House has had two near-death experiences at the time of this episode. The first (that we know of) was when he had a heart attack during his treatment for the infarction ("Three Stories"). During the time he was hovering between life and death, he seemed to have an out of body experience, or so he told his class, dropping in on the futures of three patients, whom he may or may not have ever treated. These patients all had leg issues and their treatments had differing outcomes than his (both for the better).
When asked about these experiences - these visions - House says that the “white light” that some people seem to see when having a near-death experience (and the visits to the afterlife) are merely the chemical effects of the brain shutting down. It’s what, he says, he chooses to believe. He explains that his choice to believe this makes him more comfortable. His disbelief in the afterlife makes him hopeful that life (as brutal as it’s been at times, we now know) is not simply “a test” for some other life to come.
House’s second near-death experience came when he was shot by an assailant who has not, to this day, been caught. The loss of blood and shock had him hovering between life and death as he hallucinated entire conversations with his shooter. During his hallucination, House assessed his own life and self-worth in conversations with the shooter (who, because it was a hallucination, was really his own subconscious). Ultimately confronted with the easy exit of death (symbolized by the scene where he shared the suicide attempt of the shooter’s wife), House chose life and fought his way out of unconsciousness, however briefly, to tell Cameron he wanted to try a radical pain-management treatment. If he was going to live, he was going to try to better his conditions.
Arguably, House has had (at least) one attempted suicide — arguably, because there is some debate as to whether taking a bottle-full of oxycodone and forcing himself to drink a large tumbler full of whiskey is attempted suicide. And arguably because we don’t know if he’s been in a state where, perhaps just after the infarction or when Stacy left him, he was suicidal. Wilson says that House fell apart, so it’s possible.
So, what do we make of what happened in “97 Seconds?” We haven’t seen House in physical pain much this season; he seems, physically anyway, to be coping fairly well. We’ve seen him take Vicodin, but not hiding his pain; not wincing, not hurting, which have been past signals that House is not doing well physically. The only noteworthy occasion in "97 Seconds" when we see him in physical distress is after he distributes the patient charts to his candidates, coming down the lecture hall stairs without his cane. As he hobbles to the desk and perches on it, he is in quite a bit of pain. But I don’t think it’s significant to the story.
Article comments
1 - Ann
Thanks, Barbara. I loved your review and look forward to what you'll have to say about future episodes of House. What are your thoughts about the first two episodes?
2 - Barbara Barnett
My first comment! Thanks Ann. Glad you liked my review. My earlier reviews are housed (as it were) at my LJ. I've posted reviews for the first two seasons there as well as reviews for the entire third season and some of the first season and second seasons as well.
3 - HouseFan
Nice commentary, makes me look forward to reading your thoughts on more episodes.
As the seasons have progressed and we've learned more about this guy House, and perhaps because of the episode involving the autistic boy, it seems to me that House is living with Aspergers as many adults now do without having a pinpoint explaination of why they are how they are.
It's just my opinion, and hopefully this show will last a few more seasons and we'll learn more about House's past. Remember, it's been said that he was the way he is before his leg problem.
4 - Barbara Barnett
Thanks, House Fan. The question of House and Aspergers comes up all the time in the various fan forums. Does he have it? The show played with notion in the Season 3 episode "Lines in the Sand," in which the patient was an autistic child. House was seemingly fixated on his office carpeting in the aftermath of his near-fatal shooting at the end of Season 2. Wilson went to Cuddy with the idea that maybe House had Aspergers syndrome. Cuddy disagreed. I'm not sure one way or the other (I don't even play a psychologist on TV :)). The main character in the BBC show Wire in the Blood (who is a psychologist, actually) was diagnosed with Aspergers and it is part of the show's canon. Tony (the main character) has a lot in common with House, so... I do think it's going to be something that will be debated by fans until the series is over the issue is addressed head-on. But it's an interesting idea.
5 - Terri
I loved your in depth review and agree wholeheartedly with it. When I consider what the afterlife would be for House if you don't mind indulging me, I would like to quote a few lines from my own fanfic that deals with just that. AFter House dies mysteriously he has a conversation with 'God', or whatever supreme being you wish to consider....
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"He felt remarkably well. So well in fact that he began to feel a touch of anger at not having felt this way in life.
“So a person has to die to feel alive?” he muttered to himself shaking his head in the process. “Where am I anyway?” the thought was immediately met with a response.
"You are were you always expected to be. This is your idea of the afterlife Greg. It is what you always expected to find."
“But there is nothing here!” he yelled out to his invisible companions.
