All season, I’ve been waiting for an episode to leave me (at some point) breathless. And this is the first time in a while that I’ve been transfixed by the show (and not breathing — much anyway), cursing the television between commercial interruptions.
Brilliant acting by Hugh Laurie (literally in every single scene — this has to be his Emmy submission!), who conveyed nearly every possible range of emotion, taking us with him on House's nightmarish journey. Lisa Edelstein was terrific as well, bounding from sensuous to caring and protective to frustrated and angry. In fact the entire cast put all into this hour. A stellar script by Garrett Lerner, Russel Friend, David Foster, and Peter Blake from Doris Egan’s story and exciting direction and editing created an intense and harrowing journey for the series’ hero. These are the things that make House great.
“House’s Head,” season four’s penultimate episode (part one of a two-part season finale), allowed us access to House’s mind as he tries to make sense of fractured bits and pieces of his memory after serious head injury leaves him with retrograde amnesia. “Someone is dying because I can’t remember,” House agonizes at one point.
At the episode’s start, House finds himself in a strip club, dazed and confused. A lap dancer struts her stuff and it barely registers with him; he has no idea how he came to be in the club in the first place. Leaving before he has his lap dance, bleeding and unable to remember, he wanders aimlessly into the street. All around him, people run and lights strobe — a chaotic scene. As the camera pulls back to reveal a serious accident scene we, along with House, realize that he was somehow involved in it.
As he is treated in the Princeton Plainsboro emergency room by Cameron, House insists that he had noticed a serious symptom in one of the passengers. And he is compelled to find out who it is, and what is wrong.
Wilson is doubtful, telling House that he can’t be certain that this person even exists; that the symptom he spotted may simply be a figment of a blurry imagination. But House is insistent, driven to reconstruct his memories to save a dying person, risking his health — and his life — in the process.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Mary
After this astonishing and wonderful episode ended, I felt absolutely drained, and still frustrated that I will have to wait until next Monday to (I hope) learn the answers to the many questions it raised: what was Amber doing on that bus, and why was she there in the first place? The promo following didn't help me any, but I have learned not to trust that the promos for "House" do anything but deliver a big plateful of red herring to entice and confuse me.
Despite my frustrations, I cannot think of any television storytelling that is better than this. And after a season with too much reality-TV inspired malarkey, we have been brought back to the dark and complex medical genius of this character who, thanks to Hugh Laurie's incredible performance, we all care about so much. May the Emmy voters this year PLEASE give this man the award for his acting that he has so justly earned.
2 - Ann
Barbara, I have literally been dying to read your review. thanks for not waiting until after part 2. This was one of the most riveting hours of television I've ever watched. I'm certain they'll leave us wondering something at the end of the second part, but I do hope we get some of the answers. All that participated should be nominated for an Emmy- the writers, director, special effects team, and for goodness sake, Hugh Laurie. I thought all of the actors were terrific. I love that it's the original ducklings that House trusts to treat himself. And not that I necessarliy want her to stay, but who is Cameron kidding? She doesn't care about House anymore? Right! I was on the edge of my seat and I can't wait to watch on Monday. I don't know how they can possibly top this episode, but if anyone can this team of writers is up to the task.
3 - Robin
My guess is the next part will be straight and simple. House got drunk at a bar. Called Wilson to pick him up and got Amber instead. She came to the bar and he noticed something odd about her. They were on the bus back to the hospital to have it checked out when the accident happened. That sounds more like typical House behavior. The doubts are present because of House's still muddled memory overlapping with his other fantasies. The show was great. Only House could make me laugh while he is killing himself. Cuddy's protectiveness was wonderful to see.
4 - Toni
I'm one of the slow people who didn't pick up on the amber necklace clue *embarrassed grin*. Funny thing is that my boyfriend picked up on the amber necklace but didn't get the significance since he's more used to Wilson's girlfriend being known as "Cutthroat Bitch".
