Careful, now! <G>

Ha, I originally intended it to be just replacing 'Booty' with 'House' but now I can see how much more dirty it reads.

But funny, especially given your screen name.


Meanwhile, back on the topic..... ;)

Not to move into gossip rag information....but have Jesse and Jennifer gotten back together in "real life"? If not, that must have been one heck of an awkward episode for them to film. It didn't realize they were such good actors!

Loved the way Wilson was jerking House's chain last night with the food.

I don't know. I didn't really care for the episode last night. Maybe if I cared about Chase and Cameron the episode would have worked for me, but I don't. The both of them are very boring, and make a terrible couple, much like Foreman and 13. I also couldn't care less about Kumar either.

At least there were a couple of Wilson/House scenes to enjoy. I also love looking at Lisa Edelstein blow away her female competition, even though she is definitely not a spring chicken anymore.

All in all, a bleh episode for me.

Loved the way Wilson was jerking House's chain last night with the food.

Unfortunately, that was the only good part of the episode.

CTB! How could you guys not like the end of that episode? Obviously something is going on with House...there's something wrong with him (more than the obvious)...

I liked it

Yeah, is he having an Izzie moment, ala Grey's Anatomy?

Yeah, is he having an Izzie moment, ala Grey's Anatomy?

No way...he's sick and he knows it

People who work for house end up dead, broken down, or fired in a couple years.

It must be troubling for HOUSE inside.

Loved last night's episode...at least, other than the monotonous references to WhiteCastle's pride and joy. Let it go already, he's dead! It's great to see the old team back in the spotlight after nearly two years of enduring "supporting" cast members that nobody cares about. Kudos to Cuddy for her alpha-female maneuver on Cameron. Wilson's food trick was pretty obvious. This show took a giant step forward when Kumar kicked the bucket...here's to hoping that 13 croaks of Huntingtons and Plastic's wife snuffs him out while he's sleeping. 1 down, 2 to go! :)

Izzie Stevens redux? no please!

I hope the Amber gig only lasts one episode, then it's Huddy time...

Could be a tumor, House is given a few weeks to live, Cuddy sleeps with him, tumor is gone kinda of season finale?

Lol @ Spyder :D

Everyone's face looking liked they were well on the road to death last night. The make-up crew must have been on vacation.

fafner

Sunlight with smog in Wilson's place at 10:30pm? I think not.

fafner

I kinda like seeing Amber pop in, all suggestively. :D

Man, did Chase look like a sourpuss for the whole episode.

Loved last night's episode...at least, other than the monotonous references to WhiteCastle's pride and joy. Let it go already, he's dead! It's great to see the old team back in the spotlight after nearly two years of enduring "supporting" cast members that nobody cares about. Kudos to Cuddy for her alpha-female maneuver on Cameron. Wilson's food trick was pretty obvious. This show took a giant step forward when Kumar kicked the bucket...here's to hoping that 13 croaks of Huntingtons and Plastic's wife snuffs him out while he's sleeping. 1 down, 2 to go! :)

It's never going back to the old cast. The dynamic of the relationships have changed. House can't treat them like he used to, as inferior morons who are lucky to not be working at McDonald's. All have shown they are competent doctors whose opinions he now respects, even if he disagrees with them.

We are stuck with the way the show is now, for the most part. Or else, House completely changes and the show loses part of it's charm.

Loved the way Wilson was jerking House's chain last night with the food.

Unfortunately, that was the only good part of the episode.

I have to agree.

There was very little to enjoy in this episode. And man, I thought Cameron (Jennifer) did a horrible job of acting last night. She didn't even seem like the same character to me. Very unnatural and strained acting.

I didn't give a crap whether Chase and Cameron broke up or got engaged.

Also, the patient and his diagnosis was not very interesting either.

Not a good episode at all.

Everyone's face looking liked they were well on the road to death last night. The make-up crew must have been on vacation.

fafner

Yeah, I noticed that too. Strange. :confused:

Me too, I thought Cameron especially looked "off", don't remember her skin looking that bad.

House looked especially bad...I don't think that was particularly meaningful though since every one else did too. If only he had looked so bad, it might have been telling something about his future.

fafner

I don't care for the personal relationships, I thought the case (Sporotrichosis) was interesting for that last episode with that save the planet junkie.

House looked especially bad...I don't think that was particularly meaningful though since every one else did too. If only he had looked so bad, it might have been telling something about his future.


I think they were just trying to show Kutner's death had an impact on everyone.

Izzie Stevens redux? no please!

I hope the Amber gig only lasts one episode, then it's Huddy time...

Could be a tumor, House is given a few weeks to live, Cuddy sleeps with him, tumor is gone kinda of season finale?

:eek: Are you suggesting that Cuddy's sexual prowess includes healing powers? If so, then sign me up!

Ah hell, sign me up anyway! :D

I caught the body double immediately. The age of the body doesn't match the head.
It was especially apparent when they put Cutty's head on her in a couple shots.
I don't know about anybody else, but you can SO tell when they digitally alter something. The movies with all digital animation stunts are totally obvious, and pull you out of the "suspention of disbelief" aspect. Multimillion $ budgets and they do crap.

If they hadn't put her head on the body double, it would have been much harder to spot. But, I got it before that with the age, hehh.
Also, they could have gotten a better double!
Maybe they were trying to get her stomach closer to what we can see with her normally tight clothes.

I'd love to see them together. Like Wilson says, "She can stand you"!
And he admitted, "I like Cutty" - not in that way in that quote, but he never says he likes anybody, period!

And finally, YEEEESSSSS! The Cut Throat B*tch is DEAD!
I wanted her to die the first time we saw her!
House says, "... borderline evil." when he gives her the bump speach when he's picking the final new team.
In one of the finale hallucination scenes he says admires her because she's willing to do anything to get what she wants, and that's a quality he likes in himself.
So untrue. He'd have to consider himself evil then!
She is and he isn't. He wouldn't do just anything, and he's not ambitious (said by other char in way back ep). He plays game to screw with people for fun, then justifies it somehow that seems plausible. Sometimes true, sometimes not, sometimes hard to say. He never does it to get $ off a matress, or anything that slimy.
That's why she's CTB. She'd stab anybody in the back to get ahead.
House has limits. She doesn't.
His most horrible behavior usually has a good goal, even if it's a bit convenient, heh.
I don't think he'd have ever toyed with 13 after she killed the guy and his dog by simple mistake that anybody could have made.
House admires her talent at manipulation, but she's over the line into evil and he's not.

I found it ridiculous that she displayed any positive traits or caring toward Wilson.
It was counter to EVERYTHING we ever saw her do or say previously.
DEAD DEAD DEAD! YES!

Uh, what are you talking about?

I caught the body double immediately. The age of the body doesn't match the head.
It was especially apparent when they put Cutty's head on her in a couple shots.


Which scenes? I'd like to go back and recheck them.

Uh, what are you talking about?He's apparently trolling since there wasn't a new episode of House broadcast last night in the US.

USA probably rebroadcast the episode where Cuddy was stripping, or he is watching the DVD.

previous discussion started here:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpost.php?p=13860986&postcount=2681

It seems like he watched the House episodes from the end of the year last year.

That's a lot of time invested in typing when just reading the thread title might have clued him in.

He could have commented on this weeks episode with a blank post and it would have saved some energy. :D

He probably just forgot to take his medication.

Yeah his stuck in last season's finale...

On that topic I would need to see first hand how Lisa's body really looks like (if she ever used a double), I won't mind...

To be clear, that was Lisa and not a body double:

http://www.tvguide.com/news/edelstein-house-preview-1000674.aspx

TVGuide.com: What's hilarious is that while she's bumping and grinding, she's talking to him about work...
Edelstein: Giving a diagnostic, yeah. [Laughs] I choreographed it with Sheila Kelly, who owns a company called The S Factor, who taught me how to use moves that I would do and use my own body and brain and attitude in a way that doesn't appear cheap. But what was terrifying is that Hugh is English, and the last thing I wanted was to see him be horrified. [Laughs] So I asked Hugh and the director if we could have a private rehearsal a few days before, so they could see what I was doing. That way it wouldn't be a surprise for Hugh.



TVGuide.com: And just to clear up any doubts/online rumors, that was definitely you. No body double involved.
Edelstein: That was absolutely me!

I guess I'll bump this thread. I can't believe nobody has yet posted.

I can't remember laughing that hard at a TV show in a really long time. So little time, so many classic lines. I do so miss CTB.

"Give me your wallet"

When he lit the dead guy on fire when practicing with the flaming shots I was cracking up.

Though House has given us many memorable episodes, this one is going near the top of my favorites list. The dialog with himself as Amber was very well done.

Even though there wasn't a lot of Wilson screen time, what there was of it was well placed...especially him at the bachelor party.

They are leading up to what I expect to be a great season finale.

One of my favorite episodes. A lot of one liners.

An excellent episode. Wow. Back to form again with this one.

Great episode... enhanced by the 13/Karamel body shots ;)

I concur with all the kudos. Best episode in a long time (and I always enjoy the shows), and probably the funniest episode ever.

Wilson taking the shot of tequila off the stripper.....was excellent...and then high-fiving Foremen...hahaha


As for House's condition...I get the feeling that they have been giving us a new symptom each week and that there is severely wrong with him

"He probably left it in his pants, which he was not wearing when the police picked him up trying to walk home- oddly from his own apartment!"

great one liners last night

"Are you ok with this?"

"Are you kidding me? I paid $50 bucks to see this!"

