There is much to love about “Unwritten.” Amy Irving is great as the depressed, miserable Alice—a mirror image of House. She has more scenes than most patient's--many of the with House, which helps give the episode a slightly different feel. We are also inside House and Cuddy's relationship as they try to navigate their work/non-work interactions. House is still very much House, from pilfering flowers for Cuddy from a comatose patient to conniving her into breaking into the patient's home. In the end, a chance occurrence during their go-karting outing gives House the final clue to the puzzle of Alice's illness.
Cuddy tells House that he makes her "better"--a better doctor, a better thinker, a better person? Maybe all three. And maybe part of that is that he makes her a more spontaneous person, more willing to take risk or step outside her comfort zone. She helps him more directly in "Unwritten" than in any other episode I can recall (and without him requesting it).
Maybe she makes him better as well: her influence is clear (if perhaps a little obvious) when House begins to revert to type at the end of the episode, threatening to reveal a truth to Alice that will only bring her pain and turmoil.
The House-Cuddy relationship stuff was not intrusive; it was well handled and I feel confident that the show's writers will be able to integrate the relationship into the show, eventually easing it further and further back into the weave as new subtle bit of shading. This can work, and work well.
After all the ratings discussion going on (and the huge number of comments on my article) last week, House gained three percent over last week's numbers, which is great news. And I will be interviewing TV By the Numbers ratings guru Robert Seidman next week to demystify the entire process and what the numbers mean for television series in this age of video on demand, streaming, DVR-ing and other forms of time-shifting.
Thank you all for your kind comments, emails, tweets and Facebook notes about Chasing Zebras: The Unofficial Guide to House, M.D. I'm thrilled so many of you have enjoyed it (and let me, and others, know about it). Don't forget: House returns next week with "Massage Therapy," Monday 8 p.m. ET on Fox.
So, stay tuned!
.jpg?t=20130517094513)
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Maria
Thank you for a great analysis. Enjoyed reading it very much!!!
2 - andreec
Barbara, well done. I lobed your analysis and the Huddy relationship as well as House's evolution into a happier being. Could it be this guy can be happy and be entertaining yet be so uncertain and fearful his world will crash. Love the angst and tension that all create! BTW, would you PUL-LEASE do an interview with Lisa Edelstein this season and ask her about how she'd LIKE the season to go? Just thought it might be interesting for all involved.
3 - klizma
Thank you. Spot on, as always.
Please correct the typo on page 3, paragraph 3, should likely read as "things are going too well".
4 - tigerfeet
Thank you, Barbara!
Season 7 has so far been a great pleasure to watch. I love that House and Cuddy are finally together, and it’s been handled beautifully, in my opinion. House’s interaction with the team and patients is fantastic and how it’s always been. May it last “forever”.
I loved this episode, and Amy Irving was great. If we ever needed a reminder that House is in many ways a big child, this was it. The go-carting… Well, Cuddy’s mom doesn’t seem to know her daughters current interests very well. I don’t know how much significance this has, just an observation.
Also wanted to tell you that I am reading Chasing Zebras, and it’s fantastic!
5 - Bee
Once again insightful and fun analysis Barbara! I look forward to these every Tuesday after the episode ;)
Also, glad to hear House picked up 3% over last week! That's huge, and the critics and scared fans hopefully take notice and relax a bit. I also read somewhere that House made some rather great gains against DWTS and snatched a good portion of that very key 18-49 demographic. Can't wait for your article w/ the ratings guy!
The episode made me so proud of this show, the writers, actors, and producers! After a week of being bashed and everyone accusing them of not being able to pull off Huddy and a strong POTW...I think some people were silenced Monday. I agree with your analysis, I have the up most confidence now that the writers can successfully weave Huddy in w/o disturbing the fabric of the show. Exactly what I kept telling myself and some other fans..."wait til they get the Huddy introduction stuff out of the way!" It was two episodes that seemed a little awkward and after the 3rd episode...we are officially back to normal. I'm one of those indifferent fans that doesn't hate Huddy, yet found myself a little worried after the first two epi's that this wasn't being written right.
Umm, forget all that now. I actually saw romantic chemistry b/w them and I found myself acknowledging them as being a very cute couple. I even had the feeling after Cuddy's speech of rooting for them and dreading the thought of House breaking her heart! For the first time, I could see the show's new direction and it works for me! House trying to be happy and in a committed relationship, yet still being all House like w/ the "Houseisms!" This is how it needs to be for the rest of the season. Huddy should be in context and not a filler. I don't mind sexing, hugging, and kissing if it's in context!
