Hugh Laurie did a great job looking injured in the promos. This will haunt me for weeks.

I think House tells Wilson he has liver problems. I can't think of anything else that House would have to tell Wilson in that way.

In Resignation last season, Wilson said that House did not know his medical history. I found that unusual, considering how close they are supposed to be. Will that come up again in the last episode? Does Wilson have an heart condition that House does not know about? If so, would the uppers House gave him caused Wilson heart problems at that time?

Does "No More Mr. Nice Guy" refer to House's treatment of his new team? Has he let thing go that he would not usually tolerate? He let 13 drug him, he kept her after she killed a patient, have her mistakes been greater than her worth? Will 13 make another mistake in this episode?

An important question is how does House losing his memory impact impact his team and Cuddy and Wilson? Most episode titles relate to more than the POTW. There is a story arc here, more than the House/Wilson/Amber thing. Something else will be building leading to House losing his memory.

The thing I hate about previews is that they are so deceiving, especially after Mr. Voiceover gets his hands ...er...voice in the way. It's such a brief moment when house goes into Wilson, I just can't imagine. It could be serious, or just made to look that way. The preview editors are just that sneaky. ;)

I do think there's a deeper story arc, but after having seen a short clip from the next episode where House and Amber are arguing like divorced parents over the time they get to spend with Jimmy, I have to confess that I hope that's NOT where they're going with this. It's silly, I want me some serious drama.

so we shall see...

I think Wilson is the "no more mr. nice guy." Cate said being always nice is overrated, or close to that. And House is never nice.

I can hardly wait until Monday night. Fortunately for my sanity, I have discovered that the six most recent "House M.D." episodes are available online, and with minimal (sometimes no) commercials. Re-viewing these has kept me happy while waiting for the new episodes.

I trust that David Shore and colleagues will continue to astonish us with plot developments that we never expected to see. And I hope that at least one of the new episodes will give Hugh Laurie something to submit that will win him a much deserved and long overdue Emmy.

Ok I'm not a "shipper" or anything but it does seem to me that House and Wilson are going to date or something. Like a secret relationship. From what I read on housemd-guide.com, "...House's friendship with Wilson is tested beyond limits as murky memories from the bus accident the night before threaten to change their lives forever." Maybe it's just me, but it sounds like House is going to profess his love or something.

Dear Barbara, I watched " Whatever It Takes" on our Channel 5 last night and I have to say I am worried at the way Series 4 is going. The writers seem to have lost confidence in the complex, funny, tragic character they created and opted for House as a randy clown.House hiring an unknown doctor because he wants to sleep with her ?!Is this the House that never even kissed Cameron in spite of all temptations ? Is this the obsessive medical genius who risks his licence and his liberty for his patients? Is this the House of " Autopsy"?
His unresolved problems : his relations with Cuddy and Wilson,his increasing pain, his addiction and loneliness are all left in the air and since when can he climb several flights of stairs and still be on his feet ?
We already knew that Hugh Laurie was brilliant at comedy: the revelation of House MD is that he is even better at tragedy.
Come on House team , you can do better than this, you needn't worry that we will get bored with the same formula ; there is a lot about House we still want to know.

Sorry for the rant , Barbara,if I knew who to write to, I wouldn't bore you !

Ann--Rant away. You're safe here ;)

I think that House is still there. The hiring survivor game actually made a sort of Housian sesnse (House's playing it also made sense within his character). He hates the idea of a "one-interview-and hire" common wisdom, so he tested a bunch of candidates together--real time. To see what they're made of. So I had no problem with that. We have seen flashes within that of "serious" House (though not as angsty as in Season three--he wouldn't be in such bad shape at this point, emotionally or physically as he was at the beg. of season three.) In The Right Stuff, he not only lied to protect a patient's dream, he was willing to break a lot of rules to get her the treatment she needed, while helping her acheive them. He also protected the old guy. Their conversation showed us how difficult it was for House to just outright fire him (he should have since he wasn't a doctor) but kept him on because he saw his value (no one else would have).

In 97 Seconds, I reallize finally why he did the socket thing. He didn't want the clinic patient to try it again and again, eventually killing himself to find nirvana. House experimented on himself to prove that there was nothing on the other side (under controlled condition)--in House's mind, it made sense. Whether or not you believe that House really doesn't care much whether he lives or dies, I don't think what he did was trivial or a way to get high, or suicidal. when House wakes up, the first thing he does is ask how the electrocution guy is doing? He HAS to talk to him (and talk him out of trying it again.) but it's too late. He's dead.