I liked how they said Wilson was picked up for trying to get home, from his home. :)

I liked how they said Wilson was picked up for trying to get home, from his home. :)

I LOL'd as well. Fantastic episode. I'm still trying to figure out what House's illness is.

I LOL'd as well. Fantastic episode. I'm still trying to figure out what House's illness is.

Revealed in Three Stories, season 1, episode 21 The episode won a Humanitas Prize and many consider it the best House episode to date.

Revealed in Three Stories, season 1, episode 21 The episode won a Humanitas Prize and many consider it the best House episode to date.I believe that he meant House's new illness, causing the illusion of Amber.

Three Stories has never come close to being surpassed for me in terms of a House episode.

What episode of House are you talking about? I always DVR House and really don't pay attention to even when it is on, but I don't have a new episode on my recorder.

fafner

What episode of House are you talking about?They're talking about an old episode, from the end of the first season. If you haven't seen it, you should probably find it and watch it.

I've seen "Three Stories". It was good, but my favorite episode was "Autopsy", the second episode of season 2. Now I think it might be the two part season 4 finale, "House's Head"/"Wilson's Heart".

Three Stories WAS the best House episode I can remember until the two part episode of House's Head/Wilson's Heart.

I wish that what was wrong with House had tied into that. For that matter, I wish they had delved into why it was Amber he was hallucinating and what they meant for Huddy.

I really hope this whole House/Cuddy thing isn't the show jumping the shark. We are seeing seeds being sewn that maybe one of the two, Cameron or Chase will be coming back to the team. Chase seemed genuinely interested in solving the case and impressed when the treatment worked.

The writers haven't been afraid to mess with the formula of the show in the past. While some don't like it, the new team has worked out for the most part. It gave the show more space to work in. However, that's started to run it's course. The only logical step left for the current team is for Thirteen's illness to start to take over.

I'm just waiting to be shocked next week. Last season wasn't that shocking in the final episode, other than the fact that Amber actually died. The shock came when House remembered it was her. Whatever they have cooked up for us this time, I'm sure I won't be able to wait 5 months to find out where it goes next.

I had mixed feelings about tonight's episode, especially with House's dealing with his stress over Cutner's death. I admire the way the show ran the PSA a few weeks back for people dealing with stress and depression, but I think they were completely off here, possibly scaring people away people from help who might need it.

Electro-shock therapy (or ECT as it is commonly known today) is nowhere near as bad as the way as it was characterised in the show, and you'd think someone like House would have known that. It is a commonly used procedure for mental illness, way past the days of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" and helps people all the time. I've seen it work in as little as one procedure and as quickly as a day or two people can go back to work.

This show really shines when it focuses on House and Wilson. That whole side story with Cameron and Chase was just awful and out of place. I could care less about them, they need to give up on these side stories for non-major players and just focus on House-Wilson-Cuddy.

Hosue is awesome...he can detox in less than 12 hours. *rolls eyes*

Hosue is awesome...he can detox in less than 12 hours. *rolls eyes*

That really bugged me too. Also, I thought that when people hallucinate, they see all kinds of different things. Why did House only see Amber and why her?

This show has been really disappointing the past few episodes. I hope next weeks season finale can turn it around.

Hosue is awesome...he can detox in less than 12 hours. *rolls eyes*

yeah...I was like, "wow, you can detox overnight after years of addiction to narcotics?!?"

I'm not about to say the show is completely jumping the shark but I had a similar look on my face as Chase did when Cameron started going on about keeping her own personal dead husband man slushy. Chase's look seemed to be saying "Wait a second , this is a House episode right? Not Melrose place?"

Other than that B story I thought the episode was pretty interesting. We'll see what happens next week. Maybe there will be an interesting medical case that House is actually interested in solving. One can hope.

if there is a thread for this, or if it has been addressed earlier in this thread, have mercy.

Who, like me, thinks Lisa Edelstein is the hottest female on the show? (No fair if you consider her "too old". Or if you disapprove of vegans.)

Lisa Edelstein played a man who had a sex change on Ally McBeal, so I just can't find her that attractive (yes, I know she really isn't a man, but the image is in my head).

Lisa is ALL woman, ALL the time. Here are some real images to get that wacky image out:

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://images1.fanpop.com/images/photos/1200000/Lisa-Edelstein-strips-on-House-MD-lisa-edelstein-1291102-1280-720.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.fanpop.com/spots/lisa-edelstein/images/1291102&usg=__okSLu_V05J5fkhDnM2j1MJFcGYY=&h=720&w=1280&sz=57&hl=en&start=16&um=1&tbnid=0sW7H1IvqCqS3M:&tbnh=84&tbnw=150&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcuddy%2Bschoolgirl%26hl%3Den%26um%3D1

Best episode of the season IMO. I think Laurie could take an Emmy home for that performance. 10/10 IMDB rating already with 15 votes.

Who, like me, thinks Lisa Edelstein is the hottest female on the show?She's not bad looking, but she's a distant third behind Cameron and Thirteen...

Lisa is ALL woman, ALL the time. Here are some real images to get that wacky image out:

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://images1.fanpop.com/images/photos/1200000/Lisa-Edelstein-strips-on-House-MD-lisa-edelstein-1291102-1280-720.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.fanpop.com/spots/lisa-edelstein/images/1291102&usg=__okSLu_V05J5fkhDnM2j1MJFcGYY=&h=720&w=1280&sz=57&hl=en&start=16&um=1&tbnid=0sW7H1IvqCqS3M:&tbnh=84&tbnw=150&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcuddy%2Bschoolgirl%26hl%3Den%26um%3D1

Find the one that's titled "young Lisa" .

Lets hear an amen, brothers.

Best episode of the season IMO. I think Laurie could take an Emmy home for that performance. 10/10 IMDB rating already with 15 votes.

+1....

"Amber" wasn't too bad either, at least the actress got to comeback a couple of episodes, so Cuddy has been in love with House for 20 years? ouch?

+1....

"Amber" wasn't too bad either, at least the actress got to comeback a couple of episodes, so Cuddy has been in love with House for 20 years? ouch?

Well, I figure in order to put up with all of House's crapola, there'd have to be more to it than "he's a good doctor". Maybe more "I want to play doctor with him." :o

....oh, and about the "Amber" character. I find I have liked her more and more as she went from CTB, to Wilson's gal pal, to dead, to "Head House" (as a wink and a nod to any crossover Battlestar Galactica fans).

....oh, and about the "Amber" character. I find I have liked her more and more as she went from CTB, to Wilson's gal pal, to dead, to "Head House" (as a wink and a nod to any crossover Battlestar Galactica fans).That would be "Head Amber" (as in "Head Six", in Baltar's mind, and "Head Baltar", in Caprica Six' and Baltar's minds--of course, those characters turned out to be real :)).

Amber was a pretty cool character and a good foil for House. I'm happy that they've managed to find ways to keep her around, though it's hard to imagine how they could bring her back again.

That would be "Head Amber" (as in "Head Six", in Baltar's mind, and "Head Baltar", in Caprica Six' and Baltar's minds--of course, those characters turned out to be real :)).

....very true, yet in the case of "Amber" she was actually the manifestation of House's subconscious taking the form of a beautiful blonde. Now, if it turns out she is actually an angel....oops, better not go there :D


Amber was a pretty cool character and a good foil for House. I'm happy that they've managed to find ways to keep her around, though it's hard to imagine how they could bring her back again.

Agreed, and that's too bad. Still, those were memorable episodes for sure.

Too bad the episode didn't last a couple or minutes more, I wanted to see more action...

Next week perhaps?

....very true, yet in the case of "Amber" she was actually the manifestation of House's subconscious taking the form of a beautiful blonde.
Now, I think that is taking it too far. I thought she looked horrible and far from beautiful.

Amber is hawt! I miss her chubby blonde hawtness!

Amber is hawt! I miss her chubby blonde hawtness!
I couldn't stop counting her chins. :) Maybe she looked like that before...I can't remember.

UPDATE: I did a little research...

Attractive Amber before the death of character:

http://www.tvfanatic.com/images/gallery/amber-house.jpg

Chubby ugly Amber seen recently:

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g102/Arielbop/Miss_Piggy_In_Pink_165218.gif

I couldn't stop counting her chins. :) Maybe she looked like that before...I can't remember.

UPDATE: I did a little research...

Attractive Amber before the death of character:

http://www.tvfanatic.com/images/gallery/amber-house.jpg

Chubby ugly Amber seen recently:

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g102/Arielbop/Miss_Piggy_In_Pink_165218.gif

I don't like toothpicks like 13! :p

Plus Amber and Wilson made a decent couple, chin wise.

I couldn't stop counting her chins. :) Maybe she looked like that before...I can't remember.

UPDATE: I did a little research...

Attractive Amber before the death of character:

http://www.tvfanatic.com/images/gallery/amber-house.jpg

Chubby ugly Amber seen recently:

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g102/Arielbop/Miss_Piggy_In_Pink_165218.gif

I bet you're a real good lookin' guy.

I bet you're a real good lookin' guy.
Oh relax...it was a joke. :D

Thank you BTW. My wife seems pleased.

Amber is hawt! I miss her chubby blonde hawtness!

You, my friend, are insane.

It's truly sick and twisted if Amber is considered "chubby."

You, my friend, are insane.

It's truly sick and twisted if Amber is considered "chubby."

I did a search of pics of this actress who is Amber, and they showed her all pregnant. :eek:

I did a search of pics of this actress who is Amber, and they showed her all pregnant. :eek:

Probably as one of Anne Dudek's larger roles was on the first season of Mad Men where she played a pregnant wife.

