donnaimmaculata | The great song of indifference

Entry tags:

The great song of indifference

In the course of my huge ongoing watching-TV-series-I-should-have-watched-long-ago programme, I have finally arrived at House, MD. I started with the 3rd season and have then moved on to the 1st season (the 2nd season is a bit tricky as it's apparently not out on DVD yet where I live, and so I have to decide whether to order it for a lot of money or to wait for the release or to, um, find other ways to get my hands on it, but I digress), and then I went online to read up what fandom thinks about it. And you know what? I was surprised that Chase (whom I like a lot) is generelly considered a whimp and House's bitch. My perception of him, taken strictly from what I saw in canon, was quite different. This got me thinking, and it got me thinking about a very similar thing happening after I went online to read up on the fandom's view on Harry Potter, where I discovered that Remus (whom I like a lot) was generally considered a whimp and Sirius' bitch. I was quite surprised then.

Anyway. My mind works in mysterious ways and is has come to the conclusion that Dr. Chase = my HouseMD!Remus. Or vice versa. Whatever.

As I said, I started watching with the 3rd season, and so I had no preconception of what the (supporting) characters were all about. It took me a few episodes to get settled in, but by the third episode (Informed Consent) I realised that I really, really like Chase. He seriously stood out for me in the scene where House and his team discuss the further progress on the Ezra Powell case. Chase boldly and unmistakably voices the opinion that the patient's wish is to be honoured and if he wants to die, they should help him die. "Every doctor I ever worked with did it. They don't talk about it and they don't like it, but they do it" (I'm paraphrasing). (This sentiment, incidentally, is also echoed in one of Terry Pratchett's Witches novels, where the necessity and practicability of euthanasia is briefly discussed.) Anyway, no matter whether or not I think that Chase is morally right to decide pro euthanasia, I was very impressed by the character's attitude, as he was extremely forthright regarding a topic that is somewhat taboo. But: he is a doctor, and doctors have to make difficult decisions; sometimes patients die, and sometimes, it might be better to let them die than to keep them alive at all costs. A debatable point of view, to be sure, but it is a a very decided one. Working on the edge of life and death (I'm paraphrasing Pratchett here), one is forced to make brutal decisions. - Chase's attitude stood out for me as being not necessarily the most ethical or moral one, but the most decisive one - as opposed to Foreman's scruples, which at that point were unsupported by any better alternative, and Cameron's horrible, vague ramblings. (I know that Cameron was the one who eventually did the deed, but she was all emotional and tearful about it - which is why it worked better in the context of a TV drama, because Chase would be much more matter-of-fact about it, thus reducing the impact of the conflict.)

Matter-of-fact is very much how I see Chase. I have begun paying close attention to his character after Informed Consent, and my impression has been that he is very pragmatic and also an opportunist - but not because he doesn't stand up for his convictions (which he does, as seen in Informed Consent), but because he doesn't have any strong convictions most of the time, which is why he often chooses the easiest and most reliable option. And guess what: Agreeing with House more often than not is the most reliable option, simply because House tends to be right about things. And the other characters are aware of the fact that House tends to be right about things. The fellows are working for House, because he's got an excellent reputation as someone who is eccentric, but tends to be right about things. Etc. And this is why I am irritated about the other characters antagonising House at all costs at all time - which is done to illustrate how strong and opinionated they are - while Chase, who chooses the sensible option if there are no other ones present, namely to go along with House's ideas, because as everybody knows House tends to be right about things, is accused of being the whimpy suck-up.

I think that this has a lot to do with the audience's expectation of heros in fiction: Heros generally are people who have strong convicions and stand up for them; they don't have to be right (not being right is okay in a hero, because it shows that he/she is not infallible and has flaws), but they have to be outspoken. In HP cliché terms: heros tend to be Gryffindors.

