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For the last few weeks I always had my 3DS with me but I met no one! Finally, on the retro fair at the weekend, five other people had their 3DS with them & when I realized this yesterday, It made me really happy! Such a great feature of an even greater device! 3DS

HAPPY FIRST CONTACT DAY!

April 5, 2063

TV Shows - CSI: Las Vegas IX

After a long break and some thoughts about CSI: Las Vegas, I have to say that writing about the series is not as enjoyable for me as with Dr. House. Right now, I'm watching "Built to Kill" S7E1&2, and my desk already has bite marks because there are just so many things that annoy me and I find crappy in interpersonal relationships. (You just shouldn't treat others like that, no matter what the writers' intentions were.)

In this season, we also have to slowly say goodbye to Warrick as he gets shot towards the end (the actor couldn't agree on a new contract with the studio). It's a shame, I personally think it's a big loss. This triggers a kind of weird fluctuation in the cast. I can still remember some, especially Elisabeth Shue, whom I don't really like, but I really enjoyed her in the CSI role.

I also thought it was cool that we almost see the entire second tier of Bones actors spread out over the previous CSI seasons.

Of course, Jason Segel's appearance in three episodes was also really good.

The double feature from Quentin Tarantino was also pretty good and I think, that after that, the show got some minor changes in tone, color and camera composition.

This list could go on, but my wrists are asking for an end. I don't know what's next, but I'll probably finish the rewatch without writing about it anymore. Let's see what topic I choose next, maybe I'll see if there's more to explore with Dr. House. Or I'll venture into entirely new territories. I just want to go with the flow, but for now, CSI: Las Vegas is over.

By seerlight

Music on

TV Shows - CSI: Las Vegas VIII

Often only Nick or Warrick are talked about, a little swooning over Greg, and gossiping about Hodges. Grissom is often only found on page two, but he is one of the most interesting characters on the show precisely because of who he is. Highly intelligent, introverted, and reserved. But also always highly concentrated and focused on the work. (Right now, the episode "Butterflied" S4E12 is running, and that just made me realize again) So it's not surprising that he maintains closer relationships with the most interesting women on the show. And because it's Grissom, I don't mean that in a sexual or physical sense, but on a deeper, much more exciting level (which of course doesn't exclude sex). But who do I mean? Terry and Lady Heather! Both fascinating characters with incredible depth, and it's understandable that Grissom is interested in both. But unfortunately, Grissom is Grissom, and that's why both relationships are doomed to fail. Very sad!! Nevertheless, the episodes in which they appear and interact with Grissom are always interesting and exciting to watch.

And just a little side note, you should listen very carefully to Lady Heather regarding interpersonal relationships and BDSM (dominatrix/sub relationship). She reveals a lot here, which is often misunderstood and also misrepresented by various media. This can lead to very unpleasant situations!!

In the third season, it already becomes a bit clear, but in the fourth season, you can be sure that this series, as mature as it already was at the beginning, is now fully grown. Why do I mention this? Well, precisely because we're only in the fourth season, and when a series has reached such a status, it often doesn't live on for too long or is kept alive far beyond its peak. That's not the case with CSI, and I include CSI: Miami and CSI: New York in that. All three series manage to keep themselves alive in an interesting way without declining too much. Of course, there are always small rough patches, and that's not only forgivable but completely normal. But you always manage to give it new impetus through slight restructuring, new characters, bringing back old characters, and also changes in the setting.

This is wonderfully shown in the successor to CSI: Las Vegas, CSI: Vegas. There are now two seasons, and a third has already been ordered. You start anew, but you're still in Vegas. Much feels different, but because we have familiar faces and they practically accompany us, it's easier to get used to the new. You can't look away, and the first season is over before you know it, and you really like it. Because you were slowly introduced to the new without it being bothersome or boring. Truly a very good example of such a kind of follow-up series.

TV Shows - CSI: Las Vegas VII

I had to take a little writing break because my wrists were starting to feel the strain from all the writing (I have to write a lot for uni, and I also need to fill up my own page). But of course, I didn't stop watching CSI: Las Vegas, and that's why we're already in the middle of Season Four!

You can tell by now that the characters have become very well-established and developed. Many of them don't seem as young and inexperienced anymore, and that even applies to Greg. I find him the most interesting here because he has developed to the point where he's even taken out into the field, and we know that he'll soon leave the lab and go into the field. He hasn't left behind his outgoing nature but has used it to progress. His exceptional knowledge about various things also comes in handy!

Nick and Sara are now applying for a higher CSI class, and they are overshadowed by Catherine, as Grissom assigns her an important case. She brings in Greg, which further frustrates Nick and Sara. However, by the end of this episode, you can see that, due to past episodes, it's no longer just a team here but rather friends in a somewhat familial relationship (even their time together during breaks or after cases shows this). Because it's patched up, you understand why it was Catherine and why she brought in Greg. (Nick and Sara have another story connecting them, but that's more related to the actors, but more on that later!)

At the beginning, it was still a bit rough, and sometimes even a bit rough when switching between cases. But this is absolutely not criticism at this point, just an observation. Because this has also been ironed out more and more, and you always switch at just the right moment, so one case doesn't "wear out," and you have to immediately deal with the other one. As a viewer, you're always kept on your toes, which is good because with crime series that handle only one case, this can sometimes be very exhausting over the intended 45 minutes. This danger rarely exists here.

