right, and somebody's a moron."
The ideas fail.
House: "It turns out you're both morons."
The underlings illegally break into someone's house for clues. They find a crack pipe. House visits patient. "You said you weren't taking drugs. Which means you're either lying, or you're a moron. Or you're lying AND you're a moron." House gets new theory and wants to cut into the guy's brain. Cuddy: "You could paralyze him!"
House: "Maybe you'd rather I cure him with your cleavage?"
During the operation things get much much worse. "We're not curing him, we're killing him!" When things looks most dire, House sees a donut and instantly realizes the answer.
House: "Its a ringworm."
Cameron: "But we tested for ringworm!"
House "We tested his brain for ringworm, we didn't test his pancreas. The ringworm is shutting down his megareceptors, the brain is overcompensating and causing the bleeding. Get him on metaphrenocil to kill the worm."
Last edited by DRG; 08-03-07 at 12:07 PM.
^^^ LOL, nice
08-03-07, 01:40 PM
#30
DVD Talk Special Edition
Originally Posted by DRG
To elaborate on the formula even more... my barebones script:
An old man is coughing and reaching for his chest. His perfectly healthy looking grandson rushes over to help. Suddenly the grandson starts bleeding from the eyes.
Opening Credits
The crew brainstorms. They instantly shoot down each other's theories with seemingly obvious facts that for some reason the theorizer didn't think of him/herself. They debate:
Cameron: "It's athlete's foot."
Forman: "No, it's gingivitis."
House: "We'll treat him for both athelete's foot and gingivitis. Somebody's right, and somebody's a moron."
The ideas fail.
House: "It turns out you're both morons."
The underlings illegally break into someone's house for clues. They find a crack pipe. House visits patient. "You said you weren't taking drugs. Which means you're either lying, or you're a moron. Or you're lying AND you're a moron." House gets new theory and wants to cut into the guy's brain. Cuddy: "You could paralyze him!"
House: "Maybe you'd rather I cure him with your cleavage?"
During the operation things get much much worse. "We're not curing him, we're killing him!" When things looks most dire, House sees a donut and instantly realizes the answer.
House: "Its a ringworm."
Cameron: "But we tested for ringworm!"
House "We tested his brain for ringworm, we didn't test his pancreas. The ringworm is shutting down his megareceptors, the brain is overcompensating and causing the bleeding. Get him on metaphrenocil to kill the worm."
An old man is coughing and reaching for his chest. His perfectly healthy looking grandson rushes over to help. Suddenly the grandson starts bleeding from the eyes.
Opening Credits
The crew brainstorms. They instantly shoot down each other's theories with seemingly obvious facts that for some reason the theorizer didn't think of him/herself. They debate:
Cameron: "It's athlete's foot."
Forman: "No, it's gingivitis."
House: "We'll treat him for both athelete's foot and gingivitis. Somebody's right, and somebody's a moron."
The ideas fail.
House: "It turns out you're both morons."
The underlings illegally break into someone's house for clues. They find a crack pipe. House visits patient. "You said you weren't taking drugs. Which means you're either lying, or you're a moron. Or you're lying AND you're a moron." House gets new theory and wants to cut into the guy's brain. Cuddy: "You could paralyze him!"
House: "Maybe you'd rather I cure him with your cleavage?"
During the operation things get much much worse. "We're not curing him, we're killing him!" When things looks most dire, House sees a donut and instantly realizes the answer.
House: "Its a ringworm."
Cameron: "But we tested for ringworm!"
House "We tested his brain for ringworm, we didn't test his pancreas. The ringworm is shutting down his megareceptors, the brain is overcompensating and causing the bleeding. Get him on metaphrenocil to kill the worm."
*DING* We have a winner.....
08-05-07, 11:14 PM
#34
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by DVD Josh
Here is every House script:
1) House is asshole
2) Person comes in with terrible disease
3) House is asshole
4) Person turns critical, House can't figure it out
5) House is asshole
6) House miraculously figures it out at the last second, putting his job, career, and livelihood on the line on a hunch he explains to no one else
7) People revel in House's brilliance
8) House is asshole, wishes he was dead.
Next week - repeat.
1) House is asshole
2) Person comes in with terrible disease
3) House is asshole
4) Person turns critical, House can't figure it out
5) House is asshole
6) House miraculously figures it out at the last second, putting his job, career, and livelihood on the line on a hunch he explains to no one else
7) People revel in House's brilliance
8) House is asshole, wishes he was dead.