Probably as one of Anne Dudek's larger roles was on the first season of Mad Men where she played a pregnant wife.

According to IMDB:
Son, Akiva Heller, born December 14, 2008.

I'd say she looks pretty good as that was probably filmed in February at the latest.

Well, I figure in order to put up with all of House's crapola, there'd have to be more to it than "he's a good doctor". Maybe more "I want to play doctor with him." :o

I always thought she felt guilty for putting him in the misery he was currently in. She was the one that ordered his muscle cut out of his leg, despite his wishes otherwise.

Well that explained a lot about the previous episode...how he detoxed that fast, how he slept with her...wow...damn...

Good cameo for Kal Penn too...wasn't expecting that...

Awesome shaky camera throughout the entire show. What a mess.

Cameo for Kal Penn?

I must have missed something.....

yeah...at the end...CTB and Kutner saying, "This is how you imagined your life" or something along those lines...

yeah...at the end...CTB and Kutner saying, "This is how you imagined your life" or something along those lines...

nevermind..............

Good for the writers. They've successfully navigated the death spiral the show has been in since replacing the original cast by making House a character completely unlike the character he was when the show was reaching it's heights in popularity!

I don't see how they redeem the character or the show now. Part of House's charm was that he never got his 'come-up-ins'. He was smarter than everyone else, more clever than everyone else and the rules didn't apply to him. Was it realistic? No. Did it make for good television? Heck yes.

Now, everyone else in House's life have what they want and he is yet again left alone. I'm not sure even sure what we are left with in regards to Cuddy's feelings (professional and personal) towards him.

Eh. I'm usually a big fan of twists but this one left the show on such a down note. House even missed the wedding. Lame.

"Down note"? I thought it was a fine ending. Where else could the writers go after all this?

I suspect we'll see a different House in the fall, but he will devolve into his old self, with a few stumbles along the way.

I always thought she felt guilty for putting him in the misery he was currently in. She was the one that ordered his muscle cut out of his leg, despite his wishes otherwise.

I thought it was House's wife that approved some treatment that caused the muscle to die. Then the muscle (word escapes me) has been deminishing on its own. Didn't know that Cutter had anything to do with it.

The end of this episode did explain how House detoxed so fast. Interesting episode in that it had a twist in the end that explained a lot.

I'm usually a big fan of twists but this one left the show on such a down note. House even missed the wedding. Lame.

That the episode had a wedding was the only real negative of the episode for me. I believe it was TV Finale Wedding #22,673.

I thought it was a strong season finale. House will spend an episode or two next season working out his issues/arguing with and probably diagnosing his fellow patients in the psychiatric hospital, and then we'll be back to business as usual. I don't think this episode changed too much as far as House's character goes in the long term.

I thought it was good finale, Vicodin is a powerful drug that can cause severe problems if abused like hallucination.


House needs to get off that narcotic before it kills him, it's time for some change is what they are saying for the next season.

It wasn't only the Vicodin that was causing him problems. If it were true that House hadn't been sleeping since Kutner's death, the lack of good REM sleep could also cause a psychotic break. Combine that with Vicodin abuse and....well....

This episode will stay among my favorites until something better comes along. The writers sure know how to do season enders.

Good for the writers. They've successfully navigated the death spiral the show has been in since replacing the original cast by making House a character completely unlike the character he was when the show was reaching it's heights in popularity!

I don't see how they redeem the character or the show now. Part of House's charm was that he never got his 'come-up-ins'. He was smarter than everyone else, more clever than everyone else and the rules didn't apply to him. Was it realistic? No. Did it make for good television? Heck yes.

Now, everyone else in House's life have what they want and he is yet again left alone. I'm not sure even sure what we are left with in regards to Cuddy's feelings (professional and personal) towards him.

Eh. I'm usually a big fan of twists but this one left the show on such a down note. House even missed the wedding. Lame.


I agree. On the one hand, the finale corrects some of my perceived weaknesses of last weeks episode (only hallucinations of Amber, sleeping with Cuddy, and the rapid detox). However, on the other hand it was still disappointing because House still could not solve a case. When was the last time House solved one or even cared about solving one? Whne was the last time he looked smart? The last halk of this season has been pretty lame.

Rather dissapointed in the direction they are going with this show now.

House was a character that came across as just brilliant, able to figure anything out. Now it seems the show is moving away from that. He has to many problems now.

I also groan everytime they show Cameron and that ridiculous story line of the frozen sperm. Just seems so stupid and a lame story line.

At least they moved away from the Foreman/13 story line, that was even more unbelievable.

I sure wish the show was back to its early this season prime when it was a normal House show.

I thought it was a great conclusion, a great pair of shows, much like last season's last two (the mystery bus crash and the death of Amber).

I think the conventional wisdom among the writers (and rightly so) is that the show has to break some new ground- hence the replacement of the old "ducklings" with the new trio over the last two years, and now cracks in the facade of House as Sherlock Holmes and his ability to solve everything. Ultimately I believe it has to return to that infallibility, but it seems that House's realization that he has confused his diagnosis of Carl Reiner (old guy) with bad left-hand guy as a warning that he finally has to get help.

At least these writers can correctly diagnose problems with their show and work to deal with it, unlike so many other shows: i.e. Heroes.

I agree that the writers have done a good job in holding interest. Think of how often people have complained about the typical House formula:

a. mysterious symptoms in a patient
b. differential diagnosis on the white board with House making fun of associates
c. wrong diagnosis and ineffective treatment started
d. patient get worse
e. next equally wrong diagnosis and treatment started
f. patient gets even worse
g. 5 minutes before the end of the show, a totally unrelated event causes House to have a brilliant insight---resulting in the correct diagnosis and proper treatment (or the patient dies).

Now you have cracks. He is still the Sherlock Holmes of medicine but his 7% solution addiction (Vicodin) is now affecting his analytical abilities to the extent that even he realizes he much change.

Actually, I'm rather looking forward to some interesting storylines while he is in the institution. In spite of some people's apparent dislike of Amber, having her possibly be around a bit more as House's subconscious could be kind of fun. Wouldn't want this as a long term thing, but it would be interesting for a while.

I enjoyed this episode a lot.

At the end, when it turned out that he had been hallucinating/imagining the relationship with Cuddy and detox, I started to think that the patient that he was trying to diagnose was actually himself (two different people inside one body-left brain vs right brain etc.) but I don't think that was the case.

I thought it was good finale, Vicodin is a powerful drug that can cause severe problems if abused like hallucination.


House needs to get off that narcotic before it kills him, it's time for some change is what they are saying for the next season.

I thought I saw an Oxycodone bottle on his hand, correct me if I'm wrong, I think either House switched or was he imagining that drug...

Poor House, I also tought he scored with Cuddy... we were so wrong LOL..

Either way he is addicted to "pain meds", could be any of the bunch now..

I thought I saw an Oxycodone bottle on his hand, correct me if I'm wrong, I think either House switched or was he imagining that drug...
It was definitely oxycodone, not Vicodin (which is hydrocodone).

It was definitely oxycodone, not Vicodin (which is hydrocodone).

Or maybe the prop department screwed up! LOL..

Both end on "codone" and most of the public wouldn't notice! LOL

I enjoyed this episode a lot.

At the end, when it turned out that he had been hallucinating/imagining the relationship with Cuddy and detox, I started to think that the patient that he was trying to diagnose was actually himself (two different people inside one body-left brain vs right brain etc.) but I don't think that was the case.

Odd. I thought it was exactly the case.

fafner

Odd. I thought it was exactly the case.

fafner

I don't think the patient was imaginary. Otherwise, the opening scene, as well as the scene with Cameron presenting the case to (I think) Foreman would make no sense. Since House was not in those scenes, presenting them as a hallucination would be a huge cheat.

I don't think the patient was imaginary. Otherwise, the opening scene, as well as the scene with Cameron presenting the case to (I think) Foreman would make no sense. Since House was not in those scenes, presenting them as a hallucination would be a huge cheat.

No, lol, the patient was not imaginary, but yes House realized he was diagnosing himself as he diagnosed the patient.

fafner

No, lol, the patient was not imaginary, but yes House realized he was diagnosing himself as he diagnosed the patient.

fafner

OK, I get what you were getting at now. I guess I read it a bit wrong. I could also see how House may have been diagnosing himself instead of the patient, too.

I don't think I've ever actually had to think about a House episode quite like this before. I really liked it.

I think I need a timeout.

Now I'm not sure which parts of last night's episode were "real".

I thought that at the end, it showed an alternate scene to what happened last week. That Cuddy walked out the door of her office and never helped House detox. So, he never slept with Cuddy, and never was involved with those two patients. He tried to detox at home by himself, Amber and Kutner showed him he was delusional, and then he came into work asking for help.

That the episode had a wedding was the only real negative of the episode for me. I believe it was TV Finale Wedding #22,673.

I thought it was a strong season finale. House will spend an episode or two next season working out his issues/arguing with and probably diagnosing his fellow patients in the psychiatric hospital, and then we'll be back to business as usual. I don't think this episode changed too much as far as House's character goes in the long term.

I agree with everything you say except the "strong season finale". Your second paragraphs says it all; two or three episodes into next season we'll be back to business as usual. Granted, the hallucination angle was cute but wow, what a shocker season-end episode. House in rehab.

I also thought the wedding "turnaround" was unbelievable, but that's a minor point.

I also thought the wedding "turnaround" was unbelievable, but that's a minor point.

I'm actually kind of glad about this. It saves us from having the "very special wedding episode" next season. Better to just tack it onto the ending montage of an episode than have a full-length cliche wedding episode.

