Fox and MH television

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09-22-2009, 11:58 AM
Jozanny

Fox and MH television

I do not want to put too fine a point on this topic, one that has been brewing in my head over the last couple of days, but The Fox Network seems to be doing some interesting things with the mental health subculture--at least in its current incarnation in the States. House, which is one of my favorite shows, despite its flaws, has had an ongoing flirtation with mental illness since its inception--whereas with physical disability it is sometimes too cavalier, with mental health, House's relationship to patients with behavioral issues, related to disease or not, this seems to be a little more complex, whether it be with autism, disinhibition, delusion, etc., and this season opener took it head on, but how accurate it is about MH and its treatment, well that is another matter. The writers, both on House, and the new pretty boy one, Mental, they pay lip service to the issue of the complications surrounding diagnosis and treatment, but still, each episode is up in 50 minutes, and off we go to the next case, or the next puzzle.

I think it would be nice if they drew this out once in awhile, and really showed the treatment of MH issues as a complex process--aside from House's monkey on his back.

I actually worked in the trenches of mental illness and integration, and it is not always pretty psychiatrists and patients who get prize keys of revelation; it isn't always neat and clean. I grant that these dramas are entertainment, but I wonder if they should display even more courage now and again, push the envelope a little further.
09-22-2009, 06:58 PM
Virgil

Thanks for pointing this out Jozy. I did see the trailer for the openning of House and thought it interesting. I don't however watch much TV any more, so I doubt I'll watch. But I would be interested in your thoughts. :)
09-22-2009, 07:29 PM
Jozanny

Quote:

Originally Posted by Virgil

Thanks for pointing this out Jozy. I did see the trailer for the openning of House and thought it interesting. I don't however watch much TV any more, so I doubt I'll watch. But I would be interested in your thoughts. :)

Of course you do not watch, with your career, but television is the best friend of the marginalized, like me and Frank; it is the one thing he and I have in common, except I like it deep and he loves trash. I am seriously thinking about starting a disability arts blog on film and television, and then closing my poor Yahoo group once I start it, but I worry that it might be too *esoteric*, to use Gil Ott's phrase (now deceased) when he was on my also-failed disability literature list.

I am a horrid list owner I guess, but DIA had some fine moments in its early years.

Fox deserves some credit for House and Mental. House used to be a near masterpiece, in terms of popular television character study, and Mental does borrow a few nicely played key notes from independent living ideology, i.e., patient autonomy, but I worry about both shows being too pretty people oriented, too slick, too gift-wrapped around the emphasis on fixing what's broken, like House himself, who has a near comic book ability to renew his brokeness. I guess I am an amateur House scholar.

I am even toying with the idea of submitting an episode to Fox, if the Screen Writer's Guild wouldn't shoot me. I've never written a script, but I guess you could now call me a Hugh Laurie devotee; he made this character, in the real and rare sense of the word.

Hugs anyway! :wave:
09-22-2009, 07:42 PM
Virgil

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jozanny

Hugs anyway! :wave:

Ah, thank you my friend.

What do you mean my career? I come home after work like everyone else. :lol: I used to watch TV, but now I'm wasting my time on the internet. :D I really should do some writing. I attempt it every once in while.

The few times I've caught half an episode of House I have to admit it was very good. I've never even heard of Mental.
09-22-2009, 07:53 PM
Jozanny

Quote:

Originally Posted by Virgil

Ah, thank you my friend.

The few times I've caught half an episode of House I have to admit it was very good. I've never even heard of Mental.

They are running Mental as a summer filler series. Here is a site , and damn, the lead is hot hot hot. You can find it on Fox too. I'll see if they offer episodes online.

Maybe not. I am on the Fox page.
09-22-2009, 07:59 PM
Virgil

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jozanny

They are running Mental as a summer filler series. Here is a site , and damn, the lead is hot hot hot. You can find it on Fox too. I'll see if they offer episodes online.