But I'm officially back every Monday again! Set the DVR to series record as I watch it live. Hopefully after Bristol Palin gets eliminated from DWTS, more viewers will come back!
6 - Zay
This episode made me laugh so hard sometimes: House writing "Everybody Lies" on the back of Taub's jacket, House asking Chase to hold the garbage can so he could throw away the team's food. And then it made me melt: Cuddy's genuine smile when she said she'd never been happier, House "avenging his lady" during the go-karting, Wilson (in his usual scene-stealing way) complaining that he's never been on a go-kart before.
Like you said, there is a lot to love, and this felt like a classic, comfortable yet still fresh episode of House. Reminds me why I'm still so madly in love with this show. Patient story was strong - House was definitely involved - and I'm going to rewatch this one with pleasure.
& as always, thank you for your insightful review (either you take the words out of my mouth or translate the ones that stay stuck in my head - it's quite impressive) because House is never complete without you, Barbara.
7 - simona
Barbara I was waiting anxiously for your review and I appreciated it very much as always. You helped me to investigate some "skin feelings" that I had after the first run. My very first impressions: I watched Unwritten with an attitude that I could define bulimic, I swallowed it voraciously (probably my withdrawal symptoms are worse if I can not live without a new House for a week!) and I loved the entirely ep so much. I loved every single interaction between House and the rest of the world. In just 40 minutes we were able to appreciate the deep connections between the writers and the performers. These close relationships, this deep understanding are probably helping to build the great success of an episode.
Back to the meaning of "unwritten". For each of us what is really unwritten about our life? The future, our life's direction (that depends on us, on our attitude, our commitment to stay healthy but also by the case), the death, the end. Our destiny is also entrusted to the randomness and this means that we can not have everything under control. This is a huge challenge for House, the loss of control. And this is why he anxiously tries to prevent the devastating suffering that would cause the end of the relationship with Cuddy: he is psychologically and emotionally "anticipating" the fear of separation deceiving himself to being able to control the pain and not to be annihilated and destroyed by it. All in all a vital impulse, even if currently defensive. In this episode then we realized that House wants to survive with all his might (good for him and good for us that love him!).
I will not go into depth and examples to support this hypothesis because I think they are there for all (just an example is his inability to resign himself to "the end" decided by POTW for her book character, and perhaps it reflects also our inability to do the same about the [H]ouse's end....just saying). I would rather dwell on the various stages of the relationship with Cuddy that will probably be mirrored and matched by interior and psychological House's growth.
Initially when I felt my attitude "bulimic and voracious" I had not realized how much these definitions fit with the current perception that I have about their relationship: I feel that their relationship is currently setting in the Freudian oral fase (sorry because I'm again trivializing but it helps me to not go on too long), a symbiotic and nutrient relationship (probably this is why I get rather unexplained the absence of deep kisses between them). House needs this, both need this, as probably each of us at the beginning of a relationship because if we are in great love and passion there is nothing more satisfying than getting lost. But this phase is just the beginning of the trail, it can not be a fixation. The goal to achieve is the ability to establish a symbiotic love (sexual) relationship that fully satisfy ourselves and the ability to distance ourselves when needed. A complete person must evolve, must learn to strike the right balance between work and love, between public and private, between the inner child in need of reassurance and care, and the adult who can walk individually on his/her own feet. Could this be another content of the House's journey during this season?
Now I'm afraid I have lost the thread but never mind. Enough.
I just want to add that I really liked Cuddy's speech on common / uncommon (the indicator of well-being: "I’m never been happier").
So there isn't an ideal relationship model, but any loving relationship needs to be special to keep us hooked, in a unique way for each of us.
8 - Delia_Beatrice
Dear Barbara,
Thank you for this review. You went into the analysis of some very interesting points.
As usual, i need to apologize for the long post, but i watched the episode three times already and the flow of thoughts and impressions is unstoppable:(
My two pennies on your question regarding why Alice/Helen refrained from analyzing House: perhaps she did feel that they are connected by the experience of pain, which is precisely why she didn’t analyze him "to death" like she did with his team members, whom she simply wanted to embarrass and ultimately push away. I think that she also sensed that House is ahead of her on the road to some sort of recovery, this maybe making for a barrier between them.
