Rant

I feel like I've been watching a bit much suboptimal tv lately. And especially with repeat watchings of shows that don't work so cohesively, but have at least one great feature.

And yes, that means I watch House almost exclusively to see Hugh Laurie being sarcastic. It still doesn't seem old. It's a funny juxtaposition, however, hearing him on some nappy ad, being effusive and anything but sarcastic. Speaking of voiceovers, Stephen Fry (The Voice of The Book) is also currently on some inane ad doing a voiceover, but does make great fun for parodying it, HHGTG styles.

The thing which irritates me about House, the CSI menagerie, and a few others, is the apparently lack of specialisation, and their conductance of tasks outside of their brief (like forensic experts conducting interviews). Last night on House, there was a neurologist, and two other specialists (but no radiologist, or even a radiation tech) personally conducting a CAT scan, just to check for metal implants before an MRI (so it's not even like they were watching a diagnostic test). The marvellous, recently departed Green Wing had an excellent and novel solution to such issues. It dispensed entirely with the need to incorporate patients, or really any medical subplots, into a hospital drama. No doubt aided by a couple of cast members of Black Books, and presumably the same muso behind the theme & incidental music.

The one crime show that doesn't bore me is Criminal Intent, perhaps partly because while the lead characters are not persona-less, they're for the most part subservient to the plot, not litte sub-plots in and of themselves. It's also possible that the psychological aspect appeals to me...