In a recent episode of House (from last week, I'm a bit behind) one of the doctors on his team, Dr. Taub, had two babies recently by getting two different women pregnant at the same time. Doctor House starts a betting pool about whether the kids are actually Taub's or not.
House gets the DNA samples from the babies, but Taub refuses to provide him with his sample, saying that he doesn't care if the babies are biologically his and that he doesn't want to know. Hilarity ensues as House tries to obtain a DNA sample from Taub in a variety of amusing ways. The story concludes with Taub going for the test, but shredding the DNA results in front of a genuinely surprised House.
I would usually forgive small illogical plotlines, if I didn't I would probably have no TV shows left to watch, but this one was glaringly idiotic. Especially in a pseudo-intellectual TV show where actors constantly spout medical terms they spent all night memorizing how to pronounce. It's a show that doesn't let an one episode go by without reminding us just how smart their main character is. He's an asshole and a jerk, but boy is he a genius!
So how come I am smarter than Doctor Gregory House? Me, who's entire medical training comes from watching American TV shows? Well, I'm smarter than the writers of House, anyway.
Here's what House should have done to find out if the babies were Taub's:
He already had DNA samples from the two babies, right? All he needed to do was to compare the results of the two babies. They are half-sibling sharing a father. The mothers are not related to each other. If the brothers are related biologically according to the results then they must be Taub's. The chances that both women were dating another man and got pregnant by him at that exactly the same time they were with Taub is near to impossible.
If the babies are not related biologically it means that at least one of them isn't Taub's biological child, possible neither. With this result at hand I'm sure Taub would be forced to do a proper test with both babies.
Why didn't House think of that? Did I get the science wrong?
Or maybe for the sake of a plot-device all logic can and should be thrown out of the window?
Am I overthinking this?
Am I overthinking my overthinking?
Mickey
4 comments:
See, your problem is that you're too smart. By remaining ignorant of most things, I get to enjoy television. See, ignorance is bliss. You big dummy!
m.
i think the point of him going taub for a dna sample was to get taub to question himself and the paternity of the two children. you're right. he COULD have been sneaky about it, but he wanted taub to doubt himself. you know how house likes to get into people's heads and fuck with them ;o)
True, but all of the involved were Doctors, it's not like he was playing mind games with someone who didn't know better. Very plot-devicey.
Well the show always did have to depict Dr. House as the superior doctor. Unfortunately, some plot lines may not be thick enough and are easily broken down by those who understand the field better.
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