“There are known unknowns. That is to say, things that we now know we don’t know." — Donald Rumsfeld on Iraq, 2002
First, I cannot believe I’m quoting Donald Rumsfeld. The very thought makes me cringe. All I can say is Doris Egan and Matt Lewis made me do it. They wrote this week’s wonderful House, M.D. episode, “Known Unknowns.”
Taking steps into the unknown requires leaps of faith most of us try to avoid. It takes courage and belief that what you are doing is the right thing to do, consequences be damned. Forays into the unknown are risky, whether you’re going to war, giving a controversial speech, taking a bold step with your heart or attempting something life-changing. “Known Unknowns,” this week’s episode of House, M.D, did a good job of exploring courage: moral courage, simple courage, the courage to change, and the courage to understand that the status quo, no matter how comfortable, is no longer valid.
Egan is the queen of the House road trip. “Son of Coma Guy” (3x07), “Birthmarks” (5x04) — even that long, silent road trip to “Mayfield” that concluded last season (“Both Sides Now,” 5x24) — are all her writing. She also is noted for her special care of the House-Wilson dynamic. “Known Unknowns” did not disappoint.
Treating a teenager after a wild night leaves her appendages swollen, the team is baffled, but learns that the girl is lying about her “wild night.” Chase, Cameron, and Foreman try to wend their way through the girl’s tangle of lies to arrive at a truth that will save her life. And as the team works the case, Wilson, House, and Cuddy travel to a medical conference in the Adirondacks on pharmacology and public policy.
Since he’s come back to Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital, House has been living with his best friend Wilson, trying to put his life back together. In the last episode “Brave Heart,” House took a hesitant step towards Cuddy, telling how she makes him feel. This week he seems resolved to pursuing a relationship with her, something for which he lacked any sort of courage last season.
This is a brave step for House. He knows he can’t hope to win Cuddy by maintaining his heavily guarded façade, and perhaps his confidence is bolstered by his affair with Lydia while at Mayfield. His affair with Lydia ended with him getting hurt. But House is resolute to venture into the unknown, hoping, but not really knowing, where it all will lead. At first refusing to go to the conference, he changes his mind when he learns Cuddy will be there.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - CJD
I need more help in understanding the Lucas scene. I cannot think of a single reason for Cuddy to have told Lucas about House. I am positive that she did, Lucas could not have discovered this no matter how good a PI he is. There is no way, while investigating a accounting problem, that he could have learned these intimate details. Even if he knew some things, like the shouting off the balcony incident, which he may have questioned Cuddy about, he could only have found out the rest if she told him. She could have said something to satisfy Lucas without betraying House. I believe it was a betrayal. The details of his delusion are something that is so private, that I find it unbelievable that Cuddy could have told Lucas. He is not exactly a friend of House's, certainly not a close one. Even if Cuddy felt she had to talk to someone, Lucas is a new boyfriend, and at this point in their relationship, he doesn't deserve the position of recipiant of this knowledge. Look what he did with it. He was not being ingenious, or talkative, he purposely taunted House with his personal and private information, treating him as a rival, not a friend.Cuddy did not tell him to shut up either. I don't get any of this at all. Hopefully someone can tell me something to make it understandable.
2 - nicole.o
I must say I was floored at House's 180 degree turn in putting himself out there and so agressively seeking out Cuddy for an actual relationship. Floored and elated about every part of it. But when I saw Lucas in the room with Cuddy and House's reaction, after he'd gone to offer to babysit of all things showing he would do ANYTHING for her, just crushed me!!I kept saying "no!no!no!" to which my husband reminded me it was a tv show... lol But you get so personally attached to these characters I couldn't help my reaction. Anyhow, you could tell Cuddy was torn a bit, but it seemed like she was almost giving up on what she really wanted because of the baby...settling if you will. Lucas doesn't seem like enough man for her either, it's an odd fit. He's good with Rachel, but not intellecutally on the right level for her. I also think she was careless on inviting Lucas up there if she didn't want House to find out. My heart went out to House, for all his efforts and putting himself out there rejection like this from the woman who even Lucas acknowledged was his savior of sorts in his delusion, might just drive him back inside or even back to drugs. I love seeing House put himself out there so much, I just wish Cuddy would follow suit and let her guard down too.
