David Shore talks about House’s finale

Shore used the word “bittersweet” to descrie the ending. Well, hopefully it’s more sweet than bitter. But then again, he also said they don’t really do happy endings:

It’s definitely an ending,” Shore says about the series finale. “I don’t want to say more than that. We never do happy endings. But we also try not to simply do miserable endings. Bittersweet is the most you can hope for us.”

 

They had to wrap up Chase’s story a litlle earlier than expected because Jesse Spencer was doing the Chicago Fire pilot. His arc was always meant to end the way it did, with Chase moving on. Good for the show for giving Spencer the flexibility. Presumably he’s contracted to the show till the end of the season, and the producers could have said “no” and prevented Spencer from doing another show until House if done.

 

Even Jesse Spencer, whose character Dr. Chase just left, is set to pop back in for the last episode. “He was asked to go do a pilot. It happened right at a time where we were considering a storyline that happened in the last episode where he decides to move on. So it worked nicely,” Shore says about Spencer’s recent absence. “To a great extent, we were looking for ways to wrap up the stories—primarily the House-Wilson thing was the focus—but we were aware that the supporting characters needed some element of closure in the broadest sense. And we didn’t want to throw it all in the final episode. And Jesse’s been with us since the beginning so we decided to give him his own little ending story. I thought he was great.”

 

I don’t really understand why so many people bashes the House-Cuddy relationsgip. I thought the way it ended with House crashing the car into Cuddy’s house is ridiculous, but I don’t have a problem with the relationship itself. But I’ve read so many stuff about how Huddy destroyed the show etc etc. You know, given any of the other possible romantic entanglements House could have had on the show (House-Cameron, House-Thirteen, House-Dominika, etc etc), at least House-Cuddy didn’t make me want to go – oh please, this is just indulging the fantasy of middle-aged male writers! Anyway, Shore was asked if he has any regrets about House-Cuddy:

 

 “I’m not big on regrets. That’s not to say it was perfect,” he says. “I do fundamentally believe that we had to do it. I know a lot of people think we could’ve done it better, a lot of people think we shouldn’t have done it, a lot of people think once we did do it we should have kept them together. I think it was going to be a lightning rod no matter what we did. You can’t have sexual tension go on and on and on and on. It was there from the beginning and I enjoyed working with it from the beginning, but at a certain point we had to put them together.”

 

Link: http://www.eonline.com/news/watch_with_kristin/house_boss_drops_ominous_finale_scoop/314274

House M.D S08E19 (the C-Word) – Wilson’s Funny Photos

The photos House took of Wilson while he was doing the radical chemo treatment at House’s apartment. The last scene is sweet and saves the episode from being too much of a downer. Seriously, after all that, and Wilson could still be sick? And that little girl still has an expiration date on her life.

The best thing is Wilson’s expression as he’s watching the photos.

House M.D Castmembers’ Favorite episode

Hugh Laurie and Omar Epps played it diplomatically (don’t really have one), Robert Sean Leonard’s is the pilot episode, Odette Annable’s favorite is Nobody’s Fault (the one where Chase was stabbed), Peter Jacobson’s is the episode where Kutner killed himself. Wait, Charlyne Yi is sitting right there, and she didn’t get to give an answer?? What the heck? And where is Jesse Spencer?

Hugh Laurie Interview on NPR Fresh Air

Interesting interview with Hugh Laurie on Fresh Air with Terry Gross. It’s weird hearing him in his English accent for a lengthy interview; I’ve only heard him in short snippets before.

On directing Robert Sean Leonard (Wilson):

But I also do – I defer to others. You know, if I’m doing a scene with Robert Sean Leonard – he’s a man I would put my life in his hands, and almost have on occasion. And I would say to him, you know, did that seem all right to you, and he will definitely say not quite, or he’ll say yes.

On the decision to end House M.D:

Yes, I did have a vote, although it never really came to that, you know, the paper, scissors, stone moment. It was a sort of consensus that we had run our course. And it occurred to me the other day that I suppose one of the problems is that the character is so inherently self-destructive, to the point of being virtually suicidal. A person cannot be a character – a fictional character cannot sustain that suicidal tension indefinitely. You can’t have a man on a window ledge threatening to jump forever. At some point, he’s either got to jump or get back into the building because the crowd below, who are either urging him to jump or not jump, eventually will lose interest.