But back to Chase: Pragmatic and sneaky and opportunistic, and more or less unethical - yes. I very much liked his line in Fools for Love about how "Foreman and Cameron are too ethical to do it, and I'm too afraid to get sued". Yes. This is it. What can I say? I like morally ambigious - morally indifferent - characters. But despite of that attitude, Chase cares for his patients on a more personal level than Foreman does (on the whole, surely there are exceptions), and yet does not get all upset and emotional about them the way Cameron does. From all three of them, I would pick him as my doctor. (Only not, because I would not like a hot young doctor to see me with unwashed hair and tubes sticking from various orifices of my body.) However, I fail to see him as all that weak-willed and lacking a backbone. Also: the show's attempts to present him as a suck-up is rather heavy-handed and not always plausible. Finding Judas: Foreman accuses Chase of sucking up to House ("... with you on your knees... and him bending over..." - Not a thing to say on a show that's got a slash-friendly audience, but I digress again.) just like he used to do with his father. Only problem: after Dad walked out on Mum, he seemed to be reluctant to get in touch with his son (not calling on birthdays, not coming to the wotsits-games..., Cursed) and later Chase refused to talk to him. I fail to see when all that sucking-up and ass-kissing should have taken place.

So. Remus. - I spoke of him at length on different occasions and can't be bothered to elaborate his characterisation-as-I-see-it again, so just in a nutshell: Remus is also pragmatic and an opportunist, and he tends to be withdrawn and passive and not to hazard an opinion unless he absolutely has to, but if there is something he is absolutely convinced is the right thing to do, he will stand up and fight for his conviction. I've always seen him as indifferent rather than cowardly, and this is absolutely the way I see Chase, too. Obviously, I like indifference.

Oh, and: both characters captured my attention when they decided in a rather level-headed manner that it would be a good idea to commit murder, essentially. (Remus in the Shrieking Shack scene in PoA. "Well, hello, Peter. Long time, no see.") And both men would have gone through with it, not because they are murderous bastards, but because it seemed the correct thing to do under the circumstances. - I wonder what tells about me.

I don't know there is any other post where I used the phrases "sucking", not to mention "ass kissing", that often that was not a slash fic.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Wow, you bring up some very good points!
Agreeing with House more often than not is the most reliable option, simply because House tends to be right about things.
And:
Only not, because I would not like a hot young doctor to see me with unwashed hair and tubes sticking from various orifices of my body.
Definitely agree with you on the last one. ;)

Heh! Chase also tends to cut open people's throats on first meeting them, and I'm not sure this is a basis for a happy relationship.

Well, at least he's good looking.

I'm so shallow. LOL

And has good hair (though not always a good haircut). And that counts a lot.

Mmm, agreed.

Chase does deserve some slack from his co-workers.

Chase and Cameron are both suck-ups. Cameron's just in denial, coz she'd think that being nice for your own personal gain is immoral and wrong. So is going out with a man old enough to be your father, but oh well.

Hm, I'm not sure that Chase really sucks up to House all that much, because he doesn't go along with House's ideas despite better judgement. He goes along because he thinks that House is/might be right, which is not unlikely, as House is often right. Cameron, on the other hand ... well, I don't like her and I don't want to end up bitching about her, but blackmailing her boss into going on a date with her is morally reprehensible. My major problem with her is that she seems so self-righteous without justifying it with her actions.

w00t, you just stated my exact reasons for not liking Cameron.

You make some really good points about Chase. I wouldn't necessarily say myself that Chase is indifferent. I would peg him more as being able to see more quickly than either Foreman or Cameron the right thing, or the necessary thing, that needs to be done. One defense that I can offer for those who only see Chase as a suck-up to House is how he is always obedient, not really subservient, to his father. His father has a very authoritative personality, and so does House. Thus. Chase feels that agreeing to the person in charge is the best option.

I also like how you compare Chase to Remus. I also see Remus as not necessarily indifferent but struggling to do the right thing. He also does not like being judged for who he is on the outset, being a werewolf and the social isolation that comes with it. Thus, I believe that to be the reason for his very strong personal convictions about morality and right and wrong.

You make a point that I've always believed in. Chase sees more quickly than Foreman or Cameron. He has to to do his job as an intensivist. Cameron and Foreman want time to think things through, to have other options, to consider all choices and make a case for their decisions. Chase doesn't have that time. He has to get it right, right now, or the patient will die. And then, when they do die at times, he has to live with that. At being wrong, because even House is wrong at times. I think it takes courage to do Chase's job.

True. Essentially, Chase's job is more about quick decisions and less about research. This has surely influenced his approach to diagnosing. Also, arguing with his father doesn't get him anywhere, as shown in Cursed. Surely, having experienced that his opinions tend to be dismissed, he has been conditioned not to argue when the case seems hopeless.

