Lawrence Kaplow writes wonderful dark, extra screwed up House and this was awesome. Probably Autopsy and Distractions are amongst my favourites of this season and this was from that drawer. Loved the opening/closing House scenes, the final image of him looped out on the couch was superb. The House/Cuddy scene when she seemed to be saying, without saying, that she didn't want House to be a donor was incredibly well done. The massage girl being back was hugely funny and the Wilson time was gold. Also thought it was interesting that Wilson thought House's leg hurt more because of his reaction to the girl and her dad but it started before he even took the case- curious.

Sorry Benj, I just take way to long to post!!

Now see, I have several different takes on this scene. I'm not sure what it meant. I initially got the impression that she wanted to ask him to be a donor or at least tell him that she "liked" him. But the more I thought about it, the more I thought that maybe she is stopping the injections. That she's changed her mind because of what he did. Then I thought , maybe she just doesn' want him invovled anymore and that was her way of saying 'I've got someone else to take care of that'. I guess I'll have to rewatch and see. :D

So very much to love in this episode. House in pain. Absolutely loved the whole scene at the begin with House pacing then finally pulling out the secret stash. (And really, truly, I had that scene written already so when or if I ever finish that fic, I really did write that before I saw it!!! )

As the show progressed I started to wonder what was causing it. Something was bothering him and all I could think of was keeping Cuddy's secret. But why would that bother him so much? Does he feel bad for keeping that from Wilson? Does he feel Cuddy is doing the wrong thing? Does he feel she's doing the right thing the wrong way? Does he wish he were "more involved"? Did Cuddy's little lecture about why she was doing it cause him to consider his own life and stir a yearning in him? Maybe not for a kid but to not be so isolated and alone. That he's not alone in his loneliness and maybe there are thing he can do about it but he's not sure he wants to take that leap.

What is bothering him that much that it is manifesting itself in physical pain or is it just an increase in pain for some actual physical reason? Very interesting episode as far as that goes.

I love that he is trying alternatives. That as reckless as he can be at times that he did not take the morphine until the end and that while he was on the case he did try alternatives.

And who could not love the "It's not what it looks like" line! Twice!

It was also nice to see House's interaction with another person he seems to have some emotional investment in. Even though it seems they hadn't seen each other in a while he still holds a place for his buddy. It may just be the way I want to interpret that but it just seems House takes a long time to make friends and really make that kind of commitment and trust but once he does it's for life. Even when the trust is betrayed (as with Stacy) I think a part of him still honors that commitment. It's like once he makes that leap it's binding in his mind. Like keeping his word.

Like taking a patient. Once he agree's he is hell bent on a cure no matter what the consequences to him. It seems with a friend it's the same. That he will do whatever is in his power to keep them from really getting hurt, even if it means being the hated bad guy. Could just be what I want to see though. What do you think?

Loved the first injection scene. I laughed so hard when House kept rubbing the injection site. Like he wanted to see how long he could go before she'd say something.

I also laughed so hard when he had #613 come in for an interview to be an intern!! So very House!!

And the little scene in House's office when Cuddy came and thanked him. This is one of the many things I love about this show, the writing , and the acting. They keep that tension believable. I wanted so bad for Cuddy to ask or for House to say something, even though I know if they ever got together it would be the death of the show (okay, I'm being dramatic there but it's never good when leads get together on shows). It is soooo much more fun to be left on edge like this. Plus it's just more realistic in my mind. People play games and enjoy that sexual tension, somtimes doing it without even knowing it and that seems to be the case here.

Did I say I loved House pacing?

And one more thought. In the last several episodes it really seems to be more obvious but I will say that all along House seems to have a softer spot for children. Take a look at the last two clinic patients and even his dealings with the patient in this episode. Although harsh at times he doesn't seem to push it as much. So where is this coming from?

I mean I like it and he certianly maintains his snarkiness with them. They don't really change him but he has a different approach and yes, I will venture to say it is softer. It's hard to explain that it doesn't soften him, just his approach. And like with the PoTW this episode he sill keep ratcheting it up if that's what it takes but he seems to start at a much softer level with kids.

Again, just my observations. Have it!

Oh, and next week!!!! He punches Wilson!!! This is going to be sooooo goood !!!

Or does he punch "halucination" Wilson? Isn't he "losing his mind" or something?

Odd that Moriarty didn't seem to actually know what House looked like. Revenge on behalf of someone else maybe?

Ok, back to this week's ep:

Did anyone catch whether House's "stash" was 7 percent solution? I meant to rewind til I remembered I didn't tape it.

Did anyone else think Cuddy's whole dreamy attitude at the end meant that she'd made a definitive choice? The exchange was something like,

"Thanks for the injections."
"Did you come up here just to tell me that?"
"No."

and then Cuddy sorta dreamily wanders away. Maybe impliying that the injections worked, and she's happy b/c she's pregnant?

(BTW, is this a character choice, or a "real-life actress is starting a family" write-in?)

House's face melting was scary. :( Never ever do that again. Keep your face attached at all times, please.

Heh, no wonder Hugh was (alledgedly) complaining about the limp - look how much of it they made him do! That shot of him limping around from above was great - look, it's a Laurie-go-round.

Loved Wilson's food grossing out House, then House trying to gross out Wilson, then House somehow winning the food. Too awesome.

Had to share this one last thing, from the FOX site - an interview w/ Lisa E:

"Hugh's a really great guy, so, you know, why not show him my butt? He earned it!"

:lol:

Razumihin: Here's a screencap of the morphine...I don't know if this is right, but I think it says .9% so...

Why? Why is House/Hugh in pain so sublimely beautiful? Why? I'm not sure I get it, but I like it.

I am totally with RTLemur's interpretation of House's interaction with his old friend. I actually speculated way back in the Character of House thread that he might be this way and am glad to be vindicated (and to share another thing with House as I too tend to take a while to really warm up, but once I'm in, I'm in for good pretty much). But I don't think we ever find out whether this guy was a band buddy or just a buddy, albeit one interested in music.

I love the expression, and the statement about giving his right hand for the musician's left, when House is listening to the CD. I relate both as someone who plays piano and a writer. As a pianist, I'd qualify myself as good enough to know I'm not good enough, almost there, but good enough to realize that no matter how or what I practice I'll never quite get that extra spark that makes a true musician. There I'm not as upset because I'd never have the discipline for the practice or the life, with my writing it's different. I've had exactly that feeling reading a book written by one of my professors. He's never hit the "big time", but he is so good and as I read his descriptions of things I'm just blown away by how I will never in a million years be able to do that. Granted, he's about 25 years older than I am, so maybe when I get to be his age, but it doesn't feel like it. So, yes probably reading too much into that expression, but I so felt it. Or for that matter that the first time House listened he thought the man had wasted it all in a haze of drugs, that too brings thoughts of brilliant poeple I've know who have burned out and/or died (some by their own hands) or gave up when they had so very much. Enough digression though.

It is related though that I liked House's statement about drugs. It holds quite true with what I've seen. The drugs don't help, they just take away what you already had, but at times, the promised pain relief--I'm talking purely mental here-- can be so, so tempting. The bottom line remains no matter how well one performs stoned out of his/her mind, they'd be better clean (and paradoxically I totally subscribe to the idea that all artists are at least a bit unstable, not all stark raving mad/or suicidal, but always a bit unbalanced)Then as House is an artist in his own right, it make you wonder what, if anything, he's saying about himself despite having a very legitimate reason to take something.

Finally with the box of drugs, now having seen the screencap, there seem to be other vials in with different labels. I wonder what else he's got stashed in there. And on the House as addict pre-infarction front I always wonder if he's so good at giving himself interveneous medication just because he's done it so many times over the course of his medical career--and heaven knows I am not a drug user of any kind, including IV drugs, nor do I have to give myself or anyone else injections regularly, but I would have no trouble doing so-- or because he has practice in less legitmate situations.

Yes, Catlady, House does seem to stick with the few people he deems friends. He may not be nice to them, or relate to them in healthy or mature ways, but the connection remains.

A different, though consistent, explanation of his behavior is that he can't let unsatisfactory states of affairs go, no matter how much time has elapsed. In this regard, there was beautiful consistency between this week's storyline and House's vendetta against his med school rival (Weber?). House felt he'd been wronged by Weber, and needed to get back at him. To everyone else this was petty, but to House it was closure. After House torpedoed Weber's drug study, and Weber asked what's next -- will House try to destroy his life in other ways? -- House says something like, "No. we're even."

Similarly, House screwed Crandall 25 years ago. More specifically, House messed up Crandall's ill-advised plans for a happy life with the flaky girlfriend. Regardless of his protest that he was doing Crandall a favor, House took something that could possibly have been a good (or, at least, a good-for-you) experience away from his friend. In the end, by lying to the pseudo-daughter, he gives back in kind. House doesn't think being Daddy to Leona is a good plan for Crandall, any more than he thought marrying flaky girlfriend was a good plan. But this time, House endeavors to give the plan the best shot he can for success, by making Leona believe that she really is Crandall's daughter. Once again, "we're even."

Ah...I really liked this episode. I think they're getting better toward the end of the season. (I hope next week's follows through!)

Poor Cuddy. I notice House ripped the "sterile" alcohol pad open with his mouth. >_< You know, I didn't think when I watched the scene at the end that she might already be pregnant, or that she had found someone else to give her the injections. I immediately thought that she realized she did maybe want House to be a donor, and that thought made her uncomfortable enough to not want him giving her the injections anymore. Those are both good ideas, though.

I agree with what's already been said about Crandall...it did seem like House was being gentle with him. Even when he was snarking at him, he always seemed to kind of fold in the end. I got the feeling that House felt a little sorry for him...Crandall wasn't a hypocrite, he just genuinely trusted everyone. For someone who believes so firmly that "everyone lies," Crandall must seem like a puppy that's inviting itself to be kicked over and over and kind of needs to be looked after. <_< I also liked everyone's thoughts about the "we're even" thing (although it's liable to cause Leona some distress in the future...).

Aw, I'm disappointed that it wasn't a seven-percent solution (even though that didn't occur to me till RealRazumihin suggested it :)). I wondered if the issues raised in Skin Deep would ever be touched on again. I guess he's not going to Cuddy or Wilson anymore for his morphine. The fact that he's still taking it after Cuddy's trick with the placebo is, I think, pretty in character, and it might suggest what several of us said before about her having "blown her chance" with him by doing that...now that I think about it, it's ironic that Cuddy was looking to him for help with injections in this episode.

The ducklings didn't do much but scurry around this time (which is fine with me, as it means we get more time with the "grownups"). Cameron was weird this episode, though, because of how quiet she was. I expected her to kick up more of a fuss about how he was treating the traumatized girl, but she did a lot of just watching and smiling oddly.

Can't wait for next week. But next week means the season's over... :(

Now I know which character I'd die to play in House.

Ingrid!! :rolleyes:

Guh.... Must. Watch.

Last night was Need To Know...

Reading all this great commentary: fun. Being really behind and torturing self with spoilers... Not so fun.

Boo, 9% . . . . <_< maybe that works out to 7% in a different time zone . . .

Thanks for the screencap though!

Maybe they're saying House has 2% more issues than Sherlock ;)

Minor point/reminder -- when he went to Cuddy for the morphine, he was asking for an injection straight to the spine, which he couldn't do for himself.

I don't think I'm too surprised at House having a private stash, or at his using it when the pain's worse... and I'm leaning towards believing that the pain IS worse (whether it's psychological or not). It's been awhile (I think) since Stacy left, so hopefully he's gotten over (at least a little of) that, and even the case itself didn't distract him as much as it usually does -- ref the pacing in the halls and the house call (sorry... :) ) by the massage therapist....

Can't wait to find out where all this is going...!

Great point, cathy NH.

Some more stuff that occurred to me after watching this for the fifth (ish) time.

Much has been made of this being an exposition of House at his finger snapping worst but I thought it underlined his more impressive qualities. I know it’s my old drum, but forgiveness. He treats Cuddy with sensitivity, beyond the donor dope dupe, and concern. When she needs his help, he offers it freely and with interest. Loved the irony that, after Skin Deep, she needed his help with injections and it’s pretty big of him after she screwed him over the NotMorphine.

The increase in leg pain was interesting and a nice mix or continuity and counterpoint to Skin Deep. Wilson’s assertion that it was brought about through guilt didn’t add up – it started before he took the case. The ‘psychosomatic pain’ scenario didn’t fit for me – more sometimes it just will hurt more. House being pushed to a point where he shot up morphine was fascinating. Something else too that counters the argument that he is borderline amoral and self-serving. If he had a stash at home, then why did he ask Cuddy in SD? I think it says a lot about his regard for both Cuddy and his job. He gave Cuddy the final say in whether on not he worked whilst influence which is both professionally and personally the ‘right’ thing to do. This ep went some way to balancing out the ‘it’s in your head’ argument that seemed to prevail, via Cuddy and Wilson, in Skin Deep.

As for Crandell , I loved that this too was the flipside to Webber in Distractions. House was not only unable to leave the ‘wrong’ he suffered remain unresolved; he felt the need to even things out with Crandell. Interesting parallel with his line to Wilson in Daddy’s Boy, ‘I’d lie to you, you’d lie to, keeps us both happy’ and that his resolution with Crandell mirrored that sentiment.

Note for fans in the U.S. -- Fox's website lists this episode scheduled to re-air this Wednesday, 10/4/06, 9PM (ET), after Bones.

This is one of my favourite Season Two episodes. House in pain is fantastic, you're absolutely right, Benj, and this really paves the way for all the angst we're seeing in Season Three.

I completely agree with you, Rt. House is very good at keeping secrets, like he said, and I'd even hazard that he's a very loyal friend. Once you're in, you're in.

Although, having said that, I doubt House would protect a friend if they were doing something he thought was wrong. Like you said, once he makes the leap, he honours that.