Medical dramas are by no means a genre new to television. Shows
like E.R. and Gray's Anatomy have been around for a while, and
help to set the standards for what a medical drama is. House proves
to be a unique option for fans, and a show that brings something
new to the genre. Don't get me wrong there are plenty of elements of
the medical drama that are present in House. The medical
terminology, the hospital setting, the patients that the doctors must
treat, and the threat of death or injury if they slip up or make a bad
decision. What sets House apart, is its use of mystery and surprise
which they put at the very center of the stories being told each week.
"Last Temptation" is an unusual episode of House in that it puts
more focus on Dr. Masters and her personal issues, rather than
focusing on the patient and having the mystery of their illness be at
the heart of the episode. Longtime fans of the show come to expect
the latter as part of what makes House special. It is strange for
House to put so much emphasis on one doctor and her life instead of
the patient. Someone watching this episode might be a little
disappointed by the fact that the mystery of the patient took a
backseat to what Dr. Masters was going through. One thing that can
be said for House however, is that it is a show that seems to
constantly try to reinvent itself."Last Temptation" is an episode that
shows the variety of stories that the show aims to tell, and does so in
a very effective way. Showing that in order to do the right thing, you
must at times, bend the rules in order to put the best interest of the
patient before what the patient feels is best for them. In a way,
having an episode whose theme is doing what is right even though it
forces the character to compromise what she believes in, only puts
more emphasis on the fact that it is important for House to put the
patient first.
"Last Temptation" while being different from a lot of the stories that
House likes to tell, still is a story that House finds very important.
There are so many stories, and so many different ways to tell
them, that over the years the show has tried to tell them all. The
wide variety of stories that the show has gone through is truly
amazing. The show is just as beautiful to look at as the stories are
interesting and thought provoking. Each episode has a different look
and feel according to the type of story being told; creating a
different experience for every episode.
House Pushes the boundries for what a medical drama can be. The
show mixes fantasy and reality in a way that gives the show its own
distinct style. It is an extremely exciting and entertaining show to
watch with something in it for everyone.
