I've tried to go back through the season a bit; rewind, as it were to trace the chain of events leading to House's emotional deterioration. From last year's finale and his guilt about Amber's tragic death through the loss of Wilson's friendship, the death of his father (and the realization that John House isn't really his father) and beyond. A bombardment of his psyche by a series of physical and emotional traumas has left our (anti) hero standing on the ledge once again, teeter-tottering on its edge and staring into the abyss of his own mental disintegration. Will Kutner's suicide be enough to push him over the edge?
With neither warning nor apparent cause, Kutner's tragic death is something no one could have foreseen. Not even House. Yet House, whose philosophy insists that while not everything is known, everything is knowable, is plagued by the perceived failure of his own nearly supernatural observational powers. Why didn't he observe something "off" in Kutner in time to save his life? Was he subconsciously trying to kill Chase by failing to remembering Chase's allergy, and Karamel's strawberry body butter? Was it poor judgment that led to the ballerina's rare reaction to the antibiotic in "Under My Skin"?
Tormented by guilt for things both in and out of his control, the man who plays mind games with everyone finds his own mind reserving the cruelest game for him. And in the end, he is no longer able to trust himself, his judgment, his intellect or his rationality.
Ultimately, in "Under My Skin," House's crisis drives him to seek out Wilson's and then Cuddy's help. And by the end of the episode, House seems much better than he had the night before his "dark night of the soul." But we know all cannot be as it seems. Has House really "gotten clean and sober?" And is Cuddy correct in her assertion that off opiods, House's pain will decrease? Surely the pain will continue to plague him, even under the best case scenario, and how will he handle it?
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— go to most recent comments1 - Heather
You pose some great questions...now just waiting for the answers :)
Had not really thought about the possibility that House would resign, but when he walked into cuddy's office before asking her for help, he said, "I quit." If all else has failed and he is still sick, I can certainly see him leaving temporarily.
2 - lyly
Hahahaha little late to put out limits with House don't you think Cuddy? Little late for moral and even more late for all that boss-empoyee thing!
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3 - KIm
Yipaaa! I was waiting for some fun here.
I want to play hard, so I go with the Cuddy fires House. I don't think she'll fire him(instead of that I think she'll take some time off of the hospital. I don't want her to leave but she really need it). But if it happen it will be a big shock.
I want to know what the other people think it will happen tomorrow.
I'm so excited. ;)
4 - Orange450
Masterful summing up, Barbara. Loved your trajectory.
It was a memorable season, full of unforgettable moments. Can't wait for the finale, and for your DE interview afterwards. I voted for the psychotic break, but WDIK? Maybe it'll be "none of the above", and when it comes to House, I love surprises.
I'm still wondering how deliberately the writers refer to, or let themselves be influenced by, other works. I don't mean when they specifically quote from or mention other books, shows or movies. I mean the way Chase's "It's Tuesday" reminded many of us of Lord Peter Wimsey's wooing, and the way Amber's death bed reminded me so much of Jenny Cavilleri's very similarly scripted deathbed scene in Erich Segal's "Love Story". Do they do this on purpose, and are we, the viewers, intended to pick up on it in the same way that we're intended to pick up on the explicit references?
Since DE is a novelist and movie buff, as well as a screenwriter, I think she's in a good position to answer this question :)
5 - barbara barnett
Thanks for playing, guys! i will ask DE that very question. Nice.
6 - Donna
Hi Barbara- Okay. I'll bite.
Me thinks House will have a psychotic break/hospitalization that ends season five. Would be interested to see if early next season it's determined his problem is truly physical and needs dangerous surgery.
7 - barbara barnett
Donna--Wouldn't be surprised if you're right. While he's being treated for mental illness in-patient, the team will figure out some sort of other, organic, cause--with a cure!
8 - Pedantic
Barbara...thanks for yet another pithy, insightful article. I especially liked your assessment that any of the last four episodes was powerful enough to serve as the Season 5 Finale. So true.
In the poll, I voted for psychotic break, because if central characters on TV don't change, then what unfolds necessarily has to reveal more about the character, has to peel back the layers, rather than move the character in another direction. (Rehabilitation, resignation or termination would do that.) A physical problem was my second choice, but a psychiatric problem is more likely, more interesting, and makes more sense with a central character who is a misanthropic genius.
