In one very important way, this week’s episode of House, “Recession Proof” (7x14) is pivotal both for the character of House (the always-amazing Hugh Laurie), and for the series. For Dr. Gregory House, the events of “Recession Proof” are a turning point for him, a significant barrier at last addressed—at last surmounted.
The patient this week is an out-of-work real estate developer, who has been unable to tell his wife that he’s now working as a janitor and has put them in dire financial straits. After he collapses at an Asian restaurant after consuming a live—and squiggling worm-like delicacy (ick), the team tries to piece together possible causes through lies and the things he’s concealed that might provide insight into his rash, fever and organ failure.
Along the way, Masters (Amber Tamblyn) begins to understand the value of lying, as she is forced to deal with the patient’s wife—and gain her confidence and consent. Under Chase’s (Jesse Spencer) caring mentorship, Masters gets through it, wiser and more understanding that the blunt truth, harshly told, is not always the right thing to do.
In the end, House realizes that the patient suffers from a treatable genetic condition. But, by the time he puts the puzzle pieces together, and arrives at the correct diagnosis, it’s too late. Masters and Chase arrive just as the patient arrests, and despite Masters’ heroic attempts to revive him, the patient dies. It is the first time for her—she’s never lost a patient, but again, Chase is there, providing guidance and quiet support. I’m really liking this Chase! Glad he’s back.
Meanwhile, House has a command performance: he must escort Cuddy to a hospital charity gala being thrown in her honor. We know, as well as Cuddy and Wilson, that House has a bad track record attending these sorts of events. However, he plans on going, insisting that he will be there—and even taking Wilson’s $200 bet on it. Despite Wilson’s (and by extension, Cuddy’s)
extreme skepticism, House even auditions a mariachi band (to hire at his own expense!) to surprise Cuddy at the gala. This is her night—and, after all, the dinner is in her honor. House believes she deserves more than a token gift from the hospital board—she deserves a grand gesture (like a mariachi band) to truly mark this moment.
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Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - leah
Wow i didn't know House was really this miserable, sad but i hope he could balance his job and relationship
2 - 54
Barbara, as always, your review sheds light on aspects of the show that I hadn't thought of. Thank you for your wonderful insights!
I agree with Barbara that House's revelation is immensely significant for him as a character and for the series. I wonder how this will play out in the future.
I thought the events leading up to House' revelation could have been presented in a better way, but, I think I see the point the writers are trying to make in showing how much House has allowed people to affect him, and how his love for Cuddy has taken him further on his personal journey towards self-development.
I know that there are fans of the show who think some things House has done (in relation to Cuddy) in Season 7 has been out of character, but, I wonder whether or not that is partially the point that the show is trying to make. People may not fundamentally change when they are in love, but, do we not change significantly at least some part of our lives when we are deeply in love with someone? I am unhappy with the way in which the writers have handled the topics, but I think that the topics needed to be covered. I hope that the writers (maybe it's the editing? allotment of time to certain themes?)have a compelling story ahead of us for Season 7.
I liked this episode much better than last week's episode. I am SO excited for "Bombshells"!
3 - The OTher Barnett
Barb,
First of all, thank you for leaving the Bert and Ernie part of the story alone. It was somewhat annoying....and not overly amusing.
I'm increasingly dreading the departure of Amber Tamblyn....she is really bringing something special to the show. House taking to his bosom and saying she is growing up.....lovely!
Chase may be the hero for the last season and a half. He has really developed and is a more completely realized character than anyone else in the show, except House, of course.
At first I was annoyed with House drinking in his pub, until I returned to the natural thought that "this is what House does, be dysfunctional in some way because his mind is screwing with him". I was similarly worried about the confrontation with Cuddy at her house (for some reason I was worried about Rachel being scared or disturbed).....then was amazed (my mouth was agape) at this disturbingly weird sense of peace that House shared over being fallible for Cuddy.
My one concern is to what extent is Cuddy going to remember the conversation with House when her mother was dying when House said he did not want Cuddy resenting him for her mother's death. What if House slowly builds a "resentment callous in his soul" after a few deaths? What if, out of nowhere, House takes it out on Cuddy in a destructive manner because he blames her for every death that he thinks he could have prevented with more immediate diagnostic insight? Great for a story arc, but a sure way to chase Cuddy away.
But it does make me root for a return of Andre Braugher.
4 - The Other Barnett
Leah, which House TV show have you been watching? Misery is always going to be a House characteristic....its like expecting Eeyore to be telling jokes!
