How House should end

[bironic]

So, House will be finishing its run in April/May. That's several years past due (ugh, this show since season four), but it's sad nonetheless. End of a fannish era.

In any case, it's a good opportunity to share with you this thing that I've been meaning to post for a couple of years: a wish for how the series finale will go. I'm a few episodes behind right now, but I suspect that doesn't matter.

House wakes up, and he's still in the hospital bed with Stacy and Cuddy arguing about what to do with his leg. After taking the requisite moments to process this, he looks "back" at what his life descended into when he made the choice to keep it—the chronic pain, the medication side effects, the lost and destroyed friendships, Amber, Cuddy, rehab, prison, disappointment, bitterness, desperation, flippancy, the escalating risk-taking, everything spiraling out of control. He flashes through the low points of the whole series, basically, and takes a hard look; admits that he doesn't like what he sees; and decides to amputate the leg. Because he wants to be a better person, and maybe this is the way he can do it.

Is that not the kind of character growth the producers keep talking about? Is that not a way for House to change without having to change him long-term on screen and 'risk losing viewers'? Is that not a way for this entire show to have meant something? (Does that not also provide an opportunity for more of the metaphysical mumbo-jumbo the producers used to like to stick into their season finales?) Is that not in line with the sort of stunt they pulled in "No Reason"?

I don't mean it would result in a happy fluffy Greggy who kisses his peds patients and suffers fools gladly and compliments his fellows and tells Wilson every day that he appreciates his friendship. Stacy told us years ago that he was just as much a bastard before the leg as he was in the early seasons. But he has had much darker moments since the show started, and I don't think it's unreasonable to argue that the chronic pain fed into that.

For this to work, though, the latter half of this season would need to depict the sort of clear declines we've seen in seasons past.

Too bad that won't happen. OR WILL IT.

Comments

[kassrachel.livejournal.com]

Oh, man, that would be awesome. I was just thinking about "Three Stories" the other day, actually, and feeling nostalgic about the days when I loved this show (and these characters) that much.

[bironic.livejournal.com]

Whatever terrible choices are made in the finale, I will have this to fall back on!

[shadowfireflame.livejournal.com]

I still love this show and am so very sad that it is ending. I Still, I think that your ending would be absolutely perfect. I can't think of a better one, really.

[bironic.livejournal.com]

We will see what the actual finale brings.... As long as House doesn't see a white light and have a metaphysical epiphany, I will refrain from banging my head against the wall.

Regardless: I am glad you are still enjoying the show! I wish I were. I've just... fallen out of it, you know? I watch these episodes and I remember liking so many of the characters and being invested in the patient stories, but I just don't feel it anymore.

[shadowfireflame.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I definitely can see that. And this season I really miss Cuddy. (I was really rooting for House and Cuddy to get together and raise Rachel together and be happy. Oh well.)

But I was always in it mainly for House and Chase, and often Wilson, so I couldn't really be let down. :D

[damigella-314.livejournal.com]

What a fascinating scenario.
End of a fannish era.
Does it have to be?

[bironic.livejournal.com]

True, true. In another sense, though, the fannish community that was in place in the first few seasons of the show has already dissolved/dispersed, and the finale is just the official stamp.

[deelaundry.livejournal.com]

\o/

[bironic.livejournal.com]

\o/

[obsessive24.livejournal.com]

Wow, that'd be brilliant! And if it doesn't end that way, you should make a vid to rectify that. :D

[bironic.livejournal.com]

Y'know, I've been toying with the idea of doing a House vid to Bolero, illustrating how the show revisits and revisits and revisits the same themes and even the same character profiles, and attempting to piece it together to discover/demonstrate that it all builds to something... But then someone at Festivids did the Sense & Sensibility vid to Bolero, so if I do ever attempt the project I will have to work harder at examining alternative music.

