Taking my little notes: House S4

[flywoman]

Finally finished rewatching Season Four, and much to my surprise, it was my favorite yet. I think that the first time I watched it, I was too distressed by the departure of the old Cottages and the influx of strangers to appreciate it. This time, I think I can honestly say that I thoroughly enjoyed every episode, from the Great Guitar Kidnapping of '07 to the magnificent two part finale. It makes me wonder whether the writers' strike was a curse or a blessing - should I feel like I was robbed of six episodes of House/Wilson/Amber awesomeness, or grateful that having to cut the season short meant that every episode counted?

I can really see the craftsmanship that went into the introduction of the new supporting cast. For me, Kutner is at first by far the most endearing, with his Hermione impersonations and reckless enthusiasm. Amber is my second favorite for the first half of the season, but then they switch places for the second half when the hilarious and ultimately poignant love triangle develops. But even Thirteen and Taub were a lot more fun the second time around.

I have complained in the past about the decision to keep the old Cottages hanging around instead of turning over the team completely. I still maintain that it would have been more realistic and a cleaner break. On the other hand, I so enjoy Sassy!Post-House!Cameron ("Cash will be fine." "I bet you say that to all the guys!").

I love the dynamic between House and Cuddy this season. The UST is there, but they aren't mooning over each other at all. Instead we get House gleefully making end runs around her while she attempts to subvert his candidates, as well as exchanges like, "I need you to sleep with Wilson." "There are some people upstairs in accounting I need to sleep with first!" and "It's difficult not to be moved!"

And as for House and Wilson, the vein is rich. We get Wilson yanking House's chain about the mysterious sightings of his old team members. We get "I love you" when Wilson offers to order more pain meds after the electrocution.  We get Wilson crowing that he is in charge of this relationship. We get the tongue-in-cheek interview regarding House's supposed practice of Wicca. We get Wilson giggling over House's weakness for beautiful women ("Cameron was smart." "I'm beginning to doubt that!"). We get the Moose on a Jew after too much nog. We get Wilson trying to keep Amber a secret, "Oh God - you're sleeping with me!" and the negotiations for shared custody ("I'm going to piss off one of them, and they both scare me!"). And of course we get the double whammy of HH/WH, for which I still maintain that RSL should have gotten some major awards, and which inspired lovely angsty fanfic to almost the same degree as the Tritter arc.

It's really too bad that it all goes gradually downhill from here.

Comments

[nightdog-barks.livejournal.com]

LOL! You had me until the last line. We shall have to agree to disagree.

*g*

[flywoman.livejournal.com]

*smile*

I made that last statement deliberately, but since I haven't yet rewatched S5 or S6, I reserve the right to change my mind.

[yarroway.livejournal.com]

I loved season 4, though I agree it would have been better to have the old team depart.

[flywoman.livejournal.com]

I didn't actually notice problems with it in this season, but eventually the regular cast just gets too unwieldy, and in an attempt to give everyone something to do, we end up with some of my least favorite aspects of S5 (*cough* Foreteen).

[jezziejay.livejournal.com]

Season four is one of my favourites, too. As well as the H/W scenes you mentioned, I adore the one where they are watching the film, and House says he's not that guy and Wilson responds with every guy is that guy...and House insists that he's not every guy. Also love the ep before it - when House phones Wilson to tell him that he's with the CIA. (At least I think it was the CIA...some secret government agency, anyway.)

And the guitar-napping scene is my favourite H/W moment ever.

I liked that the old team were still around - mostly because it was a little familiarity amongst all those newer faces. I think what made the first half of the season work so well (for me) was that the new characters were all interesting - they were all developed and had interesting back-stories (except for the twins). I loved Brennan (the guy who had worked in the developing countries) and Old Fraud, and Big Love.

Amber...not so much. (Although I do understand why H/W fans do.)

[flywoman.livejournal.com]

I think we're talking about the same awesome scene - when they're watching the tapes and Wilson is giggling over House treating obviously moronic suggestions as good ideas, and it ends with the reference to Cameron (but I was working off my own notes, not a full transcript).

And I agree, the other candidates who didn't make the final cut were mostly also very interesting (although I personally liked ROF and Big Love better than Brennan).

[menolly-au.livejournal.com]

Now you make me want to rewatch the 4th season because in my mind it's always been the worst House season (up until this season anyway...) - there's a couple of things I really hated (House making a fool of himself over CIA girl, the stealing Cuddy's thong thing) and I thought the only redeeming feature of the season was the last couple of epsiodes (which were obviously a highlight).

Maybe I've been selling it short because it was such a frustrating season with the big gap in the middle for the writer's strike. And I'm really not minding 13 since she came back so yeah - maybe I will rewatch it for the first time ever...


(The guitar napping though...fun up until the time you realise Wilson actually ripped the whammy bar off House's $8000 (?) guitar...my nephew who plays guitar was horrified when I told him what Wilson had done - these guys play their practical jokes hard!)

[flywoman.livejournal.com]

I strongly disliked the CIA woman subplot as well... except that the resultant H/W conversations made me laugh so hard that I forgave that this time around. And it was similar for Cuddy's thong - hated the idea, loved Amber's assistance with the attempt to bamboozle House and Cuddy's failed coup with Cole.

[cuddyclothes.livejournal.com]

You forgot the gravedigging scene--Kutner is SO INTO IT!

[barefootpuddles.livejournal.com]

I really enjoyed much of season four too. one of my favorite episodes is the much maligned "Mirror, Mirror".

WILSON: I am in charge of our relationship.
HOUSE: It was a surgery. You were the surgeon. In that setting...
WILSON: You would pick up my laundry if I asked you to.
HOUSE: Go ahead, ask.
WILSON: Oh, I wouldn't do that to you.

It makes me laugh just rereading it now.

My opinions in general though seem to run diametrically opposed to much of the H/W fandom. I didn't care much for Amber. Though some of the dating stuff was okay. and I should add that HH/WH were brilliant episodes.

Of course I didn't like season three's Tritter arc either, so maybe it is just me.