Hey look! Allison did an episode analyis

[pinksonia]

Apparently I was moved because I rarely do this, though I always tell myself that I will:

    There is a possibility that this episode broke me.  I went into it with two thoughts: first I had accidentally read a spoiler about Amber's death, and since she was rapidly becoming my favorite character I was hoping against hope that it was not true, second I was debating with my self how meaningful Amber's death could really be both with in the context of the show and extending out to the audience.  Since clearly the spoiler was correct, I will move on to the second aspect.  

    The problem with killing off television characters is that it you need it to effect as may viewers as possible, and usually viewers are only really effected by the deaths of either characters they like or characters who deaths have a major impact on the other characters.  I was worried that Amber wasn't really going to fulfill either of this cases.  First, she wasn't all that popular as a character.  After 'Don't Ever Change' my best friend told me that I must be Wilson because were the only people who could love Cut-Throat-Bitch.  Since that friend has steadily come to like Amber over the last four episodes I hope that others out there in Tv-land have done the same.  

    Second, while all the major character had met Amber, she was really only important to Wilson.  Sure her death effects the other characters, in the way that anyone you knows death would effect you, but its not a deep lasting effect that translates to the viewers.  I think this is the problem I have with the scene where all the new ducklings come to say goodbye.  Sure they all knew and competed with Amber, but were they really such good friends that she will want to see them in her last hours?  Will her death really continue to haunt them in any significant way in the coming seasons?  Usually in a show with a structure like House, the only truly significant death to the viewers would be House himself.  Sure other characters are important and well liked, but no one universally, and really what would be the significance of say Chase's death on Wilson.  Or Cuddy's death on Foreman.  They are colleges, sure, but not really friends.  Most of the time they don't even seem to be in the same sphere of influence except through House.  And, of course, they can't kill off House or there wouldn't be any show.  

    Amazingly, the power's that be managed to overcome this problem.  I would say that Wilson is the closest to a universally liked character this show has.  So, by making him the most effected already a large portion of people will be moved by Wilson's pain.  Then by making the death partially House's fault they bring in another sphere of influence.  Now you have Wilson's lost love and House's lost (?) friendship.  And the stellar acting by RSL, HL, and AD didn't hurt matters either.  

    While I'm quite aware that the episode was not universally liked, I am quite pleased, though rather heart broken, by the end of my first season of House watched in real time.  So Thank you powers that be (though would it have killed you to include more Cameron? also Thirteen? what's up with that.  If that's really your lead in to next season I have to say pretty poor).

Comments

[jesmel.livejournal.com]

I always liked Amber, right from the start of the season. i found her far more of an interesting character than Thirteen and would have rather she be hired. I really couldn't care less about Thirteen being positive for Huntington's.

The acting in the episode just killed me dead. Awesome job, especially by RSL and HL.

I very much like that House's stupid, self destructive behaviour has now had a devasting impact on someone he cares about. even though Amber's death was the result of aseries of unfortunate events, the fact remains that House's usual assy self set it all in motion. And I loved the little note at the end, under Wilson's pillow.

I hope the writers don't stuff up the repercussions next season.

[pinksonia.livejournal.com]

I also like Amber from the start of the season. That was another time I was hoping against hope that the spoilers were wrong.

I agree that there needs to be repercussions next year. After Houses conversation with Amber on the bus at the end he just can't go straight back to his usual ass-self. Please writers, allow some growth, just a little bit to get us to endearing ass territory and not monster territory.

[surreallis.livejournal.com]

I actually didn't like Amber much at first. I mean, I didn't hate her, and she was definitely interesting, but she wasn't my favorite. Until the ep where Wilson bought the waterbed. THEN she really hit me. I think because I felt like we saw the real her, not the sarcastic front. Cuddling on the floor with Wilson? MADE OF WIN.

So her death did make me sad, especially as AD acted it so well with so much fear at first, and then later on with such amazing acceptance. On the other hand, if she'd stayed it would have only been a matter of time before she was forced to debase herself on the Altar of House, as all the female characters seemed destined to do. At least hers was just a dream...

[pinksonia.livejournal.com]

I liked her from the beginning because I always though there was more behind the cut-throat-bitch act. When she had the "I always thought I had to choose between love and respect, and I chose respect. Turns out with Wilson I don't have to choose" scene I rejoiced in the fact that we actually got to see that second dimension of the character. Consistently since then, there have been great moments of which the water bed is quite possibly the greatest.

I was okay with the dream since it was simply House working through Taub's suggestion and had no basis in reality. But, yeah, I don't really need endless iterations of House as sex-god.

[glowwormtu.livejournal.com]

I did done cry a lot.

You were right about Amber. I can only hope that my optimism concerning House and Wilson's friendship is not thoroughly misguided.

Adams

[pinksonia.livejournal.com]

Of course, I was right about Amber.

I'm sure that Wilson and House's friendship with weather this trial as it has others, I just hope that it takes a little time and that it is House who has to do the majority of the work for the fixing. Wilson deserves that from him.

Also, I see you found the password for your lj. Been checking out the smut-a-thon?