“Does it bother you that we have no social contract?” House (Hugh Laurie) asks Wilson (Robert Sean Leonard) regarding the unique nature of their relationship in this weeks’ House, M.D. episode, appropriately titled “The Social Contract.” While exploring the necessity of the social niceties and collaborative lies we sometimes need in order to survive in society, the story provides a framework for examining House and Wilson’s personalities and their deep friendship — and their own somewhat perverse “social contract.”
Towards the beginning of season two (“Daddy’s Boy”), House confides in Cameron (Jennifer Morrison), telling her about his difficult relationship with his parents. He tells her that John House was the kind of person who “never lets anyone lie to anyone about anything.” This, House laments, is “great for police witnesses and boy scouts, but not so good for a dad.” But people sometimes lie for good, even noble, reasons. “Collaborative lies,” as Wilson calls them in “The Social Contract,” help people delude themselves to make them happier (or not so sad), more self-confident, or whatever. “Good job!” we assure our children, even when we (and they) know they’ve utterly failed at something.
Is it any wonder that House, so influenced by both his recently-deceased father and his “lie-detector” mother has a perverse relationship with truth telling? Like his father, House can’t resist exposing the harshest unvarnished truths about people in his orbit; yet he lives his life by lies, and none more vital to him than the lies he tells himself: about his leg, about his emotional well-being.
It has long been said that Dr. Gregory House lacks the ability to filter his thoughts. His blunt commentary and seemingly relentless abrasiveness suggest a sort of disinhibition — a refusal to adhere to the social contracts we make with each other that have been part of polite behavior since God lied to Abraham in the Bible. (In Genesis, Sarah laughed at the idea of her aged husband being able to father a child, and God told Abraham a white lie to protect his feelings.) Unlike House, most of us try to spare others’ feelings, even if to do so is a bit hypocritical and sometimes emotionally dishonest. In the season four episode “Lines in the Sand,” House envies his autistic patient Adam because he is exempt from having to participate in the “niceties” that society imposes upon us. It is hard for House to resist exposing the worst truths, to play nice and reside within the accepted norms of society. But he can, and has, do it.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - JL
Oooh, I'm first here!
(although I do realise that the world will have replied by the time I can type this)
Thanks for the review, Barbara!
I like the idea that Wilson has responded to House partly because he sees him as similar to his brother and wants to get this one right.
I wonder how their brotherly friendship may be affected with Wilson's LLB back in the scene...
It is also interesting to speculate how much House's impetuous truth-telling is within his control. Reminds me of the whole debate regarding House's position on the autistic spectrum.
(BTW, I've never heard of the notion that God lied to Abraham. Doesn't he call Sarah on her laughter, and she denies it?)
I await the impending discussion with great interest. :)
2 - Debbie
Beautiful review, as always, Barbara.
I cannot wait to see what the writers have in store for Daniel.
This is by far, my favorite episode of the season. (And I said that last week with The Softer Side!) So much House/Wilson drama but as always, Doris Egan finds the room for some great comedic scenes, such as the one and only Cuddy scene. I laughed so hard when the light switched on and there was House!
3 - Manu
Great review, as usual, Barbara. Not my favorite episode of the season - I'm not a big fan of Egan's episodes - though certainly top 3 this year (the others being Unfaithful and The Softer Side), no arguments here; but it was certainly interesting in terms of character development/exploration, specially when it comes to House/Wilson, which she does extremely well.
It's so refreshing to see that side of House we know exists but so rarely get to see on the show, which is the caring and unconventionally romantic side. Those scenes always bring a smile to my face.
4 - Phillip Winn
This ep felt somewhat unfocused to me, but it had many moments that hit right between the eyes. House's answer to Chase in the locker room -- wow. The quiet desperation with which the patient and his wife, and everybody else, cling to lies as the episode closes -- wow.
I laughed, I cried, it moved me, Bob.
So I don't know why it felt unfocused. Maybe it was just me.
I'm going to watch it tonight again; my wife missed it earlier in the week. Maybe I'll appreciate it better after that.
5 - ns
Now that's what I'm talkin' about! This is why I watch House. More on House and Wilson's friendship, less Huddy please!
I hope the writers keep it up!
