Brother: I think fiction uses the device of physical pain as an expression of conflict way too often, and I find it irritating. It's also weird that everyone has diagnosed House's shoulder pain as psychosomatic. Why can't a shoulder pain be just a shoulder pain? I understand the writers are going for something here, it's just my little pet peeve.
Me: Never mind fiction in general, I think the House writers have done it a little too often lately, too. His leg pain gets worse when Stacy leaves, his leg pain comes back when he can't handle doubting his medical prowess, his shoulder hurts when he betrays Wilson.
Brother: Maybe I missed something, but I'm not sure how Cuddy giving a prescription to House indicates his pain is all in his head. I'm not saying his pain can't be purely psychological, I just don't see how that scene shows it.
Me: Well, what I said is the whole season is showing it. But I said it in that section because I found it annoying that Cuddy told House her reason for giving him a prescription is that Tritter would find it suspicious if they all cut him off, proving that he doesn't need the Vicodin. Why couldn't the reason be ... oh yeah, you DO need it, and it would be unethical of me to withhold it completely even though you're a bastard.
Brother: And (a little late), I thought it was hilarious that we didn't see Chase at all after House told him to sit on his ass in the last episode. I'm a little afraid that we're going to find out that Chase was a fat kid with split ends, and I'm not going to care.
Me: Early in season one they gave him this backstory of having studied to be a priest and having daddy issues, but now he's just spoiled ex-rich kid with good hair. I think he must have disappeared in that episode because the actor had something better to do than hang around and be token good-hair guy.
Brother: And did you notice that House seems to be where old stars get a last chance? Howard Hesseman, John Larroquette, David Morse, Hugh Laurie...
Me: HEY! Take that last one back. And the second-last one. And the third-last one. You can have Howard Hesseman.
Brother: Actually, they all did really good work. Even Hugh. I was impressed with John Larroquette, because all I've seen him do are comedies, good (Night Court) and bad (almost all his movies).
Me: EVEN Hugh?! If I didn't know you were just baiting me, I'd ... I'd ... do nothing.