5 - ruthinor
I agree with Barbara that it has been a recurrent theme that House believes that he can't be both happy and a great doctor. So nothing in this episode is surprising in that regard. But I have a much darker feeling about the scene at Cuddy's house at the end. While it's true that House was drunk and had just lost a patient, telling someone you love that the act of loving her leads to the death of patients because she's "making him a crappy doctor" lays a total guilt trip on Cuddy. How is she ever going to forget that thought? No wonder she had that look on her face. Will he blame Rachel some day too if she distracts him from a case? Maybe it's a kind of breakthrough for House, but it's at Cuddy's expense. Seeing his head in her lap at the end, all I could think was she's now got two kids, not one.
6 - The Other Barnett
Ruthinor, I agree with the two kids comment, can only hope this is drunk House, not sober House from now on.
At the risk of sounding a bit irritated with Cuddy up to this point, is it not kind of payback for Cuddy's hang-ups coming home to roost (along with House's head) on her lap? After all, hasn't this season been so much about Cuddy and Wilson trying to domesticate House?
7 - Visitkarte
I also think this episode is foreshadowing the next one. This episode brought back one memory in me, it was contrasting House’s decision on the end of ‘The Softer Side’: “This is the only ‘me’ you get” is what he decided back there, and now, after a lot of thinking and despair, he decides: “No matter what, I want to be with you, I want to be happy”.
I have no doubts he is, as usually, too hard on himself. It wasn’t that he is a worse doctor (actually, he is, he is too distracted, not so focused, but it wasn't why this patient died), he’s lost patients before, miserable or not, but if he follows his logic, it’ll bite his a** the next episode. Then he’ll have to confront the possibility of losing her anyway if he isn’t on his top, or if her attending decided they wanted to be rather happy than try and save Cuddy, to hell with the patient!
He is in his journey and it’s a thin line between being happy and still being a great genius, or just being one of the two. I guess he was genius before, while he was together with Stacy. He just needs to snap out of it and find his mojo again, find the fine balance. I guess that’s what his journey will be this season, the ‘main story’. This time, for the first time since we know him, he’s willing to try. I hope he’ll see next episode, that he can an needs to do both: obsess over the current patient AND be happy. He can do that, and next time he might get the big incentive to do so.
I love this character development, because it means he is opening up and learning, he is getting more mature. It’s like HL said, you can only keep a character on edge for so long, before the viewers start sheering: Jump finally, we are fed up! Gregory House is going another route, and it takes a lot of bravery to face the challenge. I hope Gregory House, the character and DS & Co are up to the task.
8 - Sheryl
I really liked last nights ep. I liked everything--all of the stories were so interesting to me, from the POW feeling he needed to hide the truth from his wife to Masters figuring out that the blunt truth may not help get what needs to be done, done. Taub and Foreman, too, seemed to be figuring out how much is too much when it comes to their relationship.
I liked especially the way so many characters assumed the worst about House, based on "experience"--and that Wilson finally saw that his own assumptions were way off.
Finally, I was amazed at House's admission to Cuddy. Just amazed that he would make that choice. And now I find myself thinking that this is it. That's the happiest you'll see him; it's all downhill from here. Cuddy's reaction, I think, is the key. She seemed happy that he chose her at first, but then disturbed. I can't help but think back to the first episode, and her claim that she didn't want House to change. Well, something has. Now the doctor she's been amazed with--because of his mind and abilities--has admitted that he's okay with not being perfect anymore, because of her. Somehow, I think things will go downhill, but ironically not because of House . . . because of her.
9 - Sheryl
Just one more thing: I don't believe he's a worse doctor--that's just House thinking that way . . .
10 - Devil's Advocate
I don't think House will ever give up solving puzzles or trying to save lives. What I saw him as saying here is that he will not obsess over the cases and the aftermaths like he used to. He has accepted that he makes mistakes (some because of Cuddy, but some because of other distractions) and he has learned to deal with this. I don't think House would ever deliberately choose Cuddy over the welfare of a patient, but I do think that he has realized that his relationship is more important than risking his life and obsessing over puzzles.
And to be fair, House did not ever say the words that he would choose her over his patients. He said that she was worth being a slightly worse doctor. He's still brilliant, he just has a distraction now that may detract his full attention away from cases. But IMO he would rather have Cuddy and miss a few than get them all and be alone again.