6 - barbara barnett
I think the episode had a lot going on in it. So much that it took me three days to write up a review that might ordinarily have taken me three hours. (Of course add to that sleeplessness--and the fact that I didn't get to watch it until the wee hours of Tuesday morning). The patient's story was compelling. House's scene with Chase (I'm with you Mr. Winn--wow!) and what it continued to reveal about what's in House's heart and soul. Then there's the story of Daniel and the convoluted scheme to keep House away (though I really do think Wilson set him up--even if subconsciously). And of course the House-Wilson story and its power and impact. It's all part of a continuing exploration of House's attempts to remove himself from that big ole hole he's dug for himself--and from which he's now struggling to emerge (as he has all season.)
7 - Maddy
Loved the review Barbara! You're insights into House's nature are so, well, insightful : ) Good luck with the renovations, btw (been there!)
Definitely one of my favorite episodes this year. Like Manu, I loved seeing that caring side of House. I was perpetually awing at my TV the entire time during the House/Wilson bromance scenes! The fact that House recognized the effects of his own abrasiveness is a huge step for the development of his character. We finally have a semi-logical and satisfying answer to the question, "WHY are House and Wilson really friends?"
The episode was also raucously funny! Some of my favorite parts: Kutner's Harry Potter reference, Wilson's, "You told me you were one of a kind", House making Taub play racquetball with a squash racket, the Cuddy scene and House's line at the end, "So you really do like monster trucks, right?" LOL!
On the drama side, the scene with House and the POTW in his office and the one with House and Chase were particularly powerful. Not only did he show his vulnerability, but he actually took steps to remedy the painful realization the patient invoked. From a purely selfish reaction, I was so happy not to feel like, "Oh House, why did you screw up again?" This season has really forced him to take a hard look at his life. I'm looking forward to the character development getting even better, particularly from JM's interview!
My only thought really worth writing was on the House/Cuddy scene. Last episode, as we all know, House ended with the powerful line, "This is the only me you get." In my opinion, House set up Cuddy not only to tell her (in a very sweet and still Housian way!!) that she looks good, but also as a test to see whether she was going to truly accept him for who he is - it's hard to get more House than that scene. Judging from Cuddy's satisfied and flattered grin, I'd say she passed.
Anyway, I can't wait to read the reviews on this episode which was so chock full of material for great interpretation! Next week's episode with House and Daniel's meeting should be good, even if I'm wary of the whole cat-plot ...
Oh, my favorite quote from the article was:
"House knows that he drives away everyone who matters to him through his abrasiveness or annoying intrusiveness. But is it a choice for him? Is it something created in his chaotic formative years as a defense against a brutal father and his social isolation? Or is it something in his intrinsic nature?" the ultimate question of the show, one which I relish to contemplate but likewise cannot offer an answer
8 - Eve K
Again thank you for setting this episode in the series context, Barbara. Great review.
An absolutely wonderful episode, one of the best this season.
My main focus this time was not the nature/nurture aspect of House, but the unique contract that House and Wilson has, social or not. I have often speculated about their friendship, being a woman, is it an ordinary male friendship? I dont think so, male readers, fill me in.
Wilson himself was not sure if they were ever friends.(DCE) That is maybe a hash thing to say, but it can depend on what you mean by friends, and that Wilson sees their relationship as something else. Maybe, as someone said, he has seen it as him helping the socially challenged House to try to make up for his failure with his brother.
Or maybe their relationship is more than friends, not in a romantic way, but because it goes beyond the social contract and niceties and common hospitality that one usually have with friends.
What is a friend? Someone who is there for you and makes your life easier. But for Wilson, House is someone he can say truths to, and he does. Someone he doesnt have to be nice to. And he likes that. And in this episode he also tells House that he really appriciate their relationship and the uniquenss of it.
OK, back to the n/n aspect. A person with aspergers or simular conditions is known to be a great and really trustworthy friend if you just get to know him. (usulally its a him) They will tell you if your breath stinks, and they will expect you to be honest, but they will also stand by you in any weather if everyone else doesnt.
It is a common misunderstanding that aspergers dont have empathy. They have it, but they need to learn to express it in ways that are meaningful to others.
