If the lack of character continuity is carelessness, then a lack of character credibility is a sign of thoughtlessness.
Yeah, the first one is annoying and the second though is what makes some episodes so aggravating to the dedicated fan.
I think they play havoc with the characters all the time, and reading this interview allowed me to sees why - different writers view the characters differently. That really, really can't work. Once someone on the show bragged they there was no "House bible", but they really need one. Something or someone who has insight into this character (and the others). With supporting characters it is easier to get away with because we can all just say "well I guess we didn't know them that well" which is why fanfiction stories that have Wilson as either Angel!Wilson or Dark!Wilson can both possibly work, though I have to say Wilson is second in line for vacillating between personalities. But with House it is serious character integrity issues. And it goes way beyond clean or messy (though I liked that example, I think they do that with him with his attitude towards food too). You used the example of the episode 'The Softer Side' and how patients are worth the pain. But when he was detoxing in the Tritter arc he abandoned his patient in a blackmail attempt to get Cuddy to give him more pills. So which is it, does House care more about patients or pain? The viewers have no way to know. Liz Friedman says House is not a romantic, but then he sends Stacy a "prescription for my heart" note, and lets the woman he likes in 'Frozen' go because there is a man who is in love with her in the South Pole, and he buys a corsage for Cameron and puts on his nicest blue shirt. To me that all says he is a romantic. He does this back and forth bit between 'honesty at all costs vs lying because it is easier', 'thrill seeking versus change avoidance', 'caring for his patients vs, only caring about the puzzle' and so on with a host of other things. It is probably why there are so many arguments in fandom on House's nature - because he can have so many different natures. I have suggested that he might be bipolar or have a personality disorder or something else that causes this, but now I just think it is too many different writers and no coordination. Great fun for fanfiction writers but a little disconcerting for TV viewers who care about the characters, not just the procedural element.
Sorry once again for the length of this, and thank you once again for adding to the places in this fandom to have an in depth, thoughtful, conversation.
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Yeah, the first one is annoying and the second though is what makes some episodes so aggravating to the dedicated fan.
I think they play havoc with the characters all the time, and reading this interview allowed me to sees why - different writers view the characters differently. That really, really can't work. Once someone on the show bragged they there was no "House bible", but they really need one. Something or someone who has insight into this character (and the others). With supporting characters it is easier to get away with because we can all just say "well I guess we didn't know them that well" which is why fanfiction stories that have Wilson as either Angel!Wilson or Dark!Wilson can both possibly work, though I have to say Wilson is second in line for vacillating between personalities. But with House it is serious character integrity issues. And it goes way beyond clean or messy (though I liked that example, I think they do that with him with his attitude towards food too). You used the example of the episode 'The Softer Side' and how patients are worth the pain. But when he was detoxing in the Tritter arc he abandoned his patient in a blackmail attempt to get Cuddy to give him more pills. So which is it, does House care more about patients or pain? The viewers have no way to know. Liz Friedman says House is not a romantic, but then he sends Stacy a "prescription for my heart" note, and lets the woman he likes in 'Frozen' go because there is a man who is in love with her in the South Pole, and he buys a corsage for Cameron and puts on his nicest blue shirt. To me that all says he is a romantic. He does this back and forth bit between 'honesty at all costs vs lying because it is easier', 'thrill seeking versus change avoidance', 'caring for his patients vs, only caring about the puzzle' and so on with a host of other things. It is probably why there are so many arguments in fandom on House's nature - because he can have so many different natures. I have suggested that he might be bipolar or have a personality disorder or something else that causes this, but now I just think it is too many different writers and no coordination. Great fun for fanfiction writers but a little disconcerting for TV viewers who care about the characters, not just the procedural element.
Sorry once again for the length of this, and thank you once again for adding to the places in this fandom to have an in depth, thoughtful, conversation.
Edited to use my annoyed Wilson icon. :)