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May 8, 2007: Resignation
As you can imagine, given last week's resignation, this week's show spent a lot of time on the Foreman question. Will he or won't he stay, or does he just want House to ask him to stay? Then of course there's the "will House ask him to stay?" question. Enough already! I'm approaching House's level of annoyance with Foreman's existential crisis. "I want to be a really great doctor like you, but only if I can be nice, too!" I'm not knocking friendly patient care, but House is who he is and Foreman believing he has to lose his humanity in order to replicate House's level of expertise is just plain silly.
Besides, it's clear that Foreman wants to stay and a simple request from House would get Foreman to rescind his own walking papers, but since when has House ever done anything the easy way? Here's a man who could have asked Wilson if he was on antidepressants but chose instead to spike Wilson's coffee with uppers and wait for a possible heart attack to answer that question. Hmm. Maybe Foreman does have valid reason to get out.
Part of the problem is that Foreman thinks he knows everything. Just as he butts head with House at the whiteboard, Foreman is stuck on his conclusion that House is heartless. But like the Grinch, whose heart is two sizes too small, House isn't a completely cold person. Patient Addie (Lyndsy Fonseca) proves it.
Addie presented with symptoms that defied explanation, but when the doctors settled on protein deficiency as the cause for her condition, Foreman scolded House for not caring enough to even know their dying patient's name. To Foreman this proved again that House was not the kind of doctor Foreman wanted to be. Yet it was House and not Foreman who pressed further to discover that Addie was depressed and had attempted suicide. It was House who broke confidentiality to inform the parents of Addie's unhappy state. Sure, House didn’t shed a tear, but what Foreman failed to realize was that when it counts, House's gruff ways often provide the grit necessary to connect with patients whose issues have left them emotionally and physically raw.
That's just it: House isn't a squishy toy that gives a child comfort when the world gets scary. He's that creepy clown doll with the glassy eyes and maniacal grin that turns a child's dreams to nightmares. When Foreman looks to House for comfort, he often forgets that his mentor is dealing with his own issues and therefore has no time to reassure an employee who has lost his way. That doesn't mean that House wants any of his team to remain lost in the woods. He just trusts that they will eventually find their own way home.
So while Foreman wanders in the wilderness, House will continue to hit on his patients' girlfriends, especially the ones named Honey (Piper Perabo) who flirt back.
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May 9, 2007 1:06 AM
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I really loved Chase in this episode. Jesse Spencer was doing some really cool and subtle stuff.
Hilarious antics with Wilson... his best showing yet!
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May 9, 2007 3:25 AM
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The Wilson-House friendship must be one of the strangest on TV. They both spiked each other's drinks. That was perverse and amusing to me.
It is also kinda funny that Foreman doesn't like House's antics, but many times he can be a bigger ass than House. The guy basically told Chase and Cameron that he didn't like either of them.
How did Cameron get into House's house? Does she have a key or did she break in? I wonder if House is going to start dating Piper. That is progress for him instead of his regular dalliances with hookers. It was good seeing Piper again. Hadn't seen much of her since Coyote Ugly.
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May 9, 2007 4:36 AM
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Can't abide Foreman's self-righteousness. He was a cold, supercilious SOB from the beginning, especially with Cameron and Chase, so his emotional angst is making me gag. He should be so lucky to have even a portion of House's diagnostic skills and, as you pointed out, he doesn't have to "lose his humanity" to be able to do a good job. House is his boss--he doesn't have to ask him to stay for the sake of Foreman's ego.
Love the weird friendship between Wilson and House, although I'm somewhat confused. Was Wilson taking anti-depressants himself or did he just get a prescription so he could secretly dose House?
I also thought it was weird when Cameron walked into House's apartment in the middle of the night--maybe he keeps a spare key under the welcome mat.
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May 9, 2007 7:36 AM
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This was a pretty good episode. I also found Foreman obnoxious. I almost burst out laughing when he told Chase that he didn't like him. He seems to use that tactic alot. Then telling Cameron that she was weak was just stupid cause he's leaving for those same reasons--he sees patients as more than just lab rats to experiment upon until he finds an answer. She had him pretty well summed up in that scene.
I was also wondering how she got in, but then I remebered that she and Chase had gotten in when they all thought House was dying. I thought it was also peculiar that House didn't even question her about it. Would you just waltz into your boss's home in the middle of the night if he didn't answer the phone? This may sound crazy and I'm sure I'll get some hate mail for even suggesting this but with Cameron being so quiet lately, House being in a somewhat better state of mind, and then Cameron just wandering in in the middle of the night and House really not even commenting on this, as well as the point he made in telling the piece of ass du jour that he HATED TEA! (something which Cameron dosed him with at one point and I believe I've seen her drinking it often herself), I wondering if they've become involved and House is doing what he can to get out of the relationship now? Don't get me wrong, I hope to hell not, Chase is much better than House, but some of these pieces seem to point to something, at least to me. (Please, no death threats!!) I'm just wondering why she's been so quiet lately. Is this the writer's way of focusing on Foreman's problems, or is there something more going on with her? I'm hoping like crazy I'm dead wrong about this cause I really want to see her w/Chase. (Seriously people, I mean no harm!)
Wilson and House -- what can you say? It's like Jackass with doctors. Although I think Wilson meant well, I'm thinking anti-psychotics might have been a better choice.
Can a person's head really split wide open like that? I got a headache after watching that.
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May 9, 2007 8:39 AM
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kenr is correct - Cameron had used the hidden key to House's apartment before but I myself dont believe that House and Cameron have been having a secret fling.
I do love the House/Wilson wars that we have been seeing lately! Dosing each other was truly hilarious and when Wilson who was all jacked up on amphetamines freaked out in front of his patient while giving her a breast exam - well that was the best!
