The third season finale of House falls somewhere between the brilliant re-examination of its main character in season two's "No Reason" and the anticlimax of "Honeymoon" as a finale after the spectacular "Three Stories" in season one. But I loved the confirmation of and justification for House's bastardliness, elevating this episode above most others of the season for me.
"Human Error" is part cliffhanger, part character study, answering the question: is House hiding a heart of gold? The answer, of course, is no. No, he's really, really not, and he's had enough of the people around him thinking he is.
Written by Thomas L. Moran and Lawrence Kaplow — in his final script for the show he's been with since the beginning — this episode is almost an answer to "No Reason," where House realized that his reliance on rationality over empathy has negative consequences. Yet his actions throughout this season would indicate that he hasn't changed his behaviour after that epiphany. Why? Because he is not empathetic, not caring, not interested in seeing his patients' life stories as anything other than case histories, and not prepared to change his personality while he changes guitars and employees.
"Human Error" is a rematch of sorts in another sense. It's "House vs. God" take two, as the "atheist"-who's-mad-at-God House does battle with the deity over credit as the saviour of the well-named Marina, plucked from the ocean. It's an amusing spin on the God complex that doctors — especially fictional ones — display.
We meet Marina shivering in a rescue helicopter as her husband Esteban is making rescue attempts difficult by grasping a large suitcase. The Coast Guard seems to read from the same playbook as House, doing what he must to save the dying — he dunks Esteban into the ocean until he loses consciousness and his grip on the suitcase, which contained Marina's medical records.
Esteban is a mechanic, the guy who can fix anything, except his wife. For that, he turned to House, his love for her not letting a pesky thing like geography get in his way.
It's a story that would melt even the coldest heart, right? Have you met Dr. House?
House is still struggling with Foreman's decision to quit, alternately stalking him at his going-away party (wearing his trucker hat disguise, declaring himself "Best in Show") and verbally patting him on the head at every turn.
Wilson: He thinks you're a cold-hearted bastard with no regard for anyone else. You have to show him you care. You are not good with change.
Article comments
1 - Phillip Winn
Great recap, as always. I was desperately waiting for this after watching the show (taped) last night.
Two things:
1. The guitar was from eighth grade, he said.
2. I think Cameron said what she did ("I've gotten all I can from this job.") to mirror what House had told Chase, which she would have learned as pillow talk with Chase.
One of the best episodes yet, and a fantastic un-cliffhanger. Your connections to past episodes are fantastic. House is embracing manic change because he doesn't do anything by halves, but I think we'll find he can't handle the change as well as he thinks he can.
2 - Diane Kristine
1) Curse you and your good memory :) Wilson or House said 8th, the other said 9th, and I didn't have the recording with me to help remember who said what.
2) I agree, though I don't know if it means a) it's a ploy to get Chase his job back b) she realized it's true c) something my tiny brain hasn't thought of. I'm thinking a) but the show often goes in directions I hadn't considered.
3 - Maddoc
Wilson said 8th grade.Is it just me or the new guitar was a replica of the old one?I think with his fellows,he went big.Change is a risk.So he took it where he could distance himself from it at an intellectual level.But when it comes to personal change,be it anything,he goes small,hence the replica replacement.
And I agree with his last outburst at Foreman.Who cares what a doctor's motives are when he fixes his patients.I think he does care.It is impossible not to.But there is a huge difference between simple caring and making it into an emotional booby-trap.And even if he doesn't,how could caring make it any different for the patient?Why are 'his' motives such a big deal?Everybody has motives.Who are we to define which ones are good to have and which ones not so good.Wilson and even Cuddy have been harping this ever since season 3 started.I just don't get it.
4 - Joey
[Quote]No, he really, really doesn't care, and he's had enough of the people around him thinking he is[/Quote]
Remember "Euphoria"? He seemed to care a lot then.
5 - Diane Kristine
Were you trying to quote the heart of gold line from the review, or did someone else use the line with "care" in it? Because being an occasional human being doesn't qualify someone as having a heart of gold.
But, while I wouldn't characterize it as anywhere near "a lot," he cares selectively - he put Foreman's life in danger, and Foreman is one of the few people in his narrow life. He cares about Wilson to the greatest extent he's capable, and let it show in Son of Coma Guy and Babies and Bathwater. I'd say he connected to the little boy in Lines in the Sand, and the woman in Control, too, though "care" might be a strong way to put it.
But about most patients? About this particular patient? Not one bit. And throughout season three, he seems to care even less than seasons one and two, even putting his own needs and addiction above the patient's benefit in some cases.
6 - Sub
Am I the only one who noticed that House had tears in his eyes when he was sitting back at home staring at his old guitar while Esteban was leaving him a voicemail? His eyes were red, puffy and there were definite tear streaks below his eyes.
7 - reybo
What is it with supervising sound editor Brad Norta? The background music is twice the volume it should be in this episode, and covers the dialogue. No one in the audio department noticed this?
Alas, it's one of two recurring bad features of this series, the other being the choice of background music. Sometimes ok, sometimes execrable.