(Season 5, Episode 8 – “Emancipation”)
Seriously — what is Foreman’s problem? I really thought we had already been down this road. When he originally quit working for House, it was because he was afraid he’d become just like him. Then money talked and we’ve got him back, basically with his tail between his legs.
So now, all of a sudden, Foreman decides to flex his independent muscle and he’s bound and determined not to rely on House. Meanwhile, a four-year-old’s life is at stake and Foreman is too proud to ask House for help.
I get that Foreman wanted to do clinical trials, and he was attempting to prove to House that he could handle his job on House’s team as well as something else. But should Foreman’s career be put ahead of a child’s life?
When Foreman finally asks for House’s help, House refuses and Foreman says that House’s ego is killing his patient. Whose ego is really the problem, though?
I’m not denying that House is a huge egomaniac who plays with patients’ lives every week; that’s not the point. I’m wondering how Foreman cannot see that he has come full circle, and what he feared the most has come to pass: he is like House.
Most likely, this will bring us some great storylines, but I’m questioning Foreman’s self-actualization. His ego issues seem to be coming from a place of self-doubt, whereas House’s confidence is for real. House sees this in Foreman, and knows he can be a great doctor if he believes in himself, which is why House forced Foreman’s hand by denying him the help so he’d diagnose the boy on his own. This lead to Foreman telling House he wanted to do clinical trials, not asking House if he could. A big boon for Foreman’s confidence, thanks to House’s manipulation. All good? Time will tell ….
“I need a differential for uncontrollable giggling.” – Foreman
“He’s four. They laugh.” – Chase
Clacked by Debbie McDuffee
on Nov 20, 2008 @ 10:00 EST5EDT
Maybe he’s going to kill himself, I would suggest they have him throw himself in front of a train.
I think your post aptly points out a larger problem with season 5. The writing staff have too many characters to develop and not enough script time to do so fairly. So we’ve been stuck all year with a barely-communicative Foreman who has completely lost his identity with viewers, in my opinion. In hindsight, and as much as I love the Cameron character, I’m beginning to think it was a mistake to keep Jennifer Morrison and Jesse Spencer on the show. I don’t think they add anything to the show anymore. Their characters have stopped developing and their camera face time takes away from the new three, Foreman, Cuddy, Wilson, and House.
The first 2 or 3 seasons were great with a cast of 6, with occasional guest stars in story arcs. Now the cast is just too big, and everyone’s getting shorted.
I agree with David. Too many characters this year. They need to axe some characters but not necessarily the old ones.
The most rediculous part of this show is that the doctors working with House are doctors, not interns, not residents. This show makes them all look like idiots when compared to House. If the real world worked like that, most people wouldn’t make it out of the hospital alive. It should also be noted that House almost kills every patient before he saves them too.