It's been several days, and we didn't have a thread for last Tuesday's episode, so I thought I'd start one. Though I'm not loving this whole Vogler arc, I enjoyed "Role Model" quite a bit. Some great moments:

* Wilson teasing House -- "Everybody lies, except politicians?"
* House getting Cuddy to admit that she hates doing Vogler's bidding.
* House's sports metaphor -- especially when he realizes that it isn't working out and he ammends it by saying something like, "OK, you've got two quarterbacks . . ."
* Clinic patient -- yay! Loved House's advice on how she can save the co-payment.
* House really meaning to take one for the team and do the speech -- but he just can't do it!
* House and Cameron's discussion about why people pray.
* The way House said "OK, you're OK" comfortingly, after the oxygen-deprived Senator gave him the information he needed.

Other comments?


Edited to add: Sorry! I meant this thread to go up with the other episodes. But maybe I don't have the authority to start a thread there. Whoops :-)

Yes tpel1, lots of classic House moments this episode! I just loved the Wilson/House exchange. In fact Wilson was really in form the whole show, he's been kind of quiet since Detox. Nice to see he's back!! I love it when Wilson lays down the snark, it's soooo cute!

The sports metaphor thing was hilarious! I think she has but refresh my memory... has Cameron actually mentioned her dislike of sports metaphors in front of House or is this one of those things he just picked up on?

The 'taking one for the team' thing was very interesting. To me it said 'I'm beaten and I need to give in just a little because I don't know what else to do right now' from House. Not that he hasn't done that on occasion in the past (think Detox and the lupus/ liver transplant conversation near the end). It's usually a time issue more than a brain power issue. Given the time I think he'd have come up with a better solution but time was not on his side. Kind of the live to fight another day attitude, not resignation.

It's interesting that Vogler didn't know a good thing when he saw it. If he'd have let House get away with that he would have had him to a degree. But he pushed House right back into stubborn mode seemingly without knowing it! Which just goes to show what an idiot Vogler is.

That is unless you go with the theory that Vogler's whole intent is to get rid of House. Try to get him to do something bad enough to swing the vote on the board. Personally I perscribe to that but it's my theory and I'm stickin' to it! :P :lol:

It also seems like House is starting to fray at the edges a bit. Kind of shows that he's not Superman. Not necessarily a chink in the armour but the idea that this whole social/political world most of us experience at work is not a world House if comfortable in. He doesn't have all the answers there and so he doesn't go there normally. Only when forced into it and then he's lucky to escape unscathed (which I don't think he does, unscathed that is, not escape, this time).

Which brings me to the Cameron problem. I personally don't like the idea of them together but even if idid it bothers me that she seems to be taking advantage of him at a very vulnerable time. That's low! <_< Maybe she feels that's the only way she'll be able to get in but I think that's a hell of a poor way to start a relationship! <_<

In Poison, House was looking for ways to convince the mom to consent to treatment, and both Chase and Foreman had struck out (sorry...) with her.

House: Only one man left in the bullpen... [turns to Cameron]
...and he throws like a girl.
Cameron: I hate sports metaphors.

What I find *really* amusing is that Hugh probably has no idea what any of those lines mean! :) the football stuff, especially... "OK, *two* quarterbacks..."

After watching this episode I began wondering what the writers will do to begin to rectify these loose ends/conflicts they're creating. We know House won't leave, but is anyone here (on the Board) speculating as to what will allow him to stay on? And, what will happen to keep Cameron in the fold? How will Chase be able to continue to work with/against Dr. House?

Re: House's job

I wonder if Vogler, or someone close to him, will suffer some sort of medical anomaly which, gee, no one but House will be able to detect and cure. Or, is that too obvious a solution?

Re: Cameron/Chase

I don't know. Any ideas?

The characters certainly seem to be changing - they're being forced into making stronger choices - and, in the process, becoming more iconoclastic than before. It's interesting to see that the more pressure House has on him from Vogler the CLOSER he interacts with his patients. I'm still trying to figure that one out. It's almost as if he's finding relief in the mundane and in what he knows; whereas with Vogler, that's some daunting territory. I LOVED that he fouled up the speech damn the consequences. Like Cameron said, he's good, a good person. And DAMN if he couldn't look her in the eye when she told him so. LOVE THAT. (Hey PPD - once again you and your House crystal ball called the "Cameron on the doorstep." Yeow girl - you need to set up shop.)


The chess pieces they be a-movin'.

-Pradon

Oh, I hope not -- that is way too obvious.

I think you're right. He's so at sea; as Wilson pointed out, office politics aren't his talent. So he's hiding -- in the clinic, of all places!


Tpel, I was struck byt the oxygen scene too -- both the soothing tone of his voice ("ok, you're ok") but also his expression at the conclusion -- "Everybody lies" -- both relieved and disappointed at the same time.

And that one scene where the Senator retorts, "So, you figure you’d be Surgeon General if you didn’t have the limp."

House: "No, there’s things I can’t do, and like you said, I have to live with reality."

Would love to hear y'all's thoughts on that little exchange.

Good point - that was an interesting exchange - on reflection I think there are two (at least) ways to read it.

House had made the point repeatedly that the senator would not get elected because he was black, the paint job comment and the one day there will be a black president. The senator turned the tables with " you figure you'ld be surgeon general without the limp." - in other words it wasn't the obvious grounds for discrimination ruling him out of a postion but maybe they both have other traits which rule them out. Using the obvious stigma is a cop out.

But House's response ""No, there’s things I can’t do, and like you said, I have to live with reality." could suggest he was thinking of the speech. He has lots of qualitites, but as Wilson pointed out office politics is not one of them, which seems to tie in with the conversation about winning every fight.

But his eyes looked a little remorseful and introspective, and I wondered if it was a nod to the leg and the restrictions it placed on his life. I would imagine that the hardest point for him may have been when he got to a point where no matter how much effort he put in, his leg/pain would not improve. Maybe he pushed at it for a while and took a while to take on the reality of his situation.

This is my favorite, favorite episode to date.

The looks on House and the Senator's faces when they are talking right at the end:

H: Then why run?

S: Oh I see, your point being the only way to make a difference is to win *every* fight.

Segue to House taking a swing at Vogler. "I threw in a joke." Zing! *Tingle.*

He turns his head away from her, eyes down. Wilson was right: "Oh. You're in trouble."