I'm also dying to know why Amber was riding the bus with House. House's keys were taken from him since he was drunk, but what would Amber be doing on the bus? Perhaps he ran into her at the bar and she also had her keys taken away? She doesn't seem the type to get silly drunk, considering how she scolded House for doing that to Wilson. Or did they purposefully meet for some reason? Aaahhh, speculation, speculation!!
And I wonder what ever happened to the nose-picking emo kid? :D
5 - Barbara Barnett
I am only glad that I am preoccupied this weekend by my daughter's college graduation out of town. I will be so busy running around Boston that i won't have much time to rumminate on what will and will not happen. We land in Chicago only a few hours before the finale.
the tension is positively killing me :)
6 - Sarah
Sorry Barbara, but when I read this sentence "In fact the entire cast put all into this hour" I had to laugh. Who are we kidding with the entire cast? Cameron was barely in it. This is the season finale and the writers didn't bother to give her a more significant presence in the episode. The Cameron we know would have shown more concern for House. In No Reason, House dreamed of Cameron staying at his bedside for two days while he was in a coma. And now my instincts tell me that she's not going to be in next week's episode.
7 - Amanda
"My guess is the next part will be straight and simple. House got drunk at a bar. Called Wilson to pick him up and got Amber instead. She came to the bar and he noticed something odd about her. They were on the bus back to the hospital to have it checked out when the accident happened"
But if Amber picked him up, why would they go on the bus?
8 - Barbara Barnett
Sarah, there were moment with each cast member I enjoyed and thought were well played. Cameron stitching up House; chase's hypnosis was a beautiful moment, well acted by JS; Kutner and Taub's moment with the bit from Fantastic Voyage,and the scene regarding Altered States. All well done bits.
This show was about House. I understand that people like who they like, but I think the writers were able to give each player a nice scene with House. HL was in every single scene, acting his heart out. RSL and LE were also terrific.
9 - Sarah
The whole season is about House and still every other character but Jesse Spencer and Jennifer Morrison get to have more screentime in an episode than the amount of screentime they have had the whole season.
Of course LE were terrific, she was all over the episode. They could have just cut out the strip-tease scene and just give that time to Cameron or Chase.
10 - Tigerfeet
Thanks for a great review, Barbara! A fantastic episode that has taken some time to sink in.
Absolutely agree with you on the great acting from the whole cast, even the one who played the 'Dark Angel" with the amber necklace. She was mesmerizing. But the Oscar (read Emmy) clearly goes to Hugh Laurie, as you rightly point out.
The season finale cannot come soon enough! I can't believe I just said that...
11 - Phillip Winn
Sarah (#9), they most certainly could not!
12 - Barbara Barnett
Philip--
I agree with you...and not (I think) for the reasons you're probably thinkin!
But stripper!Cuddy served an important function in showing House's memory issues as he conflated his real experience with the stripper and his hallucinatory encounter with Cuddy. His hallucination was even set in the same strip club. But it also showed the way their relationship is an intertwined mix of the physical and the cerebral. Their medical debate was practically a seductive dance all by itself.
13 - Phillip Winn
Well, Barbara, that's what I meant, too. Mostly!
Seriously, the level of writing in this episode blew me away. Then, just when I thought that Hugh Laurie had turned in the best performance of House, MD ever, Robert Sean Leonard knocked it out of the park. Amazing, amazing, amazing.
14 - Barbara Barnett
It was a real delight getting to speak with two of the writers the next day, and telling them how much I loved their script. (And pumping them for info on the finale--which they would not give much of)
Robert Sean Leonard was terrific. But HL gave such a spectacular performance, in nearly every frame, and letting us see what is going through House's mind. Phew.
15 - Veresna Ussep
Thank you so much for your review. I have been reading enough spoiler threads and combing over each and every pic released from both parts that I have to admit I would have been surprised if it HADN'T ended up being Amber and yet from the moment House uttered "Amber", I found myself (like so many others) holding my breath and unable to take my eyes off of the screen. Just when I think HL can not top himself, he always does! It was really a shattering experience for me, so much so that when my husband came home three hours later, I made him sit down and watch it with me again! I can only add that I think the final episode will answer some questions but leave us with lots to discuss as we anticipate the next season. (And I can only hope that the actors don't go on strike so we can be treated to a full season next time!)