It does seem enticing. Thanks.
09-22-2009, 08:08 PM
Jozanny

You're welcome. I hope they aren't going to cancel it though. I don't see a capsule for it on the network site.
09-22-2009, 08:11 PM
Virgil

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jozanny

You're welcome. I hope they aren't going to cancel it though. I don't see a capsule for it on the network site.

Check the ratings. If their good, they won't cancel it. Mental illness makes for great stories by the way.
09-23-2009, 01:43 AM
Jozanny

David Carradine gave his last performance on Mental, btw.
09-24-2009, 02:53 AM
Maximilianus

I haven't watched Mental yet, though I'm a keen fan of House. I do believe it's a masterpiece.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jozanny

Of course you do not watch, with your career, but television is the best friend of the marginalized

I can relate. I love my margin, with my PC, my Internet connection, my TV set and DVD player... does anyone believe I should leave my corner? Should I take my DVDs with me if I do? :lol:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jozanny

Fox deserves some credit for House and Mental. House used to be a near masterpiece, in terms of popular television character study, and Mental does borrow a few nicely played key notes from independent living ideology, i.e., patient autonomy, but I worry about both shows being too pretty people oriented, too slick, too gift-wrapped around the emphasis on fixing what's broken, like House himself, who has a near comic book ability to renew his brokeness. I guess I am an amateur House scholar.

Interesting review.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jozanny

I am even toying with the idea of submitting an episode to Fox, if the Screen Writer's Guild wouldn't shoot me. I've never written a script

There's always a first time for everything Jozy. Besides, with your interesting ideas included, I think an episode written by you would give the story a very appealing turn :nod:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jozanny

David Carradine gave his last performance on Mental, btw.

Really? I didn't know... thanks for telling!
09-24-2009, 08:37 PM
Virgil

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jozanny

David Carradine gave his last performance on Mental, btw.

Hmm, was that what he was filming before he did what he did?
09-25-2009, 07:07 AM
Jozanny

Quote:

Originally Posted by Virgil

Hmm, was that what he was filming before he did what he did?

While he was still in the States, I guess. They had a memoriam for him at the end of the show. It was somewhat eerie, as the episode itself had an ethereal quality to it, and Carradine never spoke a word, but carried the entire cast. I'd say he upstaged Chris Vance, who plays the wonder boy psychiatrist who is himself not entirely balanced (and this conceit is nothing new to a writer like me, but Vance doesn't make it a cliche either).

I would hand over my entire savings for two hours with Vance. I care not a wit about my spastic scars. He could cry rape to the LA police 50 times over for all I care:lol::lol:.

It is odd though. I tried two links to Mental on the Fox Network site, and nothing doing. I know this was a limited run series to give the hungry something to chew on over the summer, but they should keep a promo up if they are staying with it. I don't know how Fox responds to such questions, but I care enough to ask if they are keeping it in the line up.
09-25-2009, 06:30 PM
Virgil

Let us know if they respond. :)
09-26-2009, 08:40 AM
Jozanny

Quote:

Originally Posted by Virgil

Let us know if they respond. :)

If I wanted to display my impetuousness I'd ask you why I should, but I guess, this morning, I am both esoteric and vacuous (what did she say?):eek:, and just found out why I would even need to query a literary agency.

You need a literary agent to submit scripts for television shows! Frank, like Max, said I love House so much why not try my hand at an episode, but I wonder if it would be taking on too much. I have seen almost every episode of House twice, some three times. I will have to think about it and remember that I do not have unusual pathologies readily on hand.

Still, on a thematic level, Fox is doing something interesting here, maybe even under-cutting its own reputation. I thought it would be worth discussing, but obviously no one engages Fox for its highbrow ambitions, at least not in this forum...:angel:
09-28-2009, 02:53 AM
mtpspur

Well I took a vacation day just so I could watch the season premiere of House. I'm sort of hoping the theme for this year is renewal and healing. You might be interested in the site TeleviisonWithoutPity where there is a House entry with forums and fan fiction is posted. I generally read the episode summaries to get the finer points I may have missed watching the episodes and I have all seasons so far on DVD. Season 5 is due anytime now.
09-28-2009, 04:07 PM
Jozanny

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtpspur

Well I took a vacation day just so I could watch the season premiere of House.