On the question you raise about House’s interest in the book not being left “unwritten”: I think it is consistent with his character, House being the man who looks for answers and who believes that there is an answer to any question or mystery, finding it so hard to accept that some questions will never be answered.
Also, he clearly identifies with Jack Cannon: their mission as detectives, the paternity issue, the scar and Jack’s description as "cool, awkward, brilliant, he makes mistakes, funny, sometimes he takes it too far" are clear indications of what a perfect alter-ego Jack is for House. As a plus in comparison to House himself, Jack had something House has always needed and never had: a mother who cared for him so much, that she dedicated painful years of her life to keeping him alive by her writing. Obviously, House is so personally involved with this character and identifies with him on so many levels, that he clearly takes a very keen interest in the final resolution to his fate and finds it very hard to accept that that can either be a tragic fate or simply an unwritten, open for interpretation one.
However, the ending made it clear that he is now more prepared to take the chance of walking on unwritten paths, as his trust in Cuddy’s love is growing stronger. After all, being able to face the unknown is something that derives directly from self-confidence and faith that the future might hold something good after all. We are witnessing House's sense of self-worth being slowly restored to a more healthier level.
I definitely interpreted the literary reference as a self-reference to the show: as a sequel to last week’s parallel between how the team members view the Huddy pairing and how the fandom is split about it, this week, they seemed to focus on the public expectations in regard to the end of a series: how it will end, what fate the main character will have, how the adoring fans will react to the final chapter, even the battle of the shipping fandoms. I think that the final resolution to House’s journey is something that TPTB are already pretty focused on, and I have to say, for me, to quote House, "the way you wrote him always made him feel real to me", so both a cliffhanger and a miserable fate would be unacceptable and would give me great pain.
I found the House-Cuddy part of the episode to be perfectly dealt with. They are obviously moving forward on the right track, they are comfortable and more open than ever.
House is in full accordance to his inner self, his fear of being happy mixed with his fear of losing her are completely consistent with his personality. Also, in regard to his medical performance this week, he was clearly much more himself than last week " thus proving that Cuddy’s reassurance and love are giving him courage and strength to be himself inside the cocoon of her unconditional love.
I loved their team work for this case, it was natural, effective and it showed them very much in synch.
Cuddy was, yet again, impressive. She is more at ease than he is - which also makes sense, she has been holding all the cards, deciding to be with him was entirely her choice... And she is happy, flirty, natural and very sweet. The look on her face when Alice/Helen noticed her perfume was very, very sexy. She looked so sensual and in love, bathed in the perfume he gave her, she clearly transmitted a message of deep intimacy that this fragrance envelops her in - like wearing him on her skin all the time...
Her words to him, about them being uncommon and her being happier than ever were spot on perfect. Exactly what he needed to hear. It's so lovely (magical, in fact) that she seems to know just what he needs and she is able to give it to him so easily, so naturally and so honestly.
On a down note: I did not like the go-kart scene. I found every line to be unexpectedly corny, and the acting (mainly of Hugh and Lisa) clearly showed that they were put off by all that unusual cheesiness and platitude " it felt phony, which is incredibly rare in a Huddy scene.
In fact, I was a bit disappointed with many of the lines in this episode. The writing seemed to be less witty, less brilliant and less dynamic than we are used to. John C. Kelley also wrote “Knight’s Fall” last season, and I remember that the drumstick scene with Thirteen at the medieval site was just as corny and predictable as the go-karts scene, but it had the quality of lasting less...
In regard to the writing, I was also disappointed by the repetition of the "as your girlfriend/as your boss" and "as your boyfriend/as your employee" dichotomy. These were obvious lines, they weren’t original, funny or genuine enough to deserve the multiple repetition. Too common for the writing masterpiece that "House" is and too common for the magical uncommon relationship of House and Cuddy, IMO.
The whole episode seemed a bit off to me " perhaps you are right, Barbara, and it was due to the many, many interactions between House and Alice/Helen. However, it didn’t really feel like a Greg Yaitaines episode and it did give me a slightly awkward sensation.
On a sunnier note: Cuddy’s wardrobe this episode was sexier than ever. It reminded me of something that Piers Morgan said about Lisa being "the thinking man’s guilty TV pleasure". I guess TPTB are really going with that approach:)
I am looking forward to the new member on the team addition, i think it will change the dynamics for the better.
