Because TV isn’t Real Life, It Can be Logic-free
This evening the episode of House, M.D. had one of the main characters commit suicide. In their trying to understand the reasons, the remaining characters searched for a reason that he'd do this. Point was, there was no reason. None at all. And while I appreciate showing that suicide is not glamorous as some might want it to appear, I have to wonder why do it to this particular character? Why have it make no sense whatsoever.
In the show, this character wasn't depressed. He thought life was worth living. Looked on the bright side of things. In general, he was the "hopeful" one in the crowd. The others are cynics. One with a genetic disease and less than a decade to live. All morose. So why pick this one happy person to kill himself? Clearly, it would be completely unexpected.
But that's possible in fiction. Portray a person as happy, full of life, enjoying life, and then have him be a closet mass murderer. It's possible. Totally illogical, but possible. If he'd been killing people and stuffing them in his fridge, I'm guessing there are a few tell-tale signs that people he worked with 60+ hours a week with would have spotted. Like a grim sense of humor, or signs of multiple personalities. Something.
So this wonderful character that my family has come to really like is gone. And what does this show my kids? Well... that the can't depend on TV for justice. Thanks, TV, but I think the real world will teach them that. Next? Oh... it shows them that even their best friends can be suicide cases. Thanks, TV, but my kids don't need to wonder if their friends are going to off themselves, they have enough of a tough time just being kids these days.
In the end, I'm disappointed in the writers. They could have done this to a patient on the show. A member of family of one character. Something. They didn't have to do it to the one person that never would have killed themselves in real life.
It's some literary vehicle, I'm sure. Someone new is coming on the show, or the actor wanted off to pursue movies, etc. But it's not anything close to a lesson learned. This was the writer's idea of a sucker punch. Nothing more.
UPDATE: there have been a few articles indicating that this was handled badly. But the reason: Kal Penn, the actor, wanted to work in the Obama administration, so he wanted out. Out he is. I'm now a little disappointed in him, as well. Finish the season, make a commitment and stick to it. Alas, this is not the case, it seems.