Loved House and Wilson as well. But the actual case actress (daughter of Katie Jacobs I believe)wasn't all that inspiring. It would be hard to compete with everything else so big going on personally with the characters we adore, but they have had some amazingly brilliant guest stars on there and she kinda fell short for me.
One more adder, I wasn't super excited at the promo for next week where House goes back for his "old" team. I love the dynamic so much more with the originals. I could do without Taub and 13. WIsh they would keep it that way, alas...not gonna happen.
Thank you Barbara! :)
3 - nicole.o
CJD- I completely agree. It seems immature and out of character for Cuddy to divulge such personal information with a new boyfriend, especially when she has always protected House. I think Lucas's out of line divulging of those private details showed how uncomfortable and threatened he is by House. Cuddy has always been someone House could trust and right in that scene I think she lost some of that. It just shows that even though she is a powerhouse in her job, she's just as awckward in relationships as House. Although this time, I think he showed more maturity than her, and a hell of a lot more class than him.
4 - switchkosterice
For some reason I thought he went to Hopkins first and THEN Michigan. Then we got that "clarification" on Twitter this morning. Now I'm confused.
5 - barbara barnett
House was a class act last night--from that expensive costume for the party to the way he reacted 3x regarding Lucas and Cuddy. He was mature although I'm sure his heart was broken. House is not a "ok the other guy won, I'll just go on to the next babe" sort of guy. Although Wilson can be. But not House.
6 - Sarah
CJD and Nicole -- I was amazed and delighted at House's taking the chances he took both with Cuddy and for Wilson. It is inspring to see his small steps getting bolder and bolder, and Hugh looks to be enjoying doing more than sitting at the DDX table. I was also surprised and dismayed at Cuddy. I agree that she must have been the one to tell Lucas the details of the hallucination -- on the one hand, it lets me know how freaked out she must've been seeing House lose it in front of her that she needed to tell someone so badly. However, Wilson would've seemed the more obvious choice.
Lucas' behavior in the restaurant was not terribly surprising to me; he seemed like a man-boy in the episodes last year, and if I remember right, several mentions were made of his inability to lie well and to know when to shut up. The other thing that bothered me about Cuddy was the way she acted at the beginning of her and House's dance. I don't know if it was Edelstein peeking through Cuddy, but she seemed so happy to be dancing with him and tucked right into his shoulder, etc. Why do that when you know Lucas is waiting for you upstairs (OK, I know why I'd do that, but you get my point?)? It seems like she wants House as a woman and someone "reliable" as a mother -- if Lucas continues to be written as he was in this episode, he will be quickly showing her that she's made the wrong compromise. I will be very interested to see what Wilson, as a witness to all this, will have to say/do in the weeks to come.
On other fronts, I could've cared less about the POTW, something that I find disturbing as the show works best for me when there's both an interesting case as well as interpersonal dynamics. Also, thank God, Chase finally told Cameron -- the two of them being cold and distant with each other is not something I need to keep seeing to get the point. Thank you, Barbara, for another interesting review!
7 - IronCelt
As for the "uninteresting patient story," here's some trivia: it was the third time the writers have employed the disease hemochromatosis on this show. Is that some sort of record? Okay, so maybe only I and my fellow HH patients noticed! Great episode and review of the character dynamics, as usual. Thanks!
8 - nicole.o
I agree Barbara, House won't give up so easily. Not his style.
Sarah- Probably a bit of Edelstein peeking through. I think Cuddy's reaction at the dance to quickly leave was probably b/c she had Lucas waiting for her and it freaked her out a bit. She loves House, always has. Hearing he has had feelings for her all this time, probably a shock. Plus, she is not very experienced in relationships either. She's immature in a sense and doesn't know what she wants/needs so being excited to be dancing with him then freaking out and leaving is probably a correct dipiction. It was (fun isn't the right word) but interesting to see House be the stable one for once.
Greg Y has said ep 14 will be a big one...maybe that's when these two come together for something??? Hope so...
9 - Jen
Barbara, House was a class act last night! I just loved that ep, as I think the "road trip" ones are some of my most favorite re-watches! Funny thing, each one is on my iPod! I too think House has not given up entirely, that is not his way. I love how he is always protective of his friends and caring, with Wilson and Chase last night. Great review as always BB and I love reading everyone's comments. Mondays with House are an excellent way to spend one-seventh of your life!
10 - IronCelt
I just can't find anything believable in the Cuddy-Lucas link--any more than I could ever see anything believable in the Foreman-13 link. But watching the "clean" House is weird; seeing him react rationally and appropriately is jarringly bizarre.