9 - Delia_Beatrice
@Simona: i agree with them being in the "symbiotic and nutrient" phase of their relationship. Which only makes sense, because in the beginning of such a deep and passionate union, the lovers are lost in each other, boundaries blurred, individualities melted in a great process of alchemy.
As you very well pointed out, this can only be a phase. They will outgrow it towards the "adult relationship" Wilson was mentioning. The buds of that are already visible, House being much more himself in "Unwritten" than he was in "Selfish".
This alchemic process is supposed to make them dissolve in each other at first, and then, under the powerful influence of the love, acceptance and security they feel, to have the confidence to separate yet again, finding the freedom to be the best version of themselves inside the union that makes them transcend their limited
individualities.
This is a life long process for many couples and it will probably make for a fascinating journey for House and Cuddy, that we are very lucky to witness.
10 - Susan
I also didn't like the "your boss/your girlfriend" etc. comments. There were too many of them and it was annoying. But it was a good House/Cuddy scene at the end where she tries to reassure him about their relationship. Little by little she chips away at his insecurities about their love. I wish I could stop worrying. Every naysayer on the internet bothers me and makes me want the producers to placate them and their concerns - but NOT at the expense of House/Cuddy.
In terms of new viewers - my husband is now a "House" fan. He missed Monday's episode but came home Tuesday and demanded to watch "his Cuddy" on DVR.
After reading your (Barbara's) review I get into the underlying meanings of the show - how the POTW mirrors House, and why House is so concerned with the end of Jack Cannon's story, plus how Jack not knowing who his father is and the scar , etc. are like House. I usually don't look into things that deeply when I watch - so thank you for your excellent insights.
I enjoyed the go-kart scene where Cuddy gets energized and yells "Never Again" when House says Sam went after Wilson because she doesn't like Jews.
11 - barbara barnett
Thanks everyone for your great comments. I have to confess to coming home at 10 p.m. last night, re-watching and writing this commentary drop-dead exhausted. I really enjoyed the ep and can't wait to watch it without taking notes later today.
I did love the "Never Again," and even my husband smiled at that (of course Wilson and Cuddy are Jewish)
12 - Andrea
I thought House's interest in Alice Tanner's series probably had a lot to do with him identifying with the main character. Jack is "cool but awkward," and "funny, but goes too far sometimes," doesn't know who his father is, has a scar and to make things interesting, has a presumed dead true love. Behold Gregory House as a teenager. It sounds like "Aunt Helen" probably has some qualities that remind House of his adult self. The series has characters he relates to and love triangles and adventures that would appeal to the soap opera fan in him. Online arguments would help him turn off his brain like soaps and monster trucks do. House wants to know the ending of his story with Cuddy so he can prepare himself for what he fears will be the inevitable pain. Books have the advantage of giving him the ending. He can't know that in real life so he's outraged by a cliffhanger.
I continue to love Cuddy and House. House's fear is so real and realistically drawn. This is how a genius with House's various issues and an overly active brain would react. He'd mull over all the possibilities and be afraid of relaxing into happiness because experience tells him it'll never last. I'd like to see Cuddy's thought process too and think she needs a sounding board. Hopefully her mother or her sister will be brought on to fill that purpose.
House is wrong about the lack of similarities between himself and Cuddy, as far as I'm concerned. What I don't think he's taking into account is their similar communication styles: their snarkiness, their love of a good debate as foreplay, the way they are energized by each other. I remember one episode from an earlier season where Cuddy's date leaves her after he sees how different she is with House and said he wanted to be dating THAT woman, not the more careful, professional image she'd presented him with. House makes Cuddy more animated, more alive. She does and says things with him that she wouldn't do otherwise. Cuddy IS making House a somewhat better person, since she provides him with an opposing viewpoint that makes him actually consider emotion and ethics in situations he might not otherwise and to sometimes pull his punches. At a superficial level House has more in common with Sam and Cuddy with Wilson but those pairings wouldn't work. Cuddy and Wilson are so much alike they'd bore each other and House and Sam would inspire each other to new acts of recklessness and eventually burn out spectacularly. What we see in House and Cuddy is yin and yang, the balance and attraction of opposites. Wilson is probably friends with House for similar reasons.