So House is trying, he didnt come trough at the end, but then his special interest came in the way, (the puzzle) and then you can just forget about it. But he did try.
Loved the patient of the week, you could really believe that he just had to say these things, that he had NO control.
Love the scene were Cuddy is one-upping 13.
9 - Sheila
Sounds like you have a pile of juggling to do in your life right now Barbara. Stay strong but thanks for getting the review out to your readers.
Just two corrections: (1) Wilson didn't ask House if it bothered him that they don't have a social contract. That question was asked once by House to Wilson at the end of the episode in the elevator.Wilson explained the concept of the Social Contract & how theirs differed in the OR scene.
(2) House doesn't ask Cuddy if she's " flattered" by the sexual comments of the patient. He asks her " you don't even get a slight kick out of that?'. As an aside, Cuddy saying she was 38 was hopefully meant as a joke given her character has been clearly been identified as 40 or over in a number of prior episodes. I wouldn't want to think the writers felt Cuddy couldn't be 40 and sexually attractive at the same time.I was a little offended by that.
I felt this episode finally demonstrated the personal growth that we've been told House has been experiencing this Season. He has learned that his friendship with Wilson is irreplaceable and he has learned to cherish it. House's behavior was in line with his credo of "it's not what he says it's what he does' when he gave up his evening at Monster Trucks to accompany his friend Wilson to NY.
I felt House was doing a Differential Diagnosis on Wilson's brother as Wilson told the story of his brother's crisis and House noted the long daily phone calls Wilson received. I expect we'll see something from that in the future.
Mostly, I what to praise RSL's performance. His portrayal of Wilson's agitation and angst over meeting his brother and his painful sharing of his guilt over his role in it, was masterful. His face twitch, the picking at his trousers; the jittery leg;his hand covering his mouth as he told of his brother disappearing after he saw him through the window of a Deli and ...the most painful to me....the start & stop of his story & the semi turning away, and the restart of the sharing as he recollected himself. No flood tears which we know RSL can do so well; just subtle, controlled signs of man wrestling with his pain. I don't think I've loved House more than when he made Wilson laugh in the waiting room as Wilson tried to control his nerves )" the team has already texted me that they're doing something stupid").
Having carried a guilt somewhat similar to Wilson's for years i.e. I chose to go into work close to Christmas six years ago rather than take my scheduled vacation day, just to keep ahead of the workload; only to have my 94 year old Mum (up early to see me off) suffer her fatal stroke while I was away. I blamed myself for leaving her that day for years.I could not get past it. To hear Wilson's anguished guilt of hanging up the phone & going to the library as the act that drove his brother to runaway...... well, it hit pretty close to home. I will always appreciate the next lines of House & thank the writers from the bottom of my heart for the exoneration I felt, on random events that we are hardwired to give meaning to. I knew just how Wilson felt on listening to House & I can tell you, RSL captured those emotions beautifully.
I can see House's growth and I can see that the friendship of these two friends/siblings is now actually stronger than it was before Amber's death. My admiration for the House Writers grows with each new episode. I have no idea where they are taking us.
10 - Flo
I have mixed feelings about this episode. I like it because of the patient. I think it is one of the best patient we had this season. On the other hand, the 'Wilson brother thing' was a little boring to me, even if it made House think.
"Acts just like House" said the preview about the patient. I kind of disagree. Yes House tells the truth. On the other hand I don't think he is uncapable of "censhorship".
Like Cuddy said ones: "People think House has no... inner censor. The fact is he holds himself back, because when he wants to hurt,
he knows just where to poke a sharp stick." ("Finding Judas" 3x09)
I found the patient being able to say things to his wife and daughter that even House wouldn't be capable of. That says a lot about our favorite doctor and confirms that is not just a jerk after all.
I was really pleased to see more of Wilson but I didn't really care about his brother issue. Thankfully it had consequences in the Wilson/House relationship and made House think, otherwise I didn't really care about Daniel and I thought that it wasn't the best "Hilson" moments we ever saw.
That being said, I think that House being there for his best friend at NY and the way he acted, like being a good friend, was great. House really had a lot of thinking and made an effort to be a better person for his friend. It says a lot about the value of this friendship to him.