I definitely think he was conditioned not to argue when there's no point in it. Which is what Foreman and Cameron both do. They know they're banging their heads against a wall arguing with House, but still do it and waste time. I think if House were going to do something detrimental to a patient, then Chase would stop him. Which, is canon. And in doing so he got punched for his efforts, but he did it.

Of course, I'm much like Chase. Why argue or go against the flow of the tide when it's pointless. Mind you, if I have a reason to, then I do. And I haven't even been conditioned to the way Chase has. ::Smacks Rowan::

Yes, that's what I meant: He does stand up to House when he's convinced he's right. I actually like the fact that Chase genuinely likes House and finds House amusing - because I also like House and find House amusing. Plenty of identification potential there. And like you, I do identify with Chase: if I don't see a point in arguing, I don't do it. Which is why Chase appeals to me as a character so much.

Rowan has a lot to answer for. Being distant and emotionally unavailable is bad enough, but going into smug-bastard mode when your son is being set up against you and mind-fucked with, is unforgivable.

I love the fact that Chase genuinely likes House and is amused by him. I've thought, right from the beginning, that House and Chase connect in a way that's just them. Rowan I just...grrr. In Cursed he got his closure, the selfish bastard. Got to see how great his son is doing, got to tell himself he said goodbye, for his own selfish purposes, then he walked away. Chase gave another hug and got another disappointment. How hard would it have been for Rowan to take a later flight, have the drink and tell his son he was dying so that CHASE would get the chance to have closure. But Rowan was selfish right to the end. And that selfishness cost Kayla her life and now Chase has to live with that. I sometimes wish Rowan was still alive, so he could repeatedly die a painful death. LOL

Hm, 'indifferent' might be too negative an attribute. What I basically mean is that Chase isn't opinionated for the sake of being opinionated. If he can't think of a solution himself, he goes along with House's, because that makes most sense. I think Chase doesn't like to waste his energy fighting lost battles. His interaction with his father in Cursed shows that Chase does argue with authority figures if he thinks he's right. However, it also shows that his father likes to dismiss Chase's opinion and is a superior bastard, at that. So maybe Chase has learned that it's futile to waste words to convince someone who obviously doesn't want to be convinced - especially since, as you say, has to see and act quickly in order to save patients' lives.

I think you hit the nail on the head. ::Excuse me jumping in on this response, even though it wasn't directed at me::

Excellent post. I've never seen Chase as sucking up. He takes the easy road, but it also tends to be the right road. He's getting it right on his own now. And in season one he was more often right about what was wrong witht he patient or the direction to go in during differentials and stuff than Cameron and Foreman put together. Which somebody actually went through the season and counted. Chase was right.

House ends up right in the end. Other than When Chase got it right in FJ. So why argue against him? He's been with House a year longer than Foreman and six months longer than Cameron. He's made some mistakes that could have made House fire him, but House didn't. Because Chase is a good doctor. Not because he's a suck up. House calls him that and Foreman and Cameron fall into place, mimicking him. In season 3, Cameron has become House in all his negative aspects.

I've always shook my head at Foreman and Cameron. Arguing against House and being lauded and Chase, supporting House and being called a wimp and a suck up. And then House is RIGHT at the end so WHO was right to go along with him? Yeppers. That would be Chase.

I keep laughing and going, Man, Foreman and Cameron? You guys look like stupid idiots. Personally, I'd rather be called a suck up and support the winner than look like a fool for betting against the winner. And Chase always wins. Even on his own. Neener.

Great musings.

I think it's quite smart, actually. Why not take the easy route when it is also the correct one? I also got the impression that Chase is often right, but I can't support it with empiric evidence, because I never took the trouble of counting. But: He is the one who often comes up with the creative, out-of-the-box ideas: in the Pilot, where he suggests using the X-ray machine to find the tape worm and in Kids, where he suggests the wotsit-method used by his old professor ("who touched him in a naughty place...") are two examples that leap to mind.

I do wonder about why Foreman took on the fellowship in the first place. He doesn't like House and he doesn't like House's methods, nor does he believe that House is right most of the time, and yet he wants the job and claims "he learns something" (in Meaning). I don't quite get the reasoning behind that, but maybe a Foreman fan could explain it.