11 - barbara barnett
Yes, of course he's not a worse doctor. But his thinking that is part of his mindset. He's always been in denial about how much he's affected by a patient death--blowing it off as "I solved the puzzle" but we know that's not him :) It's part of what redeems the a** part of him
12 - Abby
"For Dr. Gregory House, the events of “Recession Proof” are a turning point for him, a significant barrier at last addressed"at last surmounted."
I don't know about surmounted but I agree that this is a turning point. This is no longer the character of House I watched the show for. As you point out, he has always defined himself by being a great doctor, now sacrificed for Love of Cuddy. The essence of who he was is gone.
If you have to change who you are to be in a relationship with someone, it's not real love. And not the right person.
13 - Devil's Advocate
By the way, I've read a few posts on several other boards that have insinuated that House actually took the conniving way out of ending his relationship with Cuddy by deliberately making her feel guilty for being with him, knowing it would implode at some point in the future.
I have to say that I disagree with those assessments. I think House genuinely meant what he said to Cuddy, that she was worth everything he had to sacrifice. That may have made her feel somewhat guilty based on her facial expression at the end, but I never saw that as his true intent. If he wanted to end it, he could have done it during this episode or the one from last week, but he wants to stick this out. I think Cuddy may feel worried and a bit overwhelmed about House saying that she was worth it and possibly also concerned, seeing how much House really wants to be with her (nothing else has ever made him accept the death of a patient). Perhaps when he left the bar, he was intending to break it off, but somewhere between the bar and Cuddy's couch, he realized that was not what he truly wanted as Barbara noted in her review.
14 - Devil's Advocate
Hey - just a thought - Foreman has been better lately, seemingly appreciating House more, etc. But he resorted back to his chip-on-both-shoulders ways again when he told Taub near the end of the episode that he didn't "want to end up like House." I swear, I just want to grab him by the lapels and shake him, shouting to him that he would be lucky to be half of the man that House is. Moreover, even Wilson irritated me with his earlier comment that House "never does anything unless it stands to benefit [him]." On the contrary, it wasn't that long ago that House nearly fried his brain and put his own career on the line, respectively, for the sake of his best friend. House was right: "Three failed marriages can leave a man twisted and bitter inside."
Those are my final thoughts for the moment, folks! Hope to be back later today.
15 - Dmcky
Barbara, as always excellent review.
I really enjoyed this episode. The closing scene was gold. I agree that we witnessed a major turning point for House. But only House can make a woman feel like the only girl in the world, but also like crap all at that same time. So charming..ish! I mean I love that he loves Cuddy like he does, mariachi band and all, but knowing who Cuddy is (someone who likes to take care of people), how can she move forward in this relationship happily knowing that she may be contributing to people dying?? Now rationally this will not be the case, but we also know from Cuddy over the years is that she takes what House tells her to heart. His words have weight, which is normal and realistic. She cares about what he thinks about her. And I cant help but wonder if down the line that weight wont prove to heavy on their relationship. Interesting to say the least…
Elsewhere in the ep, love 3M’s growth, tho “baby "steps” to quote House. She ‘s finally beginning to join us in the real world..Tuab and Foreman, I’ll say what a lot have said already, I kinda like them. Never really thought about a bromance there, but you know what, why not?? Keep it up..
I am sooooo ready for next week. This episode is sure to be full of conversation inducing details and revelations..love it.!!
16 - bigHousefan
The last scene in this episode was truly breathtaking. HL was brilliant, as always. The raw emotion, stark honesty, and vulnerability in his admissions to Cuddy were stunning.
I strongly disagree with those who say that these developments are out of character for House. Since the beginning we've watched House battle with his demons, but never completely give up on being happy. For me from the beginning, this story of House and who he is would not make sense without exploring a relationship with Cuddy. It's been a long time coming and unavoidable. I think the chemistry between HL and LE has everything to do with that. Their history and journey together have been compelling to watch.
House is an emotionally fragile soul and Wilson and Cuddy understand that. (Although they have often misjudged House's motives and actions.)
With regard to Cuddy's expression at the end, we have often taken the bait (e.g. Locked In) and read too much into something the director leaves us with in the end.
For me, the end left me thinking how freeing it must be for House to step away from the walls he's built for himself, take off his battle armor, express his feelings in his own inherent manor, and rest contently in his loves's lap.
17 - Dmcky
yeah I gotta add, House's head in Cuddy's lap left me with a huge smile on my face..that was incredibly adorable...and then in true House fashion "my head is on your vagina"..Cuddy: "go to sleep House"...GOLD!!! how can you not love Huddy?!
