House MD: Euphoria and Avoidance of Disability

In a two episodes of House MD season 2, Doctor Eric Foreman contracts what the show describes as a parasitic ameba, Naegleria after going to a patient's house to try and diagnosis that patient.

Before the diagnosis is made Foreman suffers a number of increasingly worrisome symptoms - a failing pancreas, blindness, loss of motion control, brain infection, and a number of other things.

All of these symptoms should have had a lasting effect on Foreman, likely leading to an acquired brain injury given how he was effected while the ameba took over his system. However, rather than having any of the symptoms of an ABI (which can include increased fatigue, slower processing speeds, changes in behavior and personality, amongst other things) Foreman is back to his normal by the next episode.

What I think is so interesting about this portrayal is how it simultaneously gets very close to being some sort of significant representation, only to swerve very dramatically so that there are no consequences. This is a tendency of other TV shows as well.

TV loves to put characters in situations which should have a lasting impact on them - be it an acquired brain injury or an acquired physical disability - only to have that impact be temporary or not happen at all. It shows a blatant disregard for the disabilities, acting as though consequences from injuries or illnesses can be irrelevant is a person is strong enough as well a downplaying of the seriousness of those injuries and illnesses.