[obsessive24.livejournal.com]

I'd always thought the revisitng and revisiting of themes just points to a horrible failing on the show's part in having to keep the protagonist at the status quo after multiple years and character relationships (same complaint I have about Dexter), but it is so interesting to think of this repetition in terms of actually making a point of itself and building to something. I haven't enough faith in the show to think that's what will happen in canon, but I do have faith that you could make something really amazing out of the idea. :D

[topaz-eyes.livejournal.com]

You could do a vid to All the Strange Strange Creatures. :-D

[bironic.livejournal.com]

That would certainly allow for a highly dramatic vid!

[nightdog-barks.livejournal.com]

I am intrigued by your theories and would like to subscribe to your newsletter.

♥

[bironic.livejournal.com]

*hug* You already subscribe! :)

[pwcorgigirl.livejournal.com]

That would be perfect. &hearts

[bironic.livejournal.com]

I am pretending it will happen! No one can stop me! :)

[felis-nocturna.livejournal.com]

Wow. I couldn't disagree more if I tried. To each their own I guess. :)

(One of the many reasons is House's "I don't want this to be simply a test.")

Edited to delete a repetition.

[bironic.livejournal.com]

Totally fair! Do you have ending preferences?

[felis-nocturna.livejournal.com]

Except for the fact that I don't want a "wake up and it's 1-8 years earlier" ending, I don't really have preferences, no. I'm just curious what they'll do and I hope it will make sense for the show.

[bironic.livejournal.com]

I know, it's such a cheat ending. But I don't know what else will feel satisfying. We shall see...

[recrudescence.livejournal.com]

I always thought the show would eventually end with House dying (not out of sheer morbidness, it just...makes sense to me), but this idea works too.

[bironic.livejournal.com]

Sounds like another popular opinion. I don't know how the show will actually end, and doubt it will be this route, but it's been fun entertaining this 'ideal ending based on what we've got so far' idea.

[taiga13.livejournal.com]

(here via deelaundry) That's brilliant!

[bironic.livejournal.com]

If only it weren't the only thing I can think of that would be both appropriate and satisfying! :)

[alpheratz.livejournal.com]

I'm not even watching and I'm incredibly interested at how it will end. I really like your theory. More than anything, though, I wonder what we'll see from Hugh Laurie next.

[bironic.livejournal.com]

Ah, yes. I imagine he'll be more than grateful to return to his family in England for a while.

[chocolate-frapp.livejournal.com]

I like your idea a lot. I still want my idea of the last epie, which is the entire show turning out to be Bertie Wooster's VERY long nightmare, but they would never do that.

[bironic.livejournal.com]

Hee! Now there is a vid idea.

[topaz-eyes.livejournal.com]

I dislike Dallas and St. Elsewhere-style, "it never happened/it was only a dream" endings. OTOH it would be a full-circle kind of ending, one with personal insight which is my ideal ending for him, so...

(TBH the show ended for me with "Both Sides Now." It wasn't a happy ending, but it was hopeful.)

[bironic.livejournal.com]

Yeah, ambivalence. But it won't be what ends up on screen, so we won't have to wrestle with it much. :)

(Wow, how depressing is it that I had to look up the episode title? Neat idea, thinking of the series ending there. Will be interesting to see what note the series actually ends on and how it compares to that - what each one says about House's arc.)

[daasgrrl.livejournal.com]

I'm afraid I'm not a fan of the 'and then he woke up' ending, but then I've not even watched any of the latest season, so I can't really demand anything I guess *g*

I was just thinking today though IS IT TOO MUCH TO ASK HOW WILSON'S BROTHER IS? Let alone the rest of his family... fine, the show is about House, but you know, I'd still like some closure! I know, OT, I'm just venting...

I don't think it'll really end properly. It'll be some full circle 'can't always get what you want' and House will just kind of fade off into the sunset. Maybe with Wilson, but more likely alone. Gah, I didn't realise I was so bitter about this show *g*

[bironic.livejournal.com]

OH MY GOD if that song plays in the finale and they do something they've done for 8 years I will not be responsible for what happens.