TV Review: House - "Whatever It Takes"

I did not like this episode the first time I watched it. I thought the patients’ stories were not compelling and our main character’s foolishness was so over-the-top, it was like watching a caricature of our beloved House. The lighting and camera shots of all of House’s scenes outside of the hospital did not help much either. For the first time in a long time (or perhaps ever) I was not attracted to the curmudgeonly anti-hero, but somewhat repulsed by his crude adolescent utterances and boorish behavior. It was not until I watched the episode a second time that I began to see how the separate patient stories and the actions/antics of the doctors treating them paralleled each other and gave new insights into House and his staff.

There are two patients this week. The first is a female drag racing driver, Casey, who passed out during an interview after she won a race. House thinks she would be the most interesting patient for his team of fellows to treat because he anticipates being rewarded for saving her life with a ride in her race car. Foreman thinks there isn’t much to treat,  thinking the reason for her seizure and loss of consciousness is heat stroke. While discussing the case with the team, House is interrupted by the entrance of a man in a suit, carrying House’s picture and requesting a word in private with him.

The man shows House his credentials from the CIA, telling House that he is needed to treat an agent who is dying as a result of an assassination attempt. House doesn’t believe him at first, and makes jokes about the man being a stripper, calmly sitting down to await a lap dance. The agent insists House go with him, and he agrees, leaving Foreman in charge, again joking that if he has to walk, there should be girls involved – hopefully young girls who are working their way through college. It is not until they reach the roof and House sees the helicopter waiting there that he begins to take the agent seriously.

House is flown to Langley AFB to treat the mystery CIA man. The scene in the jet is short, but funny. House’s cell phone rings and the ring tone is “Whatta Man” by Salt-N-Pepa. Leave it to House to have his alpha male ego stroked every time the phone rings.

Article Author: CindyC

Cindy's interests include books, music, charitable work, musical theater, the arts, Hugh Laurie, and House. She is now a member of the Connecticut Critics Circle.

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