As for questions for Doris Egan:
1. I wonder how much of what we see in the finale strays from her original conception of the episode. Certainly I understand that rewrites occur, but I wonder if this episode, with all the convolutions, characters and storylines to be addressed from past episodes, needed more refinement than some others she's written.
2. Season 5's theme seemed to center around House's conclusion in his conversation with Amber on the Purgatory Bus in Wilson's Heart that he didn't want to be in pain, he didn't want to be miserable, and he didn't want Wilson to hate him. What will the theme of Season 6 be?
Thanks in advance.
Another terrific season in my book. I'm already looking forward to Season 6.
9 - Bebe
I think we all assume that it will be house that shuts Cuddy out but the promos and sneak previews makes it look like the opposite happens. Barbara when you do the revisted post I think top secret and humpty dumpty would be good choices because both episodes refer to when Cuddy and House where in college together.
10 - Pedantic
I thought of another question for Doris Egan:
Did the fact that Hugh Laurie's favorite movie is Dr Strangelove (revealed during a Monsters vs Aliens interview) have anything to do with writing a POTW with "Alien Hand Syndrome" (aka "Dr Strangelove Syndrome")?
11 - barbara barnett
Bebe--good choices.
Pedantic--Could be. Dr. STrangelove is one of my favorite films of all time. I always have felt that it was the evil twin of the fantastic film "Fail Safe," another favorite film of mine.
12 - Orange450
OT - Fail-Safe was the best novel I'd ever read for quite a while after I first read it around 1970 or so! I can still see the orange and black cover of my paperback edition, although I haven't had that copy in many years. I could definitely envision a role for an American-accented Hugh Laurie in yet another remake.
13 - Quin
I think Cuddy rejects House and it sends him over the edge. He is very fragile when it comes to personal relationships; he has protected himself from Cuddy for a long time; she has as much power to hurt him as he does to hurt her; and he has finally allowed himself to be vulnerable to her and she is taking advantage of it.I go back to Wilson telling Stacy that House has been pining for her for five years and he was left picking up the pieces. Cuddy represents a whole other level of emotional need and vulnerability for House, and in the preview, it looks like she is cruelly rejecting him.
14 - barbara barnett
Orange--Every time I think of that film (and I also loved the novel, which I read the same summer I read On The Beach--my morbid youth), I can't help but remember the high pitched squeal of the melting telephone line as first Moscow and the Washington were nuked. Chilling. But I digress.
Quinn--Yes. but I wouldn't quite jump to conclusions. Usually the clips we get are from the beginning of the episode and don't quite figure into the real story behind the story. House has very romantic notions about love and fealty, something he keeps very hidden. I do think C has the power to destroy him without even knowing it. But I'm not sure that's the way it's going to play out. Less than 24 hours to go!
15 - Sera G
Hello, Barbara,
I can't wait and yet I am worried that this might be the most devastating season ender yet. (Voice over guy, indeed!)
If it turns out to be serious physical injury needing surgery, or worse a psychotic break, would House ever be able to practice medicine again? Even in the pretend world of television, the judgement of a doctor who has psychotic episodes would
be suspect, at best. Not even Cuddy could save him.
Also, I hope, hope, hope he is not rejected by her. I have not watched the clips, therefore I don't know what they show. I just think for those of us who love their relationship it would be too cruel to end it that way. We shall see.
Looking forward to your interview with Doris Egan.
16 - sdemar
My vote is House suffers a psychotic break and is hospitalized. As much as I love/adore Huddy, I think Cuddy will simply provide a vehicle for us to see that House has lost it.
Barbara, I think we will find out in Season 6 that what is going on with House has to do with his medication and I agree, his team will figure it out and the snarky Doc will be back at the hospital before we know it terrorizing everyone.
Question for DE-one above is somewhat the same but my question is we read on twitter how she had to rewrite this episode. In what ways was it different from her original?
It's been a great season and I am sad to see it come to an end. Everyone-writers, directors, actors all get kudos but of course, Hugh gets the biggest one. Hopefully that is in the form of an Emmy.
I love the exploration of House and Cuddy and really all the characters on how they affected House this season to give us greater insight into this interesting and complex man but H/C is the relationship that I love the most, as you know.