I'm actually kind of glad about this. It saves us from having the "very special wedding episode" next season. Better to just tack it onto the ending montage of an episode than have a full-length cliche wedding episode.

Yea, it reduces the potential "yecchhhhh" factor for next season.

And just imagine the possibilities down the road....Cameron pleading with Chase to let her add a little remnant of the past to their brood. Of course Chase flashes that gleaming smile and nods understandingly. He's such a sensitive fellow (or do they call them "renaissance men" nowadays)? :)

I think I need a timeout.

Now I'm not sure which parts of last night's episode were "real".

I thought that at the end, it showed an alternate scene to what happened last week. That Cuddy walked out the door of her office and never helped House detox. So, he never slept with Cuddy, and never was involved with those two patients. He tried to detox at home by himself, Amber and Kutner showed him he was delusional, and then he came into work asking for help.

I read it slightly differently. After Cuddy came over (and then left), House immediately resumed taking Vicodin (or another codone) and that is why he was his "normal" self the next day. Then I thought all the scenes with the two patients actually occurred as did House's conversations with Wilson. The only delusions he had were the ones involving Cuddy. I'm not sure if the scene where he screamed from the balcony was real or imaginary, but seemed to be imaginary, since Cuddy did not deny sleeping with him.

I agree, however, that the director could have done a better job of indicating what was real and what was part of House's hallucinations.

fafner

^ That could very well be.

I thought I noticed a color change toward the end--kind of a yellowish tint during the "actual" conversation with Cuddy and a more "natural" one during the hallucination. Anyone else notice that??

But, what "rehab" he's in the psych hospital???, he should have been in detox clinic, not the nuthouse... so this means he will get shock treatments? (it was the other option besided detox to get rid of "Amber")

As wifey said to me, the reason it's hard to figure out what was real and what wasn't is because the writers themselves haven't figured it out yet.

This way they have a lot of latitude to do whatever they want next season by reconstructing these last two episodes in the way that makes things fit their vision.

No one ever accused these writers of being geniuses. While very talented I'm sure they make a lot of things up as they go along.

As wifey said to me, the reason it's hard to figure out what was real and what wasn't is because the writers themselves haven't figured it out yet.

This way they have a lot of latitude to do whatever they want next season by reconstructing these last two episodes in the way that makes things fit their vision.

No one ever accused these writers of being geniuses. While very talented I'm sure they make a lot of things up as they go along.

I don't know about that. The only things I took as being imagine were the night of detox, beginning when he insulted Cuddy. And also the lipstick/pills halucination. Other than that, I think we can take most of it at face value.

They can and will detox someone in a psych hospital.

I didn't think it was difficult at all to tell what or was not real by the end of the episode. It was obvious.

^ That could very well be.

I thought I noticed a color change toward the end--kind of a yellowish tint during the "actual" conversation with Cuddy and a more "natural" one during the hallucination. Anyone else notice that??

Yes, I noticed it too. But there were so many conversations with Cuddy happening very rapidly, it was really difficult to see when the color change happened and what it meant.

fafner

They can and will detox someone in a psych hospital.



Quite common when hallucinations are involved.

fafner

Actually, as I saw it, this is what happened:

-House came in and insulted Cuddy at the end of last episode.
-She stormed out.
-House went home, got high and stayed high.
-While at home, realizing he had driven away the only person he truly cared about he created a rationalization in his mind of a happy story.
-He took pills in the bathroom.
-He went to sleep.
-He woke up and the hallucination now made him believe Cuddy had come home with him, even though the last time he saw Cuddy was when he insulted her.
-His mind made him believe that the pills were Cuddy's lipstick, what he really wanted.
-He went into work and Cuddy came to him, telling him he was an employee and they needed to forget last night. He thought it was the sex, she meant the reality of the situation which was his most hurtful insult.
-House went about the day romanticizing the lipstick, which was really the pills. The team even noticed him spaced out by the window.
-When House told Wilson, he told him to not talk to Cuddy. This prevented Wilson from realizing what really happened.
-House believed he had detoxed from the medication, was able to be above the pain and not let the drugs control his life. The reason he was 'feeling better by the hour' wasn't because of his new found love for Cuddy, it was because he was medicating more than ever.
-Cuddy believed House was trying to hurt her, thus why she wouldn't let the attempts at making her angry get to her.
-House stole the coffee cup and couldn't figure out that the missing lipstick on the cup was a clue that Cuddy wasn't wearing lipstick that rubs off.
-Wilson wasn't sure what was going on and told House he was holding back on insulting Cuddy. House was really doing this because his mind didn't want him to break the illusion.
-House walked out and screamed he had sex with Cuddy. This was the last straw for her.
-The illusion unraveled after Cuddy told him what really happened.

So, to me, everything was real that didn't involve the drugs and Cuddy. In fact, everything except the sex with Cuddy was real.

In the end, House his had a psychotic break (which should prevent him from practicing medicine), a over the top drug addiction (no longer completely centered on the pain) and his boss has ZERO plausible deniability. House SHOULD lose his job and his license.

Thus completing House's downward spiral! The End!

Now wait for the next season of House!

It was definitely oxycodone, not Vicodin (which is hydrocodone).

Nah, it was Hydrocodone. You could make out the "ocodone" part on the bottle.

Nah, it was Hydrocodone. You could make out the "ocodone" part on the bottle.
Well, now I have to obtain the show in an illegal manner so I can check for myself.

Well, now I have to obtain the show in an illegal manner so I can check for myself.I checked, carefully, on my DVR. He's right.

I checked, carefully, on my DVR. He's right.
This is the best shot I could find. I don't see a clear O or Y, just CODONE.

This is the best shot I could find. I don't see a clear O or Y, just CODONE.There are a couple of places where you can see the label (though the full name of the drug is never shown :rolleyes:)--in the final scene in Cuddy's office he drops the bottle on the floor and it rolls around a bit. You can clearly see the "O" before "CODONE" (it's frozen on my TiVo right now, though I don't have any way to capture a shot of it).

Why was it suspected of being oxycodone, anyway? We know that his addiction has been to Vicodin (actually hydrocodone+acetominophen)--why would he have a prescription for oxycodone?

Why was it suspected of being oxycodone, anyway?

Cause someone thought he saw that on the bottle....he said he might be wrong and he was.

fafner

This has to be right up near the top of the best ever House episodes. Nice twists and turns without be "tricky" and quite realistic. If they had only left the wedding out :(

fafner

I have no problem with the wedding. It was going to happen. I'd rather they slip it in towards the end of the episode like they did, than devote an entire episode to it next season.

Well, compared to last season's finale, this one couldn't come close. So am I to believe that the whole episode was fake, up until he wakes up out of the bathroom?

I think you should watch this excellent episode again, but pay attention this time! No, the whole episode wasn't fake - most things actually occurred except for the delusional hallucinations of House regarding Cuddy and his detox.

I guess I am about the only one who considers these recurring episodes revolving around hallucinations as lame writers' contrivances and deviations from better themes for which I watch House. It takes no skill at all to write stories that only serve to confuse the viewer along the way only to be explained by a dénouement that it was propelled by a fantasy or hallucination of the central character. I, as a viewer, do not feel part of the such a story or even an interested observer, but instead a manipulated pawn. I vote thumbs down for the last three year-enders which used the ploy. The producers told us years ago that they were having trouble with the disease-a-week format, but the dream-a-week is much worse.

Distorted,

In most cases, I would agree. However, if (and only if) the latest set of hallucinations are a direct catalyst in futhering the Cuddy/House dynamic, then will it appease me as an acceptable and working scenario.

If it turns out to be just another case of, "Meh, let's just do a dream sequence," that goes nowhere, then I'll be disappointed.*

*NOT as irrated as I have been at the year-long, over-blown, weak-as-hell, silly-as-Adam-Lambert, Dead-Denny, ghost-sex plot that has taken place on Grey's Anatomy this year. Nothing can beat that by a long shot. :(

I think you are DISTORTED!

There are a couple of places where you can see the label (though the full name of the drug is never shown :rolleyes:)--in the final scene in Cuddy's office he drops the bottle on the floor and it rolls around a bit. You can clearly see the "O" before "CODONE" (it's frozen on my TiVo right now, though I don't have any way to capture a shot of it).

This image is highly processed to make the label as readable as possible:

http://i597.photobucket.com/albums/tt56/kucharsk/ocodone.jpg

Just a reminder that the season opener is next week, Sept. 21 2009, and is a two hour episode.

Everybody checked the DVRs and ready for the season premier?

Tonights the night?

Tonight's the night. :)

Everybody checked the DVRs and ready for the season premier?

Yup. My daughter has Gossip Girl and some other dreck set up to record at the same time, so I'm invoking executive privilege (or whatever it's called) to bump one of them. I'm not going to sit through 2 hours of House, but it should be around 1.5 hours or less zooming through the commercials.

Doug

2 hour of house toniight? Holy Molly.:D

Tonight's the night. :)

Totally. Very interested to see how long they can do the "House is nuts" arc. Too bad Hugh didn't get an Emmy last night. He's put in some powerful performances to date.

I can't wait.

Anyone else think this 2 hour premiere, though interesting, is a little slow?

I don't watch HOUSE, from what I saw tonight it looked really good. Weird how he's finally committed into a hospital.
Andre Braugher had a big role in tonight's episode. He's cool.

I don't watch HOUSE, from what I saw tonight it looked really good. Weird how he's finally committed into a hospital.
Andre Braugher had a big role in tonight's episode. He's cool.

He isn't committed anymore...