Next week - repeat.
Glad it wasn't just me. My wife and I were addicted to this show when it first came out. Then after half a dozen or so episodes we dumped it because we could tell it would always be the same show. Hard to believe it is still around and people are still watching it.
I can't imagine anyone actually sitting down and watching season sets or even several episodes back to back. That's like watching episodes of The Incredible Hulk back to back. My brain would explode from formula overload.
08-06-07, 12:55 AM
#35
DVD Talk Legend
I got tired of how formulaic it was, but I still enjoy it. The actual medical part of the show is useless to me, but the interaction between characters is what keeps me going.
08-06-07, 09:15 AM
#36
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Originally Posted by brianluvdvd
Exactly. And that MadTV sketch is spot on.
Glad it wasn't just me. My wife and I were addicted to this show when it first came out. Then after half a dozen or so episodes we dumped it because we could tell it would always be the same show. Hard to believe it is still around and people are still watching it.
I can't imagine anyone actually sitting down and watching season sets or even several episodes back to back. That's like watching episodes of The Incredible Hulk back to back. My brain would explode from formula overload.
Glad it wasn't just me. My wife and I were addicted to this show when it first came out. Then after half a dozen or so episodes we dumped it because we could tell it would always be the same show. Hard to believe it is still around and people are still watching it.
I can't imagine anyone actually sitting down and watching season sets or even several episodes back to back. That's like watching episodes of The Incredible Hulk back to back. My brain would explode from formula overload.
08-06-07, 11:36 AM
#37
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
Funny to see this thread. I just started to watch S1 on DVD and 3 episodes in I was thinking the same thing.
My friend kept telling me the show is great and he watches it religiously. When I asked him why it’s just the same thing over and over he said, I wouldn’t get the show because I’m not in the medical field. He’s a physical therapist. I laughed. I guess when you massage asses repetitively each day, you wish your work was a little more along the lines of House.
This show is so formulaic I was able to start predicting lines and twists. I will finish up the season but will not return for season 2. I don’t see this one lasting to long on TV, eventually the hardcore fans will catch on to the formula.
My friend kept telling me the show is great and he watches it religiously. When I asked him why it’s just the same thing over and over he said, I wouldn’t get the show because I’m not in the medical field. He’s a physical therapist. I laughed. I guess when you massage asses repetitively each day, you wish your work was a little more along the lines of House.
This show is so formulaic I was able to start predicting lines and twists. I will finish up the season but will not return for season 2. I don’t see this one lasting to long on TV, eventually the hardcore fans will catch on to the formula.
08-06-07, 11:39 AM
#38
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by brianluvdvd
Exactly. And that MadTV sketch is spot on.
08-06-07, 11:44 AM
#39
Originally Posted by brianluvdvd
Glad it wasn't just me. My wife and I were addicted to this show when it first came out. Then after half a dozen or so episodes we dumped it because we could tell it would always be the same show. Hard to believe it is still around and people are still watching it.
Sort of like Scooby Doo, Where are you?
08-06-07, 12:16 PM
#40
DVD Talk Hero
Originally Posted by mmconhea
I don’t see this one lasting to long on TV, eventually the hardcore fans will catch on to the formula.
Viewers know the formula, and they're content with it. They won't "catch on" to it any more than viewers of Lost will "catch on" to the dual timeframe structure. Shows like this generally thrive in primetime, and the entertainment value of House himself should ensure a long run of success as long as he continues in the lead.
das
08-06-07, 12:26 PM
#41
DVD Talk God
At least for me, I don't watch House for the fascinating medical mystery of the week. I tune in for the characters and House's witty dialogue.
08-06-07, 01:26 PM
#42
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
The main question posed in this thread becomes particularly acute when watching the shows on DVD rather than just once a week (at most) when it airs, having just watched S1 that way myself.
Also, it's amazing how many times this line is used: "It could cure him, but it could also kill him!" That's kind of like the House equivalent of 24's "We're running out of time!"
Also, it's amazing how many times this line is used: "It could cure him, but it could also kill him!" That's kind of like the House equivalent of 24's "We're running out of time!"
08-06-07, 03:35 PM
#43
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by Chew
Agreed, especially CBS.