One of the big mysteries of the series has now also been revealed; we know who Catherine's father is. The casino mogul Sam Brown! Catherine found this out about Greg with a not entirely legal DNA investigation, and of course, Sam Brown immediately tried to bribe her after being acquitted of a murder case. I vaguely remember that there's still a lot to happen here, and I'm curious how the gaps in my memories will be filled. Don't worry, otherwise, I won't get on any Catherine rage train today. Since the episode with her ex-husband and daughter, she has been reformed, and you can see that in her character, which is calmer and even more grounded. Although there are still outbursts sometimes, but that's human!

What we're increasingly seeing now is the famous CSI effect. I've worked with people in the lab for a long time, and it's fascinating what you notice in such a series. It starts with the absolutely wrong use of gloves because when you wear them and work with materials, you absolutely don't touch anything else and don't even touch your hair; it would all contaminate. Then also the quick processing of analyses through various devices, including DNA comparisons. Yes, the operation of the devices is okay, and the devices are real, but everything is very much accelerated, which of course also happens in terms of storytelling. But normally, such analyses would take much longer than shown here. What's really interesting is the many reports that this was actually demanded in the real world by law enforcement agencies because, as you could see here, it's possible. There are also statistics showing that the number of students enrolled in scientific studies has increased. This shows what power and impact such a series can have when it's well done.

I'm considering whether I should also make a post about the music. I wanted to do that with Dr. House, but then I forgot. Because the individual pieces chosen are really good, plus then some scores contribute a lot to the mood of the series and to individual scenes.

Oh, come on, here's a little preview. In the first season and in the famous roller coaster scene of Grissom (the end of season one), you can hear this song, and as far as series go, it's one of my absolute favorites.

TV Shows - CSI: Las Vegas VI

The third season starts with two interesting encounters. First, we see Doug Jones at the poker table, who is not only very successful in Star Trek: Discovery but also plays Abe Sapien in the Hellboy movies (plus several other characters). He is the person in Hollywood you call when you need someone to portray a character in a full-body costume that needs to express a lot through their performance. Listing everything here would be crazy, but his IMDB list is more than noteworthy. We also see a relatively young Carmine Giovinazzo, who plays a relatively insignificant role here. He will later play Danny Messer from 2004 to 2013 in CSI: New York.

The episode where the entire team is scrutinized by Grissom was also one that got my blood pressure up. Yes, Grissom has communication problems, but the way Catherine snaps at him without knowing his motives and doesn't even think to ask about them is just rude. But well, that's Catherine for you.

There was also a nice moment between Sara and Grissom, I think also in the third season, where she asks him when he started paying attention to beauty. Without even thinking, he replies that he has been doing that since he met her.

A nearly equally beautiful moment is shared by Nick and Warrick, but already in the second season. Warrick pushes Nick away, but Nick doesn't let it affect him. When they both sit at the blackjack table, it's really emotional. Those are true bros!! And I like Warrick's hairstyle at the beginning of the third season!!

In "A Little Murder" S3E4, we not only see Mr. Johnny Cash himself (Linden Ashby) from the Mortal Kombat movie, but we also see an interesting murder weapon. I don't remember exactly what it was called in the episode, something with Z, but it was definitely a Nintendo GameCube that was released about a year earlier in Japan and the USA! How do you manage to include a current game console in a series without securing the rights? Like this!

In "Fight Night" S3E7, I was very excited about the beginning and that it breaks some expectations here. Because Grissom arrives at the ring, takes a quick look around, the music for the intro starts, and suddenly BANG the pager goes off, and it's off to the next scene! Plus Nick's first solo case, what a night?!

We've now also seen the complete redesign of the set, including all the glass fronts and the changed offices and interrogation rooms. In addition, Grissom keeps giving these one-liners that are sometimes really atrocious but also really good because of that!!

TV Show - CSI: Las Vegas V

Currently, I'm watching the episode "Fight Night" S3E7, quite far along considering when I started, but it's running, just like the other series, always in the background once I'm home. It would be terrible if it were also running in the office!

What have we been through? In "Stalker" S2E19, Nick gets quite a beating, and this is even though we know that the Tarantino double episode is still to come, where Nick will get more than just a beating. The two actors who played the medium and the killer are incredibly distinctive; you've seen them in many series, mostly in individual episodes. Doug Hutchison has also made it to the big screen and appeared in The Green Mile (1999) and Punisher: War Zone (2008). But Leland Orser is certainly not unknown; he has movies like Alien 4 (1997), Seven (1995), and The Bone Collector (1999) under his belt. Both actors belong to the second tier but play at the forefront, and I'm always excited to see either of them.

"Anatomy of a Lye" S2E21 was also quite interesting, as we see a very young Mr. Spock, also known as Zachary Quinto. And yes, don't worry, I know this is the Mr. Spock of the modern era. Leonard Nimoy, as far as I know, does not appear in CSI, but who knows, maybe the series will prove me wrong.

Otherwise, the end of the second season is relatively calm; there are no major cliffhanger episodes yet, and I sincerely hope it stays that way for a while longer. Even though I can watch everything back-to-back, I still find such episodes quite exhausting.

Fortunately, Catherine's attitude has eased up; it's not as frequent, but when it happens, it's more intense. People are just being chewed out without her even introducing herself, and nobody knows who she is or what she wants. If someone talked to me that way, I'd react the same. Unbelievable level of arrogance, but well, I guess it's something I have to live with. I didn't want to mention it anymore, but this strange behavior towards Horatio in the last episode of the second season just doesn't sit right. It's a different jurisdiction, for goodness' sake! And those who come at me with "Yes, but she's a strong woman, has to assert herself… BLA BLA BLA!" Yes, she's the strong woman in the series, but a strong woman also asserts herself through respect for others, regardless of their position, and doesn't belittle others to highlight herself.