Best episode of House in...maybe...3 seasons? Unfortunately it looks like it goes back to the basic formula next week...too bad

Have to go online hopefully tomorrow to catch the first 1/2 hour of it. The DVR decided it didn't want to record either House or Heroes tonight. At least I got to see 3/4 of it.

I thought it was one of the best episodes of House, I agree about it being the best in 3 or so years. I have grown a little tired of the same old, week after week and tonight was a really good episode. The last episode I really liked up to tonight's was the one with Mira Sorvino.

Simply a fantastic episode. One of the best in years.

This could (and should) be a series changing episode. It will be interesting to see how it plays out. House no longer on vicodin, and a "happy" person?!

I liked the fact that this two hour episode didn't have any of the other characters (except for less than a minute of Wilson on the phone). It was great to see House in a different environment, dealing with different characters.

Very, very refreshing episode.

Superb 2 hours. Best premiere of any Drama in years.

I'm not not sure I enjoyed it better than the 2 Part House's Head/Wilson's Heart, but it certainly a different style.

This could (and should) be a series changing episode. It will be interesting to see how it plays out. House no longer on vicodin, and a "happy" person?!

Beware the grinning Cheshire cat. There's more than one way to interpret that final frame. ;)

I was thinking the camera would pull back and we would see Amber sitting on the bus...and that was why he was smiling. House's last bus trip didn't end so well.

On the other hand, I'm glad that story line is over.

Edit: The Amber story line. I really enjoyed this season's premier.

Excellent.

Only word I can think of to describe it. House was HOuse at his best and at his worst. I even started to care about the other characters and wonder what will happen with them. I kept waiting for a twist, but it never came , just as it should be.

Excellent.

It just dawned on me that the lady love interest was the love interest in the Bourne Identity.

Who wants to bet that her husband is going to be House's patient later on this season?

Anyone else think Alvi will appear back in an episode at some point?

Only an OK episode for me-a bit slow and meandering at times. I doubt I'd ever want to watch it again and I really hated the superman guy.

I hope the show improves over the truly awful previous season.

It just dawned on me that the lady love interest was the love interest in the Bourne Identity.

Who wants to bet that her husband is going to be House's patient later on this season?

Franka Poentente (sp?)...she was also in Run Lola Run...great actress

Great Episode...I agree with some that it was slow moving, but for House to truly realize that he needed and wanted the help, it had to be.

Only an OK episode for me-a bit slow and meandering at times. I doubt I'd ever want to watch it again and I really hated the superman guy.

I hope the show improves over the truly awful previous season.

The Superman guy? Only the most likable character on the show last night; you may have some issues ;) Excellent episode; this is what good TV is all about: great story, great acting, great direction, great music. Big thumbs up!

bravo to the opener! agreed, this is what quality tv is all about.

"Beware the grinning Cheshire cat. There's more than one way to interpret that final frame. "

His emotions were real after the flying boy incident. He's not that evil. He cared.
So his emotions were real when he decided to take his pills.

My DVR cut off before the end (I know - I couldn't extend the recording time cause recording Heroes - extended - and Castle at the same time). So the last scene I saw was House on the bus. Can someone tell me what happened at the end?

His emotions were real after the flying boy incident. He's not that evil. He cared.
So his emotions were real when he decided to take his pills.

Yeah ... riiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.

My DVR cut off before the end (I know - I couldn't extend the recording time cause recording Heroes - extended - and Castle at the same time). So the last scene I saw was House on the bus. Can someone tell me what happened at the end?

House sits on the back bench seat of the bus and an enigmatic smile/grin appears on his face ... a smile/grin that could be interpreted several ways.

This is House we're talking about. ;)

I watched this show with my wife. I liked it, she said meh, let's get back to the hospital.

This is the first show that I watched live in a while (I DVR everything). My God, the commercials were endless.

I kept saying where have I seen this girl (Alvi?) before. Nice Bourne catch...

His smiley face t-shirt he was wearing at the end might say to one happy in the head as well as the heart.

Did no one but me think that the girl was not really there? That Amber had become her? There were parts that really seemed to set it up to be that way- nobody much but House ever talked to her, and how did she remain behind in the common room when House returned in the evening? Possibly other hands took over and said "make her real"?

I was a little disappointed that everything wrapped up so neat and tidy so quickly at the mental hospital. I would have been happier if he had taken longer to get better. There was stuff he could have done in his Housian way and still be in the hospital. The episode could have been so much better in so many different ways- it seems that it was an arc that could have gone on for many episodes. Everything was just too neat and tidy.

Still, no contest whether to watch it or Heroes. I didn't even want to waste DVR disc space.

Did anyone else get a "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" vibe from this premiere?

One little thing bugs me is all...

House can still be House without the Vicodin... so if they just made the hospital stay about breaking his pain-killer addiction, it would be fine.

But they tried to also make it about him learning to connect with people.... so they've lain the groundwork for 1 of 2 possibilities, to my mind...

1. House is really better now, and this will be the final season because they can't do as much long-term with caring/nice House.

2. House is not really better, in which case the show can go on... but it would completely invalidate this season premiere.

One little thing bugs me is all...

House can still be House without the Vicodin... so if they just made the hospital stay about breaking his pain-killer addiction, it would be fine.

But they tried to also make it about him learning to connect with people.... so they've lain the groundwork for 1 of 2 possibilities, to my mind...

1. House is really better now, and this will be the final season because they can't do as much long-term with caring/nice House.

2. House is not really better, in which case the show can go on... but it would completely invalidate this season premiere.

I guess that would depend on whether the smile was an "inner peace" smile or an "I just beat the system" smile.

Did anyone else get a "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" vibe from this premiere?

Definitely. I really wished they could of stretched this storyline out for a few more episodes. There was a lot they could do with the mental hospital storyline.

And why was he riding the bus? What, Wilson was too busy to come pick him up?

Maybe he just thought he has left the hospital.

I echo the sentiments already expressed by several earlier posters: last night's show was two hours of great television, one of the best House episodes ever. At first I wasn't sure I would like it because its premise was so transparently derivative of Milos Foreman's legendary One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, I feared they couldn't pull it off. Fortunately, though, they did.

Several scenes moved me, particularly the scene with House and Dr. Nolan in Dr. Nolan's Father's hospital room. Perhaps even more poignant, was the one in which the catatonic kid who had thought he could fly broke out of his stupor and handed the music box House had arranged for him to get to the girl who would not speak. But then she did speak, after hearing a Mozart melody on the music box the young man had handed her. Strong, strong stuff!

Although I do not believe that House was delusional I nevertheless think that those of you who suspect some of what happened may have been products of House's imagination may have a point. For example, House riding away from the hospital on the back seat of a city bus was strongly reminiscent of the memorable scene from an earlier season in which House and CTB, Wilson's dead girlfriend, are sitting in the back of the "Life and Death Bus" when House is deciding whether to go on living.

This was great stuff, not to be missed

EDIT: Mistake created by brain flatulence corrected.

For a while I thought that his love interest was another hallucination. She seemed to show up at all hours of the day and at just the right times. But when he took her car, that kind of blew that theory out of the water.

I've been a fan of Franka Potenta since she first appeared in Run Lola Run and most recently in the Bourne movies 1 & 2.

Wow.

An episode of House made me tear up. That's a first (and probably last).

Note to Hugh Laurie: submit this on to the Emmys for next year.

Really a great, great episode, probably the best House ever. It actually can stand alone as a drama without any of the House back story. I had my concerns when I saw in the opening credits that it was written by a "committee" of four writers, but this is one of those rare instances where a committee actually designs a horse instead of a camel.

I don't think there will be any problem getting the series back to the original premise, i.e., a brilliant thinker with anti-social tendencenies. Remember, that over the years House descended into much darker and belligerent character than when the series started. He will still be the same character as before, but now recognizing when he starts going off the deep end. This can provide some very rich opportunities for the writers to show House continuing his recovery. After all, a person such as he is never fully recovers from his emotional trauma but is on a continuous journey.

fafner

Largely a superb episode with only a few moments that made me cringe. The talent show in particular seemed really cliched and cloying.

The last season finale and this season opener are probably two of the best episodes of House I can remember. Pity they didn't build a lengthier storyline around it. I would like to see the always superb Andre Braugher return.

Shame that this season will now probably fall victim to the usual formula again.

And why was he riding the bus? What, Wilson was too busy to come pick him up?

"Surprise honey, I'm home!"

Largely a superb episode with only a few moments that made me cringe. The talent show in particular seemed really cliched and cloying.



I agree with that.

But then again, if you really want to criticize this episode, it wouldn't be hard to do if you really wanted to. Having sex with a visitor in a mental hospital? A married woman with kids falling for a mental patient and having an extra-marital affair after only seeing him for a few hours (during visiting hours)? But these things still didn't bother me (I was able to accept them even if it required some suspension of disbelief) and I really liked the episode a lot!

Having sex with a visitor in a mental hospital?

I didn't get that at all. Why was a visitor there so late and left unsupervised? Where were all the staff?

That was another moment which I didn't like because it felt like it was set up purely to push along the script.

Can someone tell me what I missed due to my local affiliate's errors in automation?

KDVR-DT stomps on the end of House (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlnPsi2Wy1o)

I agree with that.

Having sex with a visitor in a mental hospital? A married woman with kids falling for a mental patient and having an extra-marital affair after only seeing him for a few hours (during visiting hours)?

The writers went off the deep end on that one. Guess they had 2 hrs to fill up and even with an hour of it being commercials, they still had trouble coming up with a full hour of content.