I disagree on the "Wilson wanted him to know about his brother" thing. When he said to House "I want to have at least one molecule of my life not being analyzed by Dr Gregory House" I believed him.
I think wilson was afraid of seeing his brother. He didn't know what to expect. He wanted to have support and he wanted to hear that it will be all right, that it was the good thing to do and that it will be okay.
But Wilson knew that House wouldn't tell him that and I think that's why he didn't want him to find out about his brother.
It is complex. On one hand Wilson worships House's comment about his life but at the same time he is afraid of them. So...Wilson is somehow okay that House found out. Just as he is afraid by this.
I agree that Wilson and House do have a social contract.
All in all a very interesting episode but not that good in my own humble opinion.
11 - Mary
I was not a fan of this one, either. It just felt... unbalanced and out of place, like it was just thrown in there. I appreciate the fact that Egan writes House/Wilson well, but I like her in small doses (House's Head/Wilson's Heart - now, those episodes worked for me.
I love the bromance and it is one of the reasons why I keep tuning in every week, but it is not the only reason. This one was an improvement from Birthmarks, but still weak when compared to episodes such as Joy, The Itch, Unfaithful or The Softer Side.
12 - sherlockjr
I'm surprised by the number of people who didn't care for this episode. For me, it was everything I love about the show: an interesting patient, witty dialogue, clever twists and turns, plus some really subtle and interesting insights into the characters of both House and Wilson.
13 - barbara barnett
SherlockJr. I agree with you. I thought it was an outstanding entry--and one that addressed some long-standing questions about House and Wilson. I loved the patient. Karnes is a terrific actor. That final scene, which had everyone retreating back to their "normal" but more hypocritical lives with their beautiful lies (including House and Wilson) was a great statement.
Kudos, really, to Doris Egan for an excellent and complex script and to all of the actors.
14 - Nicole.O
I have grown to love the development of Cuddy that I missed her in this episode. Although the small scene she did have was histerical. When House turned the light on it made me laugh out loud. I love them being playfull. Their relationship brings out a side of House that is often kept hidden and only slowly do we get to peak inside. I feel like I am hanging on for even the smallest of romantic scraps they throw our way. I am wondering though with how they have slowed the progression (from the intensity of Joy and Let Them Eat Cake) how are they going to end up throwing them into bed together? I think a little more inuendo and closeness is needed before that event. And on that note, knowing that they won't let them last, I hope that they really give their love scene some power. If it is brief and brushed over I will be dissapointed. The build up needs an equally exhillerating release. I don't want another let down like he had with Cameron...build up build up then nothing. And it's not just because it's huddy, it's because it's showing a side of House that we rarely see besides with meaningless sex with hookers. As a woman, breaking that wall of his is a challenge I feel emotionally a part of.
15 - Nicole.O
I also want to add that I love the internal termoil House is going through this second half of the season. For the show being in its 5th season there is still so much depth to House that I still feel like we are only scratching the surface. It feels more intimate. I feel like I am in the room with him begging him to open up and let me inside. And the writers let you in just enough to realize how much more there is to uncover. I swear I think of him as a real person sometimes I have to remind myself he is just a character. But that is the brilliance of Hugh. I feel so much for a character that when I first saw the show I thought he was such a jerk why would anyone watch this? Little did I know...
16 - Orange450
Barbara, thanks for the great review. Always worth waiting for! This was one of my favorite episodes of the season. In general, I’m very bad at noticing episode credits. I seldom know who the writers were, or who directed, until I read the info in someone’s post, somewhere, but I knew going in that this episode was written by Doris Egan. From the opening scene, I was reminded of Failure to Communicate, and the feeling just kept getting stronger as the episode went on. So the first thing I did when it was over was look up who wrote FTC " and lo and behold, it was Doris Egan.
It seems to me that she may have been exercising a technique that I love to spot when my favorite authors do it - taking a situation or issue from one body of work, and turning it inside out to deal with the mirror image of the situation or issue in another. (In the opening scene of FTC, the PoTW is a writer, talking about his editor. In the opening scene of TSC, the PoTW is an editor, talking about his writer! Talk about mirror images!)
