Recap: House "The Down Low"

I think people have stopped reviewing House for the most part. I understand why. It's the same show repeatedly. It's like reviewing Law & Order or as I call it Dunh Dunh! Sure, it's still a pretty good show, but it's generally the same thing every time. A-storyline: Someone passes, bleeds profusely, seizes or strokes. House and the doctors do an assload of tests which involve their conditions worsening in some rapid secession while House taunts his crew, Wilson, Cuddy, the patient, the patient's loved ones, your mother-in-law (deservedly), your mother (probably deservedly), your child (undeservedly) and the entire city of Springfield. House hears or says something innocuous then freezes in that way your dog does when you stick your finger up its butt to prevent him from mauling a smaller more defenseless dog. He then figures it out and either saves the day or allows the patient to find some peace in death. B-storyline: House taunts Wilson, Cuddy, and his staff, but mostly Wilson. This is different from the A-storyline, how? Well, this storyline has nothing to do with the patient until House does that thing like the dog that...yeah, we don't have to go back there. C-storyline: The doctors have some sort of life. This is occasional. It's space filler when the A & B storylines aren't full enough or we need to set up something later in the season and therefore need to insert something that will carry us into the season finale. There! An episode of House. Thanks for reading.



So...


Why do I like to watch the show?


It fills in that niche that Diagnosis: Murder, Murder She Wrote, Matlock, Ironside, and Scooby-Doo left behind. The inquisitive, problem-solving show that allows you to feel smarter. For a formula show, it is very keenly written and with characters that you can follow with minimal melodrama. Plus, it helps to have your lead played by a foreigner faking an American accent. I don't know why that is, but it just works. Just having a foreigner in your show seems to add something. I can't explain it. Think of all the shows you watch and love and tell me that it's not true. Foreigners and returning movie stars are the key to your television success.

This episode was a fine example of all of its elements. Nothing spectacular, but just fine. In fact, for once, I enjoyed the B-storyline which consisted of House and WIlson being mistaken for a gay couple. The weak point was the C-storyline which seemed to really be filler used to mimic the B-storyline. Even that was so minimal that I really didn't care that it was weak.

Score: In a scale of generic Costco brand vitamin to Magic Johnson's HIV-fighting cocktail, I give it a Cipro.