11 - Flo
great episode. I really liked the interactions between all the characters. Even Foreman was good! I liked his talk with Cameron. "You should trust him", Foreman at his best!
House is really trying, like Wilson says and this episode is the first one, he succeeded completly. He was great from beginning to end. Mature, nice, considerate, class as everyone puts it.
The dance scene was very good, and it's nice to learn more about House and Cuddy's shared past.
It's interesting to see that he fantasized about Cuddy telling him she always had feelings for him, all these years, in "Under My Skin" to see him revealing, for real, that he always had.
The realization that he wanted more than a one night stand is, understably, a shock for her.
That scene is obviously pivotal in their relationship and it will be interesting to see the fallout. It gave the tone of the other scenes, especially the coffee shop one.
Everyone was very uncomfortable and I think Cuddy felt really bad after what House admitted to her. She doesn't know what to do with that statement. Lucas attempt to break the awkward silence was stupid and fun. He really made a fool of himself. The others faces while he rambled were priceless. At least he realized that he should shut up....a little too late. It's like Cuddy has two kids now. We'll see how it works. Anyway the looks, especially between House and Cuddy, were fantastic.
The Wilson storyline was great. I like the fact that House admitted to not have been always a good friend during the speech. he is one now. Honestly I think Wilson wasn't always a good friend either but they seem to come to a new phase now that Wilson is acknowledging House's change.
It is not easy to face with dying people all day, every day and the story was well put.
The change of scenery was good, it's great to see the characters outside PPTH once in a while and I think the trips are conducive to confessions or/and bold actions. It's an adventure. It's like, there are some things we can't do in our regular place.
Back to PPTH, the PotW wasn't exciting but it was okay. Seing the old team on their own was nice.
I'm glad Chase finally told Cameron about Dibala. Nice scene. Good filming. We'll see the fallout for that too.
Anyway, very good episode and good review as always Barbara!
12 - Narenika
"the moral courage required by Chase to assassinate Dibala"
I stopped at this moment and asked myself "what?!". Chase is a hero now? Maybe we all should have this "moral courage" and walk around killing every criminal we see, or every person we suspect being criminal, or just every person we dislike.
13 - enbeecee
Cuddy looked appalled and embarrassed at Lucas's logorrhea. The dance was priceless. Even the music (Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time") upheld the themes of the episode. And House's costume not only made a cane a logical part of his apparel; it echoed some of Hugh Laurie's other roles.
I somewhat understand Cuddy having some fun with Lucas, as the childish/childlike traits he evinces probably would be less grating in a one-on-one setting, and his boyishness might be a refreshing change from the life-and-death stresses of running a hospital. But the look on her face after his mouth keeps running says she's questioning his place in her life. I think the POW acted more mature than he did. But this is pretty much who I've always seen in him: a kid who says whatever comes in his head, with no governor on his tongue.
Bottom line, IMHO: she can run rings around him in the brains and maturity departments, and that means he's not going to last long. Not to mention the fact that his immaturity highlights how much House has progressed in so many ways.
14 - NancyGail
Is euthanasia the theme of the season? First Chase, and now Wilson. I realize the patient more or less committed suicide in RSL case. Cameron also did a patient assisted suicide too. Seems to me they all forgot Hippocratic oath. Chase I can understand, but Wilson's patient would have died on his own without any help had he just been left alone. House was right, Wilson might be the only oncologist who feels guilty his patients get sick.
15 - Endocrin74
Loved this episode, i love all episodes with House Wilson and Cuddy being at the fore front of it.
In my opinion though i have slowly begun to realize that Cuddy is the master manipulater & will do anything just to make House do his job, whether it be by flirtation (often the way he seems to respond better to since season two)or by assertiveness when he is that engrossed in a puzzle that the flirtation doesn't work.
I see season 5 with regard to their kiss as shared pain and the flirtation afterwards of her trying to establish their ground and figure out what best approach to take with him and when Kutner committed suicide she tried to be there for him but flirtation couldn't work and she knew her just being there for him would't work.
I have no doubts that she admires House and they have trust for each other and she tries to support him and always tries to treat him as an equal but (in my opinion)she does pity him (she knows House hates pity) and with this revelation about Lucas knowing his private matter from her?