Despite the calm towards the end of the second season, we also saw the backdoor pilot episode of CSI: Miami, as briefly mentioned earlier. I like Miami, even though I can't handle the overly candied stylishness for too long. It's an interesting bunch that, after watching several seasons of CSI: Las Vegas, is quite refreshing. Yes, I didn't last very long on my last rewatch, but I think if it were available to stream, it would be different (I only have the first half of the first season on DVD).

Now that I think about it, the last episode of the second season is quite interesting because it examines the madness of the beauty ideal. And back then, there was already MySpace, but nowhere near the level of social media we have today. How would such an episode look under today's circumstances? After all, we not only have the modeling industry but also everything else like social media and various services that I don't want to mention here.

TV Show - CSI: Las Vegas IV

We did it! The middle of the second season brought the much talked about changes in the aspect ratio, and at the same time, although it was subtly hinted at the beginning of the season, the lab and the interrogation rooms also changed.

But before we can enjoy this new, wonderful, screen-filling view, we have to go through another tough battle. Because yes, I'm harping on it, but Catherine is really exhausting at the beginning of the second season.

So far, she hasn't been confirmed as supervisor, and she graciously declined the temporary takeover by Grissom. Yet she behaves constantly like a boss, always bringing up that she's not properly appreciated, and her interactions with colleagues are just impossible; that's just not teamwork, sorry. Yes, she's supposed to be portrayed as the strong woman, and I can understand a certain gruffness there, but I find her incredibly disrespectful when working with Nick, Greg, or Sara. They're her colleagues and teammates, what's up with that??

This brings us directly to another point that struck me in the first part of the second season, namely the treatment of Greg. The impetus for this came from a comment by Grissom when Greg dared to call Paul Millander clever in his eyes. You can do that, and yes, Grissom is particularly involved in this case, but that was kind of intense. It made me realize that Greg is being treated quite disrespectfully. After all, he's a crucial point in almost every investigation; let's remember how often Grissom is with him, gets some info, and leaves with the idea to solve the case. It's no different with the others, and yes, Greg can be difficult, but he simply doesn't deserve this treatment.

Now I've watched one episode in the new format, and it feels like they've changed quite a bit here. We've already mentioned the aspect ratio, and as a result, the camera shots of the city feel much more natural and fuller. But even with the individual characters, more is revealed or they are set in scene differently. There's more play with the composition of the individual shots, and it feels like the series has undergone a facelift. The aforementioned lab has also changed; it hasn't received the full glass setup yet, but the somewhat outdated look from the first season is gone. Now, they play even more with the light; through the glass fronts, some shots can be better executed, and characters are often accompanied by the camera when walking through the facility or from one lab to another.

Other actors also have one of their first appearances here, just like back then in Dr. House. So we see an even younger Jeremy Renner and a very young Amanda Righetti, who will later become a regular on The Mentalist. What becomes of Jeremy Renner should be known!

With Paul Millander, who pulled a pretty big rabbit out of his hat in his last episode, we've also dealt with one of the first episode-spanning villains. Tammy is still around, but I found that Paul was much more present, especially because he managed to establish himself as a judge.

Meanwhile, Grissom's hearing impairment has also become noticeable, which will manifest more frequently as the series progresses. I especially like the episode where he reveals that he knows sign language because I really like Deanne Bray. She's always a ray of sunshine when I see her in a series, and it's fun to watch her speak or gesture in sign language. I just saw that she's also in Heroes for a longer period (9 episodes). Luckily, this series is also still on my rewatch list.

Now that we're practically in full throttle, because Doc Robbins and Super Dave are fully on board, along with Archie, who used to sit behind the cameras at a university and now works in his role as Archie in the CSI, we can really get started. My brain is already being flooded with wild memories, and I'm more excited than ever that I started this rewatch.

And don't worry, I haven't forgotten that we've already had the pleasure of meeting the charming Lady Heather. But I'll save that for the next post because we know there's still a lot more to come.

TV Show - CSI: Las Vegas III

OH BOI! In the first season, Catherine becomes a symbol of double standards. Everyone is constantly reminded not to get too involved with the victim, not to get too emotionally invested. But not Catherine, because she's the strong woman in the team, the mother, the sinner who has left her sins behind and been sanctified. The same goes for assigning cases! Everyone else has to follow the supervisor's orders on which case they get, but not Catherine; because of her backstory and her role as a mother, she gets to choose repeatedly.

Sure, she's seen as an emotional contrast to Grissom, and I can understand that to some extent. The resulting emotionality in cases involving children is still bearable. But what really gets on my nerves is the fact that, because of her experiences, she sees everything from this perspective. But she ignores the fact that this is only her perspective, yet she believes it's universally valid, disregarding the fact that there are other ways to view things. I have a strong allergic reaction to that kind of behavior, and I really don't like it.

Grissom is slowly but surely becoming my spirit animal, because he often finds himself in situations that I can relate to very well, albeit on a smaller scale. Especially now at the end of the first season, there's a case where he goes against the system, and I've seen similar things happen in my surroundings many times. However, Grissom has the advantage of having his team behind him, which supports him. I never got to enjoy that luxury. Well, that's a different story for a different format.

Overall, I found the first season very solid and good; it provides a good introduction and isn't one of those "once you get through it, it gets really good" seasons. Plus, we saw faces like Dakota Fanning or Milo Ventimiglia, who had on of their first appearances here. And then there's Reginald VelJohnson (Family Matters) and James Avery (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air), who are always a special delight for me. Both played strong father roles in 90s series, which I found very fascinating as a child and teenager. Seeing them in completely different roles here is refreshingly different, and it makes my little TV series heart beat loudly!