On his father, who actually was a doctor:

I think – well, first of all, with great affection obviously, but also I think my father gave me, bequeathed to me a great reverence for medical science. He was about as opposite to the personality of House as one could imagine. He was the most polite and gentle and easygoing of men, and would have gone to great lengths to make his patients feel attended to and heard and sympathized with. And he probably would have been somewhat horrified at House’s behavior, but at the same time he had a sort of steely honesty about medical and psychological truth, that there are certain things – one must be humble in the face of facts. And he was not someone who would allow sentiment to cloud an issue.

On playing an American character:

The great trap for non-American actors trying to play Americans, I think, is to start thinking of American-ness as a characteristic. It isn’t. It is no more a character trait than height. It is just a physical fact and that’s all there is to it. It says nothing about the psychology of a character, and you therefore have to not let it overpower the character and walk – you know, I’m going to walk around in an American way. That’s obviously absurd.

You can listen or download the interview here: http://www.npr.org/2012/04/25/151354373/hugh-lauries-house-no-pain-no-gain

House S08E19 (The C-Word) – Behind the Scene and Sneak Peek

Sneak Peek and Behind the Scene video for House Season 8 Episode 19 (The C-Word). The sneak peek shows House making a martini and telling Wilson he’s on vacation.

Behind the scene video. The episode is directed by Hugh Laurie.

House M.D S08E18 (Body and Soul) – The C-Word is Cancer

Let’s start with the big shocker first – Wilson has cancer. No really, he does. Judging from the preview for the next episode (The C-Word), this is not a prank, or joke, or trick. I’m not sure how I feel about this, on the one hand, the House-Wilson relationship is the most important one on the show, so it’s entirely appropriate that the last few episodes of the show should focus on the two of them. On the other hand, really, show?? You’re going the “my best (and only!) friend has cancer” storyline now? Feels very exploitative.

I don’t really buy that House would be willing to leave the boy un-cured just because he doesn’t want religion to get the credit. Like Adams said, since when does House care about getting credit? Interesting though that the episode left the levitating incident unexplained. House must have been so distracted with Dominika; usually I would have expected him to try and figure out how the patient managed to levitate. Serves him right that Dominika left, what he did was abominable, like Wilson said, basically keeping her a prisoner.

Taub: So, you’re worried about what it means?
Park: I’m not worried, it means nothing. It means something, doesn’t it? I work with him, I can’t want to sleep with him.
Taub: Maybe Chase just represents work, and you’re in love with your job.
Park: It … has been very satisfying lately.

Snerk! Hihi. I was hating the Park-Chase storyline at first, because it feels like making fun of the not conventionally attractive person for fancying the more conventionally attractive person. But the two of them are just so sweet together. And of course Chase then had his own dream about Park:

 

I knew it was a dream even before they satrted kissing, the minute they said “bitch” and “dick”. Come on, that’s not something these two would really say to each other!

Park: Was I good?
Chase: It doesn’t mean anything. The idea got planted, it was probably inevitable.
Park: It means something.
Chase: What?
Park: Well, it could mean the obvious, that you want some of this. When will you learn that that look is insulting? Or … it could just mean that we like each other. I’m weird, and you’re pretty, but we connect. We feel safe, we trust each other.
Chase: Maybe.
Park: Just testing my theory.

House M.D Series Finale (Everybody Dies) Interview with the Casts

Wow, I hadn’t thought of that C-word (commitment). But seriously, if the show ends with House committing to Dominika, I’m going to throw stuff. Good for Michael Ausiello for recognizing how pissed off a lot of fans will be if the finale is made to be about Thirteen. Love Hugh Laurie’s British accent.

Oh come on! According to David Shore, Thirteen comes back “to give House a little advice”. Sure, of all the people on the show, she’s the only one who really understands House, not Wilson the best friend, not Chase or Foreman who’s been around him for 8 years, but Thirteen the magical lovable doctor. Sighh, I’m hating this more and more. And I really, really wanted to be positive about the finale. I bet the one-hour retrospective special will also be full of Thirteen! Yay!!

Photos from House M.D Series Wrap Party

The main cast with series creator David Shore.

Odette Annable and Charlyne Yi.

Hugh Laurie and Omar Epps.

Hugh Laurie and Jesse Spencer performing.

