What a great article! I feel like I was watching "Airbone" behind the scene, which I totally love!

It's a matter of convenience if not budget or money. It's interesting to know the implications or reasons for having a plot or not, or having a character or not.

To me it's very interesting because I was wondering if the "extra" considerations of having Cole in the new team, like a casting for his son and a whole department set, and those sort of things, rendered the character not viable (lol) because even though we had months or years to glimpse anything else beside the hospital other than House's place (Cuddy's house, Cameron and Foreman's apartment); how many episodes until that part of Cole's life has to come up. Of course, I suppose there were a lot more reasons for picking Kutner (or Taub) over Cole, and perhaps none of them had to do with that. LOL!

I'm glad that David Shore, when not writing (or directing), has some say in what happens to his show, he doesn't wash his hands of it.

I wish there were an anatomy of every episode of House. :) Read or see the creative process of actually doing House. That was a great article. Any chances we will see more of these? I'll take any episode. When it's behind the scene, I like them all. (Even S4 >.<)

Thanks Heidi, it was fun to hear about and to write, too. There's so much more that goes into an episode than we usually think about as fans so it's fun to get a sneak peek behind the scenes.

It was such a specific set of circumstances that led to this article - I happened to be attending an event where Hoselton happened to be dissecting an episode as an instructional tool for industry types. Some of the DVD commentary gets into a bit of that kind of thing, too, but I'd love to hear more myself. I'm skeptical I'll get many more opportunities like it though!

Well, well this article explains why Airborne was one of the worst episodes ever, right behind ODOR. And Lines in the Sand, almost as bad.

I loved the Wilson side of Airborne, which I've rewatched over and over again BUT the House side just reeked of the ridiculous, especially on an airplane, post 9/11.

Diane,
It's always nice to read your article, such a treat, thank you.

I love the behind the scene dissecting of the ep and the story permutation. It's interesting that budget, time, etc. issues could change the outline of the story and even the focus. I also love that David Shore still has firm grasp of what the show is about, since both the examples Hoselton cited are good calls imo.

Wish we get more of this type of articles, not just about House even, any good show will do. It's fascinating to have a peek into the creative process in both writing and producing. It does sound like a constant struggling act, and if people being complacent, then the story will be even more improbable. If TV is like this, and it's a writer's medium to be able to give input and changes, no wonder movie is a even bigger problem without as much writer input.

Again, thanks for the fun read.

RealDeal, I'm not sure I follow your logic on how the article explains your dislike? You seem to prefer the parts that were changed. It wasn't my favourite episode but to me, the explanation of how it evolved doesn't really speak to that.

Thanks May! I love hearing about this kind of thing too but like I said, don't know if I'll get the opportunity again, at least not that in-depth. DVD commentary tracks sometimes get into similar territory, though.

While I loved the scene where House improvises a diagnostic team from the passengers, this episode will go down as one of my least favorites. I would have loved to have heard Hoselton's explanation for writing the unbelievable and absurd scenes with Chase and Cameron having sex in a SICK WOMAN'S BED and giggling about it afterwards in front of Foreman. That was truly one of the low points of this series and turned me off that romantic pairing forever.

Thanks for this insight. What goes on behind scenes is often as interesting as what goes on in front of the camera.

I thought Airborne was one of the worst episodes of the season. The medical story was interesting enough but House was a complete jerk (one of the first times I was repelled by him but not the last) and Cuddy brainless as well as spineless. What saved it for me was the story back at PPTH, although I found the Chase/Cameron sex on the patient's bed illogical and out of character, sex teases over story telling. I'm glad the budget restrictions forced them to put in the B story with Wilson and the team. I wish they had spent more time on that and less on showing House abusing Cuddy.