I'm not sure how they will mesh that essential truth with the more mundane demands of their ordinary lives. Cuddy has a 3-year-old daughter and she obviously can't make a regular habit of going on double go-karting dates without prior notice. The nanny might have had plans and I imagine Cuddy had to do some scrambling to be free to go along on the date that House didn't tell her about. I'm glad they will be introducing Rachel and Cuddy's mom into the equation soon. If House is going to be there for the long term, he's going to be Rachel's daddy or daddy-figure and he'll need to deal with her. I think he'll be better at it than he expects, actually, and that'll be the point when he and Cuddy will probably feel even more secure about the future of the relationship.
13 - Jane
I don't understand why some people didn't like the first two episodes. I felt that they were perfectly done to address the new relationship that House and Cuddy were committing themselves to. The many bedroom scenes were not vulgar or cheap tv stuff but important dramatically because the story was about House trying to drag out their moment together for as long as possible, lest it ends too soon the moment Cuddy steps out of his apartment. The passionate but gentle and graceful caresses between them expressed the intensity of their feelings towards each other while their harmony represented how they were meant for each other. I really loved how the openning episode. It was a truly satisfying and, in my opinion, the most beautiful episode in the series.
I was not so impressed by "Unwritten" though. A number of things in this episode annoyed me. House, a fan of teenage girls' novels?? Totally out-of-character, in my humble opinion. If the PTOW was an author of some ADULT mystery or Jack Connon was Sherlock Holmes, I might have been more convinced. Everything that House likes should add some insights into his personality. Just because Jack Connon has a scar or is a detective does not convince me that House might be personally involved with a fictional character. In "Frozen", it was pointed out that House didn't have a single fiction book, which represented his disregard for fantasy. That House was living vicariously through Jack Connon who enjoyed motherly love or his ending was a really strange concept of House.
@ Delia_Beatrice: I liked the "as your boyfriend(girlfriend)/as your employee(employer)" conversation between House and Cuddy. Although it was an obvious trick and rather corny, I thought it was a good writing device as a forerunner for potential conflict of interest. And, House is capable of being honest and corny when he's in love. Has happened before, many times.
I feel that the show is running out and reusing themes for POTW. "Unwritten" felt very similar to season 3's "Merry Little Christmas" when the teenage mother was hiding the secret of Rachel's birth. And, usually, when patients are used to mirror House's story, they tell something about House that is going on now. The patient's story contributes toward the greater story of House. In this episode, I don't see how the patient living in pain, punishing herself and being suicidal reflect anything about what is going on with House at this moment.
From another angle, it might be that the POTW was reflecting who House used to be, so that House was interested in saving her because he wanted her to be better like himself. But I didn't see any building up to this missionary House. At this moment, House's and Cuddy's relationship takes center stage and I would say is the climax of the series thus far. I thought that a POTW story which mirrors their relationship would have been a more powerful parallel story to tell.
14 - genagirl
Well, it wasn't as boring at the first 2 episodes. Still, I miss House being House.
15 - Patricia
Great review, Great episode, looking forward to next Monday.
16 - Janine
Loved this episode, watched it twice already. Two things I want to mention
1. the mention of fandoms might have been a slight mocking of the vicious and crazy vocal fans on the internet. I also remember a while back that Taylor Lautner (from Twilight) said he was a fan of House and that KJ joked that they would have to do a twilight themed episode, perhaps this was also a shout out to him
2. I really hope the whole "leave it on a cliff hanger" was not an indication of how thins show is gonna end. I wan't a definate ending for House, to know how his story ends.
Also, I like that they are bringing back the "everybody Lies" more prominately, its been mentioned in all three episodes so far. Can't wair for next week and I'm super excited for episode 5 which apparantly involves (mild spoiler) House/Rachel interaction.
17 - Delia_Beatrice
@Andrea (#13): my point exactly on the reason why House loves the Jack Cannon novels - as i already wrote in my comment, i won't repeat what i said. It didn't feel out of character AT ALL - thus, i respectfully disagree on Jane's point of view (#14).
On House's presumed disrespect for everything fictional (=non-scientific, non-factual): that line in "Frozen" is contradicted by many things, including House's deep romantic nature, to begin with, as well as his "weird passion" for soap operas and his vast culture, that obviously points to extensive reading of much more than just medical and scientific texts.
@Andrea, i fully agree on House and Cuddy having so many essential and deep things in common. The most important one, by far, is their willingness to take whatever risks for what they believe is RIGHT.