16 - Delia_Beatrice
I agree to most of the opinions stated above, but i do have one little comment: what i think happened to Lucas was that he burst out with the enormous frustration and anger of what he experienced - Cuddy used him as a babysitter, but forced him to be her "dirty little secret" for fear his presence might hurt House. It shows her great concern for House as well as her lack of concern for Lucas... I mean, suppose Lucas and CuddI also think it's a possibility that Cuddy gave all that information to Lucas in her attempt to explain to him why she thinks House must not find out about them... If she hadn't told all that to him, why would Lucas accept that humiliating role, the babysitter locked in the room?
17 - Delia_Beatrice
I am so sorry:). That was my 2 years old son, pressing buttons over my hand... I do apologize for the multiple posting and the interrupted phrase.
One other thing i attempted to say was this: picture a new couple in love - Lucas and Cuddy. How can a woman convince her boyfriend that he should help her take care of her child, but that he needed to stay locked up in a room for fear a friend of hers finds out they are dating - a friend that Lucas suspected had feelings for Cuddy even last year?! My guess is, she tells him why she thinks House is vulnerable - yes, it is a form of betrayal of House's trust, but it is also the proof that she understood exactly the meaning of his hallucination AND that she cares about not hurting House more than about not humiliating Lucas.
Also, i would really want to know when exactly did she start dating Lucas. Because the question pre-or-post House's return from Mayfield is essential! If she began seeing Lucas after House returned from Mayfield, then i think it was because he showed her clearly that "hings were not going anywhere anylonger in Epic Fail. So she was hurt and disappointed ("House, i am going to miss you", remember?) and she tried hard to move on with her life, even if it meant settling for this pairing with Lucas, who is clearly beneath her and a very improbable match.
I find it very hard to understand how this whole Lucas game can continue for so many episodes - they said he is going to be "a presence" (in Cuddy's life, even if not on screen) even after episode 12. I feel that is far too much...
18 - simchasd
Barbara, you must be up to all hours of the night getting these reviews out the very next day. Hats off to you, as your commentaries thresh out the episodes for us & give us a better understanding of the inter-dynamics at play.
I tremendously enjoyed this episode but as others have mentioned, I found Cuddy's actions & responses to be out of character with the role of the intelligent, caring & discerning medical director. Leaving House in the middle of the dance floor at that party, after they both were very sweetly going down memory lane together, while House was confessing his long standing interest in her is nonsensical. What was she running away from?
Talking to Wilson, the next day and using "baby Rachel" as a pretext for House not being the right one was extremely lame. As Sarah #6 pointed out, she wants House to be a "reliable mother." As a professional herself, how often is she there for Rachel? Days after adopting Rachel didn't she bring her to House to hold and play with, resembling a little nuclear family? Using Rachel as a wedge between them, at this point,(Rachel appears to be a toddler already) isn't consistent with the reality of the situation. Besides House offering his services to babysit Rachel,a grandiose gesture if you ask me, should have registered with Cuddy.
IronCelt is also correct in stating that there is nothing believable in the Cuddy-Lucas link. The appearance of Lucas was like that of pulling a rabbit out of a hat. The two had no chemistry before and certainly do not now. And the fact that Lucas was told all the grisly details which he decided to use as filler conversation at breakfast and neither the protective & caring Wilson nor Cuddy did anything to stop him, also lacks credibility.
This hooking up of Cuddy with Lucas is a BIG mistake. He has no gravitas to compete with House. Since Lucas must have so much time on his hands, having him as the babysitter is about all he is good for. This cha-cha like dance that they have House and Cuddy playing, needs to be more in-step with their characters.
19 - Dee
This episode was subpar on so many levels. The House/Wilson scenes were wonderful (thank you, Doris), but the entire episode was choppy and disjointed. It seemed as if a lot of individual scenes were just strung together randomly. The POTW was awful, and the medicine was highly inaccurate.
The worst thing, though, is what the writers have done to Cuddy. The gratuitous and unnecessary boob and butt show at the beginning of the episode made me want to scream. (No, Greg Yaitanes, it is NOT amusing at all.) What are we supposed to think about an administrator that dresses and acts this way with her employees?
Cuddy led House on during the dance, only to dump him when he finally opens up to her. Lucas? Really? This is who she chooses to be "there for her every day"?