16 - Marjohn
Barbara:
I recently found your reviews and find them outstanding. I've gone back and read through them, and I admire your insight and perspectives into my beloved House, as well as your responsiveness to all the reader comments.
I've been waiting for your review of House's Head to post so I can run something by you. I go to House's first clear images when Chase first hypnotized him. Faceless crowds, 'Beer' brand beer, etc. The first moment of clarity is Amber, obviously recalling a bit of a conversation they had had regarding Wilson. Wilson interrupts the process, distracting both Chase and House from the goal of accessing more memories. In trying to redirect the focus, Chase tells House to ignore Amber and Wilson, at which point they both disappear from House's consciousness.
I believe that all House's subsequent attempts to access any memories of Amber were blocked by Chase's hypnotic suggestion to "forget Amber". The seductive woman was representative of Amber, yet not her - only House's best attempt at materializing a blocked memory. The seductress' clue-dropping was the only way to break through the barrier to the blocked image of Amber. It is interesting to note that the woman resembled more of a Stacy/Cameron/13 blend (dark hair, high cheekbones) than she did Amber.
My question in anticipation of 'Wilson's Heart' is whether the hypnotic block has been removed entirely with House having identified Amber. As far as House's memory loss, it seems to me that it will be difficult to make a distinction between resulting from the trauma or the ongoing hypnotic block - perhaps even irrelevant.
As close as House and Wilson have been, Wilson has repeatedly done less than respectable things to House, colluded with Cuddy to teach him humility, considered testifying against him, and also lied about dating Amber until House deduced it on his own. As Cate Milton observed in 'Frozen', Wilson is not nearly as nice as people perceive him to be. I anticipate that his suspiciousness of the House/Amber bus scenario will not facilitate House's recovery of his memory or recovery from his traumatic injury.
If you recall in the last few seasons, House has been near death or had cardiac incident (1) following the removal of the thigh muscle infarction, (2) following the shooting in 'No Reason', (3) after electrocuting himself in '97 Seconds' [when he chose to page Amber to resucitate him], and (4) OD'ed on Alzheimers meds. There may be other incidents - these come to mind immediately. That said, he is a man in his mid-40s with a narcotics habit, he drinks, smokes cigars, and engages in all manner of risky behavior. How much more could he take? And from the previews, it seems that Wilson would put House at risk in favor of Amber.
I've got more thoughts on this, but have to leave it at this for now. Will check in later, and I'd love to get your response, B.
17 - Barbara Barnett
Only a few more days to go! Maybe we'll get some sort of preview clip (although I have to confess, I can't find any, even on the FOX press site).
18 - Barbara Barnett
I believe that all House's subsequent attempts to access any memories of Amber were blocked by Chase's hypnotic suggestion to "forget Amber". The seductive woman was representative of Amber, yet not her - only House's best attempt at materializing a blocked memory.
Thank you so much for your very kind words. You're not the only one who is thinking along these lines, I've seen this theory brought up in some of the fan communities that I watch. It's an interesting idea, that the "forget Amber" is significant. Does Wilson appear in any subsequent hallucinations? Because he was supposed to "forget Wilson" too. I can't remember clearly. If yes, you may be on to something.
I agree that Wilson is not anywhere as "good" as he suggests he is. He's done House a lot of harm--more, I daresay, than House has done to him over the four seasons.
19 - Elizabeth
Has anyone noticed that at the end of every season there is one episode that doesn't fit the usual format? And those episodes almost always show House in a vulnerable position or as the patient, which, being overly proud, he obviously can't stand but makes him gain perspective and insight and makes us think, wrongly, that he will be a little softer and less crude in the next season. The episodes I'm thinking about are, of course, "No Reason" and the amazing "Three Stories." Now that "House's Head" and "Wilson's Heart" are airing, I'm wondering whether this idea isn't as new as some reviews are saying it is. I did love the episode, however, and can't wait to see part two. Hugh Laurie is an incredible actor.