In the CIA episode, I saw House as being taken in by the James Bondishness of the whole situation. I described it in my review as almost being Walter-Mitty like. Total Guy stuff. But when it came down to it, he was the one who actually listened to what the patient had to say; stayed with him, giving him tea; treating him. THAT was House.

I think the nature of the competition made House's overt personality more dominant as he was trying very hard to distance himself from all of the candidates, but I think once the game was over we got episodes like Frozen (which was fabulously angsty) and Don't Ever Change, which, while not angsty had that incredible introspective scene with House explaining Eishet Chayil, the husband's prayer to his wife.

Mary--I hope you are right, and I believe the finale may be just that. :)

Jessica--I'm working on an article that adresses House and Wilson's relationship. I think their friendship and love for each other is neither sexual nor romantic. I do think that ties are very difficult for House, whether made with females or males. He's had so much hurt and betrayal in his life. As Hugh Laurie said, House is an old soul who has seen much human suffering (I would add that a lot of it is his own). But once he makes a connection, it would appear that it is very, very difficult for him him to break it (or even change its dynamics). That was what Wilson feared when his team left, when Stacy came back -- and when Cameron wanted to date House in Love Hurts. He has so few deep relationships--Wilson and Cuddy (and Stacy as well). He probably does fear losing one or the other of them (as he lost Stacy, twice). He talks a good game about hating people, but I think that's tied to his terrible personal disappointments with people over his life.

Yay! The weekend is here--then a new series of House episodes. Can't wait!

Dear Ann UK:

I don't know if "Ugly," the episode that follows "Whatever It Takes" has been aired on your Channel 5 yet. However, don't give up on House so soon; he's still learning about himself and his fallibility. The dawning realization of the man who prides himself on his rationality that he was thinking with a part of himself half-way between his brain and his feet when he invited Dr. Terzi to join his team is both funny and poignant.

Barbara, Thanks for the reassurance! Ugly comes up next Thursday and I shall be rivetted to the screen same as usual." All In " ( Series 2 )was repeated this week. HL in full fig made me even more sure that he should play Thomas Lang - a character that harks back to the gentleman heroes of John Buchan , like Richard Hannay, or the Scarlet Pimpernel, as you once remarked.My favourite quote from the book ( said to the vilainess) is " You and I must do the right thing " So House and so HL too, I guess!

Thank you for yet another insightful and clever article on House. I skipped the last bit as I avoid spoilers at all costs. I have found that I prefer to be completely in the dark on all future developments.

What to say about season four's new team... In the beginning I hated the whole idea with the 40 candidates etc, even if the episodes as such weren't bad. And Hugh Laurie was his usual perfect self. My misgivings were more to the fact that Chase and Cameron was gone. I really liked them and thought the original team worked perfectly (both the characters and the ensemble of actors). I was firmly planted in the why-change-a-winning-team-camp. But at the same time I did see that it might have become boring and worn out eventually and understood that the creators were trying to pre-emt that. And they were probably right, which I believe the viewer numbers confirm. But I do miss C&C and really hope they will get more screen time next season. In my view they are far better actors than the new ones, except maybe for Peter Jacobson (Taub).

Thanks again Barbara for helping tie us over this long House draught. Sooooo looking forward to tomorrows episode, and your review.

Heidi and everyone else! House is back TONIGHT!!!! Remember, the day has been moved for now (I've heard that it will be back on Tuesdays in the fall). Also, Hugh will be on Craig Ferguson tonight as well. Happy viewing.

I disagree. I very much dislike the new team. I have watched every episode of House at least five times and I hate the new team. I think that there was so much more the still could've done with the old characters and story lines that were only briefly touched and could have gone in deeper. I could maybe understand introducing one or two new people after five or six seasons, but flushing out all the old team and sticking in new ones and almost doing a complete overhaul of the show almost made me stop watching. I would much rather watch seasons 1-3 than 4 any day.

My error. Hugh will be on Craig's show on May 5th, not tonight. I was too excited with the prospect of House tonight. Sorry. ;-}

BB

I've found this season to be terribly disappointing. I hate that Cameron and Chase have been reduced to walk on to make room for the three bores that make up House's new team. I just don't understand the reasoning behind the producers decision to fix something that wasn't broken. Can we say, Jumped the shark.

Hi Tom. I don't agree that the show has jumped the shark. I do think it's suffering from its growing pains (adding all the new cast and letting no one go). I think what's been sacrificed are those quite little reflective moments that provide so much of the story's subtext. Everyone's screen time has been cut (including Hugh's) to make room for an ensemble show, when it's not an ensemble show. I think they're probably trying some things out and the writers' strike affected the flow of that process unfortunately. We shall see. Thanks for your comments.