So with this new House, connecting with people, falling for a married woman, I wonder how he's gonna treat Cuddy now... maybe they get together for good or just be friends? or foes? LOL

I wonder if all this new caring for people will affect his performance as a diagnostician, remember being nasty often lead to discovering what was wrong with the patient..

Having sex with a visitor in a mental hospital? A married woman with kids falling for a mental patient and having an extra-marital affair after only seeing him for a few hours (during visiting hours)?

I didn't get that at all. Why was a visitor there so late and left unsupervised? Where were all the staff?

That was another moment which I didn't like because it felt like it was set up purely to push along the script.

I had my concerns when I saw in the opening credits that it was written by a "committee" of four writers, but this is one of those rare instances where a committee actually designs a horse instead of a camel.

Everybody seems a whole lot more forgiving on these two episodes (and they were constructed as two, with the first being much more believable) than I was. Down through the various seasons, though the self-contained medical mysteries could get a bit stale (and the supporting characters' acting get more and more like sleepwalking), the overall story of the adventures of House generally kept true to a believable progression in his character. He has gotten more unpleasant as the show progressed, but Laurie's funny and rambunctious performance keeps the show going.

But the wrapup of this episode really took the easy way out, and the inconsistencies strongly suggest somebody meddled with the intent of the writing, probably explaining all of the writers credited. The italicized bits really say it all, plus, as a friend pointed out, why was getting a music box the cure a catatonic person needed? Why was the music box in the nurse's room? It was emotional and moving, but it was a plot device as old as the hills. Then, bingo, House is deemed cured and everything is okay, and he rides off into the sunset.

As far as old Dogfood is concerned, only if things get really weird in the next show or two and it turns out this pat conclusion is just a part of his delusions and he is still at the hospital will all of this stuff seem anything other than meddling on the part of executives trying to get House back to his old environment as soon as possible.

But everyone is entitled to his/her own opinion on the matter.

Can someone tell me what I missed due to my local affiliate's errors in automation?

KDVR-DT stomps on the end of House (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlnPsi2Wy1o)What does the clip mean "two minutes later"? The screen just stays dark for two minutes :eek:???

After the "re-birthday" celebration (which ends with House planting his face deeply into the cake, then standing up and taking a bow while everyone claps and laughs--the clip shows the end of that), House is shown walking away from the hospital with his little suitcase and sitting down at the bus stop, while Alvie watches him from a window in the hospital with a long face. Alvie pauses with a look of sad reflection on his face and then turns away; cut to him knocking on the window of the nurse's station and the blonde staff-woman (therapist, attendant, nurse, whatever) opens the windows, smiles at him and says "What do you need, Alvie?", to which he responds, "My meds...I want to get better". The blonde turns away (presumably to get the meds) and the camera lingers on Alvie's sadly thoughtful expression. The scene goes back to House at the bus stop, a look of contemplation on his face. The bus arrives and we watch House make his way to the back through the windows from outside. Finally, we see House sitting at the back of the bus with a hint of a smile on his face, camera receding (pretty much the last thing you see in that clip, though they cut it short by a few seconds). The Frames' "Seven Day Mile" plays over the whole thing.

I really enjoyed this episode, IMHO one of the two or three best of the series. I try to avoid heavy analysis of fictional television--it almost never pays off.

I really enjoyed this episode, IMHO one of the two or three best of the series. I try to avoid heavy analysis of fictional television--it almost never pays off.

Can't agree more.
To many people tend to spend more time trying to analyze the shows instead of just enjoying them.
After all it's just a fictional TV show made for entertainment.

I really enjoyed this episode, IMHO one of the two or three best of the series. I try to avoid heavy analysis of fictional television--it almost never pays off.

I agree as well. Even though I was the one who laid out some of those rather implausible scenes in my post above, I was still able to accept them enough to thoroughly enjoy this episode.

I agree as well. Even though I was the one who laid out some of those rather implausible scenes in my post above, I was still able to accept them enough to thoroughly enjoy this episode.

+1

There were a ton of things "logically wrong" with this episode. It was also one of the most moving and engaging ever.

+1

There were a ton of things "logically wrong" with this episode. It was also one of the most moving and engaging ever.Hmm. I have mixed feelings about it. I will stand up and admit to have had being voluntarily hospitalized in my early 20's in a private "locked" mental hospital ward for emotional problems for a month, and even 20yrs ago it was nowhere near as bad or stereotypical as they depicted here. You would think a Doctor with the notoriety and financial well being as House would be put in a really nice one (of which I know there are plenty all over the country). I feel sort of dissapointed that House, which has gotten many awards in its run for being medically accurate, especially when it comes to dealing with the mentally ill, really lets us down on the two episodes where it matters most.

Other than that I agree, it was great TV, but not much more than that.

Did anyone else get a "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" vibe from this premiere?

Yes! In fact I said to my wife as we watched it "This is kind-of-a opposite One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest."

Andre Braugher and Franka Potente are two of my fave actors, so I enjoyed watching them chew the scenery with Hugh Laurie. Well, Andre and Hugh chewed the scenery, Franka just mesmerized in her excellent way (I remember her from Run Lola Run many years ago, and more recently the Bourne movies and a guest role, three or so episodes in The Shield, as an Armenian mob daughter that was starting to take over the family "business" ala Michael Corleone).

An excellent episode, great way to start the season, maybe one of the best season opener episodes I've ever seen. It wasn't perfect, and there's a few things I didn't like, but overall it will not be easily forgotten.

Cliff

To many people tend to spend more time trying to analyze the shows instead of just enjoying them.

If you don't expect that here, you're on the wrong forum.

Let's stop with the silly "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" comparisons.

Just because a story takes place inside a mental hospital, does it really mean that it always has to be compared to Cuckoo's Nest?

Let's stop with the silly "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" comparisons.

Just because a story takes place inside a mental hospital, does it really mean that it always has to be compared to Cuckoo's Nest?

Strangely enough, depending upon how they play this out, it may even be more of a parallel to that movie than at first glance.

In the Jack Nicholson movie... Jack feigns being crazy to get out of going to prison where he deserves to be based upon the crimes he had committed.

Very possible that House checked himself in, not to be actually cured but to get everyone else off his back... "See, I'm sane.. it says so right here! Where's your certificate?"

Strangely enough, depending upon how they play this out, it may even be more of a parallel to that movie than at first glance.

In the Jack Nicholson movie... Jack feigns being crazy to get out of going to prison where he deserves to be based upon the crimes he had committed.

Very possible that House checked himself in, not to be actually cured but to get everyone else off his back... "See, I'm sane.. it says so right here! Where's your certificate?"

I will be extremely disappointed if that happens, because it means that this episode loses almost all meaning and impact.

I will be extremely disappointed if that happens, because it means that this episode loses almost all meaning and impact.

That echoes something I said earlier. It could go either way, but I hope they don't render this episode meaningless by having him just go completely back to his old ways.

Very possible that House checked himself in, not to be actually cured but to get everyone else off his back... "See, I'm sane.. it says so right here! Where's your certificate?"I strongly doubt it. Once he realized that he'd completely imagined an all night sexual encounter with Cuddy, he got honestly scared. I can't see him going through the very real suffering of detox and risking his medical license for some sort of stunt.

What does the clip mean "two minutes later"? The screen just stays dark for two minutes :eek:???

No, they showed the two minutes in between, they just stomped on it twice, 2:30 or so apart:

1) The news promo in the middle of the "re-birthday" scene

2) Cutting off the end of the show for two commercials and then the news

So it looks like I (and other Denver viewers) missed:

1) House planting his face in the cake
2) House cracking a smile at the end

shows you how much my kid's TV programming has dominated my Tivo time lately. I recognized Lin-Manuel Miranda immediately , who played Alvie, is a semi-regular on the revival of the Electric Companny on PBS....

Hmm. I have mixed feelings about it. I will stand up and admit to have had being voluntarily hospitalized in my early 20's in a private "locked" mental hospital ward for emotional problems for a month, and even 20yrs ago it was nowhere near as bad or stereotypical as they depicted here. You would think a Doctor with the notoriety and financial well being as House would be put in a really nice one (of which I know there are plenty all over the country). I feel sort of dissapointed that House, which has gotten many awards in its run for being medically accurate, especially when it comes to dealing with the mentally ill, really lets us down on the two episodes where it matters most.

Other than that I agree, it was great TV, but not much more than that.

It was mentioned last season why House went to that particular mental hospital. Wilson personally knew the head guy.

Originally Posted by DaveFi
Hmm. I have mixed feelings about it. I will stand up and admit to have had being voluntarily hospitalized in my early 20's in a private "locked" mental hospital ward for emotional problems for a month, and even 20yrs ago it was nowhere near as bad or stereotypical as they depicted here. You would think a Doctor with the notoriety and financial well being as House would be put in a really nice one (of which I know there are plenty all over the country). I feel sort of dissapointed that House, which has gotten many awards in its run for being medically accurate, especially when it comes to dealing with the mentally ill, really lets us down on the two episodes where it matters most.

Other than that I agree, it was great TV, but not much more than that.
It was mentioned last season why House went to that particular mental hospital. Wilson personally knew the head guy.
That's right. In fact they used Wilson's friendship with Dr. Nolan in this week's show. Nolan called Wilson and warned him that House would probably contact Wilson in an attempt to get out of Dr. Nolan's hospital.

I recently found a review of this episode (http://blogcritics.org/video/article/tv-review-house-md-season-premiere1/) in which the writer said that the show's producer-writers "have taken their subject very seriously, particularly with the show’s partnership with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)." The piece went on to say that they had done "extensive research on psychiatric facilities and programs. In addition, they have brought in a psychiatrist to consult on this story line."

