TVSquad

(S05E07) I always enjoy watching House, but later, when I am thinking about it to write a review, comes the true test of whether or not I really liked the episode. Or, more accurately, then comes the true test of whether the episode can stand up to scrutiny. So, the answer in last night's case is that I didn't think it was a particularly strong episode. Sometimes shows seem to put in these place-holder episodes right before sweeps, and that's what this episode felt like to me. Strong hijinks, a little progress for more minor characters, but everybody else just sort of treads water.

Let's start with Cameron being highlighted in this episode. House quizzed her on her symptoms during the discussion of the patient, much to Thirteen's annoyance. Cameron assured her that things go faster this way, which they assuredly do not. So, does that mean that Cameron trusts House's diagnostic skills on her love life? I mean, he's a brilliant doctor with some great insights, but that doesn't mean he knows everything about everything. And yet, he hands out these surprising comments to people ("It's a control issue. I don't know whose.") that show some sensitivity and they take his words to heart. Even though he can't heal himself.

Did anyone besides me think that the whole itching scenario (even the episode title) with the mosquitoes and Wilson was really annoying because it was so obvious? It's not very fun as a viewer to draw the same conclusions about House's "itch" being more about Cuddy than an insect when the show beats you to its own analysis. Being meta about it doesn't make it less obvious or less annoying. Especially when it is only after House actually sees the mosquito biting him that he decides to stop hiding behind his own excuses and go to see Cuddy.

That leads me to another annoying thing about this episode: I would have liked the whole montage at the end with House heading to Cuddy's, Cameron and Chase, Taub and his wife, except that the patient, Stewart, is taking his first cautious steps out into the world in the dark. Maybe you could argue that there are fewer people around at night, so this is logical, but he is afraid of everything! Except the dark? Except someone lurking in the dark? I didn't buy it.

Annoyance number three: They would NEVER do surgery in a patient's house. This episode kept reaching into the absurd and pulling out rabbits. That is a lawsuit so waiting to happen. I know that House has done a ton of things that would warrant lawsuits if his brilliance didn't pay off, but the surgery happening in the bedroom-- I can't suspend my disbelief. I did find it amusing that they got Taub to perform it though: Talk about shaky ethics. I can't believe that Cameron is more okay with doing a surgery in someone's home than she is deceiving a patient who is unconscious. Sometimes Cameron is so ethical I want to have a Come to Jesus meeting with her about The Big Picture.

So, what do you think of Cuddy and House's assessment that they would be a dating disaster? I think they are kind of spot on. But, like Wilson, I want them to give it a go anyway. One of the things I did like was that House saw Cuddy sitting so peacefully in her house, and he didn't knock. I found that poignant-- whatever their relationship will be (would be), it won't be peaceful, and so the fact that he didn't want to interrupt that-- at least not for a little while longer-- was quite lovely.