Did anyone else expect Piper to jump up on the bar in the last scene with House?
I do like the potential love interest here - they both seem to be very quirky in their own right!
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May 9, 2007 11:17 AM
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Not a word about House and Wilson's little coffee adventure? I'm surprised, it was a huge part of the episode and had more character development than Foreman's part. Wilson is depressed - enough that he's in therapy and on medication. House claims he isn't the same but apparently trusts Wilson's opinions enough to continue sharing his meds. That's more insight into the doctors than anything Foreman went through this ep!
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May 9, 2007 11:36 AM
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I loved the "frat boy" antics of House and Wilson! Of course, they were dangerous antics at that, but Wilson is a doctor, he should have known within an hour that House spiked his coffee with speed.
And I think the House/Honey thing is really stupid and for the sake of the show, it doesn't continue. She is way too young for him, regardless that they both have "quirky" personality traits. He looked like her Dad sitting next to her in that bar!! I cannot see them keeping the Honey character in the show (hopefully they won't) because it adds nothing other than showing a middle aged man lusting after some young chick and it will get old fast. House needs a woman who is his equal, both intellectually and physically - not some 26 year old who will give him good sex (maybe) and nothing else.
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May 9, 2007 11:37 AM
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Besides, it's clear that Foreman wants to stay and a simple request from House would get Foreman to rescind his own walking papers, but since when has House ever done anything the easy way?
Let's not forget that just last week House was giving Foreman 4 days to snap out of 'it' or be fired. As much as House might want Foreman to stay, he doesn't want the Foreman in the middle of an existential crisis.
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May 9, 2007 1:02 PM
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I just want to say that for the first time in 3 years I really liked Chase with his superb deduction skills..
And to all Piper haters: she is basically the same age as Cameron.
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May 9, 2007 3:33 PM
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Yes, and Cameron is far too young for him too! House is, what, 46? 47?
I didn't like that character either - seemed to be introduced just to piss off House/Cameron and House/Cuddy fans.
There has been a lot of focus on the relationships lately and slightly less on the medical puzzles. I loved Wilson on speed! RSL was funny, although all this drugging each other is terrible irresponsible! Do you think this show is advocating abuse of prescription medication??
Hasn't Foreman left before? Didn't he go for a while after that illness in S1 or 2?
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May 9, 2007 5:55 PM
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this. was. so. funny.
i love that the writers have gone back to the original hilarity along with an interesting medical mystery plus some character insight. lately there has either been too much medical mystery or too much character insight-- not enough of just House being House, nagging the ducklings, bantering with Cuddy, etc.
I loved this episode, thought it was one of the best this season. Wilson's line "I'm not on antidepressants, I'm on SPEEEEEEEEED" and his performance in the breast exam ("I never wink at patients, I swear" & "Excuse me, I have to go kill someone" especially) made me laugh out loud. And the Piper Perabo character seems like a good fit for House, like someone above said, just quirky enough to make it work.
This episode just seemed to work for me. All the cogs fit together and the actors and especially writers did a fantastic job.
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May 9, 2007 6:27 PM
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Yes, this was a great episode. But one thing confuses me. We all saw House "dose" Wilson's drink-- and trick him into taking the 'right' cup. But when did Wilson put anti-depressants in House's coffee? (or however he was dosed) I just didn't see Wilson do anything to House. But the scene of the 'wired' Wilson trying to do a breast exam was hilarious. (Altho I'm sure the hospital has rules that a nurse has to be present in those instances. I'm sure that's a law in my state.)
I too was impressed w/ Chase. He alone seemed to be figuring out what's going on--and very cleverly, too. He certainly didnt' seem bothered when Foreman said he didn't like Chase. I don't think anybody expects Foreman to "like" any of his co-workers, i.e., in the way you might hang out w/ co-workers after your shift ends.
But what was the big attraction w/ Honey? Yes, she's attractive, but I didn't figure House the type to be interested in a sandal-wearing, tea-drinking vegan. I forgot the exact line, but I hooted out loud at one of House's lines to the clinic patient & Honey... of course the line included the word "p**p," but whatever it was, was hilarious. But anyway, what was his attraction to her, or was he just looking for an 'alternative treatment' to his pain and depression?
I'm glad there wasn't any House-Cuddy-Wilson foolishness. I really don't like that part of the story line (Cuddy having a baby, Cuddy dating Wilson, etc.)
And oh, yeah, when the girl's brain split open, that was kewl. Yucky, but cool.
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May 9, 2007 7:04 PM
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How did Cameron break into House's place? How many episodes has House sent his ducklings to break into other people's places to find out if the patient had unusual conditions at their place? It would be simple for her to break into House's place.
How did Wilson give House anti-depressants? How many cups of coffee has Wilson brought to House's one?
Why does Foreman want to be as great a doctor as House but can't keep his humanity? House jumps straight to the tests that everyone else is against. Why? Because they want the easy way first and avoiding telling the patient about tests that might kill them before they find an answer. House doesn't let his humanity gets in the way of the diagnosis.
The others find the humane way first before accepting the conclusion, like what they did with Addie. House diagnosed life-ending conclusion while the others wanted to do more test only to accept what House knew before he realized it was a suicide attempt that threw his diagnosis off.
You can't be as brilliant as House while holding onto your humanity.
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May 9, 2007 9:02 PM
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To everyone saying they didn't see Wilson giving House the "spiked" coffee: Although we don't actually see Wilson put anything in House's coffee (which would really ruin the effect of seeing House all giddy when he first appears and Chase and Cameron hilariously keep telling him to shut up), we do see him hand him one in the very beginning of the episode...
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May 10, 2007 12:31 AM
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