(Warning: spoilers for the episode that aired Feb. 20)
In an average House episode, it's the CGI shots of a patient's oozing intestines that most disturb me. I found this week's "Skin Deep" the most uncomfortable, disturbing episode so far, for very different reasons. And I don't mean that as a criticism.
House is always entertaining, usually thought-provoking, and occasionally delves deeper into murky ethical waters. The beauty is that when it does, it doesn't wrap the issues up in a nice easily digestible package that allows viewers to partition characters and actions into black and white. We don't have the comfort of knowing House will save the day and all will be right with the world. For while House almost always saves the patient, the world remains a pretty messed-up place. That can be uncomfortable and disturbing, but it's also daring and challenging. And that's a good thing. This is an episode that invites us to look below the surface, past our expectations, past easy answers of good versus bad, wrong versus right.
While a crankier-than-usual House is contending with increased leg pain that Wilson thinks is psychosomatic, a result of sending Stacy away, he focuses on this week's patient, 15-year-old supermodel Alex. Her devoted daddy/manager gave her a little Valium with her champagne backstage, right before she ended up in a "catfight and cataplexy on the catwalk," as House puts it. If that wasn't enough to strip him of the world's best dad title, Alex's father is soon suspected of sexually abusing her. House thinks Alex's hidden heroin addiction is only part of what's causing her symptoms, and that she might be suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. House doesn't like it when people other than himself cause PTSD in his patients, so he promises Dad confidentiality in exchange for the admission that he had sex with his daughter, once.
Before he gets that confession, Foreman admonishes House to accept that his increased leg pain is causing him to rush the diagnosis. House looks abashed, like he's been shown the error of his ways, gives Foreman a sincere-sounding "thank you," then turns around and yells at Dad in a crowded waiting room: "Are you doing your daughter?"
It's an uneasy plotline, and it wouldn't be House if I could say it was treated with compassion and tact. But it is treated with fidelity to the character of House, who cracks jokes that are wrong, wrong, wrong, and I am going to burn in hell for laughing at them. (House: "Two clinic hours says that those love apples are handcrafted by God." Foreman: "I thought you didn't believe in God." House: "I do now.")
Article comments
1 - Joanie
This article has been selected for Advance.net!
2 - JELIEL³
This episode was so morbidly funny that I was laughing so hard that I missed the follow ups sometimes.
Great review and article... as usual. Please don't skip a week. Eventually it'll go on hiatus....
3 - Carolyn Lawrence
There's an even bigger problem with this episode of House. Paraneoplastic syndrome is only VERY rarely associated with testicular cancer (in males or hermaphrodrytes), and it usually does not cause the kind of symptoms that "Alex" is experiencing. Additionally, the type of paraneoplastic syndrome that IS rarely associated with testicular cancer NEVER occurs in teenagers.
The writers really screwed this one up, which is very unfortunate, as paraneoplastic patients and their loved ones deserve better than to be associated with sexual deviancy, hermaphrodism and this terrible show.
Anyone who wishes to learn more about what paraneoplastic is really all about can go to the above website, the International Paraneoplastic Association.
4 - Diane Kristine
I think the biggest problem is people looking to a fictional TV show for medical reality. Not sure if this is the site Carolyn was referring to, but since her link didn't work: International Paraneoplastic Association
Thanks Jeliel, I definitely don't need a vacation from House, but my vacation will get in the way of me watching it that week. I probably will eventually do the review anyway, just to avoid the hole in my season reviews!
5 - Sister Ray
As a contrarian, I'd like to one time see a show about a fashion model who's happy, healthy and drug-free. There must be one somewhere :->
6 - Mary K. Williams
Awesome write-up Diane. Gawd I love House. I love the show, and the character. He's such a prick most of the time, but so smart and funny.
Yeah, this show was creepy on several levels. You summed it all up quite well.
7 - jay moore
Fictional drama is not based on everyday reality but upon exceptional circumstances. Who wants to watch a TV show with diagnostic physicians diagnosing an acid reflux condition? And, as to whether or not any condition or circumstance has ever existed or occurred in real life must be proven before it can be used to create drama, did Shakespeare have proof that Cleopatra died from a snake's bite. Was Dr. Watson's medical information absolutely correct, and is anyone still interested in those things? Hugh Laurie's portrayal of House is the best acting on TV, and any script that allows him to exhibit the range of his great talent is quite welcome.
8 - Kent
I believe this episode of House went too far. I am beginning to wonder if the writers have some problems being sexually attracted to children. This episode along with the episode where a little girl wants to be kissed before she dies and a comment on last weeks show asking the question "teenage sex isn't interesting?" Something is wrong here and someone needs to open their eyes. There is nothing "okay" about making sexual comments to or about an underage child. What a shame.
9 - june
it was a good epsiode shut up
10 - June
well to all you people that think the show is that bad then dont watch it and,kent hes a writer it makes it good in episodes like that to make viewers want to know whats next and its different beside haveing adults all the time in serious things like this its just a show it isnt real.
11 - KJ
@ Carolyn- The correct term is "intersex" NOT "hermaphrodite".