FTC was all about the consequences of being unable to say what you desperately want or need to say. It was about alienating one’s loved ones because of the inability to get one’s message across. It was about how lies distort and damage relationships. It seemed to me that TSC took the opposite perspective, and examined the impact of the inability to keep back the words one desperately *doesn’t* want to say, or knows one shouldn’t or mustn’t say. It was about how certain truths can distort or damage relationships. And it was about alienating one’s loved ones with TMI.
Even the scene in the NY psych waiting area - when House takes the call from his team just as Wilson goes in to his brother - references a similar scene in FTC, when House took his team’s call just as he’s with Stacy. (I realized that for House " coffee is a sign of caring! He brought Stacy coffee as she was waiting for Mark surgery in Honeymoon, he brought her coffee in the airport in FTC, and he brought Wilson coffee now :-))
I think the episode was a brilliant link in House’s S5 chain of self-discovery, as he continues to learn fundamental truths about himself by seeing himself mirrored in other people (Painless, Unfaithful…). In particular, the way he described Nick’s “quality of life” issues to Chase strongly reminded me of the way he started to speak at his father’s funeral, only to realize that he was talking about himself.
I also loved the subtle demonstrations of the unique House/Wilson social contract, especially the unstated understanding that House will take an empty plate in the cafeteria, and fill it with half of Wilson’s food. And the way House asks “you really do like monster trucks?” and Wilson answers “absolutely”. Does he or doesn’t he? Social contract, or truth? I love the way Doris Egan keeps us guessing. She is truly amazing!
17 - Orange450
And I just wanted to comment on what you wrote:
"That final scene, which had everyone retreating back to their "normal" but more hypocritical lives with their beautiful lies (including House and Wilson) was a great statement."
Normal, yes. But not necessarily hypocritical, maybe just demonstrative of what people do if they really want to live together successfully. It's Abraham, Sarah, God, and Shalom Bayit. I say this only because of one interchange between Nick and his wife, that I think was important, and not throwaway at all.
When he was in recovery from the unsuccessful brain surgery, his temp going down, and still saying everything he was thinking. His wife asks "do you even love me?" and he says "yes!!" with such intensity. She knew it was true, which I think is why she came back, even though Nick didn't seem to expect her to. Yes, their social contract was firmly back in place, but it was based on love, not hypocrisy, and they were both the happier for it. Just like House and Wilson.
18 - barbara barnett
Orange--I used the term hypocrisy loosely--as House would. In his mind, everyone (including himself) is a hypocrite to some degree. We lie to ourselves, to our loved ones--whether to protect them or deceive them, and sometimes for even very noble reasons. I think House would view it as a sort of hypocrisy. I don't personally think they're being hypocritical, and as I said those "shalom bayit" lies are very important.
19 - Wnkybx
Great review, Barbara! Very beautifully written. I especially loved how you compared Wilson's "rejection" of monster truck rallies to his negation of his friendship with House in "Dying Changes Everything."
Although I agree with some posters that this episode wasn't the most powerful one of the season, I definitely appreciated its exploration of House and Wilson's friendship, as well as its further exploration of Wilson's character. House and Wilson's friendship is one of the anchors of the show ... when the friendship gets rocky, we the audience get thrown into an emotional funk. I hate seeing them experiencing true conflict (outside of food-mooching); the Tritter arc and the beginning of this season were painful for me to watch. However, great conflict drives great drama; and we learn so much from their conflict this episode. I had a different interpretation of Wilson's actions (my interpretation, of course, being informed by my own approach to people). I saw Wilson's comment about monster trucks and his elaborate scheme to hide his plans from House purely as self-protection. If Wilson hurts and alienates House, it will be easier to dismiss House's comments about Daniel when (not if, because nothing escapes House) he discovers that he plans to reconnect with Daniel. Although House has pushed Wilson almost to the breaking point, House is so important to him that his opinion matters, which may be why he does not want this “molecule of his life” examined by him. If House follows their own unorthodox social contract of brutal honesty, Wilson would be hurt by House's harsh words (like the unsweetened words he gave Cuddy about giving up Rachel in "Big Baby"). He does not yet trust him again (from the aftermath of Amber’s death) at the beginning of the episode, and I am happy that the writers have decided to explore this because the “return of their friendship to normal” after Birthmarks did not seem quite natural. Although Wilson was never presented as a perfect person (the history of his failed marriages and his abandonment of doctor-patient ethics in sleeping with a patient strongly hint at personal flaws), he was always presented as someone who helped clean up House’s messes, the voice of reason, and as a moral check on House. In this episode, we see him in pain, acting out a bit against House, and we see House as the mature one who steps up to the plate once he figure out what’s going on and proves himself to be a supportive and trustworthy friend, giving up a monster truck rally to be there for him. He doesn’t offer Wilson platitudes but does offer what’s real: company in a time of need. By the end, I perceived their friendship to have grown during the episode, with trust re-established and things really getting back on track for them. And as a side-note, I do not for one minute believe that Wilson truly hates monster truck rallies; House is too astute to be fooled for years on that!
