(S03E08) Sometimes, your show's primary plotline is the one that you might not see as the big story if you're a casual viewer, and this latest thread for the last few weeks on House is just that. Detective Tritter is, slowly but surely, making life a living Hell for those around Dr. House, and it's pretty clear soon who that is really going to affect the most.
At the same time, this was one of the more intriguing cases that House and his team have dealt with in recent times, and the stunt he pulled with the envelope in the opening moments of the team's initial diagnosis was fantastic. That said, we're definitely seeing his team "grow up" together, and the way they're interacting with each other, and their boss, is becoming quite interesting. Additionally, seeing Wilson have his car towed away by the police and the other ways he's playing with the cancer doc is somewhat amusing, if only that we know it'll cause a bit of a stir with House and company - or will it?
The case this week was almost a big deal purely on the fact that Jack, the guy who is taking care of his two younger siblings after their parents died some time ago, throws up all over a birthday party at one of those "party" places that we can all be familiar with - you know, the ones with the furry mascots that run around and perform. Turns out that he's had a heart attack, and is showing some very curious symptoms. Oh, and he'd been a habitual drug user, so that ends up sending the team in a number of directions.
All this time, Wilson is left to try and get to work via the bus, which Cuddy doesn't seem to sympathetic to because of the potential for House to get in trouble, and Wilson lets her know that he knows this - and it almost doesn't matter. Previews for next week aside, you can see that at least one person at the hospital could see a big issue when it comes to bringing patients - and dollars - to its treatment areas. To boot, Wilson's DEA number has been revoked by Tritter because of the doc's prescription to House, leaving his patients with zero prescriptions to take to treat cancer. He lets House know about it - and doesn't really get a good reaction there, either - and takes Cameron with him to write the scripts. But, as we shouldn't be surprised to see, Cameron is more than hesitant to just write up the prescriptions for him based on his diagnosis. Part of that seemed like her wishy-washy self, but at the same time, was she really judging Wilson for enabling House's drug habit?
As it turns out, Jack needs a marrow transplant that his brother can provide to him, but he explains to Foreman that he doesn't want to ask Will, who's just eight years old, to help. He sends his brother and sister away to social services, which seemed like an "adult" decision to make, but even Foreman comes back afterwards and comments about how he'll be asking for help in a few months, he'll get it, and work to bring his brother and sister back home.
What was most striking to me here was that early on, Jack was reading Will a story, and talking about how an 8-year old can save the world, and how his sister is too old to do so, at 10. A confidence booster it seems, as it turns out, but not one that Jack is willing to follow up on. I think that he could have simply positioned this to the boy as saving the world, painful or not, and it would have gone over well. Is that being proud, or more about just trying to avoid the situation and bite the bullet after he put his family through a bad time over the previous few years with his drug addictions? Either way, at least House got to try an experimental spray on him to see which infection would take hold first.
As much as I'd love to stay away from it, I can't help but talk about the promos for next week's episodes. With Detective Tritter apparently tying up the bank accounts of House's whole team, it's only a matter of time before - and the promo says so - someone sends him up the river, to borrow a phrase. Will that stick, or will it end up in what I believe will be someone ditching out on the team by season's end? All that matters here is this could now mean that four people are unable to practice medicine, if their DEA accounts are pulled as well, because doctors with no money and no ability to prescribe medicine could be a problem, ya think?
Gone Too Soon: Invasion
Scrubs season nine -- An early look
The TV Squad Podcast: Vik Sahay of Chuck, Oprah talk, brutal timeslots, and more!
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
11-22-2006 @ 11:12AM
Walt said...
First off, the cancer doctor who doesn't know another cancer doctor isn't much of a doctor, so the "Three Hour Wait" part is manufactured drama, a bit I didn't like quite a lot.
I'm no doctor, but this episode kind of annoyed me in that the boy's immune system was so compramised but yet his infections weren't really clear when he came into the hospital -- I didn't buy that, either.
I did like where they left the episode so that there wasn't going to be a happily ever after moment, but talking about that would take up your entire column.
Reply
11-22-2006 @ 12:22PM
TomB said...