Also, in the past six years, we witnessed them obviously sharing highly similar visions on essential elements like religion, morality, social values - which have made possible Cuddy's remarkable support for House, through the most delicate and complex situations. Also, they share the same appreciation for truth and bluntness, the same avoidance of duplicity, the same backbone and verticality.
@Jane (#14): i couldn't possibly agree more on the first two episodes. I found "What Now" to be the absolutely flawless expression of the essence of Huddy, a delicate tapestry of the emotional depth and complexity of their union, and i found "Selfish" to be precisely in character, in regard to both of them, capturing the special time when interpersonal boundaries were erased under the impact of the awe and amasement they were feeling, dissolving into each other... Both episodes were perfect and beautifully done - in my opinion.
@Jane: respectfully, a tiny correction: Rachel's birth was in season 5, episode "Joy To The World". I found no similarities between "Unwritten" and that episode, which was essentially a Cuddy-centric episode and the medical and moral dilemmas and anguish were very different, in my opinion.
@Janine: i fully agree on the fandoms as an ironic reference - in a more direct manner than in "Selfish". And as i said, i share your view on the cliffhanger tease - i definitely hope it was merely a way to tease the fans.
Anyway, i interpret it as another sign of brilliance and maturity of the writers and TPTB, to include the self-referential themes into the show.
I can see that we all have various opinions on the go-karts and the "boyfriend/employee etc" scenes and lines. That is the beauty of a place such as this:)
I agree on one thing: that the "boyfriend/employee" etc lines were designed to mentain a clearly verbalized boundary between their personal and professional lives. A VERY healthy attempt, and quite necessary for their future. I am sure, however, that they will be able to develop less obvious ways to do that.
18 - Flo
Thank you for this insightful review (as always) Barbara.
After being slightly disappointed by the second episode I really like that one.
Amy Irving was excellent and I liked her character's interactions with House and the team.
House being a fan of books for teenage girls can seem out of character but we all know that House can be immature, and it is clear he identifies with the hero. It was perhaps a little too obvious actually. Too many similarities between Jack and House. We would have understand the link with less.
Nevertheless, it was really interesting and begged the question of future reference to that theme. In this episode we also had a line mentioning Cuddy's mother. Is all this a clue that parents and origin are gonna be themes this season? Will House address his own daddy issue?
Alice was very Housian indeed. It was great to see her being spot on about Taub and Chase. Interestingly, Chase was also housian in his way of declaring he didn't slept either. House would have done the same.
It's official, I really like Sam. I think it is interesting that House finds himself having a lot on common with her after having disliked her so much for a while. They really have everything to get along after all. Sam being as childish as House was pretty cool to watch.
I liked the go-kart scene because of that. It was typically House allowing people to act as childish as he can be at times. Being a teen again. House was really enjoying himself, so was Sam. It was fun to see them to give their inner child this opportunity to show. It resonated with the POTW who writes for teenagers herself.
There was a lot of playfulness in this episode. Sam and House but also with Chase. I love the approbation look House gives him when he hands Chase the flower BTW. "He brought a smoking hot date."
The "as your boss/employee" and "as your girlfriend/boyfriend" was really playful and a nice continuation of last week episode. House and Cuddy have now reached an understanding and they manage to work better together because of it. I also believe it's why Cuddy spontaneously helped him so much in this episode as Barbara, well observed it.
I laughed a lot. There was a lot of good lines. The first date between House and Cuddy at Alice's house was fun and so housian. The banter and wittiness between those two is really back on full force this season, which here gaves us one of the best funny exchanges of the episode IMO:
House: "Need your help with Alice, she wants a vigina"
Cuddy: "Well I'm pretty attached to mine"
Witty Cuddy is always the best lol.
Another great exchange:
Wilson: I can't be done"
House: "And people wonder why you never cured cancer"
The only thing that really bothered me in this episode was the whole "House can't find things he has in common with Cuddy" thing.
First of all, I totally agree with @Andrea (#13), House and Cuddy are very similar. They have a lot in common as we saw in the last two seasons. Season 5 even had a lot of episodes that showed how similar they are. They're both incredibly good at their jobs but terrible in their personal life, they both like challenges and games and can be jerks.
@Andrea was spot on on her message IMO. Especially with the example of the scene in "Insensitive" (03x14). Cuddy's date did notice she was another person around House saying: "You should hear yourself when you’re talking to him. Nothing else in the world’s going on. You’re focused, confident, compelling. Don’t… don’t take this the wrong way, but I’d like to go out with that woman."