That's dedication! Laurie and Braugher are, arguably, two of the strongest television actors to emerge within the last 20 years, which is why I was disappointed that "Broken" was not better written, took a few more risks, and kept Braugher on for a bit as a hard push back foil, much as they did with David Morse in a previous season. Correction: Braugher is on for two more episodes, but I just read that Morrison is leaving, which is actually a good thing. Doctors do not continually quit or get fired but stay where they are at the same time. I always thought one of the weakest things about House was Fox's obligation to honor the contracts of the original fellowship team, and it is definitely time for Epps to return to his B-grade movies.

I did not like the Nolan character giving House his answer by revealing the brain dead father; it pushed in the wrong direction, an unrealistic sentimentality which doesn't happen in real world terms. The whole point of House as a character is that he's a borderline sociopath anti-hero hero, and I do not think watching a rehab psychiatrist grieve for his daddy is going to get House to come to terms with losing his father. Nolan knew that House's verbal acuity was his weapon of choice, and yet the scene was an invitation for the cutting tongue silenced more through tv-land pap than anything else.

I had a therapist who reminded me that she wasn't the oracle. In our last session she told me she was divorced, but she did not invite me to dinner with her ex-husband. The point of 'what Nolan was doing might have been better made, in those terms.

It was once a near great show, but continues to deteriorate when it insists on overshooting poignancy.

Quote:

I'm sort of hoping the theme for this year is renewal and healing. You might be interested in the site TeleviisonWithoutPity where there is a House entry with forums and fan fiction is posted. I generally read the episode summaries to get the finer points I may have missed watching the episodes and I have all seasons so far on DVD. Season 5 is due anytime now.

Thanks for the info. I might get the DVD's when the show ends. On the renewal and healing... mmm. I don't want House to become too human; I have never really liked the American appetite for closure, moving on, letting go. Pain shapes people as much as hope does, or gives us a reason to get up the next day.

And if I am this hard on a great show you can imagine how much I hate television.:rolleyes:
09-28-2009, 09:40 PM
mtpspur

I knew about Jennifer Morrison leaving at the time I posted but did not wish to spoil anything for you. With my work schedule I never get a Monday off unless it is vacation or sick time and our VCR is down so I'll be catching House a week late as Fox.Com runs them 8 days after original broadcast.

Very impressed with your analysis of the opener. I was hoping for more hard hitting conferences between House and Nolan and I really liked the 'romance' that was going on even though I would love to see Cuddy and House really come to an understanding but they need to put her backbone where it belongs because last season was horrid watching her lose her dignity episode by episode. I can cut a show a lot of leeway and one of the fun parts about House is seeing the characters change oh so slowly much like real life. I do think this has been a progressive thing for House and the viodin and breakdown so I await the future with more enthusiasm then last year--I really never warmed up to the new team. Lost no sleep over Kumar and Taub annoys me.
10-08-2009, 12:53 PM
Dirtbag

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jozanny

It was once a near great show, but continues to deteriorate when it insists on overshooting poignancy.

That pretty much sums up my feelings toward the show now but I still enjoy it more than most other things on TV.
10-10-2009, 08:20 PM
Jozanny

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dirtbag

That pretty much sums up my feelings toward the show now but I still enjoy it more than most other things on TV.

The writers seem to be getting a little overly dramatic. When House loses a patient it is true the somber note and music ensue, but the James Earl Jones episode was heady, and I am not sure it was in Chase's character.

Though it isn't likely, I hope Fox ends the series before they destroy it. If they save their capital, they could bring it back now and then, specials and the like.

I do not see Mental on the cancellation list on the official Fox site, but I still have no idea why the episodes aren't being offered to the public to view online. In an off moment I will try to find out. I've actually kept myself a little busy with my own work these days, not that anyone @ LN would have guessed, since I've seemed to move in here!:eek2::lol: