I'm going to start this off by saying two things: You can't always get what you want!!!! and Cameron's hair is sooo bad! I tried real hard not to laugh every time I saw her.

Did anyone feel like we had dropped through a time warp and were watching House run before the infarction? I had.
Neat case/cases- Did we ever find out what happened to yoga girl? Is she all right? I feel that story line was dropped a little bit. Also interesting that Wilson told Cuddy not to tell House. It seems that House has become a bit nicer and everyone else a bit meaner?

One more question, and then a re-watch- Why were the ducklings working on the symptoms in the dark?
All in all- yay for season 3! We're off to a good start :) :D

my roomates kept talking and i don't have a way to record so im pissed cuz i missed a pivotal convo between cuddy and house.

did Cuddy say House was high? or something else when he was at the window, I couldn't exactly here cuz my one of my roomates never shuts up and is loud.

I'm gonna download this episode but its gonna take at least a week grrrrrrr.

Yes, this season has certainly started off with a bang! I'm so happy, I got what I wanted. House threw grapes off the balcony at the janitor :lol:. And made his target too :rolleyes:.

It is good to see House has literally hit the ground running in this episode.

Yes, I think Cameron’s hair was kind of…straggly? Is that the right word?

As the ducklings… I guess they were both literally and figuratively in the dark for this episode.

And what do you think about him writing himself that Vicodin prescription? :huh: Do you think that this is how House got into Cuddy's office when it was locked in that other episode?

Yeah, they don't really have stellar security at ol' PPTH, do they? You'd think Wilson would learn after a while not to leave things in unlocked drawers, anyway.

Did anyone else not like Wilson too much in this episode? I know he wants House to deal with himself for his own good and everything, but it seemed like he kept getting irritated and preachy at him for no real reason--or rather, he's anticipating (probably accurately) that he's going to have cause to be irritated and preachy at House soon and he decided to go ahead and get on with it.

And the one thing he did kind of brush off with a smile was House's returning leg pain. He had a good point with the "pains of middle age" thing, but he ought to know better than anyone that when House is to the point where he's willing to actually tell someone about his pain, he doesn't generally react too well when he's not taken seriously. I'm not saying he should've given him the Vicodin, but...I mean, he's supposed to be the sensitive one, right? Even if it was just a cramp, House just experienced the thing that probably scares him the most in the whole wide world right now. Am I crazy to think that might have called for more than "But it went away, right?" :rolleyes:

Although the "stages of happiness" thing where Wilson was still talking when the scene changed. That was funny. As was the throwing grapes scene. New addition to my favorites list.

You know, Wilson and Cuddy's "let's do something behind House's back for his own good and not tell him" schemes never seem to end well...I'm not sure how they think he's not going to find out about this. :blink: Forget medical files, that wife will probably send him a fruit basket. Why couldn't we have waited to say "no" to him till what he wanted to do put a patient in actual danger?

As for the Ducklings in the hallway, I'm guessing they'd been at it so long the light hurt their eyes. ^^ Chase was kind of cute in this one. And yeah, I wish they'd stop changing Cameron's hair; it's distracting.

The "You've taken his pain away, but..." scene with House and the wife was clever. (Does Cameron not have doctor things she could be doing during the eight hours a day she evidently spends following House around and eavesdropping on his conversations?)

This is an interesting start. ;) House's kind of timid attempts to find meaning seem pretty genuine to me even if they're not working--but so did his fear at the end of the episode. If both those statements are true he could be in for a pretty rough landing.

She had scurvy, brought on by lack of vitamin C. Foreman explained it to her while he was juicing her up, but I don't remember the details... hmm... time to go watch it again. :)

Ohhhhhhhhhh yea. I remember now :rolleyes:

Posted elsewhere by me, but I'm too lazy to write another set of thoughts right now ;)

Ok, first thoughts after watching twice through. I really, really loved this episode. It was interesting that House's running sequences were shot with that very artsy camera work. almost as if it wasn't real, but it was.

FF past teaser to opening. I loved the Wilson/Cuddy case filtering bit. Great, quick repartee between all three actors. House wants to look at treatment rather than diagnosis with the cancer guy. I think House is trying to understand his close call with death and its impact on his own psyche and way he is supposed to live his life.

First moments in the Diagnostics office. He looks at the blood stain. It makes him feel uncomfortable, but he deflects. He recommends a surgery that will comfort the man and his family. Everyone holds him in suspicion for it. He wants to "help" the patient and is treated with skepticism. So he stands with the family while the surgery takes place. It's very unlike him. They thank him; Cam questions his motives. What puzzle motives could he have for staying with the family? None. standing in the gallery overlooking the lobby. House, I think is trying to make sense of his feelings. As he says to W: "i don't even know what to feel." House is struggling with the rush of no opiates; no pain and a drive to find meaning and be someone who he may not be able to be unless he has some support. He finds none with Wilson, who questions his motives.

What are his motives? Is it the puzzle? Everyone seems to think that it's all that it is. But he's simply not sure how he's supposed to feel; to act. He's euphoric, but doesn't feel as good as he thinks he's supposed to feel.

The scene with Cameron and House talking to the wife struck me as getting really to House's motives. this isn't about a puzzle. It's not about giving false hope simply because he wants to have playthings. His words to wife are an awkward attempt to comforting; he goes very close to doing a Cameron. Cameron, ironically, is the one to stop him.

Scene with Wilson when he reveals that he's had pain. Note that he knows it's muscular....not from his infarction. But he's terrified. Scared enough to tell Wilson about it. Or is he just looking for drugs?

The scene with Cuddy at her house is great. The running; the fountain and the associative leap (not so different than what house usually does) to the cure. but cuddy doesn't trust him and she says no.

the final scene with House alone in his office, analyzing his motives, deciding that Cuddy was right. House doesn't trust his own motives. He questions his feelings; his motives, because he doesn't know what to feel. His own emotions are conflicted and misfiring because of the trauma; the lack of drugs; the lack of pain. because he can't trust his own grasp of his feelings, he trusts everyone else's --and they declare that his motives aren't good--they're self-serving, and his own compass is off so he has nothing else to base it upon. He feels terrible. He failed the patient; he failed himself. He's worried that the pain is returning and that his time pain-free is limited (he's manic with physical activity because of it).

But he turns out to be right. Had Cuddy told him; had Wilson not been so cruel as to not tell him, his final actions might have been forestalled or avoided. House, who is a mass of emotions he doesn't understand how to deal with right now, chooses the only path he know will stop the feeling all together. He needs to stop feeling. So he steals the script blank. How sad and how terrible for House.

Comments on the episode

Chase seemed more like a spineless fish then usual.

I'm still confused about the scene when he's outside cuddy's window cuz I missed something important their so Imma download the episode and rewatch it so I can figure out what was said...

Not my favorite episode but it was good, loved the House and Cuddy scenes

I just have one question, why doesn't House have a script pad of his own? was this adressed in the show? I have a terrible memory incase you hadn't noticed that before...

Also loved some o the House/Wilson Scenes like when House is throwing candy at the janitor

When he was doing tricks with the skate board I was worried that he was going to hurt his leg

yup.. that about says it sasmom..

Overall pretty pleased with this ep... House quite obviously doesn't know exactly what he's doing. Hard to do what's just not in your nature. The question is why House doesn't take his own advice (ala post Euphoria advice to Foreman)

Opening scene with Cuddy and Wilson was more telling than I thought it would be. He brushed off Cuddy's proddings about the treatment... rushed through them like he didn't even want to think about it. yeah yeah yeah...

Did anyone else question the whole leg recovery scenario? Wilson says, when House tells him about the cramp, that "your surgery worked." Ketamine itself isn't a surgery (as far as I know)... are we to take that there was surgery involved in this or did Wilson suddenly shift the conversation to the patient? House's first procedure with brain cancer guy is to do something about the tendons in his leg. Can't remember the exact phrasing but I was kinda like "Huh..." The episode would make more sense (as far as his athletic abiliity) if there was some sort of surgery.

Cameron.... i really want to shoot sometimes. She does do a lot of following around in this episode...

As far as Wilson- I can see his side of it. House was really going out of control with his hunches in this episode and it was almost killed his patient. House usually doesn't get "no" for a final answer. He usually gets his way. And as far as the leg thing- right in denying the vicodin, and he did try to reassure him about the cramp thing. It wasn't touchy feely, but it was an attempt. Needless to say, it didn't appear that House took it very well. Not sure how wise it was for Wilson and Cuddy to keep the secret though... it doesn't seem like that's something that could be kept. It happened in front of a bunch of people. House was closer to this patient than anyone before... people talk.

And where did I read that there were 3 patients in this episode? What happened to the clinic patient with the cane? There was also supposedly a scene at a baseball game. And did they replace all that with skateboarding? If so... that's cool... no complaints- loved it!

that's all i gots for now. hmph... i suppose i need to find one of those little picture thingys if i'm going to actually post on this board ;)

Hooray! They didn't let us down after all!!! :D

I'm still not sure how I feel about House's leg being magically all better, but I'm willing to overlook it. And now we know, leg or no leg, House is still a pain, just a more kinetic, mobile pain. I figured as much. He's also not terribly formal: his jacket and pants matched but there was no T-shirt underneath, but still no tie and he still wears his athletic shoes.


Superficially, why must they mess with the hair all the time? On one hand, the bangs do soften JM's face a little, but they also made her look even younger (I usually don't complain about her hair because mine would be equally long and similarly styled if I could pull it off, but I'm too lazy for hair longer than my shoulders; given the choice between getting up earlier to curl, mousse, spray, etc., or getting a little more sleep, the sleep will win every time). The highlights last season weren't so bad, but my question is, why not just let JM be blonde? I guess they were going against stereotypical, dumb blonde, or trying to make her exotic or something, but please.

Apparently they messed with Hugh's hair too. Anyway, it looked shorter to me. I like it better when it's long enough to have a bit of curl in it (maybe because I only wish mine would curl naturally, or I should say decide whether it wants to curl or be straight then stick with it, so it isn't so uneven to the point where there will be a slightly wavy patch on one side, straight on the other, and frizzy in back; yes it's just a horrible as it sounds which is why the straightening iron/curling iron--on good days-- and my hair scrunchies--on bad/tired days-- are among my best friends). I still think his hair was best in late season 1 (post toupee, but pre-image clean up). Of course, having seen him in No Reason and in 101 Dalmations (where he has a full beard), I wish he'd just go ahead and grow his beard out too <ducks> (yes, I seem to have a facial hair thing too, much to my mother's chagrin).

And yes the camera work on the running scenes was gorgeous (as wel Hugh himself of course). As an aside, once again, I contemplate what running seems to do for others that it clearly does not do for me (I'll run if something sufficiently large/scary is chasing me, otherwise. . .). Then of course I love writing papers (and reading them), so. . . I understand the thrill of movement though being a thinking pacer and having the need to constantly fidget.

I am with Wilson though, you run eight miles, skateboard--with requisite falling off--all over, and then you wonder why you're sore. I'm still not quite middle aged (and resent the Cortisol commercials that indicate that you're body bites it the very second you turn thirty even if, confidentially, it seems to be true), but it would cause me to be unable to walk the next day. As a matter of fact in high school when they made us run two miles in gym for some Presidential Fitness deal, I could barely walk the next day and was far from the only one.

Of course in House (and Wilson's) defense (on this, though I have some choice thoughts for Wilson too later), I can only imagine after having had a chronic condition, then having it go away, any little twitch or twinge probably has you thinking "Oh no, could this be it again?!?"

Cameron still sets my teeth on edge big time. I have said before that there's very little that she could do that would redeem her in my eyes, but this episode really upped my annoyance.

Hypocritical much, Cammy? Maybe it was supposed to show her growth, but there were two things, at least, that she tried to preach to House on when she is clearly no example herself in either area.

First, the date request. Let me say I'm glad it didn't happen as this was another area I was afraid would ruin the show, but now she's worried about appropriateness. The girl who not only threw herself at her boss (Strriiike one!), but then bribed him into going out with her when he wasn't the least bit interested (Strriike two!), and then pushed him immediately into touchy emotional territory (Strriiike 3! Yer outta there!--I can only wish). Grey's Anatomy not withstanding, it's probably not wise to date a close colleague or at least your supervisor; even if you both know you're not getting special treatment and even if you are absolutely certain you aren't, everyone else will always suspect it. Plus it's good to have a separation, even a small one between your work and social life, otherwise it all becomes one big mess (in the case of significant others/spouses your personal arguments come into work and your work arguments come home; not to mention who do you vent to about your boss when your designated ventee is your boss?) Maybe it was supposed to be a sign that she's matured and now considers those factors, but it doesn't feel like it.

Second, the lecture about putting patients through unneccessary procedures for your own edification. Granted Cameron's motive was about her inability to give a terminal diagnosis to someone who, depending on who you ask, either reminded her of her deceased husband or herself and House's motive was about his need for meaning or for a good puzzle (or so they all thought). Cameron's reasons sound more cuddly, but ultimately, both were making decisions in their own interest rather than the patients'. Again, maybe this is supposed to show either how drastically different (and even foolish) House is acting now that, gee, even Cameron thinks he's being inappropriate, or we're supposed to see how our little girl has grown up, but it seemed less like knowledge and more like oblviousness on Cameron's part.

As much as I was not feeling the love for Foreman after his whole, we aren't friends statement, as I may have said nothing wrong with it other than he had clearly acted like Cam's friend earlier, his response to Cameron summed up a lot of what I'd like to say to her, or the beginnnings of it. No, there's nothing wrong with wanting to make patients happy and comfortable and feel good about yourself in the bargain--if I had become a doctor I'd like to think my style would be similar in that way-- but she's there to learn from House. He may not be a cuddly person, you don't have to love him or even like him, but he's clearly smart and doing something right, so take notes and incorporate the good parts into your own style (I've certainly been in that situations with bosses and professors before, I think we all have; all you can do is learn what you can and vow when you're the boss/professor, you'll be different). Also, you're there to fix the patients. Most of the time you can also make them happy and comfortable, it doesn't cost extra to be nice (though, as I was wont to say in my customer service days, it can be infinitely more satisfying to be mean), but there are times when in order to accomplish your primary goal the patient may have to suffer a little or be unhappy with you. And that thing about it's great that you have morals and it's good to stick to them (although I would argue House does a better job most times of sticking to his twisted set of morals than Cameron does to stick to her conventional ones), but you can't expect everyone else to conform to them past a few basics e.g. the biggies: don't murder, don't steal etc. (and even then definitions vary; going into a bank with a gun and a hold-up note=definitly wrong, but not bothering to mention three cents more change than you should gotten from a cashier=more questionable--being that I'm overburdened by conscious, I'd mention it, but. . . ). Enough of that digression into Cam-hate.

As I said, I wasn't entirely crazy about Wilson tonight. I'm starting to see merit in House's emotional vampire assessment. On one hand he was being a good friend in supporting House in entering unknown emotional territory and trying to encourage him in accepting a little more happiness and compassion in his life. On the other hand, he seemed sort of disappointed when House didn't react the same way he always does. It was hardly as if Pod House were on scene (and I am very grateful to the writers for that), yes House was acting different, but he was clearly not undergoing some sort of wierd psychic break or being unstable (well more than usual because House has always been a bit left of center and that's just the way we like him). Every time House did something differently than he has for a while, possibly as long as Wilson has known him, depending on the ever-fluid timeline, Wilson had to call him on it. Now I can see that if it were dangerous, or competely out of character, but it was more like "Wow, you're being nice. Are you sure you want to do that?", rather than "Aren't you being more careless than usual?". To some extent it seems like Wilson, and to some extent Cuddy, doesn't want House to change even if it might be for the better.

I really disliked him for asking Cuddy not to tell House that the Cortisol injection worked. Maybe a fluke, and maybe from the previews that show the POTW getting out his wheelchair and then falling, only temporary, but he should know that it did work-- even if it is temporary, the guy was back for a while again, and maybe the positive response to Cortisol will lead to some other breakthrough that if it does not aid that patient will end up aiding similar patients as a whole. Wilson doesn't seem to know House as well as he claims, though granted, he's not really privvy to House's thought processes on the level we are e.g. Wilson doesn't see House talking to the clinic patient who says something that turns the figuratives switch in House's head to give him the solution he needs. Still, House is frequently somewhat stumped, then he see or hears something, or meets someone, that helps trigger the connection that he needs. Intuition gets a bum rap from the more concrete, scientific types-- in fact House himself would probably laugh himself silly at the statement I'm about to make-- but frequently there's something to it.

Many times when your gut tells you to do something there's a reason, but you just don't know it yet. It has, I believe, at least a little to do with the instinct that kept us alive when the world was a wilder place (of course being a spiritual and a religious person I believe there's a bit of the intangible involved too, but that's not the point of what I'm getting at here). Of course for all the stories of someone who ignored the gut feeling and were sorry there are probably others who ignored it and did just fine. Alternately, we don't really know that the times when someone did heed their intuition and everything turned out fine that anything bad would have really happened had they ignored it (aside from a few cases where for instance someone gets the urge to take a different route home and finds out that a dangerous criminal was caught near their normal route or something awful happened to someone in the same area at approximately the same time they would have been there).

Anyway, House is known for his strange logical leaps. It's part of why he figures things out other people don't or can't: he knows how to make unusual connections. And certainly the "Eureka" experience is not unique ( it's named for the supposed utterance of a Greek philospher and scientist, possibly Archimedes, but don't count on it, when he realized the answer to measuring weight while he was sitting in the baths and thus displacing water; I do like Asimov's assertion though that it's less often eureka and more often "Gee, that's strange" though). The problems I consider from day to day are certainly both less complex and less vital than the ones House faces but I've definitely had the experience of thinking about something for a long time and coming to a complete dead end only to go off to do other things then have an idea, often the solution, come to me while I'm in the bathtub, or lying waiting to fall asleep, or sitting around in traffic or a waiting room. I don't think I am unique in that. So it's entirely possible that House was thinking and jogging, or even just jogging and letting his mind wander and then something like this happened:

<pant, pant> Boy am I thirsty, and sweaty. Oh, look <pant, pant> there's a water fountain. Think I'll stop and have a drink. <pant, pant, slurp, slurp, pant> I'm really hot too, maybe I'll splash some water on my face <pant, splash, pant> That felt good <pant, splash> there's that fountain. <pant> Man it's so hot, I'm just about ready to just run into it fully clothed. Is anyone looking? <look, look> No! Maybe I will then. <run, splash, frolic> Okay, that really does feel nice. Never thought I'd get to do this again <pause>. Wait! I wonder if with everything else that's wrong with POTW's brain, his temperature control is out of whack too. Wait 'til I tell Cuddy. Naw, she won't mind a bit, that I wake her up. It's important. <run/bounce off like a hyperactive, sugar high child on a mission>. :D :lol: (cute ain't he?)

And boy was I disturbed by House forging Wilson's name on the prescription pad. I guess the addiction question is answered. But man, if that's what he gets caught on later in the season, when the police trouble comes into play, his, dare I say sexy, butt could really be in a sling. (Good prediction AE, though; read his response to challenge #1 to find out what I mean). Forging prescriptions, if I'm remembering correctly, can get you some serious jail time and is a federal offense. I'm not sure if House'd have a license afterwards either, although I don't know for sure. Not nice of him to do that to Wilson either, as theoretically he get could in trouble for prescribing medication inappropriately--if he said someone stole his prescription pad then obviously not his fault, but would he notice a single page missing here and there. (I don't know how or if doctors really keep track of that or not; do they write it down in a register somewhere, like you do with your check numbers? Though even then no guarantee, I don't always write down all my check numbers immediately, or at all anymore if I'm trying to hurry and/or there are impatient people behind me in line somewhere).

Now a question: I thought way back somewhere we established that doctors in the US can write prescriptions for themselves, even for narcotics, or is that the case in the UK or elsewhere, or am I dreaming? I know they can write prescriptions for family (and probably friends) although they are supposed to have at least examined the person for whom they're writing the prescription (of course the various doctors who write for on-line prescription drug services don't feel the need to abide by this technicality).

Interestingly, I read a blog last night written by a pediatrician (I'm a freak remember and enjoy reading about medical stuff for fun once in a while), who was talking about his concern for a particular family. The mother of some of his patients called his office and told the receptionist that she need to talk to him. In his entry he recounted the various difficulties this woman has faced in the past and still faces, but it boiled down to this, when he called this woman back it turned out the woman's children were actually okay, but she had been prescribed pain medication (Vicodin specifically for a sort of House related twist in my mind) for a (dubious to this doctor) injury. She said she was not out of medicine, but it still hurt. Her doctor's office wouldn't give her a refill and she was wondering, as he was a doctor, and thus an authorized writer of prescriptions, if he would write the prescription for her. He said he told her he couldn't do it because he wasn't her physician of record. I'm not sure though that it's neccessary to be the actual physician of record though as if you go to the urgent care place (or the ER for that matter, though that might get an except for the fact that as evidenced by the name there is, or should be, an emergency) the doctors there can write a prescription if you need one, though they advise you to see your regular doctor as soon as you can (I guess in this case, it would set off alarms, even if it were an ethical thing to do because he sees only children and the woman is an adult). Of course the real story when he called this woman's doctor was somewhat different, but an illustration I guess of the dilemas of prescription writing.

And the point to all that is, if House could legally write his own prescription why doesn't he? I'll agree that writing multiple prescriptions for oneself, especially for the same medication when that medication is a narcotic would begin to look suspicious, but I don't imagine that House was planning on "borrowing" from Wilson's pad a regular activity, so why not a one time 'scrip?

I did just have on more thought on the prescription, which just dawned on me as I was writing this. What if instead of getting the medication for the high, House was getting it sort of as a security blanket? He's feeling paranoid that maybe it's all going to come back, whether that is warranted or not, and he wants to be prepared if worse comes to worse--and by having the prescription ready he thinks maybe he can stop worrying as he's prepared should that happen, but hopes he'll never really use it? Maybe it was a contingency plan to ease his mind on the subject. We've certainly been led before to believe that House was up to what appeared to be no good only to have it actually be pretty benign. On the other hand, his sneaking into Stacy's therapist's office last season was definitely exactly what it appeared.

Now to answer a few questions:

PRPL: yes, Cuddy did say House was high, but I don't think she meant, or suspected that he was high on drugs, more high on coming up with a crazy solution/ the joy of being pain free and able to move around again. It seemed more along the lines of "Why don't you go home, sleep on this, and then see if it really seems so great in the morning?" As we all know, and so should Cuddy, House doesn't work that way, but oh, well.

Elfkey: CathyNH is right. Yoga girl's problem was scurvy. The crux of the issue is this, according to Foreman: among its myriad effects scurvy causes blood to pool in your feet and legs. This makes them difficult to move, or in this case I guess nearly impossible. It also shows in your hair and nails, which is why House stopped the surgery when he saw YG's feet. Her toenails were really messed up and that tipped him off. As I recall from my adventures in watching True Stories From the ER, there was a case of a little kid who didn't want to walk and screamed when they made him stand up. It turned out he had scurvy from eating nothing but oatmeal (blargh!!), so I guess it's not too out there.

As for duckling in the dark (must write that down in my list of cool names for non-existent bands), I didn't get the impression that they were in the dark as much as that everything else was dark around them because they were there so late. With the apparently ever-changing layout of PPTH you can never be sure, but it seems that House and Wilson's offices as well as the conference room are not near any patient rooms but are in a section primarily of other offices, so since it's late all the occupants of the other offices are gone and they've turned their lights off, I guess none of them had anything pressing to work on, and possibly someone has turned off most or all of the hall lights as well. That's my take anyway.

I also wanted to comment again on how puzzled House seems to be by the real concept of love, not just the romantic kind although that too, as evidenced by his questions toward the wife of the POTW, but I've gone way too long (RTLemurs, I know I have to stop these marathon posts before I single-handedly kill the board, but dang it, it's addictive. Maybe House and I should do rehab together :lol: ), so I'll do it in a different thread as there's quite a lot more I could say about and would be drawing from mutliple eps.

House (to Wilson): I don't remember you being this bitchy. :lol:

Wilson's reply was good too but now I can't quite seem to remember it. I love Wilson 99% of the time but he did bug me a bit tonight. He was too preachy. And you know there is NO way that Wilson and Cuddy keeping pool guy's recovery from him is going to last or work out. :rolleyes:

Cameron was a little too stalker-ish tonight. And I don't like the haircut.

Chase was quite spineless but that is not unusual really. The man still looks good.

I adored the scenes with House in the fountain. First, the scenes were framed well artistically speaking. Second, on a totally shallow note Hugh looks good wet. ;) 3) I love those totally random moments he has when ideas strike him.

The scenes of House running did have a sort of dream-like quality to them. Perhaps that is meant to signify that it is illusory. I'm not sure but I know that it felt really odd to see him running.

Totally cracked up at House throwing grapes the poor janitor! And then backing up so it looked like it was Wilson. :lol: :lol:

All in all, it was a good start to the season.

She did say that. He thought she meant the pills so he told her he was clean. She didn't mean that kind of high though. Cuddy was referring to the high that House gets when he has a case that is a mystery to him and he gets to piece the puzzle together. The implication was that Cuddy thought that is what he was doing with this man when he came up with his theory that ultimately was correct.

Hope that helps. :D

Okay, I'll try not to do a monster post here because some of you have already hit on many of the points.

Big one for me this episode.

"First time in years I don't have opiates in my body, now you question my judgement"

I think that sums up the episode.

I didn't see House as diagnostician any different than before. Yes, House the doctor was different in that he 'cared' for the patient but as a diagnostician I didn't see it differently.

Everyone else did. This was the problem. I think that maybe House was grasping at straws but he always is. He sees things with potential and runs with them, tracks down what the cause might be and how that plays into the condition or diagnosis. No different than before.

Cuddy even recognizes it in the "bedroom" scene.

"You're high. This is as high as you get" She recognizes this and maybe that's why she gives the guy the injection. She see that it's not what she and Wilson (and seemingly everyone else)think. When questioned by Wilson, her response, "I saw House being House". She gets it, she sees that he hasn't changed in that capacity.

I don't understand why Wilson dismissed that. I understand that he's concerned but does he not trust Cuddy's judgement? What does this say about what Wilson thinks of House's abilities as a doctor? I just don't understand why all the doubt. No one questioned his judgement in countless other similar situations (well, they did but they let him continue)or at least not when the end result was positive. Why are they doing so now? Why does Wilson want to hide that from him? I just don't see the difference!!!!

To me Wilson is basically saying the pain and the drugs made House a great doctor, which is just the complete opposite of what he's been saying for two seasons now!!! Was this the hypocritical episode and I missed the memo?

Now, both of them and House himself have said or alluded to the fact that House needed to be miserable (or they felt that he felt he needed to be miserable) to do his job. And now they are pushing him right back into it. He''s happy so his judgement must be off. He's treating a patient because he wants them to have a better quality of life so he must be wrong. What the hell is that?!

As far as the stealing of the perscription, I agree with sasmom but also think it's directly related to the "failure' and loss of skills everyone around him seems to think he is experienceing. He feels he's lost what makes him the best. The drugs were part of that. And not only that but if he's lost it, why no just take the drugs if they make him feel good or feel nothing. I think he always felt he needed to be 'numb' to do the job. He failed because he 'felt', time to numb up and get back the only thing I have.

I must insert here "Bad House, bad!" ;) :lol: So much could have changed that end sequence and I think they will all come to realize the part they play in this, but House is no less a guilty party. He doesn't believe in himself.

As far as addiction, I think this episode didn't show a physical addiction but a psychological one. (I could go on for pages on this so I'll discuss later if others want to)

Favorite scene --

I loved the whole scene in Wilson's office. Just the emotion/tension in the shot by the door where he's playing with the light switch. Beautifully acted and shot.

And I thought it was interesting in that if you watched House's clothing come unraveled as the show progressed. All neat and tucked in and at the end rumpled and untucked. Reflecting his emotional unraveling. Very nice visuals!

And the scene where he runs away from Cameron was brilliant! LMAO!

Favorite Line --

It's between Foreman's "I took this job to learn from House", Chase's "How many Millimeters?", and House "Does that make me evil?"

I'll leave the picking apart of Cameron to everyone else. I'll just add that she was annoying and hypocritical as hell this episode!

Straight off the bat? Loved it :) , much Wilson which always makes for a great ep and they didn’t disappoint with the ‘quad returns’ story line. I liked a lot that we picked back up where House returns to work –made a lot of sense of Wilson and Cuddy’s reactions. Cuddy seemed to be looking at the ketamine reset as an opportunity to redraw the rules and reassert her authority and kudos to LE for playing it with warmth and not overdoing it.

Wilson’s caution was totally in character if you think back to Grace and fales hope/crashing rant. I understand why he wanted to keep the ‘success’ from House – whether it’s right or not is another matter. He knows House is great with logic and the method in his madness – he knows that beyond the surface shenanigans there something more. House nicking his pad is a fabulous setup and I’m really looking forward to that coming home to roost.

Hugh always nails it and I loved the scene when House asks Cameron out - there's just enough something below the satisfaction of being right -so good.

Also good to know that Kaplow and Shore leave me in the shade in the fanboy fantasy stakes - once, and maybe only time that House loses the cane/pain and they hose him down, stick him in runners and blow the whole season's cinematography budget on capturing it - well played sirs <_<

Maybe it’s me and my weird Stacy obsession but in the teaser, before we saw the wheelchair guy’s face, his wife yelled ‘Mark’ and for a split I was thinking it could be..”

RT – you got your House chucking stuff off the balcony :D and I loved him leaving Wilson standing and the ‘Five is heroin, six is you going away’ line –awesome!

Wow! I don't know what else to say! A caring, compassionate House? Hmmmm.... <_< Loved it. Wht a great way to start the new season.

Everyone looked really good. Don't know about Cameron's new hair style. Guess I'll get used to it. Nice change of wardrobe for House. Noticed the penstriped jacket. No more dark, depressing colors. Guessed they lightened up with his attitude. He's not hanging out in his office anymore. Now he's perched up over looking all the hospital activity from the balcony. Lots of changes. I enjoyed watching him pitch grapes into the janitor's trash bag.

Nice touch showing the scar on his neck. I too enjoyed him messing with Cameron's head by asking her out. I thought she would go for it. But, it's like he said, he's not appealing to her anymore because he's 'better'. At least so he thinks. I see his relationship with Wilson becoming very strained. He's as wrong as two left shoes for using his script pad. He needs to watch his a**. Forging scripts, doctor or not will land him a 3 year state jail sentence.

Lots of good drama too. The scene where he burned yoga-girl's foot and thenn stabbed her in the chest with that mile-long hypo needle! Outch! Great to see House running. I'm sure Hugh loves to incorporate things he likes to do in real life. I hear he's very athletic. I also liked the skatemboard scene where he's checking out the co-ed's. Not the smartest thing, though, trying to flip the board from atop a park bench. It's not a wonder his leg is hurting again. Again, I think it's all in his head....and it's going to get him into trouble.

Glad to be back! Love you all!

PPD

And Yes, Benj! Hugh did look great all wet and sweaty in shorts! The fountain scene... I could stare for hours!!!

And yes, Wilson was in character in that he was being cautious but for two season he has been preaching that the pain and the drugs and the misery don't make House great. Implying that he is great without them. Now House shows the same qualities, leaps of logic and diagnostic prowess he did before and he is questioning it. What the hell kind of signal is that supposed to send? I just can't see Wilson being that blind to the consequences of that line of thought.

House is a House, this whole thing seems to imply that they let him be a wild man because they felt sorry for him, not because they thought he was good. Now that the sympathy factor is removed...

But, yes, it will be very interesting to watch how this progresses and how everyone see the role they played in House's regression/digression/return to misery.

And, although I loved the grape throwing, I was not he first to wish for that. Plus, I think he was trying to throw the grapes in the trash can and the janitor stepping in the way and moved it. S does that count? :lol:

anyone else think "Black Cadillacs"- Modest Mouse vagually fits this episode?

Yeah totally O'Prpl One - Modest Mouse is a great fit for a lot of eps but Cadillacs works wonderfully for this ep - going to fire it up now - cheers!


Small thing but also loved how Born Again House is almost exactly the same - extremes are his bread and butter - skateboarding and running as the new biking and snorting hayfever tabs. :)

Avoiding the scene of the crime too maybe? Struck me that along with the everything being a little off-kilter that not having the ducks in the comfort of the conference room may fit with that too- felt more that way watching for the second time around.

ITA that was the theme of last night's episode. For as much as everyone was giving House crap about how he was different, they all treated him differently to varying degrees. House wasn't acting out of character in his relentless pursuit of a diagnosis for the wheelchair guy. He was doing precisely what he has done since we've known him. It was the caring about his patients that was different.

The real difference in "Meaning" was how everyone interacted with him. Cuddy finally seemed to realize that House was being House by the end of the episode but Wilson definitely seems to have his head up his bum. I hope he'll find a way to remove it soon. ;)

Am I the only one who missed the clinic last night?

Some thoughts:

Heh heh.


Discussing various elements of this episode with my mum (who I've completely turned on to House and my gleaned spoilers):
She said 'I don't like Wilson'.
I do like Wilson. I like Cuddy, as well. What I don't like is the way they treat House when they're together.

I made this observation after I watched Deception, and I stand by it. Wilson and Cuddy patronise House like he's too dumb (or socially retarded) to know any better. I'm not talking about the first scene with the file-choosing in particular, but especially their actions in the latter part of the episode.

I agree, Hughrocks. This episode was all about the 'change' in House and the impact it had on everyone else.

House is going to crash so so hard. As I've said. Can't really make a judgement right now, but I like this character stuff they've got going. I certainly don't really want to gripe about the new season, anyway.

Ok, first let me apologize for not being more active on the forum for awhile. Things have been kind of crazy between work and because of illinesses and injuries (nothing major, just annoying) I keep having to switch classes at school.

I almost didn't get to see last night's premiere; my cable is out right not so I not only had to rely on an antennae but I had to record it because I was working. What I got was not the best transmission in the world; it wasn't even in color, in fact, but I at least got to SEE the episode! I thought it was very well done, although 2 months doesn't seem like enough time for House to have regained as much function in his leg as he did, especially considering he was also recovering from a gunshot wounds! And Cameron must've grown a backbone in those 2 months as well! The whole scene when House is talking to the wife about the procedure and Cameron's standing behind him, making him tell this woman the hard truth. Last year, those positions would've been reversed.

Although I was a bit saddened to see House "fall off the wagon" I think the show is dealing realistically with the subject of addiction. It shows that he's not only addicted to it physically, but also mentally and emotionally. Does anyone out there know if his getting back on Vicodin could trigger his pain to start up again?

That's about it--got to head off to bed so I can get up and go back to work tommorrow!

My thoughts exactly. Although I didn't find it drastically out of character, just a little bit strange, like much of this ep.

Me too.
*Deep breath*.
Look, I think that it may require some suspension of disbelief to watch this storyline (and the show in general, up to a point), but that's Ok. I think the writers have treated this well - what annoys me the most is people bitching about it. I feel like saying it's a TV show!. I wasn't attacking you, by the way, for making that observation, just saying that people's griping is annoying me somewhat. Why watch and whinge? If you don't like it, don't put everyone else on a downer about it. I'm fine with the intelligent discussion we have here, but the single-mindedness of some of these people in their dumping is amazing.
Again, that wasn't targeted at you or anyone on this board. It's a legitimate observation, I'm just annoyed that some people (none at this board, thankfully) can grab onto an issue and never let go.
Sorry for the irony there, I just had to get that out. No more bitching from AE for at least a week.

Again, I hear you on that. Then again, he is a pretty damn saddening character.

What interested me the most is that it was Vicodin ES. I don't know what he was taking before, but 'regular' Vicodin is Hydrocodone/Paracetamol (Acetaminophen) 5/500, compared to Vicodin ES, which is 7/750. Like light and regular beer, I hazard, or beer and scotch. Or maybe I'm stretching that too far. Anyway, might not interest anyone else (or I might be completely barking up the wrong tree), but I thought it was cool/interesting.
Have a look here.

yea i was slightly "addicted" to hydrocodone my junior year...whoops...probably the one of the main contributions to my memory issues...my friend gave me a couple of them everyday and then she ran out and i decided i needed to quit for awhile and felt like shit for three days. Luckily it was summer vacation so I was "sick".I did not do any more opiates until this summer and they were weak and disappointing. I can see why House went back to vicodin, it's a great escape.

Another thought/question that hasn't been brought up yet. I've been thinking about the huge jump in activity for House.

Of course there's the obvious question (and thank you AE for ranting on that so I don't have to!) but I am willing to suspend the belief for this as long as it doesn't go on too long (although I wish they'd have given him just a slight limp so it didn't seem quite so implausible.)

I was thinking more on the lines of why? Why is House suddenly so active?

On the surface it would seem obvious, or at least my first assumption was that he's just overwhelmingly enthusiastic to have the full, pain-free use of his leg back. It has been alluded to and Hugh has mentioned in several interviews that House may have/ probably had a very athletic lifestyle before the infarction. And, House is an extremist/thrill seeker type so he wouldn't just settle for 'take it easy', he'd want to go all out and push it. But then again would he?

It looks as though he did but in the back of my mind I have this creeping suspiscion that on some level he wanted the pain back.

That after two months his psychological addiction to the Vicodin was starting to gnaw at him. That he was pushing it so he could get the aches and pains, thus justify/rationlaize going to Wilson or Cuddy and asking for the Vicodin. Kind of a "I'm not an addict if I need it" approach.

And AE, that Vicodin ES was and interesting catch! I hadn't noticed. My guess would be twofold. One, if you're going to cheat, cheat big. Or, two, maybe he is doing as someone earlier suggested, putting his mind at ease, more than actually running out and filling that perscription that night, he was getting it just in case. Knowing that he was going to push it until it hurt and wanted to be able to stop any pain in it's tracks.

Personally, I think it was a cheat big approach.

I liked the way Chase gave House a slap on the back, and later on House whacked him in the head with the ball . . . very amusing.

Yes, we may like to think, as House does, that Cameron is over him now that he's "well," but her comment, "You're *not* healthy." leads me to believe it's not over . . .

Did very much enjoy House bolting away from her. See House run. Run, House, run!

Did the episode feel too short to anyone else? Prolly 'cause there's so much that happened between seasons.

That's interesting...it does seem pretty dumb to suddenly start running eight miles and doing skateboard tricks on a leg that hasn't done much more than sit there for five or six years, but I also put it down to House being an all-or-nothing type of person. I definitely hadn't thought about it being connected to any kind of subconcious desire.

The more I do think about it, though, the more it makes sense--one of the main points of the character is that nothing's ever just on one level and the physical almost always symbolizes the non-physical. Even if he doesn't want the pain back (yet. I wonder how he'll start feeling about himself now that, thanks to Wilson and Cuddy, he thinks he's failed in some way), he might be testing the limits of his luck. House has been justified in his cynical, nothing-good-ever-lasts worldview for a long time. Even if it wasn't a good certainty it was a certainty, and in losing the pain maybe he also lost whatever comfort or security that outlook gave him. I wonder if he's pushing it on purpose to see if he's really going to have to admit he was wrong and change how he looks at the world, or if the "good thing" will crumble, the pain will come back, and at least he can take refuge in what he's known all along.

*looks back over post* So...in other words, he...wants the pain to come back. >_< Sorry. Maybe that was a wasted post. Anyway, I think I agree with you, rtlemurs.

The more I watch it the more I am convinced House was also jonesing for drugs. I don’t doubt he was worried but he never shares that stuff voluntarily – it was ploy and neither he nor Wilson really look at each other in that scene in the office.

Showing us House footloose and pain free does add weight to Stacy’s comment that he was the ‘pretty much the same’ prior to the infarction. It underlines the scene in Three Stories in which she says ‘don’t you think you deserve to be happy?” Wilson is an idealist in many ways and does seem to think that there is nirvana for House is he wants it. As for the extreme to quote the philosopher ‘I can’t get no…” couldn’t sum House up any better. He isn’t ever going to be happy with anything – it’s part of the paradox of the character – it motivates him but also potentially will destroy him – the quest for perfection. Perfect body (wouldn’t accept amputation), his search for the ‘prime mover’ with any diagnosis and if he got his leg back he wasn’t taking any middle ground. Anyone looking to write an alternate ending fic for ‘Meaning’ could write the one where House breaks his leg on the skateboard and ends up in the Orthopaedic ward with Wilson hands on hips and ‘Told You So’ face on.

As for the decision to go as far as they have with the Ketamine treatment and highlighting in beautiful and vauguely trippy sepia why House was pissed off about his leg. I mean if he got the use back and just wandered around sans cane it would leave us feeling short changed. They have triple underscored the point that it was a big miss for him – reminds me of the volleyball player flashback in TS. If House had been anyone else he may well have gotten over it, accepted his situation and gone on to try and maximise any potential to enjoy sports. The difference being that I do think it is all about the buzz – boarding, biking, etc are not about the thrill of a team or tactical victory its flat out adrenaline.

Vicodin ES? Great spot AE! Interesting and makes sense because if House had gotten to the point where he spot up morphine then I’m guessing he’d gone through the Vicodin gears too. If there are a couple of vague resolutions I hope we get before the show ends then I want to know how far down the morphine trail House got before No Reason. As the final scene of him sprawled on the couch was our last reasonably ‘real’ moment I’d like to know more about the morphine use and also the shooter has to get a mention again some day. It’s a great ace up the sleeve for the writers because that will be damn interesting.

Personally I’m totally happy with the leg/ketamine story line because I reckon you can pull any stunt/shift you like as long as you back it up. For me this episode did that – the payoff of seeing House in this situation and the potential is too awesome. The ‘miracle’ leg is a device to a point (although I think we saw some slight affect to a limp in the first ddx scene) but the payback is worth it. The hand wringers frequenting other places always have some reason they are never watching again. Although I wonder if they watched in the first place or at least if they were watching the same show as me. The much vaunted ‘Wilson was never like this *insert whinge of the week*…’ argument doesn’t stack up anywhere close to he guy who has been deceiving House since the inception and instigated the Detox week which makes his behaviour in this ep look like it was boy scout week.

I don't know. On one hand, he did seem worried - not facing Wilson and boldly declaring it, fiddling, the look on his face when he was skateboarding. On the other hand,
The way that he finally wrote himself the prescription suggests that he was either desperate or just wasn't listening to Wilson. Or both.

Yes. Exactly. He's like a kid with a new toy.

Heh. Good one. Or he could fall down a flight of stairs, out of a tree, drown in a fountain...

We're really seeing House enjoy his 'new leg'. I agree, it wouldn't be right to just see House wandering around, maybe freely kicking something free from the vending machine. Like I said before, I love how his childish side is coming out with this leg thing. Of course he'd push things as hard as he could, probably the same way he did before the infarction. You could even hazard that this was an extension of the gambling/risk thing.

Yes. Anyone considering Wilson and Cuddy and the whole best friends forever thing have to consider the whole character in terms of everything we've seen - Wilson and Cuddy set House up in Detox, refused to give him pain relief, gave him fake pain relief, formulated evil and cunning plans behind his back. I don't think anyone is 'out of character' in this ep - that suggests that the actions or changes are not influenced or suggested to be true by past behaviour.
House getting all teary over a date with Cameron = OOC. House running in the park, on the other hand...

Yes. As I've said before, the writers have done a great job on this. We thought House sans cane could never be believable... but here it is. The things they do with this character are amazing.

House is a contradiction. He wants the pain back, he wants to be able to run in the park and skateboard past good-looking chicks in a Nick-Cave-esque suit. Nobody likes to be miserable, yet he seems to reinforce this behaviour at times. Perhaps because he is more comfortable with this, perhaps, as you said, Lily, because it's just part of his personality to feel the need to cheapen everything that isn't perfect.

My take on this, rt, is that House is always active. It's just that now he can... do more.
If we think about it he's always fiddling... Gameboy, big tennis ball, cane. A lot of this is connected to the thinking process. It's just that now he's revelling in his now pain-free movement.
He ran up the stairs (which was a good touch, I always think it's pointless to walk up stairs if you can dash up them). He had his 'running-fountain epiphany'. He fiddled with the light switch in Wilson's office. Everything's on a different scale now there's no cane and he's pain-free. Almost.
So he's really enjoying it. But you have to think that there must be a little hint of 'this is too good to be true' at the back of his mind. So I don't know if he consciously wants that pain back, Rt. But he is taking risks bigtime.

The Vicodin thing? Not good news. Not good news at all.

AE- you really think House wants the pain back? Hmmm....

I doubt he wants the actual pain back... I think that part of the reason (if not all) the reason he stole the prescription was because he's scared it will come back... and leading into that, a nice dose of vicodin would probably take the edge of the fear, in addition to taking the edge of his self-doubt. I suppose the main question is how much he wants to justify his vicodin use. Does he want to jusitfy enough to actually want the pain to come back? Legit pain = legit meds.

Going back to Wilson for a second. Spent a lot of time driving today...lots of thinking. I'm not sure that Wilson knows how to react to "healed" House. Tell me if I'm not explaining this well-but House is outwardly abrasive, crass. I keep seeing people in various places saying how much they don't like Wilson in this episode, but in terms of reacting to House, I think he did as well as could be expected in the characteristic style that he and House usually react. He tried to reassure him at every point that House was doubtful... and meanwhile keeping up with his normal critique of House's motives and actions. Whether or not he made the right decision in the end... ehh... truth is that it could be a lesson, but I have a feeling that he didn't expect House to go off the deep end because of it.
Wish I had a copy of this ep (all in good time...)

I didn't find Wilson out of character either (except perhaps for not locking his door or desk! I mean, hello!? Someone could filch his Vertigo poster....).

Part of Wilson's "it's probably nothing" attitude probably stems from the fact that Wilson ALSO wants to believe the real pain is gone--that he and Cuddy did the right thing and finally made some progress. Any concern or worry on Wilson's part would only have strengthened House's resolve for Vicodin. (Though the lie at the end ironically had the same result.)

Off to the vet. One of my rabbits stopped eating (maybe he needs Vicodin, tho I doubt it....).

Nail on the head, Nomad. It mirrors in a lot of ways Wilson's behaviour when he pushed House in the infamous Detox scene. Wilson got what he wanted in so far as House conceded he was addicted to the pills but he when faced up with the real 'relief vs addiction' issue - he walked away. Not that I think he should have taken it further then but he didn't follow up. Just like House pushed at Wilson about having affairs and then when it all blew up with Julie he just kinda shrugged at him.

I'd say if you made a league table of bad behaviour (lying, deception and stealing) that House wouldn't be the clear winner you'd expect. Cuddy has to be coming in a strong second with the fake morphine and Wilson is mounting a challenge right now.

That sounds like a wager :D Or like one of those office sports pools.

Someone should create a graph that analyzes this.

gotcha there. Wilson and Cuddy probaby lie more than House anyway... ala Detox, the morphine, Stacy's visit to Wilson (when Wilson couldn't go to the monster trucks), their current situation, and if you want to go even further back- Stacy and Cuddy vs. House's decision. House is brutally honest- to the point of being offensive in some instances. Is that worse than lying? Hmmm... I don't think so, but that's just me. And Wilson (from what we can gather) has had how many affairs? I guess we don't know that for sure, but we know he's been through 3 divorces- which does say something. No telling what kind of trouble House has really gotten into (police, drugs, etc), but its probably a safe bet that he trumps cuddy and wilson in that regard... can we get a point system on this?

I've updated my LJ House_Reviews to add my Meaning commentary. It' really long (sorry). and I forgot to spellcheck. So be forgiving.


House Reviews LJ

No, I wouldn't say that either Wilson or Cuddy were out of character. I will say though that their other manipulations were at least ostensibly for House's own good e.g. trying to prove that he's an addict so maybe he'll get some help, although it was a very poorly executed attempt, or waking him up to his need for some psychological healing, again, not well executed.

Now this time it was an effort to help House adapt, and I have a feeling that House's attempt to be more compassionate is entirely new, he didn't really care about that pre-infarction either, but the hallucination in No Reason shook up his worldview and he's trying something entirely different. Of course that's something that neither Cuddy nor Wilson have seen before. It does seem strange however that as he said, it's the first time in years he hasn't been on mood altering chemicals and now they wonder about his judgement. But on the other hand it seemed to be more about them wanting to cling to how things used to be.

Well that and Wilson's actions particularly revealed more of what RSL said about Wilson not being all he seems on the surface and that maybe House is right about Wilson's pathological need to be needed.

I've come in way to late in this game to say anything of great substance that hasn't already been hashed to death, but I do have to say, what the hell has Cameron done to her hair? Oh lord, the BANGS! She looks about 8 years old with that hair cut. In fact, I think I had that exact same haircut when I was in the first grade. It's vaguely disturbing. :blink:

As for House in this episode, I totally agree with you all: he hadn't changed much, but the way other people viewed him and treated him was worlds apart from the first two seasons. I think House is totally confident with his abilities despite being undrugged and coming back from a long sickleave, but everybody else is baffled as to how they should approach him. Well, in all fairness Chase and Foreman didn't seem to miss a beat, but they were barely in this episode anyway.

I bet that's why House made the comment about how the woman thought Cameron was a 14-yr-old boy.

Man, I haven't been to this board since... Well, I guess since the last season ended. I love it here - there's such intelligent discussion.

Now, to throw in my own feelings about this episode... (Most of these comments are things I alreayd said on my livejournal, so a couple of you have already seen them.)

I know people are probably sick of people whining about the leg thing... but... I would just like to say a few things on this point. I still think the cured-leg comes dangerously close to crossing the "suspension of disbelief" line. I know it's temporary, but still. It's like writers sat around thinking, "What the hell can we do with him now??" One of the limits of the show is that it really can't break that far out of his formula and it can't go into backstory (not much anyway - there was "Three Stories," of course). Because they couldn't show House being left by a woman he lived with and loved, they had to bring Stacy back with a contrived sick-husband plot. Because they can't show House struggling with chronic pain immediately after the infarction, they have to make his leg magically get better, and then show him struggle as it gets worse again.

Which is fine, I guess. You have to allow these kinds of devices to explore the character(s) more and make things interesting. --But the inconsistency! I can buy the ketamine treatment curing his pain, but being pain-free does not mean his leg is now perfect and back to normal! He should not be able to walk without a slight limp, nevermind run eight miles. (And I know, other people have complained about this plenty, but damnit, it just doesn't make sense! He's missing half his thigh!) The fact that House's leg is now functioning perfectly implies that the only reason he limped at all was because it hurt to put weight on it. Which just doens't make sense. He said the Vicodin took away his pain - if he was on that much Vicodin, why did he limp so damn heavily? Why did he sometimes have to physically pick up his leg with his hand? (And if pain was really the thing that made him need the cane, then it was pretty evil of Wilson to pull that cane-snapping prank... Oh, I just can't get off the evil!Wilson thing lately...)

Ok, all that being said... the leg thing doesn't make sense, but they did it, so we have to accept it. Here's how I rationalize the crazy mobility House now as. See, it's like how whenever House is really thinking hard, they always show him doing something physically active: bouncing a ball, writing on the whiteboard, twirling his cane, pacing, etc. He's got to be in motion because they can't really show thought - they need a visual representation. Same thing with pain. You can't really show a lack of pain visually. So they represent House's being pain-free by showing him running, skateboarding, skidding into rooms, etc. It creates a much more dramatic and clear contrast.

So I'm just going to think of it that way. A visual representation. Not fact. I'm sticking by "the utility of the patient's leg was severely compromised" - end of story. It'll all go back to normal soon, and we can all pretend that House's leg has followed the laws of physics all along. In the meantime, it's fun watching him skateboard.

Ok, leg thing aside - now to the meat of the episode...

It has nothing to do with being kind, it has to do with... What makes you happy. What keeps you going. House, without his leg hurting, and without his Vicodin, has nothing left to occupy him but solving puzzles/saving lives. House starts out thinking maybe just "the satisfaction of helping a human being" could maybe be enough, but it's not, not for him - so he wants to take it further, to FIX the guy by figuring out the perfect cure like he always does. This... seems to annoy everyone else. Even though it's what he's ALWAYS done.

He puts the guy through a series of risky tests, trying out different theories - again, just like he always does with patients - and everyone acts like it's something new and more-awful-than-usual from him. His subordinates practically commit mutiny (not the first time, though) and Cuddy shuts him down (again, not the first time - well, not the first time she's tried). She says that he's got no real medical reason for his latest theory... Just that it "ties up the case in a neat little bow." Um, if it does that, doesn't that kind of mean it... fits/makes sense/is based on at least SOME medical reasons even if it's only a theory and needs to be tested? And according to House - and Cuddy doesn't disagree - there's no real risk in the treatment. But she says no because... he's finally crossed the line??? Unlike all the other times he's done some crazy things that were riskier? Often without even telling her?? As House said to her in season 1, "I take risks. Sometimes patients die. But not taking risks causes more patients to die, so I guess I'm just cursed with the ability to do the math." Then again, this guy wasn't actually dying. Just... a vegetable.

She doesn't trust his judgment now (as opposed to when he was bitter, pain-ridden and constantly on Vicodin), because he's... what, trying desperately to entertain or distract himself and find a kind of happiness/meaning? Isn't thwat what he's always done? Wasn't he always obsessive about cases? Why should he be more desperate for happiness and meaning now than before, when he was in pain and miserable?

What's changed? Is it that he can't handle just being ok? Just feeling like a normal person?

I believe that's Wilson's theory anyway. That being miserable made him feel special, that he defined himself by his disability, etc. So when House comes to him fearing that the pain is returning, Wilson refuses to give him a perscription because he thinks House just can't handle being a normal, healthy person with no sense of meaning, and that he wants either to solve the case or get Vicodin to get "the high you think you need."

You know, for a guy who claims to hate his father, House has made an interesting choice in a best friend. He looked awfully pissed/hurt when his dad said, "You know what your problem is, Greg? You just don't know how lucky you are." I'm waiting for Wilson to say the same thing one of these days.

Anyway.

So because they think he's just groping at straws to make himself happy, Wilson and Cuddy don't listen to him.

And then he's right. Because, of course.

And... they decide not to tell him... because... that would make him happy?? It would make him think he was omniscient, I guess, not that he doesn't already think so - that is, he acts like he is when it comes to medicine. I already quoted that line from him about taking risks. That's just his nature - he's not going to change. Unless he starts to seriously doubt himself... in which case... he probably won't be as great a doctor as he is.

And didn't Wilson yell at House for being too cautious in Euphoria anyway? For being too careful because it involved a person he actually cared about and not taking risks and therefore not making progress?

Oh, Wilson, you are impossible to please.

And you made House go steal the perscription pad from your office because he doesn't think you trust him. Because you don't. You make me sad.

...Seriously, what does he want from House? Does he want House to just be content to go through life like everybody else and not need the high of solving a case? That's part of who House is - he can't help that. Does he want him to take joy in just helping someone but not miraculously curing them? Maybe that works for Wilson (although... I would venture to say that it doesn't really, not in a healthy, normal way, or he wouldn't be always looking for newer, needier people to help, wouldn't have gotten divorced three times, wouldn't be living vicariously through House and getting power-trips doing what is "best" for House behind his back), but it obviously doesn't for House. Different people are different. As Wilson himself said, House is "as God made him." He should just let him be and let him take his crazy risks and go through his insane highs and insane lows. House is a man of extremes - Wilson is not. Just because House's leg doesn't hurt (right now) doesn't mean he should (or can) stop being what he is (and needing what he needs). Not that I'm saying he should take painkillers when he doens't need them, but I mean... there's nothing wrong with him wanting to figure out puzzles -- that is, in fact, where he finds his meaning). But since he was denied that sense of meaning, he turned back to his drugs. Look what you did, Wilson. So counterproductive...

I find it strange that Wilson compared his need for a Vicodin high to his need for the high he gets from solving a puzzle. One is healthy - one is not, but he is saying that they are both unhealthy. As I said before, House's need to solve puzzles is just part of who he is, part of his personality, and he shouldn't have to apologize for that. Just because he finds what little joy/satisfaction/meaning he does in life by solving extreme, last-resort, make-or-break cases, and finds little comfort in, well, just providing comfort or doing something plenty of other people could do, does not make him inhuman. He hates middle-ground. Fixing a guys' legs a little bit and then sending him on his way to continue life as a vegetable, to House, is not good enough. Again, doesn't make him inhuman. And I don't think you can really separate that need from the need to make a difference in a patient's life. They are very closely entwined. House doens't sit around solving abstract puzzles that have no effect on anything - he solves puzzles that have a clear and immediate effect on other people. And it's not just the process of solving a puzzle - it's getting it right and saving the person. He does find happiness from "making a difference in people's lives." A great example would be "Control" from Season 1. He clearly feels joy after saving the bulemic woman despite all the odds, and despite Vogler - he brings her some chicken and warns her to not "screw it up." To take her life seriously. "Baba O'Reiley" playing creates this sense of triumph and joy as the episode ends.

Sure, he has had a few cases where he saved the person, knowing that it would not last. The DNR guy wanted to kill himself, and House said he would help him after he fixed him (though I don't know if he would have gone through with it - I'm pretty sure he said that betting on the guy changing his mind once he was better). And then there's "Acceptance" and "Autopsy." But notice that House really doesn't seem to feel very victorious or "high" after solving those two cases. He just seems pensive and dissatisfied. Compare that to the triumph at the end of "Control," for example.

House's satisfaction at solving puzzles/saving lives is perfectly natural/acceptable/healthy. It is in fact pretty close to what Wilson was talking about as the 5th level of happiness. And yet House isn't happy. Does that make him bad? No. He has flashes of happiness. But Wilson outright denied him that flash of happiness and meaning which he had told him to look for, by hiding the fact that House "made a difference in someone's life" from him. It seems like that would have been a great opportunity for Wilson to push House to see things from that perspective, but instead, he left House in the dark to flounder in self-doubt, self-hate and feelings of helplessness and fear.

About the Vicodin thing in the episode... I do think he was motivated by a very real and legitimate fear of the pain coming back, but I think what also moved him to do it at that time, when it hadn't actually come back yet, was a feeling of defeat and hopelessness. After trying hard to feel things he couldn't feel and be someone he's not - and getting bitched at for his efforts (when before, when he didn't make any effort, he got bitched at for that too), and trying so hard to figure out the case only to "realize" that there was no case, that he had selfishly fabricated it to entertain himself... He must be feeling, simply, "Why bother?" He doesn't see or feel any meaning in his life; he has no faith in himself, no motivation to keep trying to be better; he wants his pills back to just get through it.

Gah.


...I really hope that was coherent. I think it was probably far too long. Hm.

Welcome back Narsil! Glad you stopped in and, even though you posted your thoughts elsewhere, I'm happy that you jumped in here and gave us something to think about.

All well said but, as much as I think Wilson did a bad, bad thing and House did an even worse thing, on second look I'm having some other thoughts that don't really have a lot to do with your post. Although some of it does address your reasoning for House doing what he does.

House really could care less what people think of him. Whether it's love him or loath him. He wants and needs no allocades but I think he does need validation from the world around him.

I hope you all get my meaning. Let's remove the infarction and the leg from the equation right now.

He needs to solve the puzzles and he needs to see the solution and know that he was right. With the profession he has chosen, it follows that he would get a lot of warm and fuzzy feedback from patients, patient's family, and colleagues. My guess is, pre-infarction he was snarky, rude and unpleasant because he is not comfortable with all the warm and fuzzy. Without the limp and the cane, people were less likely to put up with that crap. They'd go to another doctor, thus robbing House of his puzzle.

Now, factor in the leg and people are suddenly more tolerant of his behavior. "I'm not terminal, merely pathetic, and look at the crap people let me get away with" (Autopsy). He knows it, has seen the change in the world around him. If this allows him to do what he needs to, then so be it. It not only allows him his puzzles, but allows him to pick and choose, only taking the most intriguing and challenging.

Now this is not to say that he doesn't derive some happiness, joy, elation, satisfaction, from what he does but it is not rooted in what others think of him or what and how he does it. He's accomplished something and that is satisfying in itself. But how does he know he has accomplished something?

That's where the validation comes in. His puzzles are people (in more ways than just medically!) He knows how they should be and in solving his puzzles, he puts the back the way they should be, their reaction is his validation to some degree. If people are happy when he's done, he has put them back to right and thus achieved his purpose.

This is why he did not seem 'happy' at the end of the "Autopsy" case. He knew from the start she was terminal. That he couldn't fix her, that even though he solved one aspect of the puzzle, he had not solved the puzzle as a whole.

All this to say that I believe this is the big problem at the end of "Meaning". He not only has no validation, but is now unsure that there even was a puzzle. His whole being told him there was a puzzle and that he could solve it but the world around him (Not just the people, but what he saw with his own eyes) tells him there was no puzzle.

When that's your whole life and suddenly it's not there, I don't know about you but that woud scare the crap out of me! Now pile on the returning leg pain. Even if it is just a case of him overdoing it, it's got to feel like the end of the world to him. Steal a perscription form. Forge a name. Why the hell not? No point in anything else and at least I won't feel like crap.

And, I just don't see why Wilson and Cuddy don't see and understand that. But, I believe that is very realistic. They're off balance as well. They had things contained before. They knew how to keep House in a very flexible box and now, he has changed in what I believe they see as an unexpected way (as Benj pointed out earlier). Now they're not sure of what they were previously sure of.

Which means, they're all in the same boat, it's not just about House being in newer deeper waters but all of them. It will be interesting to watch not only what and how they proceed and interact with each other but how each will view their role and responsibility in House's return to the Vicodin.

Just a great opportunity to get a little deeper with everyone. I can't wait until tonight.