I use the word faith a lot when I talk about House to friends. With mock seriousness, I invoke my faith in the writers when I have the most doubt. How will they use Stacy in season two, when her story seemed nicely wrapped up until five minutes remaining in the season one finale? How will they avoid mawkishness when choosing an adorably plucky little girl with cancer as the patient of the week? How will they portray a wide-eyed faith healer without taking the easy paths of either ridicule or salvation?
My faith is almost always vindicated. It definitely was with "House vs. God," where the patient of the week is a teenager specializing in "divine health management" who has two-way conversations with God, who can touch a cancer patient and cause her to go into remission, and who chooses not to have surgery for fear it will take away his gift.
I cringed at the plot synopsis and the potential for religious or anti-religious heavy-handedness. But I had faith, because I've loved the show's take on the theme so far. Unlike race, religion is woven into the characters' backgrounds without usually being a lightening rod. Chase's life in seminary school has been highlighted and Wilson's Jewishness comes up as texture frequently. We know Cuddy (who sadly only makes a two-line cameo in this episode) is Jewish, Cameron doesn't believe in a personal God, and House is an atheist ... but not necessarily a devout one.
Season one's "Damned if You Do" was one of my favorite episodes, treating the spectrum of faith from atheism to nun with respect and thoughtfulness. And as the nun tells House: "You can’t be angry with God and not believe in him at the same time. No one can. Not even you." House's beliefs were given more shading in "Three Stories": "I choose to believe that the white light people sometimes see ... they’re all just chemical reactions that take place when the brain shuts down. ... I find it more comforting to believe that this isn’t simply a test," he says.
And now "House vs. God" paints even more of the picture of House's faith, filling in more details of his choice of faith in science over faith in a supreme being. Written by Doris Egan, who also wrote "Failure to Communicate" and seems to have a gift for complexity, this episode provides entire paragraphs of character explanation without losing itself in pedantic exposition or absolutes. And Hugh Laurie and Robert Sean Leonard deliver those paragraphs beautifully as the friendship between House and Wilson takes on a new dimension amid all the God talk.
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Article comments
1 - West by southwest
But does it mean that Wilson can get herpes encephalitis too, or what?
I kept waiting for House to dwell on that uncomfortably obvious point.
2 - Wendy Station, Encephaltis Global, Inc.
House website quote: ""House mentions herpes virii are most prone to attack cancer cells. Wilson realizes that herpes encephalitis would fit all of the symptoms. House walks into Boyd’s room and orders him to strip. House is looking for the sores that are symptomatic of herpes encephalitis, mentioning to Walter that Boyd contracted it through sex. "
Are they saying that genital herpes sores are symptomatic (a symptom of the disease) of encephalitis? That's like saying that with high thyroid... You must have encephalitis! (Hashimoto's).... Receiving mosquito bites....you must have encephalitis! (West Nile). Diagnosed with measles, mumps, rubella, or chickenpox... you must have encephalitis!
None of these statements are inaccurate, of course, but I think the author of this episode is really pushing the facts on this one, and also:
a) frightening folks with genital herpes sores, that encephalitis is pending.... and also....
b) telling folks with HSE that they must have had genital herpes.
House website quote: "A few days later, Boyd knocks on House’s door."
You're telling us that days shortly following fever, delerious, and being diagnosed with HSE, this survivor is out for a walk? Now I can tell you from personal experience that a survivor of HSE spends months recovering... and does NOT go for a walk a few days later.
Wendy Station, President
Encephalitis Global, Inc.
3 - Diane Kristine
I think they're saying he had herpes encephalitis, not that all encephalitis is caused by herpes or that all herpes causes encephalitis. And I think they give their audience credit for knowing that real life would make for very boring TV and that getting your medical facts from a fictional TV show is probably not the wisest idea.
4 - jlvelt
What I find interesting is that this is the 3rd episode of House where tuberous sclerosis is mentioned, either as a definitive diagnosis or as part of the differential. This is an extremely rare genetic condition that both of my children happen to have, which is the only reason I have any clue what it even is. But on House (my very favorite show on TV, by the way!!), TS has been mentioned in some fairly inaccurate contexts, including referring to it as a form of cancer, which it is not, even though benign tumors are part of the disease; and in the House vs. God episode, there is no mention of trying to eradicate the seizures and auditory hallucinations (potentially another type of seizure) through anticonvulsant drugs--we skip immediately to brain surgery, which is definitely a last resort for TS patients. Kind of weird--the first time I heard them mention it, I was sort of proud of the whole "Hey, you're BUSTED--that's not right! tee hee" but by the 3rd episode where TS was referenced, I am now wishing that if they're going to mention it, please use this as a forum to spread accurate information about a disease that is so rare that it gets totally inadequate funding so that somebody might pay more attention.
5 - Bob
Having herpes encephalitis does not mean you have genital lesions, or cold sores - you can't diagnose herpes encephalitis from looking for genital lesions or cold sores. Very interesting episode though, lots going on. Not sure why the kid lost his confidence at the end, I'm sure God probably wanted him to have some fun while spreading his word, shouldn't be beating himself up about it.
6 - gail
jlvelt - since you have two children with TS, you must know that it is NOT a rare disease, though research is severely underfunded. It's more common than cystic fibrosis. I do, however, agree that the writers of the show need to do significantly more research about TS because they definitely get it wrong!