Jesse Spencer playing the violin.

More picture here: http://www.givememyremote.com/remote/2012/04/21/house-series-wrap-party-photos/?pid=2466

 

House M.D S08E19 (The C-Word) Press Release and BTS Photo

So what is the C-word? Cancer? Chase? The actual C-word? Press release for the episode:

When the team takes on the case of Emily, a six-year-old girl who has numerous preexisting health problems, they must work with her mother Elizabeth (guest star Jessica Collins), who happens to be doctor herself, specializing in her daughter’s condition. The team must also deal with the battles raging between Emily’s mother and father who have conflicting views on how to handle her health issues. When searching the family’s home for clues to Emily’s illness, the team realizes that Elizabeth’s determination to cure her daughter could be the very thing that is killing her. Meanwhile, House and Wilson take a little vacation in the all-new “The C-Word” episode of HOUSE.

Behind-the-scene photo. This is Hugh Laurie smiling at the child actor right? Not House being nice to the patient? The smile is too kindly and sweet to be House’s smile.

Link: http://www.spoilertv.com/2012/04/house-episode-819.html

House S08E16 (Gut Check) – So, when did Taub turn into Cameron?

This is bullshit. I know the supporting actors probably have a clause in their contracts guaranteeing a few episodes each season focused on them, and this is probably one of Peter Jacobson’s very special episode. But House writers really screwed it up here, it’s like they forgot which character they’re writing for. Dear House writers, it’s TAUB, not CAMERON? Remember Taub? He’s NOT the doctor who gets emotionally involved with the patients, or acts super-judgmental towards them, or loses his objectivity because he either hates the patient, or likes the patient too much. That’s not who Taub is, you can’t suddenly make him like this just because you want to include this storyline, and it’s Taub’s turn in the limelight. This almost amounts to character assasination, and with a few episodes left, no time to fix it. Bleghhhhh!

I knew it! Wilson never had a kid. It was pretty fishy from the beginning, the “son” seems too perfect, like a fantasy kid, instead of a real child (come on, just look at the way the kid is dressed!) Sure, it’s horrible of House to hire an actor to pretend to be Wilson’s son, but at least it’s miles better than if he had actually hidden the fact the Wilson has a child for 11 years. Probably why Wilson forgave him so easily. House’s parting shot to the actor-kid – do you do an Australian accent? – what, is House thinking of scamming Chase too?

Park: Not everyone’s lucky enough to have your independence.
Chase: Don’t worry. When you lose your family, you’ll have it too.

I’ve never seen Chase play the little-orphan-Annie card before, but in his situation, it must be annoying to have someone constantly bitching about her family to you. Kinda sweet though, this friendship, I can’t see Park talking to Adams about her problems.

Park: I’m not sleeping with you.
Chase: That’s a shame.
Park: This is about Popo.
Chase: She’s not sleeping with me either. Right?
Park: You’re jealous of me, my family.
Chase: Maybe you’ve got too much, and I’ve got too little.
Park: I might sleep with you after all.

Ahhh, I love the economy of this scene, so much being conveyed, with so few lines and just a few looks. Darn it, show, why can’t you be this good the rest of the time?!  I love how Chase didn’t try to deny it, only restating it in a very succinct way. I love how Park didn’t go into a whole  “oh Chase, poor you” routine. (She was already interested in the “sleeping with you” part, even before Chase’s confession, like she told Taub). Not sure about Park moving back in with her parents, though. I guess this convo with Chase is a wake-up call for her about how she should appreciate her family, but … well, you can appreciate your family without necessarily living in the same house. They live in the same city, she can still live in her own apartment and come home to visit often.

So House got it wrong both times when he guessed why Chase offered to share his apartment with Park. House’s first guess was that it was guilt for pushing Park to move out of her parents’ house when she can’t really afford a place all on her own. But Park confirmed to Taub that Chase never pushed her, she had a fight with her mother. House’s second guess is that Chase is feeling guilty for all the women he casually bedded and discarded, but this doesn’t make sense to me. What does that have to do with sharing an apartment with Park? I suppose House is too busy screwing with Wilson and Taub this episode to really bring his A-game when it comes to Chase.

The best part of the episode? Chase playing cards and drinking Kentucky Straight Bourbon with Popo (Park’s grandmother).