Well, at Least I Know it Isn't Her

If I'd actually posted something yesterday, it would've gone something like this...

If there's one thing USA Network knows how to do it's run syndicated TV into the ground. (and to be fair, they can do 2 things--they can also create great mystery-ish Comedy-Drama shows with quirky leads) I remember when I was in college, with very little effort I could watch 4-5 hours a day of Wings and still make all of my classes. They're currently working their special magic with House and Law & Order: SVU.

The other night, I caught the last half of House's pilot episode, "Everybody Lies." The patient of the week (Rebecca Adler) was played by Robin Tunney--who I didn't think I'd seen before she showed up on The Mentalist this year. That alone was kind of a surprise, because I'd seen this episode a few times. But what really shocked me was that by the end of the first scene with her, I'd noticed soemthing: she can act.

Now, if you've never seen Tunney play anything other than CBI Agent Lisbon, you might want to debate me on that point, but I assure you, she can. I paid more attention to her for the rest of the episode than the patient normally deserves. Not only did she show genuine emotion, she held her own with Hugh Laurie just fine. Which took care of my theory that it's Simon Baker outshining her.

If you've caught more than one commercial break on CBS this fall, you know that The Mentalist is this year's highest rated new show (which is roughly equivalent to bragging about being the highest paid McDonald's trainee). So you'd expect it to have a couple of well-rounded characters in the batch, some interesting people to watch. Nope. It doesn't. Just one--Patrick Jane, the former TV psychic/huckster.

But given my new Tunney insight, I know there's at least two people on the cast who are capable of doing more than reciting lines and smiling/frowning on cue (generally frowning for this ensemble)--making it entirely possible that the whole cast is capable. So why is it that everyone but Jane look like they could be played by cardboard standees? If it's not the actors, it has to be the writers/directors/producers. But why oh why would they want something like that? I guess it could be an ego thing with Baker--but he's shone while working alongside other really good actors. So I'm stumped, anyone have a theory?


While I'm thinking of it, this episode also contained one of those bits of dialogue that sealed the deal for me. When Laurie gave this mini-speech, I knew I was with House for the long-haul. (Note: the writers' Thirteen obsession this season has made me question this decision)

Rebecca Adler: I just want to die with a little dignity.
Dr. Gregory House: There's no such thing! Our bodies break down, sometimes when we're 90, sometimes before we're even born, but it always happens and there's never any dignity in it! I don't care if you can walk, see, wipe your own ass... it's always ugly, always! You can live with dignity; you can't die with it!