However, he saw it as an example of a production challenge becoming a writing opportunity, allowing him to use Wilson and the team in a more productive way, and to isolate House further by keeping his usual support system occupied. "That was the premise of it. He had no medical tools, no Internet, no information, no tests he can run."
Because the differential diagnosis scenes often take 12 pages of a 60 page script, Hoselton also took the opportunity to recreate House's team in mid-flight, in a perfect recurring joke that gave House "a fake team that sort of vaguely resemble his team" to bounce ideas off of.
Budget wasn't the only consideration and at least once, a fun character moment trumped it. Hoselton identified one airplane scene he felt was "completely cuttable" that would save a half day of shooting: the one where House trades seats with relegated-to-coach Cuddy, supposedly to be kind, but really because the first class patient next to him had begun vomiting. Showrunner David Shore approved the cut, new script pages were issued, and Hoselton went to director Elodie Keene to say, "You're very welcome," he recounted. "She said: 'Not that scene. It's my favourite scene.'"
The bit remains in the finished episode and had elicited much laughter when Hoselton played it prior to telling that anecdote.
Some changes arose from the producers' keen vision for what their show is about ... and what it's not about. "I had thought it would be a really cool idea to mislead the audience into thinking the airplane patient was a terrorist, infecting himself with a deadly disease, getting on an airplane, spreading it across the world," Hoselton informed the crowd. "House would have an interesting take on terrorism and profiling. He would say 'terrorists don't look Middle Eastern anymore. If you were a terrorist organization, you'd send a middle-aged white woman.'"
That misdirection never made it into the episode. David Shore was firm, according to Hoselton: "Our show is a medical mystery. It's not about terrorists, it's not about action."
They also nixed the idea of having the pilot fall ill for similar reasons. "I wanted an act out (dramatic point before the commercial break) where the pilot comes out and hurls. He's sick. House says, 'uh oh, I'm going to have to land this plane.' Now we're in jeopardy," Hoselton recalled. "Again, they said no, that sounds like a very clichéd action movie thing."
It also meant casting a pilot, which would have added budget and plot complications. "He's really in charge of the airplane, so he should be consulting with House all the way through. It's weird if he comes in halfway through," Hoselton agreed. "So we just said, okay, there's no pilot. I guess it's flying on autopilot."
Article comments
1 - Heidi G.
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 >.<)
2 - Diane Kristine
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!
3 - RealDeal
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.
4 - May
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.
5 - Diane Kristine
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.
6 - Elaine
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.
7 - Pat
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.