A House Divided
When people used to say things like, “Oh, I can’t WAIT for the fall TV lineup,” or “I have EVERY NIGHT’S TELEVISION SCHEDULE COLOR-CODED and in a GRAPH!” I’d do one of two things:
1) Wonder what a chart of pies would look like (rather than a pie chart).
B) Seethe in jealousy because WHO HAS THAT KIND OF TIME?
(answer: not me).
I started getting into watching television when I was pregnant with Alex, and everything – including the ice maker making ice slowly made me vomit, then cry, then vomit again. Dick Wolf lured me in Law and Order: Their Life Is Worse Than Yours So Suck It Up, Cupcake because, well, no matter what time of day it was, there were at least three episodes currently playing.
(when, much later, I got a DVR and tried to record some of the Law and Order: Fuck You And Your First World Problems, it wheezed, groaned, then laughed at me before refusing to record anything Dick Wolf ever created)
(sidebar: I cannot decide if Dick Wolf is the world’s perfect name or the world’s worst name. Either way, he’s a brilliant, brilliant man who should probably pull an Oprah and have his own television channel)
Eventually, I watched most of Law and Order: Being Out of Seasalt Is Not The End Of The World, and realized I needed another distraction, some way to turn my brain off from 11 to a nice solid 4. And, based upon what my friends were saying, I should try this House, MD thing.
I did.
It was there, through medical jargon I so desperately missed, that I found someone like me; someone who wasn’t perfect. Someone who had issues and bad hair days and wasn’t glitz and glam – someone who was broken.
Someone who was broken.
Someone who was broken like me.
House made it okay for those of us just left of center, those of us who are fragmented, those of us who fight to be normal, to be, well, who we are. House made it okay to use biting humor to mask my feelings because, well, some things are easier said while dripping with sarcasm.
He made it okay to be an antihero.
He gave me the strength to write things like this, things I’ve never before said aloud because they seemed too scary, too real, like if I gave them the airplay, my life might implode.
I’ve watched him painfully go through rehab, recovery. I’ve watched as he lost his mind, then found it again. I’ve watched him be brilliant and I’ve watched him as he fails. I’ve found myself crying, nodding because there was finally someone out there who was just like me. Maybe – just maybe – I wasn’t alone.
Tonight, House, MD, will run it’s finale.
Before I watch it, box of tissues in hand, I wanted to say thank you, to you, the brilliant writers of House, MD, for giving me a character who has helped me confront my demons. Who made it okay to be broken. Who made it okay to be weak. Who reminded me to keep taking that one step forward.
Who made it okay to be me.
House has been such a brilliant series. I’ll miss it.
I’m officially going into mourning when the show ends tonight.
I looked up “chart of pies” and found this.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_s_rjwWLQlYY/THmEtHLHlRI/AAAAAAAAAos/D2ObKzOXMTo/s640/muppet-name-etymology-venn-diagram.jpg
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_s_rjwWLQlYY/THmEtHLHlRI/AAAAAAAAAos/D2ObKzOXMTo/s640/muppet-name-etymology-venn-diagram.jpg
Normal isn’t that much fun anyway.
I looked up “chart of pies” and found this:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_s_rjwWLQlYY/THmEtHLHlRI/AAAAAAAAAos/D2ObKzOXMTo/s640/muppet-name-etymology-venn-diagram.jpg
Normal isn’t much fun anyway.
oops…
um, could someone get rid of one of these?
Thank you.
Gah, I am going to bawl I just know it. House is the only series that I own all the DVDs on. That says something….
You’ll probably disown me when I say I’ve never seen the show. I burned out on drama series type shows many many years ago. But I do know the sadness that comes from a dearly loved show being cancelled. Kind of feels like a friend has moved far, far away – but back in the days before internet when it was really easy to lose contact with people.
I am so very sad that it is ending. *sniffle sniff*
Though I haven’t watched much of House, MD (or any other drama series) in the last couple of years, I am saddened that tonight is the end of this show. Before I knew what was wrong with me (depression), I felt oddly connected to him. I always felt imperfect; out of touch; using snarky humor to get myself out of odd situations; just trying to find my way. It is truly the end of an era. I hate that I said that about a TV show (I don’t watch much of it anymore), but in this case, it’s true!! I’ll be watching it tomorrow (I do enjoy the DVR from time to time), box of kleenex in hand!
God, it hasn’t even ended yet and I’m already upset. Between that and the Glee graduation episode tomorrow, I plan to pretty much spend the rest of the week curled up and sobbing.
I’ll miss House too! When I was in the hospital trying not to have the boys, I watched a House marathon for most of the two days before they decided they couldn’t wait anymore. I guess Tommy in particular wanted to see this House person on TV for himself, LOL!
This so deeply pains me that I can’t even watch it. He will live forever within our hearts and souls. It’s Lupus…
I will miss this show too. I love House and feel closer to Hugh Laurie knowing he too suffers from depression.
So what did you think of the ending?
Oh well- you’ll just have to order the black adder boxsets to watch mr Laurie in all his original glory (and the reason why we Brits, despite our love for him, can take him seriously as a sex symbol)
The few episodes I’ve watched have always been great. I’ll have to watch them once they start streaming. I suck at the watching a show at a specific time every week thing, and don’t own a DVR. Hope the last show was everything you needed it to be!
Indeed. House was snarky, dysfunctional, and not so good with people. And I loved him for it.
I’ve never watched it, but I feel so much more inclined to do so now. I love the antihero.
I also watch a gross amount of TV. Have you watched Breaking Bad?
I am going to miss House so much.I so loved that he was brilliant, broken (like you said), and made it ok to be a complete smartass.
You think Dick Wolf is a great name, try the name of the guy who wrote several episodes of Season 12. His name was…are you ready? SPEED WEED. Yes. Dick Wolf and Speed Weed. Great team? Or the GREATEST team?