18 - Orange450
Thanks for a great review, Barbara. As happens occasionally, your review did more for me than the episode did. Not that I disliked the ep, but as pivotal as the ending may have been, the ep didn't hit all the bases for me. While I appreciated the echoes of previous eps and seasons, I couldn't help but feel that the way the ending considered House's balancing of his happines vs. the razor-sharpness of his incisive edge was a bit hackneyed.
@ruthinor #5
I absolutely agree with your take, and I would push the position even a bit further. When House began to tell Cuddy that he was choosing her and happiness over his medical edge - the first expression that passed fleetingly over her face was gratified joy. But it was only visible for a brief moment. Then it was replaced by that look on her face that you refer too. I thought it likely that as worried as she had been for him, she might also be wondering wondering whether it will always be this way with House - will his choosing her always come at *her* expense? Will he always have to break so many eggs to make his omelets? Will he always have to screw up her big night? Will there always, always be some fly in the ointment, some cloud in the sky?
As much as I'm rooting for them, I think it's inevitable that at some point, she's going to do her own painful considerations of love vs. effectiveness.
19 - Orange450
I've got to add a high point of the ep for me - Masters' nonplussed expression as House was hugging her. Amber Tamblyn did that so very well! And the way she looked up at him right before she confessed that she hadn't confronted the PoTW for his lies... It was pure genious on her part. Great wordless acting at a very mature level.
20 - Delia_Beatrice
A larger than life moment there, the final scene of this episode. Giving this romance its just cosmic proportions and marking an incredibly significant point in House's journey.
I believe that his perception of the negative effects this relationship has had on his medical skills is a typical exaggeration, even though his focus on something other than strictly medicine did have a visible effect this year.
It reminded me clearly of "The Softer Side", in season 5, another memorable House-Cuddy scene, in which the same theme is played, but with a very different outcome - House determinedly and desperately refusing to let go of "the one thing he's got, his intellect", firm in his believe that being an extraordinary doctor is the one thing he cannot live without, thus willing to pay any price to maintain his genius unharmed.
So, for House to acknowledge the diminishing effect happiness has had on his medical genius (even if based on a partially distorted perception) and accept living with it, giving himself the gift of happiness while accepting to risk the gift of suprahuman genius, is simply monumental. Epic, epic evolution in him, the man who used to base his worthiness, self esteem and right to live exclusively on his ability to save lives.
His honesty (even if while drunk, House has a too well adjusted defense system, he is not the type to speak the truth unintentionally just because he's tipsy) to her and his full admission of love, need and happiness are another turning point of huge proportions. "I will always choose you" (over saving lives, over "being right", over the one thing that i defined myself by for nearly my entire life) means more than "i love you", means more than "i can't live a day without you".
It's the expression of a dramatic shift in the way House perceives himself and his destiny (he would hate the word:))). He simply came to the point when he defines himself as "the man with Cuddy", rather than "the man with the answers" and suprahuman powers.
21 - Sasha
Barbara
I always enjoy your reviews they are very insightful, but I disagree on one point in your review of this episode. I think Cuddy was pissed at the end of the ep, I don't see how she couldn't be. What House essentially said was that for every patient he manages to save, he's a genius. For every one that dies--for as long as their together, it's all her fault. She's crippling his intellect, but he loves her and doesn't care.
I love House and I love Cuddy and I love them together but I'd have kicked his ass back out in the rain for that one.
22 - bigHousefan
Delia_Beatrice #20
I could not agree more! And thank you for reminding us of Wilson's remark in Both Sides Now - brilliant observation!
23 - Dmcky
@Sasha #21:
LOL, exactly! it was one on of those "awww he's do sweet...hey! wait a minute" moments..of all the backhanded compliments..i don't see how she could be OK with that...but like i said, interesting..
24 - vicpei
The way I see it, House is effectively (and maybe, despite the drunkiness, deliberately) guilting Cuddy into this relationship. Knowing her tendency to guilt, he lets himself go in her lap, telling her that, from now, she is all he has. If she dumps him now or ever, he will be lost. How could she do that, now? In his convoluted, scheming mind, she can't end this now. Now, he is safe.
He is sincere, I think, but also playing her weaknesses. It is a big turn for him, but he is asking her a lot, too. I think she understands very well, and this is why she looked so much concerned.
25 - Dmcky
ooooh, good take vicpei, and just slick enough to be so House..