Another great episode. I find I'm more drawn to the story involving the regular characters than I am to the medical mystery du jour. This show has really developed since it began. It used to be all about the patient of the week but has really grown to be a lot more.
The Wilson/House storyline is getting interesting. I find myself wondering why Wilson would even want to be House's friend. House was a real jerk to Wilson. Wilson lost his ability to prescribe then had to just give up his practice. That is a HUGE deal and House didn't really seen to care all that much. I don't understand why Cuddy doesn't do anything to help him out. The scene at the end of the episode where House just drove away leaving Wilson on the bus bench really showed House's ass. BTW, why didn't Wilson just call a cab?
I wouldn't read too much into the fact that Camron wouldn't write scripts for Wilson. There's a lot of liability involved in writing scripts for patients that you don't know. That's why everyone's in hot water for writing scripts for House. They've never really examined him and there's no medical record that indicates that House is their patient.
I really don't understand why bank accounts are being frozen. I can understand that maybe their script privileges are revoked but what do the bank accounts have to do with anything?
Reply
11-22-2006 @ 3:28PM
J Sim said...
Sometimes I wonder if the reviewers around here even watch the show or are busy doing other things while they watch. House demonstrated that Jack's decison to not go for the cure was in no way altruistic but instead entirely self-serving in that he would no longer have to care for his siblings.
Talk about the show's primary plotline. Throughout the show's history, House has claimed that all people are self centered in their decisions (patients lie, Cameron dates those she can save, etc.) while those around him claim that people are capable of noble actions.
Tritter is just a conduit of this exercise in that eventually those around him will fail House and send him up the river or someone will take the noble action (the team will suffer tremendously without cracking or House will give himself up). I suspect the latter just as he finally behaved toward his ex-wife and her husband.
Reply
11-22-2006 @ 1:21PM
Karen said...
"why didn't Wilson just call a cab?"
Probably because, with his bank account frozen, he doesn't have enough ready cash to pay for one.
I'm finding the whole Tritter storyline really implausible, despite enjoying where it's taking the characters at PPTH. I find it difficult to believe that Tritter could get a judge to agree to freezing all these accounts and essentially harrassing all these fine, white, middle-class, New Jerseyite doctors.
But we'll see how it continues to play out. I am definitely ready for it to be tied up, though. This is dragging on like the painful Vogler plot of seasons past.
Reply
11-22-2006 @ 2:12PM
Tim UF said...
Since Boston Legal wasnt on (AGAIN!) i switched over to CBS to gaze at their Medical Drama '3 Lbs'
with house still fresh in my mind, it was astounding how blatant CBS was in using the house formula. The only alteration they seemed to make was that 3lbs focuses on neurology whereas House is more of a broad diagnostician (giving the writers more medical issues to play with).
Given that they are trying to use the house formula, chosing to air the show in the timeslot following house is odd, as most people i would imagine would be "Housed out" on medical mysteries, after watching just house.
Reply
11-22-2006 @ 2:34PM
Lacey said...
I can't believe no one's mentioned the scene where Cameron was trying to give Jack a heart attack. It was intense. lol.
It was VERY House of her, and I have to say I really really like the way she's changed this season.
I really really didn't like her before, and because I too have a feeling one of the ducklings will be leaving the group by the end of the season, I had really hoped it would be her.
But now I like her, and how much more like House she has become. It suits her character.
Reply
11-24-2006 @ 2:13PM
wew said...
Everyone talks about noble action but its actually House that always does the right thing. That's because he never ever promises anyone anything, never tries to be nice, freely admits that he'll lie but when he tells the truth, you know it.
Its hard to blame House for his actions. Every single friend he has is duplicitous/holier than thou. His ex wife commits adultery. His best friend hides the fact that he healed a cripple. His superior chooses to date Wilson and not him. Cameron loves him because of a personal need to love the pitiful. The British Guy is as loyal as Brutus.
The Black Guy is the only person who does the right thing consistently.
Reply
11-29-2006 @ 10:28AM
Robert said...
It seems to me like they're steering the show toward cancellation. Does anybody else feel this way? Maybe I'm just paranoid because it's Fox...
Reply