They've also adjusted the contrast a bit; they pay more attention to when to use cold and warm colors. An important element for storytelling, very interesting. In this context, I've been wondering when the lab will undergo a redesign and become more stylish or more glassy. I had it in mind that this happens in the first season, but so far, I haven't seen anything.

On to season two, and I'm right in the middle of it!

TV Show - CSI: Las Vegas II

It feels good to be back in Las Vegas. I recently tried watching CSI: Miami, and even though it's a good series, I couldn't quite get through the first season. I think it was too stylish for me, with too much weird color grading and sometimes too much "look how stylish we are in Miami."

Now we're dealing with the night shift in Las Vegas, and just the neon lights and darkness at night give us a completely different vibe, even though most of the filming took place in and around Los Angeles.

We're currently on episode 16 of season 1, "Too Tough to Die." The characters have moved past their initial uncertainties and are settled. We've also seen recurring characters like Bobby (weapons specialist), Mindy (fingerprint expert), and Terry (bone specialist) several times already.

While watching, I noticed my brain often tried to draw parallels to Dr. House, but it's not that simple. Sure, there are definitely similarities, as difficult cases need to be solved by a team of specialists in their field. But the approach is entirely different because we're in forensics, not medicine.

What I like the most, which is often handled through allegorical storytelling in Dr. House, are the different philosophical approaches Grissom explores in a quiet moment. I mean the quotes he often inserts. I especially liked his explanation at the end of "Unfriendly Skies" when the team sits together discussing how they would have acted. No one even thought about the victim and just went along with what the witnesses/perpetrators said. It's something I always try to keep in mind—that when confronted with an absolute situation, it's rarely, if ever, actually absolute, and there's always another perspective. I think it's a very important message!

But of course, CSI: Las Vegas also offers the messages that a Dr. House series does, just, as mentioned, not quite as allegorical but on a much more direct path. It's not always focused on Las Vegas either; it can be applied generally, especially when it comes to theft or dealing with other people. Sometimes you might think that the murders are just used to convey these messages, and what happens around them contains the actual message.

Unfortunately, Catherine is still a bit exhausting, and I also don't really like the whole storyline with her husband or ex-husband. It's just not my thing! Sure, she's supposed to represent the strong, mature woman who made it out of the casino world in Las Vegas, and she does that pretty well, no question. But the attitude she displays toward Sara or Warrick in this case is just not okay.

Fortunately, the hostility between the police and CSI has also been set aside again. It's happening more and more often that the team addresses the officer or detective at the crime scene by name and sometimes even chat a bit. I find that very pleasant, and it gives you the feeling that you're watching a very large and well-coordinated team.

The truly tragic figure in all of this, even though you might not know it yet, is among all the Warrick and Grissom drama. Warrick because he also made it from the bottom to the top as a CSI and can continually assert himself with his insider knowledge of Las Vegas. He's an important part of the team. But his fate is already sealed, even though it will take about six more seasons.

Grissom, on the other hand, because his mind can increasingly understand or comprehend less and less of what's happening around him. He feels less and less at home in this world or can understand why people are capable of all these acts, even though he loves the world itself and everything that keeps it moving (humans are not really needed for this; the world does fine without them!).

Dragon Quest II Playthrough

Sadly my translation file of Dragon Quest II has a not fixable bug, so I had to quit my playthrough at about the end of the first third. So far it was a lot of fun, I liked the additions in relation to the first one. Let's dive into part three on the SNES (SuperFamicom)!

TV Show - CSI: Las Vegas

As mentioned in the last post about Dr. House, I felt like watching a crime series. The temptation was strong because Prime added the first three seasons of Rizzoli & Isles to its program. But I decided to go with CSI: Las Vegas because it's been longer since I last rewatched it compared to Rizzoli & Isles.

Right in the first two episodes, I notice a lot of details, and I might end up writing a lot about them. Let's see how long I can keep it up!

One thing that stands out right away is the age of the series. And by that, I don't mean a specific year but the aspect ratio, which is still in 4:3. 16:9 will come later, but I can't remember exactly when. I'm curious to find out.

Catherine Willows already shows character traits here that will later drive me crazy. I remember finding her very demanding in the later seasons. She always comes up with arguments to bend the rules so she can break them later. However, in the successor format CSI: Vegas, she becomes interesting again.

During the autopsy scene where Grissom and Nick help, you could see the eyes of the millionaire blinking. I always find such details interesting. Sometimes you can see the "corpses" moving their chests, the carotid artery pulsating, or a body part moving. If I remember correctly, some shots use a still image to avoid such mistakes.

We still miss important characters like Super Dave and Doc Robbins. But one person we see very early on is the firearms specialist Bobby!

I also noticed Grissom's mood during the dummy experiments, which reminded me why I find him so intriguing. He's a man of facts, and as the series progresses, he becomes less and less able to deal with society and its quirks.

Voices are another topic because we have two very distinctive voices right from the start, one of which stays with us. Holly Gribbs is voiced by Sandra Schwittau, who is the German voice of Bart Simpson, played by Nancy Cartwright. Nick Stokes (George Eads) is voiced by David Nathan, who is not only one of the most distinctive German voices but also the regular voice of Johnny Depp and Christian Bale.

I'm thrilled to be back in Vegas, to see how everything unfolds, what cases they work on, and what questions arise. Because I already have one question: Even though Warrick was overseeing Gribbs since she was new, no one asks what happened to the officer at the crime scene where Holly was shot. Sure, Brass was reassigned, but that's about it. I find it extremely strange. (Although I'm aware that this is used to show the tragedy surrounding Warrick's character!)