I have yet to figure out why Foreman took the fellowship. I totally see him as going on to be head of neurology some day. Cameron will do, whatever. Chase is the only one I see becoming a diagnostician.

Maybe Foreman feels whatever he does learn from House, medicine wise, will help him reach his goals to rule the world? LOL

"Well, hello, Peter. Long time, no see."

That was the attitude that made me like Remus. As you say, he does what he believes is necessary and therefore I consider him capable of even more ruthlesness (is that a word?) than say, Lucius Malfoy, who seems to be bound by his pleasure and need to feel superior/get revenge.

It is rather disturbing how much ColdAndRuthless!Remus appeals to me. I hope he'll make an appearance in DH. He can be so delightfully pragmatic and unscrupulous. (Of course, the fact that Remus appeals to me is rather widely known. Ah, Remus...)

I think it's the contrast between how calm and kind he is to Harry in PoA. You never suspect him capable of it - or rather, Harry doesn't - so when it happens he comes to life as a character.

Okay. Congrats, you have declared yourself a Chaser for the entire world to see. Good for you, there's not enough of us out there.

A heads up, people tend to get touchy when it comes to Chase, and a lot of people still don't like him because of what happened WAAAYYYY back when in Season One.

My personal wank is that Chase is supposed to represent the bizzare hybrid love child that is House and Wilson. He's got a lot of House's personality in him, but he cares too damn much at times. He's not overly emotionally involved, but he cares abotu his patients.

That and he eats bagles with ... lox (or tomatoes) he appeals to my inner Jew.

Thank you. I feel liberated now that I talked about my new obsession.

Okay, I realise that I am blinded by my favouritism and tend to justify Chase's actions even if they are reprehensible, but: Ratting out House to Vogler made perfectly sense from his point of view and while it wasn't a nice thing to do, House didn't really deserve nice treatment at that point. House was playing the fellows off against each other and enjoying it; he was rubbing it in that he was enjoying it; he didn't accept the way out when it presented itself, namely holding the speech. It's okay, because it's perfectly IC for House to torture his fellows and to stand by his principles. But it is also perfectly IC for Chase to not seek open confrontation but rather to act, cunningly and sneakily, but, essentially, successfully. So, it's a matter of personal preference, but I rather like Chase's method.

Heh! I loved Chase eating bagles with tomatoes, as I do it, too.

What I most like about Chase is how unabashed he is about sucking up to House. In Deception, he said he wouldn't do what House wanted because House was not longer head of the department and couldn't treat him like crap any more and House says "crap is a relative term", Chase immediately tries to do what House wants. The example you gave with Fools for Love, he says it's not because of principles or ethics that he won't do it, it's because of being sued. In Skin Deep, he agrees that he doesn't report the sexual abuse because he's afraid of pissing off his boss. In Informed Consent Chase is willing to help House euthanize Ezra but only because it's House doing it, on his own he won't. It's one of his most attractive qualities, that he knows who he is and he makes no apologies for it.

And this is why I am irritated about the other characters antagonising House at all costs at all time - which is done to illustrate how strong and opinionated they are - while Chase, who chooses the sensible option if there are no other ones present, namely to go along with House's ideas, because as everybody knows House tends to be right about things, is accused of being the whimpy suck-up.
House relies on the fellows arguing with him and telling him where he's wrong (No Reason). It's not a black point against Foreman and Cameron that they challenge House, it's what he needs them to do so that he can do his job (without killing the patient).

Something that really bugs me: Cameron did not blackmail House into the date, not under any dictionary or legal definiton of blackmail. As House said about Abigail in MLC, calling a thing by specific name (in Abigai's case 'dwarf') does not make it so.

Again I say, so nice to see you aboard. *g* My first and foremost love is Cuddy, but I do love me some Chase.

And this is why I am irritated about the other characters antagonising House at all costs at all time - which is done to illustrate how strong and opinionated they are - while Chase, who chooses the sensible option if there are no other ones present, namely to go along with House's ideas, because as everybody knows House tends to be right about things, is accused of being the whimpy suck-up.

Word.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

The great song of indifference

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject