(S04E07) All right, back in the saddle! Thanks to the wonderful and beautiful Jen Creer for taking over the last two weeks. I will be guiding you through the world that is House this week and next. Then, who knows? If the gods of television are listening everyone will come to their senses and the Writer's strike will be over before Christmas.
If not, well then you'll see reviews of Marcus Welby, M.D. every Tuesday at this time. Let's pray that the strike is over soon.
It was the Taub and House show this week, starring our favorite cranky doctor and our slightly oily plastic surgeon. Guest starring the rest of the candidates, with special guest star Dr. Samira Terzi as the gorgeous, set slightly stupid, new hire. By the way, for this one episode the worlds of House and ER merged as two former County General docs appeared on screen at the same time. Michael Michele was Cleo Finch for about two seasons on ER while Omar Epps was Dr. Dennis Grant during season three of the NBC show.
Anyhoo, back to Taub and House. For the most part it seems like Taub has been in agreement with his boss through most of the cases. However, for some reason he took some ball-growing medicine and was pretty much right in Greg's face for the entire episode. Whenever House would come up with a diagnosis of the patient (Kenny), Taub would refute it. And, not just face-to-face, but in front of the rest of the candidates, in front of Cuddy, and in front of the camera.
I think the camera that was recording Kenny's facial surgery helped Taub gain the courage that he needed to tell House that his diagnoses were wrong. Whenever he looked in the camera you could see him steel himself for combat. The pivotal moment came when he told House he would give Kenny a steroid treatment for an apparent case of JRS (Junior Rheumatoid Arthritis) and then told the boy's father that House was full of crap.
Being House he didn't take this too lightly. So, with a visit to Taub's stomping grounds we were able to get some of the backstory as to why he left his practice, and plastic surgery all together, to become a candidate for House's team. I was glad that we finally got to know a bit more about one of the candidates, even if it was done in a devious manner. We've been getting drips and drabs of information about the rest of the candidates for weeks now, and getting a full dose of background info was refreshing.
Turns out that Taub has a problem with fidelity. Since he never listen to people that told him to not have an affair with a co-worker, he got in trouble with his old practice. In exchange for keeping their mouths shut he agreed to leave and sign a no compete clause, meaning that his days as a plastic surgeon were pretty much over. Hence, the reason why he ended up at Princeton-Plainsboro.
Now, I was pretty damn sure that Taub was going to be fired this week. He pissed off House and ticked off Cuddy -- two strikes against him. However, House decided that he found the mini-stud interesting and decided to keep him. I'm glad about this. For some reason I like Taub. Maybe because he's not pretty like the rest of them. He's just an everyday schlub who's a pretty decent doctor.
That doesn't mean he didn't fire someone. He really had no choice but to get rid of Dr. Terzi, who he hired just last week. Once again, House's issues with women blinded him to what type of doctor Samira really was...which seems to be not a very good one. Gosh, I could even see that her proposals as to what was wrong with Kenny were way off base, and the closest I come to medical skills is typing ailments into the search window of WebMD. So, the question here is why the producers decided to get Michele for this two episode arc? Just so they could have a subplot to examine House's issues with women?
I think we all already knew the issues Greg had. As Wilson put it, he hires the women, has them slave over him to do his bidding, then fire them just so he can ask them out for dates. Heck, I'm surprised he hasn't fired Thirteen yet just to get a pizza with her! This brings up the interesting conversation that Wilson and House had about dating either Thirteen or Amber, who was called 'Bitch' several times between the two doctors. I think House definitely has the hots for Thirteen only because she is an enigma wrapped in a mystery.
Speaking about relationships Cameron had a little slip of the tongue this week. During her on-camera interview the reporter asked Allison if she hated House. In response she said that she loved House, then tried to retract that by say she loved 'working with' House. Uh-huh. That's not cutting it, sister! When she told Foreman last week that she just couldn't get away from the whole scene that is House and his team I really wonder if she couldn't get away from House himself. What does that guy have anyway that makes the girls go wild?
Over to this week's medical drama. I really didn't want to go into detail about it because things were flying so fast with Kenny that I really couldn't keep it straight. Plus, when Thirteen (the new Cameron, from the way she was haunting Chase in the OR just before Kenny's operation) let House know it was Lyme Disease and that the target rash was on Kenny's head I had to pause. If I'm not mistaken they had the same medical mystery on the season premiere of Scrubs. There the rash and tick bite were found on the top of the patient's head. Don't the writers of all these medical shows get together in one big room to talk just so these things don't happen?
Some other items of note:
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I thought the camera crew was going to be more intrusive, but they only played a medium part in the show. What it did do is show some of the false sides of people, like Kutner wearing a tie. The only person it didn't seem to phase was House.
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Amber's constant complaining about hiring Dr. Terzi and why she was hired by House, Man, she can be a bitch sometimes. She doesn't have to worry now since Terzi is gone.
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House and Wilson breaking into the editing room to watch film of Dr. Terzi. Wilson can be just as vulgar as House is sometimes. No wonder they get along so well.
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Greg's guilt about actually hiring Terzi because he liked her. In several scenes House was shown with actual guilt and remorse. I've never really seen him like that before.
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The final film that Cuddy and House watch together. Greg's reactions to the sound bites of his that they added to the documentary were quite funny to watch.
Next week -- The mystery surrounding Thirteen continues
Andy Richter: The TV Squad Interview
Have any questions for Vik Sahay of Chuck? Ask them here!
Mike Henry and Daryl Hall on a Cleveland Show Thanksgiving
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
11-14-2007 @ 1:02AM
bruce said...
I thought the whole "House hires pretty women so he can fire them and ask them out on dates" thing was baseless in facts developed over the past 3 seasons. First of all, House never fired Cameron, and when she wanted to go out on a date WITH HIM, he didn't want to do it. And do recall that House admitted Cameron was pretty at one point, so it's not like he finds her unattractive. Then there was Stacy. Houe was attracted to her (his ex-wife) and he didn't even want her working in the same hospital, let alone for him.
House never came across as the type of guy who'd do stupid things to get laid. He never had sex with that teenage girl who was attracted to him (due to worms in her head, but he found that out later). I just think the whole theory put forward by Wilson and seemingly conceeded to by House is ridiculous. House is the last guy in the world who would be blinded by beauty. He's too much of a misanthrope.
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11-14-2007 @ 8:11PM
Susanna said...
I thought this was a fabulous episode, but my God, Terzi IS a moron. I'm going to have to rewatch the previous episodes - to see if she really did JUST agree with House all the time. You'd think the CIA could manage a smarter doctor...
I never really liked Taub, but this episode really humanized him for me. I kind of wanted him to leave the whole season, but now I wouldn't mind if he stuck around.
Here's hoping next week focuses more on Thirteen.
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11-14-2007 @ 2:34AM
Gin said...
Did anyone catch the Nip/Tuck reference in the plastic surgeon's office? "Tell me what you don't like about yourself." That made me smile.
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11-14-2007 @ 2:40AM
Midnight13 said...
The editing of the video to make House look comforting and caring was simply great, and then him comparing it to a Micheal Moore film was the biggest laugh of the night. Introducing Terzi one week only to get rid of her the next was pretty harsh. I mean I know they have plenty of new faces to deal with as it is, but still. I actually would like to see House play mindgames with Thriteen to see just how much she likes him, only to find out that she doesn't like him in that way. Come on, not every 24 year old first year female resident has to swoon over the 48 year old with the brilliant mind. House is a sex symbol, we get it.
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11-14-2007 @ 3:39AM
Phish said...
the writers strike is stupids, they are just hurting themselves, the studios wont negotiate, they'll just find other ways. they've even started outsourcing projects to the UK.
i understand most writers FEEL they are an important part of the creative process and deserve more, but the reality is, the REAL brains who create shows are made producers (jj abrams, shonda rhimes etc..), none of those ppl actually wanted or needed a strike, they are paid VERY well.
so basically, the whole strike is about the insignificant and easily replacable writers who want more money cause they know they will never be able create a hit show on their own, now thats STUPID!
Writers should be more creative, write better stuff, move up the ladder, become a co-producer (like mindy kaling and others on 'the office'), then earn good money. thats the way to do it.
demanding a bigger share of the internet market, which is in its EXTREME infancy at this point is ridiculous as the studio themselves dont know what to give, no one knows how tv over the internet will shape up in the future, or thru what channels etc..
sure the studios will lose revenue, sure the fans will get pissed off and turn to watching other stuff, but ultimately, those 2 entities will survive, as sure as rain.
the writers themselves have the most to lose, and they'll probably cave eventually, accepting some token agreement designed to save face.
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11-14-2007 @ 4:03AM
lladnar said...
I really dislike cut throat bitch. She is so annoying.
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11-14-2007 @ 4:51AM
Paul said...
Phish: wrong post to comment on, I'd say.
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11-14-2007 @ 5:13AM
Walt said...
@#5Phish:
When DVD sales was just a twinkle in the eye of movie studios, the movie studios asked the writers to take what amounted to a pay cut, because the whole tape/DVD sales was "in its infancy". Now that DVD sales are uh, well established, do you think the movie studios are ready to give back that pay cut? There was a lot of money made on DVD sales since the last writers strike. Now DVD sales aren't doing so well because the internet is where things are headed.
==
Meanwhile, back to the episode - yes, better than average and thanks for that. Somehow, I don't think the battle of the beautiful doctors is over. It smacks of last year's plight with drugs and cops. I don't like Lyme as a cause simply because it's one of those catchall diseases, and I just have a hard time believing as an ongoing issue after the person is in the hospital, likely to be started on a series of antibiotics in prep for surgery. If the antibiotics didn't address the Lyme disease directly, it certainly would surpress it. But I shouldn't argue about that, because the show isn't really about medicine.
Thanks for doing the documentary in B&W. And thanks for not doing a documentary voice over.
HOUSE still looks to be the dramatic show to beat when the writers come back.
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11-14-2007 @ 5:37AM
eugene said...
@ Phish
so basically, when sci-fi told Moore and his writers to write and produce the various webpod episodes of BSG and didn't want to pay him for his work.... you think this is fair and justified?
Well, I certainly hope your boss knows how you think. If I were your boss, I would assign you overtime and weekends and not compensate you in anyway because hey, it's your JOB right? like it or leave it?
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11-14-2007 @ 6:33AM
Karen said...
"What does that guy have anyway that makes the girls go wild?"
You're joking, right? I mean, have you looked at his eyes?
Not to mention he's, you know, brilliant--and these women are learning from him, which is a powerful relationship to be in. You get that these are things that women respond to?
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11-14-2007 @ 9:05AM
Susan Burns said...
Interesting that Cameron got so tongued when talking about House. Isn't she involved with Chase now? Interesting that Chase allowed her to keep practicing her retraction?! He truly loves Cameron for who she is (which is a person in love with House.)
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11-14-2007 @ 10:04AM
horsenbuggy said...
I'm not sure we've seen the last of Terzi. Surely she has the basis for a lawsuit, right?
Has anyone actually been keeping score about how many times each of the candidates are right with the diagnoses? I've only tracked that 13 has been right twice now. I think that puts her above the others.
I think the point of Terzi in this episode was to prove that, yes, sometimes House loses his head around beautiful women. But 13 is not only there because she is a hottie - she has great diagnostic skills. They had to demonstrate the difference between Terzi and 13.
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11-14-2007 @ 10:27AM
brian said...
No one mentioned the funniest line of the show. When House and Wilson were opening the door to watch the film and Wilson asked how House got the keys.
"Blew the janitor."
Man I laughed so hard!
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11-14-2007 @ 11:05AM
Little Willy said...
I've always liked Taub and when all signs pointed to him being the next to be fired, I was thrilled when it didn't happened. Taub is playing a doctor who is looking to redeem himself, i.e. saving lives after years of performing plastic surgery. Isn't saving lives the main reason why people became doctors in the first place?
This ep was more comedic than dramatic. Lots of funny lines.
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11-14-2007 @ 11:48AM
Mary said...
I loved the contrast between House's and Cuddy's reaction to the video - House with his face in his hands, looking appalled, and Cuddy leaning forward, enraptured with the way in which House was being portrayed in the heavily-edited video.
I'm also consistently delighted with the way in which the writers of this show bring us through one twist and turn after another. I thought Taub was a goner, but at the end, he stayed and I was glad he did.
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11-20-2007 @ 9:10PM
Param said...
There was a song in House's episode "UGLY" on Nov. 13th, I wanna know what that song is. I am going crazy about that song. I deleted the episode after I watched it and now I can't go back to that episode. That song was played in the background when the boy finally leaves the hospital and his dad is happy while they walk out of the hospital.I really wanna know the song. can someone help me find that song. PRETTY PLEASE!!
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11-14-2007 @ 12:29PM
xtinemichele said...
Param:
Try this site for all of your House music needs (I don't work for them - I swear, I just love the music they use as well and just wasn't spending enough dough on i-Tunes!)
http://www.have-dog.com/house/
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11-14-2007 @ 12:46PM
C C said...
I loved the dig at the media in this episode. People who work in the media will manipulate the facts (and the film) to fit the sentimental or sensational "story" the want to tell. They are in the business of mythmaking, even if it's false. How they distorted House's heroism was symbolic of the times we live in. House is a hero because of his diagnostic genius, but he's prickly and acerbic, which doesn't fit the stereotype we have of "heroes". So they spliced the footage to make him more sympathetic, more palatable to the masses. Just brilliant.
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11-14-2007 @ 2:26PM
ChrisG said...
@Param
"My Home Is Your Head" by Joseph Arthur
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11-14-2007 @ 6:38PM
mike said...
i'm pretty sure House's team will end up being Kutner, Taub, and 13. maybe it's just becasue i like these 3, but if anything i really dont think Kutner's going anywhere. supposedly the 3 that play Kutner Taub and 13 were contracted for the rest of the season or series' run, so if i can find that article i will put it up here.
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