I recently found a review of this episode in which the writer said that the show's producer-writers "have taken their subject very seriously, particularly with the show’s partnership with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)." The piece went on to say that they had done "extensive research on psychiatric facilities and programs. In addition, they have brought in a psychiatrist to consult on this story line."

Everyone seems to take pride in the episode and the way it was done. But having done my stint in such a facility in my youthful days, if the staff had any doubt as to whether House was taking his medicine or not they could have simply given it to him in liquid form (I speak from rueful experience).

And, to ride a personal hobbyhorse one more time, finding Lydia alone at night in the common room crying, and then sneaking off with her to another office is simply too weird and too difficult to reconcile with the ways a locked-down psychiatric ward actually functions. I still think the initial intent of the writers was compromised.

Considering the way Heroes was ruined by inconsistencies of character and viewpoint, and the fairly uncompromising way shows on cable such as Mad Men and Breaking Bad develop (I guess on cable is the reason), I still sulk at the way a rich and fascinating alley the show went into threw it all away with a mere two-episode arc and a rushed, unnecessarily Capra-esque, feelgood conclusion.

But no reason to keep beating a dead horse.

I recently found a review of this episode (http://blogcritics.org/video/article/tv-review-house-md-season-premiere1/) in which the writer said that the show's producer-writers "have taken their subject very seriously, particularly with the show’s partnership with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)." The piece went on to say that they had done "extensive research on psychiatric facilities and programs. In addition, they have brought in a psychiatrist to consult on this story line."I am also aware of this, and was surprised by this, because the cast of House themselves have done fundraising for NAMI in the recent past. Believe me, House acting as he was, especially after getting into a physical altercation, they wouldn't have stuck pills into his mouth and walked away- they would have shot him up with thorazine or something like that, and put him in restraints on top of it.

Also, another thing that sort of disturbed me about House's conditions for leaving and going back to work, was that the head Dr. did not mention he'd have to enter into any intensive outpatient psycotherapy whatsoever. I'd hope they're smart enough to write that element into the show, especially after a recent hospitalization.

I hear you guys. If I had personal experience with being a patient in a psychiatric hospital, I probably would have felt different about this episode, too. But coming at the show in blissful ignorance as I did, I liked it a lot.

It was mentioned last season why House went to that particular mental hospital. Wilson personally knew the head guy.

Yep... but that also exposes another problem with the plot. If Wilson and that doctor were that good of friends... then why was Wilson not called when the doctor's father was in the hospital?

The doctor acted as if he had no friends (and House played on that for a bit).. but yet apparently Wilson is a friend somehow.

shows you how much my kid's TV programming has dominated my Tivo time lately. I recognized Lin-Manuel Miranda immediately , who played Alvie, is a semi-regular on the revival of the Electric Companny on PBS....

He also won a Tony Award for writing and starring in "In the Heights."

Yep... but that also exposes another problem with the plot. If Wilson and that doctor were that good of friends... then why was Wilson not called when the doctor's father was in the hospital?

The doctor acted as if he had no friends (and House played on that for a bit).. but yet apparently Wilson is a friend somehow.

Considering the doctor was a very private person it isn't that surprising. They never said they were best friends. In fact they could of just worked together on a case or two could be the explanation.

Some pretty big news on the House casting front just came out.

Since I have no idea how to do those 'spoiler' button things, I'll just link to the article (http://www.tvsquad.com/2009/09/24/house-bombshell-jennifer-morrison-is-out/) without saying what it is, if you want to look!

Some pretty big news on the House casting front just came out.

Since I have no idea how to do those 'spoiler' button things, I'll just link to the article (http://www.tvsquad.com/2009/09/24/house-bombshell-jennifer-morrison-is-out/) without saying what it is, if you want to look!

Interesting, but not at all surprising in my opinion. It's probably a good decision.

I hear you guys. If I had personal experience with being a patient in a psychiatric hospital, I probably would have felt different about this episode, too. But coming at the show in blissful ignorance as I did, I liked it a lot.For what it's worth, I was diagnosed Bipolar II some 26 years ago and have undergone several hospitalizations in different states (I've lived in 13 cities in 11 states). Every now and then the medications I take to deal with depression start to fail and I check into a hospital so that my doctor can rapidly tweak them (typical of Bipolar II, I haven't experienced hypomania since my mid-thirties). In the past, it was always inpatient, but in these days of "managed care" this is generally done with what they call "day hospitalization"--travel to a facility every week day for eight hours or so to receive pretty much the same treatment that I'd get in a hospital: various types of group therapy, with some attendant talking to me daily and charting it (the part that the psychiatrist needs). It's been about seven years since I needed that, and hopefully it won't happen again, since I have to be extremely-hard-to-leave-the-house-and-face-the-world depressed to warrant it.

Having experienced between 8 and 10 brief hospitalizations over two and a half decades, never twice in the same facility, I didn't find the episode to be that terribly inaccurate and I'm not at all surpised that NAMI approved it. There was some obvious and forgivable license taken for dramatic effect. I strongly doubt that House--delusion free--would have been placed in a locked ward after detox to work on personal problems which didn't put himself or others in physical danger, and as folks have pointed out, in a locked ward it would have been impossible for him to sneak into an office with a visitor for sex. There are other exceptions, but House being in an open ward with people suffering mild, uninteresting illnesses not requiring close observation and supervision--non-suicidal depressives, recovering alcoholics, etc--would be pretty damn boring (though it would have been much easier for him to sneak off with a visitor for sex :)). The general physical state of the hospital was within the range of places I've spent time in, though I thought that the room that he shared with Alvie was small and spartan even for a very old facility.

As for him cheeking his meds, I used to get away with that when I was a hypomanic youngster (the drugs that they used to treat mania back then were terrible). In any case, he was prescribed an SSRI (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor--Celexa, Zoloft, Paxil, Prozac, etc), a class of drugs which can take four to six weeks to have any therapeutic effect, so it's not as if there was something which should have told them that he wasn't taking them.

I found the ailments of the people in that ward to be realistic and very well acted. (Though not for quite a long time, I've been Alvie :)). I found the episode to be a sympathetic and believable depiction of some mental illnesses, and I applaud them for it.

I thought it was a good episode but the whole house having an affair with a married women in the middle of psych hospital, the silent girl can talk now, plus that whole scene with the doc and his dad was nonsense.




I don't see how a happy house can last long on this show.

House has not changed that much, and will be back to his old ways soon enough!

Considering the doctor was a very private person it isn't that surprising. They never said they were best friends. In fact they could of just worked together on a case or two could be the explanation.

I thought Wilson said they went to school together.

Considering the way Heroes was ruined by inconsistencies of character and viewpoint

I always find this interesting, as aside from the folks on AVS Forum I don't know anyone who had problems with "character inconsistencies" on Heroes unless they had just rewatched season one on disc.

Instead they threw away all of their goodwill in season two, and season three was better than season two but it was already a little too late.

Extrapolating from the past I assumed this would be another episode of "House Scamming the System and Showing How He's Smarter than Everyone Else". I was pleasantly surpirsed that the episode(s) were not of that ilk and really enjoyed them.

Problem is, if this wasn't a "dream" then I don't see how the show proceeds. For once, House was outsmarted by someone and I think part of the core of the show was that, regardless, House was smarter than everyone else. If things go back to normal then what was the point? I do think the idea that part or even most of this was in House's mind would be really intriguing but I doubt the writers have the b*lls to do it.

BTW, wifey's a psychiatrist and thought the scenes were fairly realistic, although she did opine that they would most likely have injected House with Haldol (and other meds) if they had questions about whether he was doing what he was supposed to. At least it wasn't reminiscent of "Snake Pit".

I do think the idea that part or even most of this was in House's mind would be really intriguing but I doubt the writers have the b*lls to do it.

...or possibly the writers had the cahones but the network suits felt that for whatever reasons they needed to get House back to his usual environment as quickly as possible.

To me, the really classic episode was the season finale last year. It promised something new-an interesting new environment- and it showed a House who realized that he needed help. Fast forward to this season, and House is immediately trying to con his way out of the place he had appeared to realize he needed to be.

I do think the idea that part or even most of this was in House's mind would be really intriguing but I doubt the writers have the b*lls to do it.



I don't understand how doing this would mean the writers have "b*lls". Usually when writers do entire scenes or episodes that turn out to be a dream, it is considered taking the easy way out and a sign of lazy writing. Quite the opposite of having b*lls.

BTW, wifey's a psychiatrist and thought the scenes were fairly realistic, although she did opine that they would most likely have injected House with Haldol (and other meds) if they had questions about whether he was doing what he was supposed to. At least it wasn't reminiscent of "Snake Pit".That's what I was saying- and they definitely would have shot him up and restrained him after the fight. Don't people remember how many times during the show itself in earlier episodes, a cast member would restrain a patient and inject a potentially violent patient with something like thorazine? So the show was hypocritical in that manner.

That was a nice episode. I'm glad House didn't go back to taking pain killers-I would have felt really jerked around by the writers. I'm betting Taub quitting and 13 getting fired is going to make a lot of fans happy :)

That was a nice episode. I'm glad House didn't go back to taking pain killers-I would have felt really jerked around by the writers. I'm betting Taub quitting and 13 getting fired is going to make a lot of fans happy :)
Yeah, I liked it a lot, too. I thought the writers effectively built upon last week's wonderful season premiere. It was fun to see Andre Braugher back again this week as House's now trusted shrink. If anything the new drug free House is even more interesting than he was when he was using.