Of course, the POTW was a scary funhouse mirror of House, exaggerating on the extent to which House affects those around him. The hurt the POTW inflicted on his wife illustrates what House could do in a relationship, foreshadowing why House and Cuddy would have a doomed relationship if they started something at this particular point in time. However, House breaks away from his usual callousness and does something kind for Wilson, demonstrating that he has the potential to be giving with another human being. I fully expect and hope that House will remain sardonic in his wit, hilariously abrasive, and brutally honest, but I also suspect that as the show progresses he will make small changes to open himself up more to the important people in his life (namely, Wilson and Cuddy). I am also curious to see how Wilson will be affected by trying to develop a relationship with his brother again. Can’t wait until Monday!
20 - Luisa Borges
Hi Barbara and fellow commenters,
I was waiting for the review with eager eyes, knowing that Barbara has a special gift for tying in plot points and I just love to read your insightful take.
The comments where also great and a wonderful read, lighting new plot points and subtle events. As well as plots from past episodes. I really love reading them all.
I join the group in saying this was a great episode, and a great POTW. The acting was wonderful but not just that, the case and its peculiarities were particularly interesting to me (reminded me of Oliver Sacks´ cases). And it tied in the sweet (fun) and the sour (disrupture brought upon by behaviour) quite nicely together.
Empathy is one of the reasons people lie (the so called social lies). House is very attentive to changes in those around him, so he doesn´t strike me as an empathyless person. He is a bit narcissistic at times but his straightforwardness is not because of that.
I think he believes that lies hurt more in the end, like the lie he was told by Stacy, who held his hand as he was put under believing he would sleep through recovery only to later wake up without his thigh muscle. Lies killed that relationship for him and maybe impacted other things in his life as well. The lie of his parentage and so on.
He knows that he alienates people, and pushes them away, and that loving him is a tough choice, because of his inability to trust and fear of commitment. But I do believe that when push comes to shove he is there for those that matter to him.
His talk with Chase about the patient was really great, it showed a vulnerable House (a less guarded one). His behaviour with Wilson was a reminder of true friendship, a silent acknoledgement of the importance of his one true friend in his life. Reminded me of their journey in "Birthmarks".
I loved his romantic gesture for Cuddy. It was very House and very sweet. And one of the funniest scenes in the episode, Lisa Edelstein´s performance was spot on.
Throughout Season 5 I have been more and more amazed by the physical aspects of Hugh Laurie´s performance, and this episode showed that once more. All the little (and not so little) gestures, playing with balls and cane, looks, limps, it´s perfection, and he´s moves show me more about what´s going on in House´s mind than anything else.
Doris Egan has gained another fan for writing so much subtleries into one episode.
Robert Sean Leonard was great. Refreshing, fun and at the same time deep. Wilson´s guilt over not being there for his brother (once relinquishing self sacrifice) has shaped the man that now is overly there for House (and even for Cuddy).
What else? Liked Taub, liked Kutner. Felt sorry for POTW as he made the ultimate safrices to prove his love to his wife, despite all else he may have thought about her (their last scene together made me thing that the road to remove one´s foot from one´s mouth is a long one - and that you can´t really take back what you say).
Thanks to all that shared their ideas and to Barbara for writing a really great review.
All the best to everyone.
