HOUSE: The Greater Good

What is it about milestones that make people lose perspective? Parents obsess about capturing the perfect image on a son or daughter’s birthday, as if the shots they took at the park a few days earlier cannot reflect that stepping stone of childhood. Young adults equate graduation from high school or college as a transcendent experience, rather than a simple ceremony that recognizes a past body of work. Couples who spend decades forging a life together are often thrown off-course over anniversary plans gone amok. We have all been guilty of raising our expectations to unreachable heights, only to crash and burn when those hopes are dashed by human failure or adverse circumstances.

This installment of House was the series’ 100th opportunity to open the doors of Princeton Plainsboro to the general public. Since so many of its prime time neighbors rely on lazy stunt casting and questionable plot twists to commemorate such events, I was anticipating a few tweaks from writer Sara Hess and director Lesli Linka Glatter. Much to my surprise, the team crafted a standout chapter in the House saga centered around a patient who generated thoughtful conversations for both the cast and the viewing public.

Judith Scott is a distinguished veteran of television dramas from all over your digital cable and satellite tiers. Her IMDB page of guest star credits is longer than Kate Winslet’s Golden Globes acceptance speech, and reflects a brilliant career as a character actor. As Dr. Dana Miller, a noted cancer researcher who stepped away from a life of work to pursue a life of happiness, Ms. Scott anchored this episode through her interactions with Wilson, Foreman, Thirteen, and Taub. In the latter half of the show, while speaking with Wilson, she offers a simple piece of advice that spoke to each of the interwoven plots of the show. “The only wrong thing is to do nothing.” When sharp writing is delivered by an experienced voice, a great deal can be accomplished in mere seconds. In the hands of a lesser actor, Dr. Miller could easily have been perceived as a quitter with irrational pipe dreams. Instead, Ms. Scott allowed the selfish motives of her character to seem purposeful.

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HOUSE: Big Baby

Here is a quick word association game. What do you think of first when you hear the term, “crossroads?” Are you reminded of a big decision that you made as a teenager, perhaps choosing a prom date or a college? Do you find yourself thinking literally about a busy intersection that prompts regular symptoms of road rage? Perhaps you are like me, who finds it impossible to shake the image of Britney Spears on the big screen in the 2002 movie of the same name? Speaking of that forgettable film, Grey’s Anatomy fans disappointed by that show’s storylines over the past two seasons should know that Shonda Rhimes penned the witty dialogue Ms. Spears delivered in that road trip flick. If a love story involving a beautiful young doctor and her long-deceased fiancé sounds like a creative misfire, then it is fair to say, “Oops, Shonda did it again.”

This week’s House brought the program’s most pivotal storylines to a series of proverbial crossroads, with uncertain outcomes and a mixed bag of consequences for fans, both new and old.

Though I have defended Lisa Edelstein’s credentials in this space on previous occasions, I am beginning to wonder whether the producers intend for the character of Cuddy to retain any redeeming human qualities by season’s end. During Wilson’s series of visits to assist her with the transition to parenthood, I found Cuddy’s dialogue to be self-loathing and whiny. After spending the first half of Season Five building the Chief of Staff up to being the Chief of Moms, I was astonished to hear the broad twists and turns that we saw in this installment, as Cuddy swung from the brink of giving up on her foster child to embracing her new responsibilities because of a single moment. Was it fair to project symptoms of postpartum depression to a character who did not physically give birth? I believe that the writers are crafting parallels between Cuddy’s reluctance to accept the child and her hesitation to move forward romantically with House. As a mother, Cuddy quiets baby Rachel by raising her voice to a plaintive wail. As a boss, Cuddy asserts her position of power by yelling at House, usually for the purpose of ending an argument with no end in sight. At what point do we root for this person to have a happy ending?

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HOUSE: Painless

Today, we celebrate the dawning of a new era. After years of being sold a false choice about our responsibilities to ourselves and to our neighbors, it is time to unite behind an administration that will fight the tough fights while caring for those who cannot care for themselves. Mindful of the challenges ahead, we must not feel bound to repeat the mistakes of the past. Our community must turn this corner by embracing a new leader, and resisting the urge to spend our days looking in the rear view mirror. From this day forward, let us all work together to allow the creative forces of freedom inspire us in ways that were once unimaginable.

Yes, this is the time for new leadership. It is my great honor and privilege to introduce the engine that will drive us forward to new heights. Without further adieu, ladies and gentleman of GMMR, I present the interim Chief of Staff at Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital, Dr. Allison Cameron!

Though that introduction may have been a blatant attempt to capitalize on the real news of the day, this week’s House provided a template of newsworthy story arcs that should keep all of us engaged until the season finale.

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Take 5: SPORTS NIGHT Top 5 Episodes

“Take 5” is a new GMMR feature that gives Team GMMR (and YOU) a chance to look back to yesteryear and share 5 memorable episodes from some of our favorite shows of the past.  A walk down memory lane and back in time to revisit some of the best of the best of TV.

This time around, Erik is talking on one of his favorite shows – Sports Night.

Take 5: Sports Night (ABC, 1998-2000)

Much like the music we embrace during adolescence, television shows often achieve permanent status in our nostalgic rear view mirrors. Looking back on Sports Night’s time on ABC, I would imagine that my affection for the program is amplified by its place in my early years of adulthood. During my last two years of college, I had grand visions of the workplace I would enter, the fascinating people I hoped to meet, and the important lessons I would learn in my first foray into the real world. Those expectations may have been naive, but they were bolstered by the irreplaceable genius that was Sports Night.

Though we are often disappointed by the twists and turns of our daily lives, I was never let down by the quick-witted and thoughtful scripts of Aaron Sorkin or the masterful performances of a tragically underrated cast and crew. These are my favorite installments of Sports Night on CSC, so stick around…

5. And the Cut Man Cometh (Episode 2.11)
When a fledgling cable sports network decides to up the ante and broadcast a championship boxing match, what could possibly go wrong? In a word, everything, as the entire CSC foundation is shaken by an early knockout in the actual fight, a verbal war between Dana and Casey over their ill-fated romantic jousting, and Dan’s struggles to find common ground with his Dad despite the best of intentions. Despite the contentious theme, this chapter of the Sports Night saga contains a gaggle of hilarious scenes featuring Dan, Casey, and Jeremy preparing their “boxing homework” in the days leading to the fight, as well as TiVo-worthy moments from guest star Allen Garfield as Chuck “The Cut Man” Kimmel.

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