This was a very good follow up episode to the season premiere! I liked it a lot, and give credit to the writers for making such a worthy follow up.

I loved how House showed the check for $25k to his shrink when he was explaining how he got his leg pain to stop (by being the one who solved the case online)! :D

I do think it was pretty obvious that diagnostic medicine would be the "hobby" that House really needed.

If anything the new drug free House is even more interesting than he was when he was using.

I completely agree, and it is a perfect way to breathe new life into the show.

It will be interesting to see where they go from here, especially if 13 and Taub are really gone (which I doubt).

13 showed more personality in this episode than in all of her previous episodes combined.

If only they'd let us hear the story she started to tell to Foreman.

The old team back together again? I'm sure someone will complain about it...

The old team back together again? I'm sure someone will complain about it...

Briefly, unfortunately.

That was a nice episode. I'm glad House didn't go back to taking pain killers-I would have felt really jerked around by the writers. I'm betting Taub quitting and 13 getting fired is going to make a lot of fans happy :)

Are you kidding? Taub is an excellent target (the one with the big nose) and 13 is one of the most attractive women on TV and beyond. I know it's just temporary (at least I hope), but no, lol, I'm not happy.

I also thought last night's episode was very well done, especially given the set-up from the premiere. I loved that House ended up solving the mystery, even in absentia. One of the best shows on TV, maybe THE best on broadcast.

BTW, does 13 have a name?

BTW, does 13 have a name?

Dr. Remy Hadley. The patient in last night's episode once referred to her as Dr. Hadley.

BTW, does 13 have a name?

Yes, she does.

I also thought last night's episode was very well done, especially given the set-up from the premiere. I loved that House ended up solving the mystery, even in absentia. One of the best shows on TV, maybe THE best on broadcast.

BTW, does 13 have a name?

Foreman also solved the mystery and he did it House style with a last minute revelation.

Foreman also solved the mystery and he did it House style with a last minute revelation.

Foreman may have solved it, but not nearly as quickly as House did. And House figured it out without having to see the non-prune fingers.

Sadly, Dr. Plastic and 13 will return to muddy things up again in just 2 weeks, as it seems that House will be back. :(

Happily, the noobs 3-year run is up this season and I predict Big Nose will leave for marital issues and Emotionless Bore will eventually die of Huntingtons in the finale. :)

Good episode. Didn't think they could continue the momentum after the great premiere.

Not sure what the old team will bring to the show. To me their stories have already been fleshed out in the past and the new plots the writers brought to them last season (Keeping her dead husband's frozen seed) were pretty ridiculous. The old team also has no fear about House firing them so the dynamics will be very different from the first couple seasons.

Of course I hope I'm wrong.

What has struck me as odd is how they never changed the opening credits, even after they had settled on the new team.

Bringing them back together really doesn't make sense to me (if that is what is planned). Cameron seems happy with the ER and Chase is a surgeon. What logical explanation could be used to have them work under House again?

The only thing predictable about this show of late has been it's UNpredictablity as far as personnel goes. If 13 and Taub go, then when Cameron leaves, that would leave only Forman and Chase, and we know that ain't gonna happen. I forsee an interesting mix of old and new, and perhaps a new character or two.

I liked this episode a lot. I like that he came out of hospitalization with a working therapeutic relationship with his psychiatrist (who've been restricted to 15 minute regular visits by insurance companies for over a decade, but House can pay for long visits out of pocket :)). I like that he's apparently made a real commitment to trying to be a happier, healthier person and that being happier and healthier doesn't mean that he'll be much less of an ass :D.

As for 13 and Taub, I could care less. Now that House is rejoining the team, I don't know that they'll actually leave, though neither would be a major loss (I would miss 13 as eye candy :)). Looks like House will be working for Foreman again, at least for a while--it will be interesting to see whether the "new House" will resent that as much as the old one did.

Taub quitting -> Was that the character's exit? If so, then it was anti-climactic. IF it truly was "I came here to work with House" then I'd expect Taub back when House is back... though he could still be written out of the show later with more oomph.

13 firing -> This could go either way. She could stay fired, but still be part of the show if they write her as understanding that Foreman cared enough for their relationship that he chose that over the working situation. While less a part of the daily grind, she could easily be part of the show with a job elsewhere.

13 will be back for certain, as will Taub more than likely. Because of:

Cameron being written out of the show they can't have just 1 tertiary female character (Cuddy) on the show.

13 will be back for certain, as will Taub more than likely. Because of:

Cameron being written out of the show they can't have just 1 tertiary female character (Cuddy) on the show.

OK, I give up. What press release did I miss about this spoiler information?

Never mind. Just did a Google search.

OK, I give up. What press release did I miss about this spoiler information?

Never mind. Just did a Google search.

For those that don't want to Google, it was on the previous page, also, it was posted in the HOTP thread.

They were playing the worst video game ever made, I mean what game is like that with a talking monkey FPS game. lol!


Black House 2.0 I can't stand his relationship with 13, and he is Tom Brady's Backup!


The best scenes of that episode were with the main character House.

House is still the same, but a little more hopeful.

I enjoy it, and I hope his character never resorts to using painkillers again.

Last night was great as others have mentioned. One comment that is new: Foreman is out of his league both as a character and as an actor. The show would be much better if his character was the one leaving..just about anyone new they would bring in would be better.

This has been evident to me for some time now. It really seemed, however, that last night the writers/producers/director went out of their way to emphasize this. I would not be suprised to see his character leave unless he is kept as the token black person on the show.

fafner

Last night was great as others have mentioned. One comment that is new: Foreman is out of his league both as a character and as an actor. The show would be much better if his character was the one leaving..just about anyone new they would bring in would be better.

This has been evident to me for some time now. It really seemed, however, that last night the writers/producers/director went out of their way to emphasize this. I would not be suprised to see his character leave unless he is kept as the token black person on the show.

fafner


I mostly blame the writing. I don't like his character as much as I used to, that's for sure. He has given some excellent performances during the first few years of the series, but lately...not so much.

House's black jokes have pretty much run their course too.

...Foreman is out of his league both as a character and as an actor...

As a character...maybe...for some people. As an actor, Omar is superb.

Dude has got some acting chops.

the dialog in this episode was some of the funniest I can remember and I'm really glad they kept Andre Braugher around.

"If she's a missionary why is she dressed like a hooker?"
"You saved my balls!"
"This is the best thing I've ever eaten. And yes I'm including what you are thinking of."

The only things wrong with this episode were another laughable television version of a video game and the fact they put House back to work so soon. I was looking forward to seeing what other hobbies he might excel at. His character is now far more interesting to put it back in the shackles of the usual plot scenarios.

I don't think it's just Omar looking like he's sleepwalking that's the problem. Losing Kal Penn meant losing the most lively of the new ducklings, and now the two we have left just aren't terribly interesting. Plus, making 13 and Foreman a couple makes their relationship just another couple relationship rather than maybe having something different, such as some sort of working rivalry.

Pity they didn't have Anne Dudek make the cull, as she kept things interesting and incidentally got hotter the more one saw her. And then they killed her off, though that subplot was intriguing.

I liked the episode regardless, but it seems they need to do something with the makeup of the show to shake things up a bit.

Actually, other than Cuddy and Wilson, none of the other supporting cast members have been very impressive...and thus the veritable merry-go-round. On the other hand there have been quite a number of outstanding guest performances. I don't know if this says that casting has been wrong or the writers were wrong.

fafner

I though a great episode tonight. Chase caught me by surprise. What I didn't understand what did House do to cause the guy with one arm to suddenly not be in pain? It just looked like an optical illustion.

I though a great episode tonight. Chase caught me by surprise. What I didn't understand what did House do to cause the guy with one arm to suddenly not be in pain? It just looked like an optical illustion.

the guy said that his arm has been in pain for 36 years, because he (his brain) still is clutching the grenade the blew his arm off trying to save a boy in Vietnam...

House made his brain 'think' it was letting go by seeing the reflection of his right arm in the box...

at least, that is what I got out of it.

What I didn't understand what did House do to cause the guy with one arm to suddenly not be in pain? It just looked like an optical illustion.

This sort of thing is an actual treatment for false pain in people who have lost limbs. I'm not sure how you would google for it, though.

And noone thought of this treatment for 36 years? I guess the Canadian VA system is worse than the US's?

Good episode. A little to heavy and to much on current affairs, seemed plucked from the headlines, which I hate when shows do that.

Still absolutely no chemistry between foreman and 13, wow, nothing.

Do not like Foreman in charge, it is lame, the show needs to get back to what it once was.

Omar Epps was doing some acting this time, rather than just being passive.

This evening's episode may be setting up the reason for Cameron's being written out of the show.

What I didn't understand what did House do to cause the guy with one arm to suddenly not be in pain? It just looked like an optical illustion.

This sort of thing is an actual treatment for false pain in people who have lost limbs. I'm not sure how you would google for it, though.

I always like to start with the New England Journal of Medicine:

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/357/21/2206 (http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/357/21/2206)

Fantastic episode!

House wasn't kidding when he said it felt like three years ago. Almost seemed like Laurie himself was mocking what's been going on with the direction of the show, rather than his character making a quip. From the deep and engaging main plot, to the side story with the war vet, to House's non-verbal antics at the diagnostic table, to the guest appearance by a true star...everything (excluding, of course, 13's pathetic "acting" and mind-numbing involvment) about this episode was absolutely superb!

THIS is what House is all about. :)

Of course they've also setup quite the situation with Chase, and Foreman guilt-by-association, and a gots-to-go situation. I don't see how they write themselves out of major cast shakeup here.