"Exactly"
The realization hit him hard. He understood what they meant. He didn’t believe in an afterlife so consequently there was no pearly gates, no tunnel of light, no ‘anything.’ Essentially he got exactly what he wanted.
“So this is hell then?” he asked out loud to his invisible and growingly annoying companion. Almost before the question left his lips an answer shot back.
"No, for you this is heaven."
House pondered that for a moment, trying to grasp its meaning.
"All your life you’ve believed that there is nothing after you die. And all your life you have pushed people away in an effort to be alone. Hell for you would have been pearly gates, overwhelming joy and long lost friends here to greet you. If that is what you had found it would have meant that you were wrong and you couldn’t bear that, could you? That would have been hell.
Gregory, this is all you have ever dreamed of and the best you could hope for. Aren’t you taking pleasure in your faultless reasoning?"
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I don't think House would be happy if there was an afterlife simply because he would be proven wrong.
Terri
6 - sdemar
I have had the pleasure of reading your commentaries over the past few years, and have always felt that you truly understand the nature of this very complex man called House. I look forward to visiting here and commenting on your reviews.
7 - Barbara Barnett
Thanks Terri and Sdemar for your lovely and welcoming comments. Terri, I'm not sure what House may or may not have seen this time, or after his infarction as described in Three Stories. He said he chooses to see his experience as the brain shutting down, so as not to believe that life (his life--as harsh as it's been, and with his disability--and maybe even his addiction issues) is not simply "a test." I liked the clip from your story. Thanks for sharing it.
barbara
8 - HouseFan
Barbara,
I wasn't aware of debates about whether House is living with Asperger's, that's just what seems to explain the character more than anything else if you look at the progression of the character over the 3 seasons and even the few episodes into this 4th one. I'm not a psychologist or anything of the sort, nor do I watch Wire in the Blood (reminds me of all the CSI and Law & Order shows, which are all the same to me). I like Waking the Dead and Cracker more, better characters and stories.
The thing is that even though Cuddy disagreed with Wilson at that time regarding House's fixation on the carpet, it's not just about the carpet, it's much more than that. It's House's relationships with people in general, not just women problems. It's that Cuddy puts up with him because he's brilliant at the diagnostics. It's that Wilson is his friend because Wilson tolerates him. In the one with Larroquete (apologies for the wrong spelling there) House talked about why he wanted to be a doctor, and if he was telling the truth that's another clue among many. The drug use itself, if he was an addict before his leg problem, could be connected since the first resort most doctors take is to suggest drugging up anyone who seems "different" socially. For example, if someone doesn't enjoy large crowds of people, a doctor tells them that they need antidepressants or something similar to make them "feel good." Not liking large crowds of people cannot be carelessly equated to being depressed. It's complicated, as is the House character.
As I stated, it's just my opinion at this point in the run of the show. It could make for interesting storylines if the writers/producers went more into House's past. Just hopefully in a more Three Stories way than a cheesy TV drama way.
9 - Barbara Barnett
HouseFan,
I agree a storyline that delved into the idea of Aspergers would be very interesting. I don't know enough about autism or the Aspergers variety of autism to say for certain. I do know that House has many of the traits of people with this type of autism. But some things do not seem to fit. Several people I've talked with who have AS see themselves in the character of House; but some have said that he doesn't fit enough of the criteria.
A webpage that has several sets of diagnostic criteria for Aspergers syndrome can be found here.
10 - HouseFan
Barbara,
Thanks for the website link, and for your comments. Sorry mine were so long, but it is an interesting area to debate for the House character. I think it would make for a great storyline. Possibly a role for Stephen Fry as Autism/Aspergers expert from England who just happens to be doing work at Princeton Plainsboro?
11 - sassydew
I always enjoy your thoughtful reviews and this one is no exception! I'm delighted to see that they will now be posted here at blogcritics! :)
12 - Barbara Barnett
Hi Sassydew,
So glad that you found me over here ;) I'm looking forward posting regular reviews and commentary on the show. Enjoy.
Barbara
13 - hl_lover
Sasmom,
Congrats on an excellent review of an excellent episode of "House".
I would lean in the same direction as yourself concerning House and Asperger's. His antisocial behavior seems too intentional and can be turned off at will. But I can see how the idea could be entertained that he carries this diagnosis.
Anyone who cultivates the aura of being a jerk and prides himself on it (outwardly) would not be in this subclass of autism.
14 - Nancy
I'm so glad you admitted outloud that you don't like Foreman. I don't like him either. I wish he would leave the show. This is not a personal attack against the actor, just the character.