21 - Sandra
"As an aside, Cuddy saying she was 38 was hopefully meant as a joke given her character has been clearly been identified as 40 or over in a number of prior episodes. I wouldn't want to think the writers felt Cuddy couldn't be 40 and sexually attractive at the same time.I was a little offended by that."
I'm still surprised that only few people even have noticed that! If it's a writer's mistake making Cuddy 38 now they screw up the whole House universe - how is it supposed to work that a 49 years old doctor went to med school at the same time as a 38 years old?! Especially when both are in leading positions for such a long time already. And it would make Cameron only 5 years younger than Cuddy (she was supposed to be in her late 20s, early 30s in season 1 according to Jennifer Morrison), so what's the big deal about the age difference between House and Cameron, some people were so irritated about, 11 or 16 years doesn't make that much of a difference.
On the other hand if the writer's simply made Cuddy lie about her age, it's insulting for every woman over 40. She's successful, has the kid she always wanted - she doesn't need to pretend being younger than she is, she should be proud for what she achieved. So no matter which it is, in that case the writers really screwed up imo.
The episode itself was great, I was very pleased with the lack of Huddy (the one scene was tolerable). The interaction between House and Wilson was wonderful, and the case... wow, so old school, I love it! The cases in this season so far have all been rather lame, but this one was almost like the really cool cases back in the first seasons.
After all, there was only (to me big) minus to this episode to keep it from being perfect: no Cameron. But I guess Jennifer Morrison was busy auditioning for her role in the upcoming Nick Nolte movie.
22 - Grace
Another great recap, Barbara!!
I really loved this episode. It felt like seasons before, and I DON'T mean season 4.
The scene between House and Chase was pretty AMAZING. And, it was really good to see Chase again for more than a few seconds. I hope this will continue.
What can I say about the scenes between House and Wilson?
ALWAYS top notch acting and good writing here.
It was a pleasure not to have so much 13/Foreteen air time. That part of the show was really starting to annoy me.
I wondered why Wilson just didn't wait until House got off the phone before he went in to see his brother. He KNOWS House was working and talking about his patient. I don't really know why Wilson would take it they way he did. House was probably off the phone in seconds as he usually is. Anyway, I hear we do get to meet Danny and I hope House will be there this time, but you never can tell with House.
Someone commented that House had Aspergers? Since when? I never heard this? I know it was talked about, but everyone seemed to agree that House didn't have it. Am I wrong here?
Wmlybx: I enjoyed your post very much.
I hope the coming lows are not going to be gut-wrenching. I am not one for too much angst.
23 - Eve K
Grace - I didn't say that House has Aspergers. I also wrote - and "similar conditions". It has been a discussion since "Lines in the sand" that he has some sort of interesting neurology.
It has been acknowledged that he has some traits that makes for trouble in his social life. The same traits that makes him a genius.
But yes, he does not have the diagnose of Aspergers. Its just interesting to see the similarities, how "normal" humans reacts to truth and lies, and then there is House. Its much to easy to simplify it as a diagnoses, but its tempting. I also meant to say that I think its a lot of positive sides of Aspergers and similar conditions. And that they can change and develope as human beings as they get older and wiser.
24 - Eve K
Orange450 - I really liked your comments, to compare it with FTC. And a lot of other insightful commentaries, I really learn something by reading this blog! Thanx! (and sorry for my bad English, hope to learn some more of that too!)
25 - tigerfeet
Hi Barbara, and thank you so much for yet another great review! I truly admire your ability to give such delightful and insightful commentary, not only to the episode at hand, but also to the series as a whole. (That goes for many of your commentators as well.) A "House-week" for me is not truly over until I've read your take.
I loved the episode. And I agree that this must have been one of the best actors for POTW - ever. And his wife as well. It was great how they managed to convey the awkward return to "normalcy" towards the end.
The House/Wilson interacton was all great. When Wilson lost it in the canteen, I was sooo scared they were gonna fall out again and equally pleased when they didn't. I just loved how Wilson was checking his understanding of their own special "contract" by seeking House's thoughts on his future relationship with his brother. House's answer confirmed it! Like Hugh, RSL does great acting without saying a word, and he has a fantastic way of using his hands!
Thanks again Barbara, and everyone else!