Otherwise, the first season is always the most interesting because this is where the series is still finding itself, and many things are still changing. There's a lot to discover and admire, especially when it comes to the development of the characters.

I'll also thoroughly enjoy all the special effects because many of them were created without CGI, and practical effects are still among the best because they are tangible and provide a sense of depth that CGI simply can't achieve. I know, it's a big debate, but it's like photography. Digital photography is great, no doubt, but that final step to achieve exactly what's possible in analog photography is still missing. It's not much, and I know both sides very well, but it's just that tiny bit that's still missing!

In the German version, when Nick talks to Sanders, it's briefly mentioned or asked if Sanders is already playing the "Football game on Dreamcast." Once again, it shows that someone involved in writing the dialogue didn't have a clue. That always annoys me. Either video games look terrible in movies/shows, or they mix up everything and leave out details.

TV Show - Dr. House | House M.D. XIII

THAT'S A WRAP!

We did it! Last night, the final episode of Dr. House flickered across the screen, and I must say, this rewatch was extremely enjoyable for me, partly because of writing about it. But from start to finish, there wasn't a single part that felt like a struggle, because the series is consistently good.

Cuddy is gone, Foreman is the new head of the hospital, and House is in jail. If that's not a spectacular start to a season, then I don't know what is.

But before that happens—since we still had a few episodes left from the seventh season—we see House completely out of control. First, injecting himself with experimental substances and then surgically removing the resulting tumors from his leg. After that, he tries, in his own way, to make things right with Cuddy, but it's increasingly failing. Even though I can understand some of his accusations toward her to a certain extent, what happens toward the end of the season is anything but justified.

In the eighth season, we see a very bizarre side of House, but one action hints at why he keeps resorting to such strange means. When he makes the immigration office document disappear, forcing Dominika to stay with him, he reveals something that has been subtly apparent all along—that he's incredibly lonely. Not everything can be attributed to this theme, but it does explain a lot! Especially what will happen with Wilson becomes increasingly clear.

Otherwise, Season 8 is another wild rollercoaster ride, not just in terms of the cases but also in terms of character development. During his time in prison, House meets the young doctor, Dr. Jessica Adams, whom he immediately adds to the team when he returns to Princeton-Plainsboro. There's also the suspended doctor, Dr. Chi Park, and after some initial difficulties, Taub and Chase make it back onto the team. From then on, everyone on the team faces some really tough challenges, and the worst one, towards the end of the season, comes to House himself. His best friend, what irony, is diagnosed with cancer. House has to confront many inner demons from then on and realizes that soon there will be no one left who truly understands his character and is also somewhat friendly towards him.

House tries everything to prevent Wilson's death because he doesn't want to lose this important person and also knows that his future would be uncertain without this support. But he's fighting windmills because Wilson has seen and experienced too much already to want to undergo treatment. He wants to enjoy the remaining time he has left.

I particularly liked Wilson's development because at the beginning, he's quite a thin, rather boring oncologist, and in the end, he's the tough, three-day-beard biker with a leather jacket. Especially when he's on the bike and puts on the glasses, he looks incredibly good, even though tragically plagued by cancer, just good!

What I find unfortunate, but can understand from an actress's perspective, is that we didn't see Lisa Cuddy (Lisa Edelstein) again. In the end, when House gets another beating in the burning house, he hallucinates quite a few people, and even Kutner and Stacy are there. On the other hand, Cuddy might have simply taken up too much space, especially after what happened in the last episode of the seventh season. Maybe it's for the best that she didn't show up again because otherwise, it might have felt like the focus was only on their relationship. Instead, it felt more like it was about each person and House, as well as the processing of different periods in his life or his drug addiction.

Whether there's such a thing as a perfect ending for a series, I don't know, but the ending of House comes pretty close. Of course, you're initially a bit disappointed because even though eight seasons are long and an ending can be a good thing, you don't want to let go just like that, and the inner series junkie demands more. But objectively speaking, this ending is really good because we've seen so many facets of House that it might feel forced now if there were more. We see how Adams and Park are firmly established in a team, Chase has finally found his place (I think his development is very good and how much more stable he is compared to the early seasons), and Taub embraces his role as a father. Cameron is also happy, which makes us all happy. And we also get another wonderful look at a still relatively healthy Thirteen, wonderful. Plus, there's that little nod with Foreman finding House's ID under a side table. Judging by his expression, you might think he knows House is still alive but is content that he has found his peace.

As often, I only picked out the really prominent parts from the season! The eighth season is full of interesting cases, exciting interactions with patients and the team, and a lot of new things, compared to the old seasons.

The thing between Park and Chase.

Chase being attacked and seriously injured by a patient (which is used to give him the necessary distance and make his team takeover make more sense)

Taub, who has a pretty established presence but still hasn't quite found his place in life

Foreman, who doesn't know whether he should be like House, like Cuddy, or just like Foreman as the head

What happens next? I honestly don't know yet. Yesterday, I looked around a bit and then decided on Bullet Train (2022). I still have to continue with Halo, but maybe I'll wait until the season is finished and then binge-watch everything in one evening, we'll see. But one thing I know is that I feel like watching something in the crime genre again!

Late night thoughts

TV Show - Dr. House | House M.D. XII

Even though I'm almost at the end of the seventh season, today's post will be relatively short compared to the others; I am incredibly tired! (Don't worry, it's not from watching Dr. House, it was just a very long day.)

(YES, I miss Thirteen a lot!)

