It's a battle of the expressive faces as Hugh Laurie and Omar Epps show down across House's desk, both characters despondent over the outcome of their case, but differing in their acceptance of the reasons behind it. House repeats the message from "Detox" that they save more lives because of their methods. "You're giving me numbers," Foreman complains. "Because they don't lie," House replies, before saying there's nothing to forgive.
"Guilt is irrelevant," House repeats to Wilson. But he then reveals he's got a dog waiting at home, and what's that about, if not guilt over Bonnie?
I've always thought of the concept of House getting a puppy as a metaphor for House getting soft and cuddly and the show entering a death spiral. But House getting Wilson's cast-away old dog that is, apparently, as cantankerous as House himself, is not that metaphor. This could be interesting.
"House Training" doesn't end on the funny, but the heartbreaking. After rejecting any form of comfort from his colleagues, Foreman goes to his mother, who instantly gives him the forgiveness he craves and wraps him in her arms. Because of her Alzheimer's, she also has no idea who he is or what she's forgiving. The only sense of home he remembers is ripped away, and the anguish of it is apparent on his face, pressed into his uncomprehending mother's shoulder.
Article comments
1 - Phillip Winn
Beautiful review, Diane. You connected the dots on the scene with Foreman's mother better than I did, and I realize now that you're absolutely right. I'm sorry I didn't put that together at the time, but glad that you did.
2 - Hope
Nice recap. So...who thinks Season Three is heading towards Wilson moving back in with House??
3 - Maddoc
If I say your review probably redeemed this episode a little in my eyes.I won't be lying.I hated the out of the box TBI regimen they pulled out of thin air.I know,I know,this is not a real medicine show.I have put up with 50 or so episodes of shoddy medicine but this one bugged me like none has,so far.Maybe they should hire you.You can soften the baddest glitches into something I had not seen in the story while watching it.All the crappiness that is there starts making some sort of sense.
All in all,a good review.I just might watch it again now.
4 - Diane Kristine
Thanks guys. And, hmm, Maddoc, much as I love House, I'm tempted to tell you to pick up a book instead of watching TV shows you hate ;-)
5 - Maddoc
Hey Diane!
Whoever said I hated it?Hate is too strong a word anyway.I am a doctor.I hate the 'medicine' on the show.Just do.Having said that,I see enough 'real' medicine all day long to want it on TV as well.House is to me like Gen Hospital is to House!Only better :)
And to be honest,House/HL simply rock!
My beef was with the Med Staff on the show who tried to do something that simply does not register at a cerebral level.I still hate this 'Lets Do TBI' idea!So I think they can show rarest of the rare but not something like TBI with the lameness they showed.
They can do better than that.They have,despite all the shoddy medicine!