BOUO

February 15th, 2008Blog0 comments

My new favorite show is House MD. It feeds my love for science-based drama and my hypochondria.

It’s also a very well balanced show in terms of characters and internal/external conflicts. Something’s always pushing on House from outside — a Big Money Dude, a vengeful cop, cancer. His three minions (Omar Epps, Pretty Girl, and Mini Cary Elwes) are constantly forming alliances and breaking them. Meanwhile House totally wants to hit it with Cuddy but something or other keeps getting in the way. Sexual tension ahoy!

There’s an article in the New York Times Books section today on The Age of American Unreason, a book about the anti-intellectual attitude in America. The attitude is definitely there, but the success of shows like House point to a real interest among Americans toward intellectual heroes. Scientists, teachers, authors, etc., just need to come out of their holes and kick some ass. American proverbs (“Talk is cheap”, “Git ‘r done”) emphasize action over sedate knowledge. Tell us what the knowledge means! We as a people are more interested in what you can do with what you know as opposed to just knowing things.

A blue flame in a chemistry class. A rocket car breaking the sound barrier. A man on the moon. Americans love real, physical results — big wins, touch downs. People want to see the usefulness of science in their own lives. And smart people are still highly rewarded — the richest people in America are all huge nerds.

And unfortunately, there will always be an underclass of dumbasses. Society requires them. The hoi polloi, the opiated masses. That’s what a service economy relies upon: Loads of people buying stupid shit. But what people need to realize is that the modern American dumbass is the most educated, literate, most disease-free and wealthy dumbass that has ever existed in man’s history. Compared to a toothless, plague-ridden, growth-stunted, flea-infested European serf from 1057 AD, our dudes have it made.

I am not a snob. I love stupid shit as much as the next guy. I was yelling at my TV watching American Idol the other night. I love McDonalds’ french fries and iCanHasCheezburger. But it’s good to know that there’s more out there. Books, television, documentaries that teach a deeper understanding of the world. Novels that teach a deeper understanding of human nature. That everyone (more or less) has access to it all. And shows like House MD, etc., prove that there’s still an audience for smart heroes.

House has seriously resurrected my belief in good TV.