Season seven is a bit like a prelude because it prepares us for a spectacular end to the season (and the whole show!). But the things House does in this season can no longer be summed up as "he's a great doctor, just unfortunately a jerk." Just the way he puts Masters through the wringer when it comes to Cuddy's mother is pretty intense, not to mention the fact that he tricked her with the coma patient. But that's just the tip of the iceberg; there are a lot of things on that "that's not okay at all" list.

Cuddy has now found out that he's back on Vicodin, broke up with him, and even though from a distance it looks like House is living it up, he's actually in free fall! Apparently, there are no limits anymore. Chase, Taub, and Masters are in his hotel room like Huey, Dewey, and Louie, waiting for him to look at X-rays while the prostitute is hiding under the covers next to him. You don't even want to imagine what drugs or Vicodin he's taken.

I want to highlight two things in particular:

I really like Masters' style of dressing! She's always smartly dressed, it rarely seems too overdone, yet she still stands out from the crowd. I don't know if this can be attributed to the actress or the team behind the camera, but they did a really good job here.

Episode 15 of season 7 is an absolutely wild ride! I love it when the team is just told to portray dreams about abandonment fears however they creatively feel like doing it. Then it turns out great and is really genius. Comedy, musical, zombies, and sitcom, a dream (pun not intended)!

Tomorrow (Sunday) I'll continue watching, I'll just finish the episode and then fall into bed. Then there's still the eighth season, and we've made it. This was a really smooth rewatch, and writing about it was really fun. But I also think that afterwards I'll watch a few episodes of other series for a bit instead of another 8-season behemoth like Dr. House; that really messes with your head!

Dragon Quest Playthrough

Played the SNES remake of the first Dragon Quest for the first time and I'm blown away. After a few minutes you get the feeling, that you are on a real adventure with exploring, fighting monsters and ready to save the world. A lot that you see in other games that startet here. Off to part two!

TV Show - Dr. House | House M.D. XI

The end of the sixth season is not only near, it's kicking the door in with a cane. Just now, in the last episode of the season, the construction crane collapsed. And man, have we been through a lot.

Towards the end of the fifth season, things really heated up. First, we got to see "The Social Contract," another very interesting episode, as I mentioned before. Then, with "Locked In" and "Simple Explanation," things got intense, and before we knew it, the tone changed, and House found himself in the midst of a crisis.

Of course, we can't overlook that this crisis had a trigger, a pretty intense one at that. One morning, Kutner didn't show up for work. Many assumptions were made, and when Foreman and Thirteen went to his apartment, they discovered that Kutner had shot himself.

This was already the case before, but from here on, the series unabashedly plays with colors (Color Grading). The mood is often supported by a dark, blue tone or a light, soft, slightly orange tone, making it even more clear to the viewer. This happens right up until the sixth season and occurs again and again, depending on how intense the various moods are dictated by the story.

I also found it intense that Amber was brought back into play here. She had become an important link between House and Wilson, even though it looked different after her death. This also reminds me of a description of Amber that I should have mentioned much earlier, where she is described as being like House and how Wilson actually wants to be with House. It's interesting because that's exactly what happens in the sixth season when House and Wilson move into the new apartment. For a brief moment, they're a couple, and it just fits incredibly well. It's just a shame that the lovely Sasha Alexander has to suffer because of it. It's fascinating how she has changed since the first two seasons of NCIS.

We wouldn't be with House if everything were easy. So, House himself has to go through hell again before he is actually taken to a rehab center on a second attempt. Anything else wouldn't fit, but I also felt a little sorry for him here because realizing that his dream was just a dream, where he didn't end up with Cuddy, was pretty harsh.

The sixth season then starts with House's stay in rehab or in a psychiatric hospital where he meets interesting personalities. This includes Franka Potente, who is mainly known from German productions, which pleased me at the time. She is also one of the few German actors who can dub themselves, which was very well done here. I really like this story arc because it shows the ups and downs of House and his realization that constant rebellion may not be the right path after all.

Of course, many important topics are addressed again in the sixth season, one of which is euthanasia. It has been shown or hinted at several times before, but here it appears several times. One time, it's even not from the patient's perspective but from the doctors', which is incredibly unusual. The most impressive was also the instance where House was locked in with a dying patient and increased his morphine dose in the end.

The other major topic is, of course, Chase's act. He caused the death of a patient who was a dictator. This episode has raised questions over and over again, and rightly so. Is that okay? Is that justified? Just as I write about it, I realize that I don't want to delve into this topic as much because discussions about it are exhausting and not good for me right now. But everyone has to decide for themselves, especially in such a profession, what all of this means for them, ethically and morally.

I've skipped over some episodes and topics now, and that's somewhat intentional. Because while the sixth season does focus on the patients' respective illnesses, it focuses even more on the developments of the protagonists. Foreman and Thirteen and their relationship. Taub and his wife, how does their marriage progress? Wilson and his love life! Cuddy, Lucas, and Rachel? And of course, House and his attempt to be happy, which becomes more than clear in the last or penultimate episode with a session with Dr. Nolan. All of this is extensively dealt with in the sixth season and leads to some back and forth, which I don't mean in a negative way. Because even though there were already developments before, those that occur in the sixth season provide a breath of fresh air and keep the series at a high level of entertainment.

However, to come back to the penultimate episode of the sixth season, I can really understand House. You do and try everything, work on yourself, do your best, listen to others and their expectations of you, but in the end, only others feel better, and you feel worse. It's an absolutely terrible feeling, to put it bluntly, and no, it's not just because he's depressed or the pain is getting worse again. House is an overthinker, and he has already thought about a lot. No, it's a realization of the fact, and this is then reinforced by what happened in the last episode (the leg amputation). I don't condone what he does, but I can understand it.

