20 Responses to “Somebody Stop Me”

1. Jeff_McAwesome Says:
   November 10th, 2008 at 8:18 pm

   I know what you mean, I too can’t get enough Houseahol.

2. Kermit Says:
   November 10th, 2008 at 8:48 pm

   Well I would stop you, but the twitching would diminish over time, greatly reducing any entertainment value.

3. JRoosh Says:
   November 10th, 2008 at 9:04 pm

   Kermit…you were watching too!

4. Mr. Shirt Says:
   November 10th, 2008 at 10:07 pm

   If Hugh Laurie’s bad acting isn’t enough to stop you, then I guess it’s hopeless! The other aspects of the show is pretty good though.

5. JRoosh Says:
   November 10th, 2008 at 11:00 pm

   If Hugh Laurie’s bad acting isn’t enough to stop you…

   I don’t know about that assessment. I’m a pretty good judge of bad acting and that ain’t it. I watch very little “popular” fare and even less television, but this is good stuff. I think his acting is so good it’s “bad.”

6. Mr. Shirt Says:
   November 10th, 2008 at 11:25 pm

   I think his acting is so good it’s “bad.”

   denial/ De Nile 😛

   🙂

7. Mr. Shirt Says:
   November 10th, 2008 at 11:32 pm

   I do like the show, but Laurie’s one dimensional portrayal of Dr. House makes me cringe. I like how you added the huge photo after my original comment

   Sort of like CSI Miami, I’m constantly getting sucked in to the show, but David Caruso is such a hack actor. I can’t help but roll my eyes when he delivers those insipid one liners. “We…never…close.”

   I like how you added the huge photo after my original comment! 🙂

8. Mr. Shirt Says:
   November 10th, 2008 at 11:35 pm

   Sorry to repeat myself!

   I meant to cut the first one of those “photo” comments out.

   Sorry to repeat myself!

9. angryclown Says:
   November 11th, 2008 at 7:23 am

   Hey, they gave a show to that goofy guy from Blackadder.

10. Mitch Berg Says:
    November 11th, 2008 at 10:05 am

    I enjoy Laurie’s part. He may chew the scenery, but so what?

    I do give great credence to the notion that the whole premise and character was stolen from John McGinley on Scrubs (and the epi where Dr. Cox lampoons House is sheer genius).

11. Badda Says:
    November 11th, 2008 at 10:59 am

    Laurie’s been one of my favorite comedic actors since watching “Black Adder” and (more importantly) “Jeeves and Wooster”.

    He’s effing brilliant. “A Bit of Fry and Laurie” ain’t too shabby either.

12. angryclown Says:
    November 11th, 2008 at 12:25 pm

    Agree with you there, Badda. Thought the Bertie Wooster ref might be a little old, but those guys were brilliant. It’s especially impressive to contrast his British comedy characters with House.

13. Badda Says:
    November 11th, 2008 at 1:13 pm

    Most brilliant.
    When the folks behind “Jeeves & Wooster” approached Fry and Laurie, they declined saying it just couldn’t be done… and they didn’t want to be the guys to ruin it and look bad.

    Then they thought about it and figured, why not us? It might be fun even if it doesn’t work out.

    They were perfect for the job.

    “House” is great for fans of “Black Adder” and “Fawlty Towers”… Laurie gets a chance to do all the great sarcasm that Atkinson and Cleese are known for. I’ve said for a few years that Dr. House is the American version of Edmund Blackadder and Basil Fawlty.

14. Mr. Shirt Says:
    November 11th, 2008 at 2:30 pm

    Depth, it’s called depth. Laurie demonstrates none, at least in “House”. John McGinley, Dr. Cox is far more dynamic.

    I’m clearly in the minority here. I understand the draw that one feels when they recognize actors from cultish shows they like, & instantly have a draw to the new character based on their love for the old show. I had the same emotion when I saw Robyn Hitchcock playing a supporting roll in the remake of The Manchurian Candidate. It was an awful movie, but I couldn’t get Lost Madonna of the Wasps out of my head, and I kept thinking “Good that he found gainful employment!”

15. angryclown Says:
    November 11th, 2008 at 2:37 pm

    Right on there, Badda. I’ve only seen House once or twice. But you’re right, American TV characters tend to lack the comically impotent rage and sarcastic bite that Brits can get away with (a great exception – ever see Dabney Coleman in “Buffalo Bill” when it was on in the ’80s?)

    And compare the British and American versions of “The Office.” Both are great, but Ricky Gervais is able to make his character much more unlikeable than his American counterpart.

16. Mr. Shirt Says:
    November 11th, 2008 at 2:56 pm

    Looks like I left italics open

    that better?

17. Mr. Shirt Says:
    November 11th, 2008 at 2:56 pm

    Nope now

18. Mr. Shirt Says:
    November 11th, 2008 at 2:58 pm

    Stuck.

19. Mitch Berg Says:
    November 11th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
20. Badda Says:
    November 11th, 2008 at 6:52 pm

    You’re on to something, AC. I remember watching “Buffalo Bill” (oh, so many years ago) and not quite getting it, but really enjoying his performance.

    I was a bit too young to enjoy it, but bet I would love it now.

    Gervais is another one… I still need to see him in “The Office”, but he’s really good in “Extras”.

    I gotta say, Shirt, I still don’t agree with you about Laurie not having depth in “House”. He’s got subtlety in his performance (in spite of being an obvious ass and chewing the scenery in most of his scenes).

    I don’t simply like him because I loved him as the Prince Reagent… that’s merely one of the reasons I started watching “House”. Now, I haven’t seen much of the recent season, but from watching the first two, Dr. House is an utter ass because he’s a bit bitter, angry, and put out, has a hard time dealing with folks initially because he is a genius (much like Jeremey Brett’s brilliant performances as Sherlock Holmes in the 80s).

    In fact, not only is he part Holmes, but he’s also part Lt. Columbo. He doesn’t want people to see him for who he is, so he plays up the part of him that is a snarky jerk.

    He’s one of those guys who wants everyone to know that he doesn’t care if you like him or not… in fact, he hopes you hate him, simply because it makes it harder for those people to admit that House is right.

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