So, has anyone got a new take on this episode in light of things that were revealed later in the season?

I was particularly taken by the hand breaking scene. Not that it wasn't very powerful the first time around but I found it heartbreaking as well this time around.

Not that we know definitively one way or another how he would be if Stacy hadn't interfered (or if he'd even be alive) but I can just imagine all that going through his head at that moment.

The overwhelming pain from lack of pain killers and the withdrawl all because he made a mistake and didn't let them amputate, because Stacy interfered, because if they'd have just done it his way he might not be in pain or he might be dead and not going through this. Facing a continuing life of pills and pain even when this is all over.

I can imagine all those 'what if's ' running through his mind. Trying to think of some other way to get out of that pain. Knowing the whole time that it would hurt like hell and just exchanging one pain for another is such a sorry existence and yet that's his life now.

Hmmm I wonder if the Emmy voters will get that!

Its a great point, Detox was shown here for the first time a couple of weeks ago and it was really interesting to watch again, knowing more than we did.

Its interesting as well from the timeline view point, if this was intended to happen after Sports Medicine then it makes Wilson's insitgation even more intriguing. Did going to see Stacy remind of how House used to be and influence him? That ep too seems to be full of fore shadowing for Three Stories and Honeymoon. As well as the first mention of Stacy, we had the Hank/Lola parallel - the "and he can make decisions about his body" from House. Also he let her hug him and considering she was doing the Stacy 'I know best' routine, it surprised me that he seemed genuine with her, telling her to keep the baby. The line at the end with Cuddy 'everyone makes mistakes, shouldn't cost them everything they want in life' seems significant now too.

I think with Detox its the 'you've changed' idea that struck me most and makes me wonder about Stacy's assertion that he's 'pretty much the same'. I am not sure I was totally sold on her argument that she was lonely, maybe she was- I could see it- but surely that had to be true pre-infarction and we saw no hint that they were heading for a break up before it happened. As for his addiction, they underlined it with the final scene of the seanson, I'm guessing they'll re-visit it sometime as its going to catch up with him, physically as least, at some point.

*Snaps fingers*
I finally realized what bothered me about Stacy saying he was the same. Thanks Benji, for bringing that to my attention.

I think the "he was pretty much the same" line from stacy was one part "sour grapes" and one part "no I didn't do anything to him notguiltynotguiltydontlookatme" on her part.

I'd trust Wilson's judgement over hers anyway. She's too much like House herself to be objective.

Great point, Sam. It makes total sense for Stacy to say 'pretty much the same' if she's all bogged down in denial about what she did.

'Detox' still creeps me out more than any other episode. I think a lot of it is about the music (when House is performing the autopsy on the cat and the liver is being brought to the OR). I think this ep, and DNR, tell us the most about how obsessed House is with his job. He doesn't care what else is going on if the puzzle is still unsolved. He wouldn't let the 'mostly fits' diagnoses of ALS and lupus go.

This is also the case that I think Cameron is thinking of when she tells him 'I'm the only one who's always stood behind you when you screwed up' in 'Heavy', which is a little weird given that she bit his head off over the Hep E detour. But I guess she was talking about lying to Mr. Foster to get House's back.

Sorry, rambling. :)

Anway, when Wilson says 'you have no relationships' at the end, it's even sadder now that we know what went on with Stacy and we know that House couldn't get it together to be receptive to Cameron.

I agree Sam- Stacy also only saw how was with her, which although he snarked at her was much more open than we've seen with anyone bar Wilson. This is more to do with their past, for me, than any overall indication of how he is generally, I agree that she doesn't want to see its changed him and I don't think he is too keen on letting her see it either. Wilson sees him all the time and has his number on far more, Vicodin, cutting himself off etc.

I don't believe his leg/Stacy caused him to be the way he is, I'm just thinking its heightened his extremes. When John Henry made the comment that he didn't belive House had been 'a ray of sunshine' in DNR, he looked at his feet in the way he seems to when someone hits somewhere near the truth. Three Stories showed he was snarky back then, but I don't see House being that open again.