The last episode is almost finished, and I'm not sure anymore how season seven starts; I'll indulge in that in a moment. I still remember quite a bit, but as often happens, it's a bit jumbled, so it's even more exciting.

Bonus: There's one more thing I'd like to write about because it was an episode that personally moved me. "Locked In" was again an episode where I felt very understood. Because even though the Locked-in Syndrome actually exists, there's another variant that is rarely talked about, sleep paralysis. A completely normal process where the body, once it falls asleep, becomes paralyzed so that we don't use the body too much while sleeping and dreaming. But it can also happen that you wake up, can breathe normally, move your eyes, but otherwise, you're practically paralyzed. Absolutely not a nice feeling, but again, kudos to the series for bringing attention to the fact that this exists and is something serious.

Oh yes, of course, I also noticed that Meat Loaf appeared in the fifth season. A great artist who heavily influenced my music taste in the 90s. Unfortunately, he has also left us, but I hope he rocks hard somewhere else.

TV Show - Dr. House | House M.D. X

So, we're still in the fifth season but we're already on episode 16. We just found out, after a shocking cardiac arrest with House, that he's on methadone and actually doesn't need Vicodin anymore since his leg doesn't hurt anymore.

Episode 9, "Last Resort," is now behind us, and I mention this episode on purpose because it's one of those that ranks relatively low for me. Yes, I can understand the dude with the gun quite well, but just shooting around isn't a solution, even if there are countries in this world where people live who have a different opinion. Besides, Thirteen suffers too much here. Yes, it bothers me because I simply like Olivia Wilde and her role, but it's also annoying because she already suffers enough due to her illness. Strangely, this is often observed in series, that there's always a character who gets a lot of suffering. In Star Trek: Voyager, for example, it's Harry Kim, or in CSI: New York, it's Danny Messer. If I think about it more closely, I'm sure I can come up with more examples. In House, it's only occasional and not spread throughout the entire series, since Thirteen isn't there for the whole series, but it's still noticeable.

Episode 12, "Painless," I also found interesting because we have a kind of mirror image of House. Only in the basics, but still interesting enough to see where House might end up if things continue like this for a few more years. Sure, both characters are fundamentally different in character, please don't get me wrong, but here you can deduce a lot of things that we will encounter in the following seasons. Maybe one could even go so far as to say that this episode is a key experience for much of what follows, which brings us back to the episode mentioned at the beginning. Because precisely because they are so different, and House maybe doesn't want to end up at this point, he does all the things that are still to come after this episode.

Let's come to the episode mentioned at the beginning, "The Softer Side." House has a cardiac arrest right in the office, while it seems like he's taking a nap. Everyone is worried, and the immediate assumption is that he's taking heroin. After dinner with Wilson and House's subsequent confession, it becomes clear that it's even worse because he's taking methadone. After throwing away his cane, he just walks away. What immediately strikes me here is the fact that although he's pain-free, as he says, he's still limping. Which makes sense, because the muscle in his leg is completely destroyed. But the strange thing is the limping, because a few seasons ago we had a similar case where House was pain-free and he could walk normally, even though nothing has actually changed about his leg between these two incidents.

Cuddy must then confront House with a cruel choice, but House chooses painlessness, even though it's much more risky.

What is also addressed in this episode should not be ignored! It's about a baby being born with both male and female genitalia and being forced by the parents to grow up as a boy. The episode is from 2009, so it's still quite early for such a topic, kudos for that! However, you shouldn't listen too closely to the parents of the baby because it's repeatedly shown here that the child itself has completely different wishes and needs than the parents dictate, hence my statement about coercion! I also think that Thirteen acted completely correctly here, not regarding the suicide story, but definitely regarding the "vitamins"! It's even the second time this topic comes up. We already had a "teenage supermodel" (female) who suffered from hermaphroditism, resulting in an unusual form of testicular cancer being detected too late.

Yes, there's also the relationship between Foreman and Thirteen, and you could talk about that for a lot of words, but I find the whole thing actually relatively uninteresting. Even when they wanted to outsmart House! Where did Foreman work in the past few years? Outsmarting House? On the way to not becoming like House, he becomes more and more like House, which can also be seen in altering the medication for Thirteen. What happened to the study actually?

We mustn't forget about Cuddy, of course, as she now has her daughter named Rachel. On one hand, I'm happy for her, but on the other hand, I can also understand the patients who have been driven nearly insane by the baby's crying. Yes, I understand why this was done here, to trigger symptoms and lead House onto the right track. Nonetheless, I find Cuddy's behavior simply unacceptable, because to call in the middle of an operation with a crying child in her arms and not hang up is outrageous. Yes, children often cry, and that's just part of it, but I find it simply unacceptable behavior, and I really took it against her that she didn't hang up after Rachel cried so intensely!

Since I'm watching on Prime, I can see directly which episode is coming next, and there we have the patient who always tells the truth due to a condition and practically has no filter between thoughts and speech. Also very interesting, because you often wonder what absolute honesty and openness could look like. Here we get a taste, and personally, I think it tastes quite bitter sometimes. Sure, you shouldn't lie or gossip and talk about others, but that's something completely different!

TV Show - Dr. House | House M.D. IX

Over the weekend, I finished watching the fourth season, what a wild ride!

The team breaks up and only House remains. Of course, one could say that he also needs a team because he is the top diagnostician, but that would be short-sighted. Without the constant brainstorming and influences of the others, the diagnoses would never come together. Unless he's at Wilson's and has a brainstorm again. Still, he needs the team or a team to go down this path, a lesson House doesn't really need to learn, but it seems Foreman does. He briefly has a team and behaves like House, but it's a completely different dynamic.

