And once House reveals his indiscretion, it all makes sense. It explains why Wilson was so outraged that Boyd had interfered with Grace, why he was so concerned with her dreams and her potential to be disappointed. It also fits with what we know of Wilson, and adds a little bit more. He's the nice one, but also the one who doesn't seem to uphold his own moral code, choosing comfort over honesty, temptation over faithfulness. House, on the other hand, is the nasty one who, while not necessarily moral by others' standards, rigidly adheres to his unique moral code.
"You eat neediness," House accuses him when he learns how Wilson fell into the relationship with Grace by trying to take care of her when she was at her sickest. "Lucky for you," Wilson replies, in an exchange that succinctly explains their relationship. There's more to it, of course, but that has been the unsaid dynamic between the two - House needs Wilson, and Wilson needs House's need for him.
Though Wilson is usually the one to force House to confront his failings, the poker table is turned here. "You're a functional vampire," House says. "Sure, you're heroic, useful to society, but only because it feeds you." Wilson's weakness is House's strength: that's where House's peculiar nobility is evident - in being the despised hero, useful to society while shunning it. And while he certainly feeds off the intellectual satisfaction of solving the puzzle, he has risked his career not for personal gain, but to save patients.
In one of those character-revealing paragraphs, Wilson doesn't let House have the last character analysis: "You're mad because I lied to you and you couldn't tell. ... That's why you didn't want me in your poker game. Because when it comes to being in control, Gregory House leaves our faith healer in the dust. And that's why religious belief annoys you. Because if the universe operates by abstract rules, you can learn them and you can protect yourself. If a supreme being exists, he can squash you any time he wants."
Their conversation is interrupted by a call notifying House that Boyd has spiked a temperature, which is not a symptom of the easy diagnosis. Walking down the hospital corridor with Wilson, we again see all the pieces come together in House's mind as he realizes the diagnosis that explains everything, from Boyd's symptoms to Grace's remission: Boyd has herpes encephalitis. His touch transmitted the virus to Grace, which acted on her tumor to temporarily shrink it.
House quotes medical journals to give precedents for this turn of events, but this is an intentional credibility-stretching moment that adds even more depth to the episode.
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!