The stuff he had to work through was awfully familiar material in my household, and that part rang true.

I should have added an 'IMO' disclaimer. House's story didn't always work for me, and I'm not sure why not. But I think it was partly the number of fascinating characters they'd created, right down to peripherals (the junior psychiatrists, for example). There was so much going on that was interesting, I was less interested in House.

Also, we've seen House's issues used as comedy, portrayed as the source of his genius, etc for several years. Suddenly to have them explained as a problem, in themselves, was jarring and not easy to accept. It was a similar kind of irritating, for me, as when someone is diagnosed with a major condition on the show, and it's explained away as curable or easily treated. Yes, I know it's part of the show's winning formula, and that I get behind that formula most weeks. I still sometimes find the total disconnect from reality difficult to accept.

I do agree that the portrayal of treatment and facilities, nsm, But I'm okay with that.

Ugh. It just irritates me. So often, when there's a portrayal of mental health treatment or psychiatric hospitals on TV, it's really badly done. Buffy did it. Lots of shows do. I don't think there's any need for it (and I think sometimes it can be quite harmful, but that's another issue). I would have got behind House's story far more if I could have believed in the situation he was in.

Still--watching Andre Braugher and Hugh Laurie go toe-to-toe was delectable.

Really, really good.

I liked NCIS LA better than I liked the pilot. Still not sure I'm loving it.

Also, we've seen House's issues used as comedy, portrayed as the source of his genius, etc for several years. Suddenly to have them explained as a problem, in themselves, was jarring and not easy to accept.

Eh, that happens IRL, too. That whole he has to be fucked up to be so brilliant thing has irritated me all along, so to finally address that the toll it's taking on him is unnecessary was just a relief for me.

You're right that all the side characters were a lot more interesting and 3 dimensional than one would expect.

And I'll certainly with everyone on the wonderfulness of Andre Braugher and Hugh Laurie working together. What a treat their scenes were!

so to finally address that the toll it's taking on him is unnecessary was just a relief for me.

I was amazed that they actually had House wake up to the "OK, this isn't working anymore. It's time to actually do something about it."

I know the plot required that he be standing all on his own at the end in his new closer-to-sanity, but damn I wish Wilson had been waiting for him.

I really did like Alvie, House's roommate. At first, I thought he was irritatingly hyper, but the actor did a good job of getting us past that outer layer. I thought Curtis Anderson would have a bigger role when I saw his name in the opening credits--it was strange seeing him just as a background patient with relatively few lines.

Speaking of details, I liked that TPTB on Castle gave the white drug guy a severe case of farmer's tan! Nice touch.

I liked the most recent ep a lot but I did feel that I was using a lot of my Entourage plot-hand-waving experience in the viewing of it because I enjoyed the performances so much.(also like Entourage! Probably the only time in history those two series have ever been compared...if House ends up on an island in Mexico, you'll know somebody important reads b.org.) Yes, I believe House has done a great job in letting his fucked-up parts work for him, and I can see why he might believe he needed them, but he's a patient here, right? Patients lie in the House-verse, especially to themselves. (Although I sometimes wonder if I'm a writer who has a disability or a disabled person who was given a talent for a more specific Reason myself so that part did feel real to me. And AB is still the Man, even in his new weight class.)

Patients lie in the House-verse

It'll be interesting to see if House's new found ability to trust will affect that "People lie," bedrock assumption.

yeah. I hope it won't be like when Archie Bunker finished out the show buying a star of David pendant, though...

I wasn't thrilled with the NCIS:LA opener. The only thing I liked was finding out that even Callen doesn't know what his first initial G. stands for. They made him very pathetic and woobie-like, a sure way to get to my heart. And I like Nate. Otherwise, the story was lame-O and I figured it out about 10 minutes in.

Much preferred the NCIS opener. There's nothing better than a snarky Tony and I loved his description of Gibbs as a functional mute. Hee. And I even liked McGee. He didn't pull too much of a condescending attitude and there was good solid teamwork between him and Tony. Very enjoyable.

I figured it out about 10 minutes in.

I didn't figure out that the guy was being blackmailed, but as soon as they said that and showed the birthday card from the niece it was obvious she was the leverage. And as soon as the father called I knew he was the one that had her. Pretty transparent, and I wasn't paying as much attention as I could have been.

Poor homeless orphan G.