20 - Buds
Barbara - Love your reviews. I anticipate them almost as much as I anticipate the episodes themselves. Also enjoy the lively discussions that always come soon after your reviews. Keep it coming ppl.
Just wanted to add my 2 cents with some what if's.
- What if House is wrong about how he came to find out about Amber's illness? What if it wasn't something he saw or noticed, but rather an illness that Amber told him about? Something she wanted to get his opinion on before telling Wilson.
- Along the same lines, what if Amber was pregnant? It would explain House's sudden concern for her (and child), without them having to be in an affair (which I don't think House would do to Wilson). Maybe they were heading to the hospital to give Wilson the good news. She might have come to him to ask him how to break the news to Wilson.
Another thing that perplexes me is why doesn't anyone on the show care about where House was going on the bus? Seems pretty relevant and important to me considering that he has amnesia. If they were heading to the hospital, it would fit with what I said above. If they were going somewhere else, then there is something else going on.
This has been the best episode ever so far. I just hope they can carry this level of excellence on to the finale, otherwise it is going to ruin both of these episodes.
21 - Robin
I think there must have been some event that brought them on the bus together but I don't believe there was an affair. They were sitting across the aisle and not together. And I don't think Amber would have been offended by House staring at her breasts if they were having sex. Another speculation I have concerns a comment that Jess Spencer made about the last 4 shows tying together. What if the dream House has of Amber climbing on his lap and kissing him was actually Cameron making a bold pass. And House's muddled memory is replacing one blond with another. It would explain why Cameron didn't answer Chase about sleeping with House. Just an interesting speculation.
22 - Barbara Barnett
Hey Buds, welcome! I also love the lively discussion here. You raise some good points, and fortunately we only a few days to wait until we find out.
Robin, you also ask some good questions. So much to speculate about. My brain is about to explode from all of the ideas.
There are so many reasons why House and Amber were together: did she contact him? they were sitting in opposite seats, so the weren't "together" in that way, certainly. (Phew on that). Was it a medical reason? Something to do with Wilson? With someone else? Inquiring minds want to know.
23 - Susanne
Barbara Excellent review.
OMG, OMG, OMG FANTASTIC episode!!!!
I swear to god (if there is one) if HL does not get an emmy for this one I will go down to academy and kik their butt all away to Antartica and back! (just kidding)
I thought it was a great piece of work involving all of the actors. I do not believe that house and Amber was having an affair. She was wearing all red in the promo and Amber doesn't wear all red and the type of clothing that she wore throughout the eps doesn't match the outfits on the promo. It could have been cameron and house just mixing her up with Amber.
The pole dancing also showed House's true personality. The medical puzzle will always come first. The pole was also the pole that went through Amber' leg.
Great ep. I can't wait.
24 - hl_lover
In response to the question up above as to whether Wilson continues to appear in House's hypnosis-dreams/hallucinations, yes, he does, which makes the idea of Chase's suggestion blocking House's ability to 'see' Amber rather weak.
Something serious happens involving House and Amber, something that would make House drink heavily,'have feelings' for Amber, and then, after the accident, block recalling it and her.
What could this be? I've read much speculation about the nature of what transpired between House and Amber, and all of this is fun and exciting, but ultimately we have to wait for part II to get some of our answers.
I suspect that not all of our questions will be answered, however, carrying this storyline over into Season 5.
Thanks for the awesome review, Barbara! Look very much forward to your interview with Lerner and Friend on Monday! :)
25 - Barbara Barnett
Susanne, I have to agree with your "OMGs"!
HL_L--yes. I totally agree with your assessment. what would cause House to go on a bender at five in the afternoon. did something happen just before he left for the day? Clearly something has happened that causes him to care about Amber. That scene at the end as they reach for each other and House tends to her before collapsing himself it heartbreaking. Darn! I want to know!
Interview will be up on Monday. Early (I hope). It's actually just about done now.