A very observant and perceptive person like House obviously noticed all these facts. Especially that he always was obsessed with Cuddy enough to know when she had her period.
I understand it was just a way to talk about their unusual relationship and the fear and doubts that it inspires him, but I think it wasn't a very good one. You'd think that after knowing each other for so long they could find (if they wouldn't already know) at least ONE thing they both like.
Still, Cuddy's speech was good. It rang true, it was honest and it is consistent with what we know of her and what she thinks of them after the first two episodes. She really doesn't want him to change and being uncommon can be really great. Also I think she was speaking from experience and it speaks volume about her previous relationships including the one with Lucas. She apparently always got bored.
Again it is very consistent with her character and with what her date said in "Insensitive".
So all in all, even if the episode was a bit too obvious in the way it intriduces the themes, it was a very fun, insighful and intersesting episode. I really enjoyed it.
19 - blacktop
This was the third strong episode in a row for what may turn out to be the best season yet. The three episodes fit neatly together and represent a well-constructed and coherent whole as they re-form our understanding of House's character.
The season premiere was almost voyeuristic in its intimate look at the opening moments of House and Cuddy's new relationship. But I think this was a strong way to launch the season as it gave us a benchmark for their future interactions.
Now, by the third episode we do not need to see them in bed to know that they have a satisfying and varied sex life. It is interesting that in "Unwritten" we never saw House and Cuddy touch at all, except for the constant and emotional eye contact they maintained throughout the episode. House was fearful that the only part of their relationship that worked was their strong sexual attraction, but here we were given ample positive proof that they connect on a deep and abiding level expressed through their intellectual and professional lives as well.
Our understanding of the House/Cuddy relationship is expanding in scale and dimension with each succeeding episode. We are moving in careful increments from the miniature world of House's apartment to the wider canvas of the hospital. Perhaps the next step is the world beyond the doors of PPTH.
As others have pointed out House -- the admirer of TV soap operas, video games, and monster trucks -- was utterly in character with his adoration of adolescent pasttimes like the boy detective novels and go-karts. Even the breaking and entering date with Cuddy was a playful form of interaction for this irrepressible grown-up kid. Who wouldn't want to burgle a gorgeous Victorian mansion with an impossibly glamourous woman in tow?
The go-kart scene was wonderfully composed to showcase the temperaments of each of the four characters: Wilson was geeky, clumsy, and squeamish; Sam was funny, tough and aggressive; Cuddy was out of her comfort zone, but exhuberently competitive when provoked; House was proud of his physically prowess, determined, and devious -- the common rules do not apply to him.
I loved seeing House keen on the trail of several puzzles this week. He wanted to understand what ailment was at the root of his patient's misery; he was unstoppable in pieceing together the mystery manuscript; and he was relentless in trying to figure out how he and Cuddy fit together.
I am engaged in the show when House is intensely involved and so I was delighted with "Unwritten." I hope the season continues in this direction.
And the upward tick in the ratings is good news indeed. I wonder what the boo-birds and haters will write about now.
20 - Val S
Great review, once again, Barbara. Thanks! Wonderful comments as well. It is great to see all the differing opinions when they are well-presented and respectful.
All in all, I really enjoyed this episode (as well as S7 so far). Agree with everyone on the superbness of Amy Irving and her interactions with everyone from the Fellows to House and Cuddy. I wasn't familiar with who she is, but can see why everyone got excited.
As many comments noted, I too noted the slight self-reference of ending House's story vs. ending Jack Cannon's story. I think I would react as House did if his story ends on a cliff hanger or disappointment/misery. But, for now we (luckily) continue the journey.
One of the best things I find about this episode (and this season) is that despite episodes being on/off the "formula" House has essentially remained the same, what we have learned about him in the past surfaces again:
we know that House can be a romantic (a cheesy one even). His "perscription to [Stacy's] heart condition" in S2 showed us how seriously he takes relationships and this hasn't changed. One of my favorite( and, yes, it was cheesy) moments was Cuddy's "Peace Penguin". The exchange was classic House/Cuddy. The exchange going something like this:
Cuddy: What's behind your back?
House: Peace Penguin
Cuddy: What room did you steal it from?
House: 2-4-3
The sentiment was not lost on her, as we see it again later in the episode. House can be a cheesy romantic.
Treating Alice also reminded me of the House we saw in early S3 particularly in the first episode, "Meaning". The pain-free House treated the patient in the wheelchair (I forget what he had) simply to try and improve the quality of his life. I felt this is what he was essentially trying to do for Alice.
I agree that House has certainly shown himself to be a "fan" of popular culture particular via his soap seen as early as the pilot and S4 episode "Living the Dream". Still completely in character.
Finally, even though the go-karting scene seemed a bit out-of-place in the episode, it is not unreasonable for House's character. House's enjoyment of monster trucks (since S1) to his trip to the carnival with Freedom Master in "Broken". We've seen glimpses of this side of House and here we are seeing more!
...Flo(#19) I agree. Sam managed to win me over in this episode too. What a twist to have Sam and House have those "common" things in common! Particularly, when he was so set against her. It's interesting to note that the two women that Wilson has fallen for had been similar or have things "in common" with House. Amber was more parallel to his manipulative, rough side where as Sam has more in common with his playful side.
Lastly, because I sense this is getting long, I enjoyed Alice's in-depth, spot-on analysis of Chase and Taub instead of House. Perhaps in her state she could more easily read them. House is not as miserable as usual, whereas Taub is still having issues in his marriage and Chase seems to be on a downward slope: the indignant and indifferent ones...
So, in the end, I enjoyed this second work of John C. Kelley for Team House just as much as "Knight Fall".
21 - Val S
FYI...Answered my own question with help from Barbara and my copy of CZ...the patient in S3 opening episode "Meaning" had Addison's disease. What a great reference tool! :)
22 - svmom
OMG... I did not realize that was AMY IRVING!
23 - ruthinor
I've enjoyed all 3 episodes so far this season. I liked learning more about Sam and how similar she is to House in some regards. I disagree with House's assessment that compatibility is so important. In fact, I wonder if he actually believes that. How much did he and Stacy have in common? I can't see her go-karting, watching soaps or liking monster trucks. I can see House and Sam battling it out online over Jack's future, being different "shippers", and learning to hate each other! Wilson and Cuddy are reserved while Sam and House are more outgoing. This is precisely why they find their opposites so much more interesting. Amber was so perfect for Wilson that they had to kill her. A happy Wilson just isn't that riveting. And Amber had almost nothing in common with Wilson.
With regard to the ending, I can't see House, even old House, ever telling Alice the truth about her son. Only if he was in extreme pain. That's when he can be really cruel. I especially can't see him doing that over what is essentially a fictional character. Old House would have said something sarcastic and maybe called Alice an idiot for ending her series with a cliffhanger. But he would not have destroyed her life. The fact that he went overboard and said something so-unHousian was an embarrassment to him, especially when Cuddy could see him. IMO that's why he told her to shut up and why she smiled.
As always, Barbara's reviews are food for thought!
24 - Janine
Just a question
towards the end of the episode when the fellows are sitting outside Alice's room (the same scene where he says that its sad that Thirteen was the only man on his team) and House asks how he could be both wrong and right about the accident and Taub says maybe you weren't. When House says "I like the way you think, kid" What is he referencing? I feel like this is a famous quote from something but I just can't place it.
25 - RobF
Good review, and good comments -- if you keep it up, all of you might convince me this episode was better than average.
Count me among those who thought the go kart scene was cheesy. It had potential, but turned out to be too predictable. And I didn't find Cuddy's anger about it to be believable.
The Chase side story had another perfunctory scene. Why is Chase having one-night stands with girls who look like hookers who look like Jessica Biel? (Poor dear Chase, he misses Cameron so much!) If only they didn't make it so obvious each Chase scene is tacked on to set up some future Chase-centred episode.
Without Thirteen, the team of "Dopey, Sleazy, and Uptighty" isn't very interesting. In this episode, they might as well have been three floor lamps in House's office. I don't know who the new female doctor will be, but please make it somebody who can carry an interesting side plot or interact in an interesting way with the lead characters.
The patient of the week was very good, even if the mystery was dreadfully predictable. I agree with Barbara that it was a refreshing change to have a parallel-House patient who didn't feel the need to bond with House.
The one part of the episode I found interesting was House's sudden realisation that changing in a relationship is good. Both he and Cuddy had been struggling to get their work relationship back the way it was before. But when Cuddy mentioned that he was making her better, and she hoped she was making better, House's expression showed that he knew he wasn't letting himself become better. So, in the final scene, he gritted his teeth and did something nice. A bit ham-fisted from the writers, but I still thought it was cute.