17 - Buds
I find it odd that on both of Fox's leading shows (House and Bones), the leading characters (House and Booth) are both suffering from hallucinations. I think the writers on both series need to talk to one another once in a while to make sure they don't have similar story lines and seasons finales.
18 - Sera G
Hello, back again.
A friend and I were discussing the finale and I asked her what she thought the "shocking" ending would be. She said, it would be a Bobby Ewing (Dallas). House never left the bus at the end of season 4. This entire year has been an hallucination. Therefore, they could get rid of Rachel, have House go through all the trauma that he experienced, give those who love Huddy a thrill and none of it ever happened. I HOPE she is not prophetic! It was ridiculous when Dallas tried to pull it off...but her idea was good for a laugh!
19 - mzMraz
it's soooo exciting!!! i really have no questions for Doris Egan. just let the writers know how we all loved season 5! i think it's the best season so far. good job!
20 - Dominique
I picked the psychotic break as well... as a less "Huddy" orientated viewer, I am hoping that this finale will tackle the cause of Amber's presence (not the hallucination part but the fact that it's not the fresh blow, AKA Kutner, but a year old event that got the upper hand and thus spawned Amber) and finally get Wilson a wake-up call on what he caused with his behaviour... House did tell Cuddy he was just hospital property: I just think that House's feelings that he as a person is completely expendable and he as a brain is not have helped this along. Wilson left with cruel, hurtful words and returned with:
"We can't really choose who our friends are."
That wouldn't suffice for anyone! I hope that since it's Doris Egan (she writes House, Wilson and Cuddy a lot), this will be a side-dish for people not as interested in Huddy to feast on. Obviously things need to be said between them. Preferably sorry from Wilson's side.
(you can't tell that they are my favourites at all, can you?)
Dangerous surgery has been done before, (last season finale.) can't be rehab because vicodin induced hallucinations tell of some extent of liver damage and House would be sure to notice, the firing one will make it an overdose of House and Cuddy and since we know it won't last, how great could the shock value be? Same with House resigning: if it is as bad that House has to resign, he would be institutionalized anyway because it will push him over the edge and these things (Amber) don't go with time.
Ergo, psychotic break it is.
21 - barbara barnett
Buds--although it airs on FOX, House is an NBC/Universal show. Bones is a FOX production (I think).
Sera--hope your friend is wrong about the "Dallas" thing. i really felt cheated when that happened in Dallas.
Mzmraz--I will be sure to express our appreciation to the writers! I agree that this has been a phenomenal season.
22 - Belle
If he resigned, we would assume he would be back. If he ends up in a mental hospital, that leaves a lot in the air. My biggest question, which I am sure I already know the answer too is why they couldn't let them be happy for just the summer. Leaving us with any pain now will be a little harsh, but...why expect anything else?
23 - barbara barnett
Ah, Belle! But this is House! They cannot be happy as you correctly stated. This show is as much about misery and the pain of living as it is about mystery and medicine. Personally, I'm an angst whore, so this season has been a feast for me.
24 - Jaim
I think he'll be institutionalized for a nervous break down. It is actually very amazing that it is only now that he is suffering a real emotional collapse considering how the last decade of his life has been.
My questions for Doris Egan is:
"What was the most difficult scene to write of the finale?"
"Was there a scene she wrote that didn't make it into the final script that she wish had?"
25 - wackjob
My question for Doris Egan would be, has she had any real-life experience with people suffering from psychotic breaks and their aftermath? (Assuming House has one, of course.) My guess was that Cuddy would fire him and he does something insanely self-destructive. PPTH is his home, his lifeline, the only place he feels any acceptance at all (and where the only people he associates with are, besides the hookers). It would be, in a sense, the ultimate rejection. Also, if you get the chance, ask DE why the writers kept talking about ECT for psychosis when it isn't a treatment for psychosis. Better television?
He could still function with antipsych meds but it would certainly be MUCH more difficult and take him a long time to adjust to, if they took a "real life" approach to a nervous breakdown. That would also leave House seriously in the lurch.
As always, Barbara, a brilliantly written article. If I seem fixated on mental illness, it's because I live with it and hate to see it trivialized, although except for the ECT it hasn't, on this show at any rate. Just trying to "keep it real" in my own tiny way.