What's really interesting, though, is that the old team never really goes away. While the new team is very different, because it's familiar, you still get to see the old faces here and there, namely Chase and Cameron. Foreman is always around anyway. It's a bit like changing your diet, where you're eating completely different foods but still occasionally have a cheat day, so your head, not just your body, is on board with the whole thing.

I especially like that they've thought about the nerds with the new team. Kutner often waves this flag by bringing in pop culture topics, asking about Star Wars stuff, or just being a bit childishly naive. I don't mean that derogatorily; in such a serious series, I think it's pretty good and necessary.

Since the production of the fourth season falls during the writers' strike of that time (2007-2008), we have a very short season with only 16 episodes. This gives us relatively little time to process everything that's happening. First, there's the selection process for the new team, then Wilson's new relationship with Amber, and before we know it, we're first in "House's head" and then in "Wilson's heart". The impactful double feature at the end of the fourth season really throws the world around House out of whack, not to mention Wilson's world. This is also where the rift between the two begins, which lasts until House's father's funeral. I particularly like the reconciliation between them, or rather House's welcome back to Wilson. First a prank, then a donut and a carton of milk; that's true friendship and yes, also a bromance, for sure.

As I write, I always pause the current episode I'm watching. Right now, I see that I've already reached the tenth episode of the fifth season. The episodes themselves, I don't want to say are standard, but they don't have major implications for the overall House world, except for dealing with Amber's death (important topic!!!).

However, two important new story arcs are starting. First, we meet Lucas, the private detective hired by House to shadow Wilson. We'll see more of him in a prominent role later, but it's still quiet around him for now. But an even bigger impact is Cuddy's increasingly strong desire to have a child, which has been around for a while but is becoming more concrete until the episode where she's almost there but then gets disappointed by the mother of the child she was going to adopt. Kudos to Lisa Edelstein, because the pain she experienced in that scene, or rather her role, came across very convincingly, and she manages to carry that pain subtly through several episodes. And yes, I noticed the kiss between her and House, don't worry. But I also count that as part of this pain.

But the moment that impressed me the most was at the end of the fourth season when House is sitting on the white bus with Amber (what an incredibly good metaphor). Perhaps this is indeed the only scene where we get to know a House who is happy, and not just a part, a small piece, or a fragment, but 100%. His words that he wants to stay there because he has no pain hit me to the core because I also suffer from chronic pain. I don't mean to say that they are as severe as House's, but they are there, and I can relate to that so well. This has nothing to do with suicide or anything like that, please don't get me wrong. It's just the desire for a certain form of normalcy. To wake up in the morning and have no pain, not to worry about whether you'll make it through the day or have to take a step back somehow. I felt incredibly understood in that scene, and I think that, in turn, is an important point of the series. Showing people that they are not alone with their problems, that they are seen, and giving them a pleasant form of representation so that other people also notice that they exist. Especially because in my case, except for a slight limp, you can't tell, just like with House, for example.

So much evidence that this series is incredibly good and that on so many levels. I don't watch many medical series anymore, except for the first season of The Good Doctor, but I can't remember much beyond the first scene with the little boy. And unfortunately, I feel like it's the same with many of these series because they just don't have the impact that House does. I don't want to badmouth the other series, absolutely not. They have their place, no question, but they just don't have the scope that House does; they're more for pure entertainment and have chosen medicine or a hospital as a setting.

Akira Toriyama has left us way to soon, and one of his works that impressed me the most was this one. I've also read DB and played Chrono Trigger, but this little book was something very special! RIP Toriyama-sensei! 鳥山先生、安らかにお眠りください。

TV Show - Dr. House | House M.D. VIII

We're diving in. Ladies and gentlemen, we are DIVING IN!

The first episode of the fourth season is still a bit of a soft start with a little rock, but the second episode goes full throttle!

So many memories are flooding through the nerve pathways of my brain right now, and it's spinning. Doctors who aren't doctors! Doctors who would rather not be doctors anymore! Doctors who commit suicide! Doctors who fall in love with the best friends of other doctors! (That's the discord between House and Wilson that I mentioned before!) Doctors with children! You'd think we're watching a medical drama!

What I like best here is the fact that they're actually completely revamping the series but somehow not changing anything. So, on one hand, they stay true to the familiar, but on the other hand, they bring in a lot of fresh energy. Plus, the old team isn't entirely gone—Cameron and Chase are still working in the clinic, and Foreman will also be coming back. It won't be long before the two teams mix.

Unfortunately, Amber has a big problem for me in German because she has the same voice as Kes from Star Trek: Voyager. Nothing against the voice, but I find Kes simply dreadful, and unfortunately, because of the voice, it transfers to all the other characters with that voice. But in general, Amber isn't a really likable person either; I don't like her in How I Met Your Mother at all, even though she only appears in one episode there. There's another series I'm currently watching her in, where she was okay, but I can't remember the name of the series right now (maybe it'll come to me later, depending on how well my brain manages it).

Someone I'm very happy to see again is Carmen Argenziano. Of course, I know he's done an incredible amount, but my fondness comes from his appearances in Stargate SG-1. As Sam Carter's father and later as a mediator between humans and the Tok'ra.

Ah, of course, we also need to talk about House's new cane. I don't know who came up with the idea in the series, but it's genius. Flames on a cane, it doesn't get much more '80s/'90s than that. All that's missing on the cane now is a turbocharger and a spoiler!

Since the fourth season is a bit of a fresh start, there isn't much to write about yet, and I'll space out the posts a bit. By now, I have two episodes of Halo to catch up on, and Bullet Train (2022) is now on Netflix, so I definitely need to check that out too.