And the absolute worst scene in the entire episode was the restaurant scene. I have NO DOUBT that Cuddy told Lucas everything about House's hallucination, breakdown and subsequent instutionalization. Not only is she cruelly and callously betraying her "friend", she is also his EMPLOYER and has A LEGAL OBLIGATION to PROTECT House's private information and not share it with ANYONE.
There is a lot of Cuddy bashing going on, and it's going to continue if the writers insist on writing the character this way. It is a shame what they have done to destroy this once strong, confident, and independent woman. And enough is enough with the suggestive wardrobe and deliberately suggestive behavior.
I honestly don't know what TPTB are thinking lately.
20 - barbara barnett
It was great to come home this evening to so much debate. Thanks.
Interesting thing that may have gotten lost was after House hinted to Cameron that there may be a secret, Foreman tells Chase that maybe that's House's way of telling him to "talk to her." YES!
Is he finally getting House? House is never straightforward, he teaches by challenge and metaphor. He wants people to figure it out for themselves. Is Foreman finally beginning to understand HouseSpeak?
21 - simchasd
Just some interesting trivia for those insomniacs. Hugh Laurie's costume that he wore to the party was very reminiscent of him in Annie Lennox's music video, Walking on Broken Glass, where he sports a more elaborate version of it. For a kick watch it on You Tube.
22 - Rewriter
Thanks, Barbara, for your usual insightful commentary. I agree with many of the comments made here, but I think that the breakfast babbling that Lucas did was totally intentional and wickedly aimed right at House's heart. Lucas (who is a very smart PI) acknowledged an interest in Cuddy last year and he knew then that House had a similar interest; remember "we'll see who gets there first"? That Lucas got there was undoubtedly painful as well as "awkward" for House, but discovering the betrayal of his secrets (the unknown made known) by Cuddy had to be the pivotal point of the script. House's reaction is indeed classy, and he ironically accepts Lucas' offer of ginger ale "with lemon" just as sour and acid as Lucas' revelations. It will be interesting to see if House's new coping skills are enough to get him past the betrayal, just as he is learning to trust.
23 - CJD
Rewriter: good catch of the unknown made known.As I wrote before, I totally agree with your thoughts on Lucas' motivation in his babbling-which was actually well thought out and planned.You bring up an excellent point about how House will handle this next. I'm not sure he is far enough in his recovery to be able to use the coping skills he is just now learning.I really hope this is not something that will cause him to backslide.
24 - Meena
Thank you for your review, Barbara. Though I liked, and did not love this episode, I did love the title of it (from Rumsfeld nothwithstanding, I agree with you Barbara!), as well as the way that this show gets me to think about all the levels of connections that can happen over a given episode.
For instance, as soon as the diagnosis was hemachromatosis (which my non-medical mind summarizes as too much iron), I loved that a song by Metallica (heavy metal) was used as a diagnostic tool; I wonder if that is a happy accident or something the writers planned.
But otherwise there were too many subplots and stories going on in this story to coherently follow everything that was and wasn't happening. I think it made the writers a bit sloppy - come on, an open glass with grape soda? House would have injected a closed can or something, to give the illusion that he was not up to something devious. The way that Wilson took the grape soda, I felt like he must have known House was going to drug him, and he wanted House to do so (without admiting to it). And Chase with the oysters? I was convinced that that was a red herring. But unfortunately, it was oysters. lame.
And I prefered my own known unknown regarding House and Cuddy's backstory, because I don't think this revelation tells us anything truly new about their relationship and feelings or what they mean to each other (we already know they are attracted in a special way towards one another).
I have to say that this is the first episode by Doris Egan that has made me cringe at some of the dialogue. I still think she's one of the absolute best writers they have.
With all that said, I really have to commend RSL, LE, and HL on their sublime acting - amazing stuff. This episode was not about shifty eyes, but staring straight.
Especially LE, she has played Cuddy more somber and quiet this season, and yet somehow more vulnerable with House. Even though she's not with House at this moment, and is truly conflicted by the idea of a relationship with him (and rightfully so), their honesty about what happened (both last season and in med school) and their feelings being out in the open is new territory for both.
25 - IronCelt
Dee #19 wrote that "the POTW was awful, and the medicine was highly inaccurate." I hope no one who watches medical dramas ever thinks for one second that there is any reality in the medical situations dramatized. The TV dramas that have featured patients with hemochromatosis have been so far from reality that I've quit telling people I have the disease for fear they'll think I have the symptoms House's patients have (remember the Katrina survivor?!)