(S05E24) If you've been watching Housefor any serious length of time, you know that things are never what they seem. And, moreover, if you've seen any of the previous season finales of the show, you know that there are major fireworks in store. Going off the precedent set by last season's gut wrenching two-parter, "House's Head" and "Wilson's Heart", I was expecting a killer episode. So, for the first 30 minutes, I kept wondering when we were getting to the good stuff. After the final 10 minutes? Well, I reserve the right to change my mind, but after first viewing, it feels like a rotten bait and switch. Follow me after the jump for the big reveal.
(S05E22) So, what's going on inside House's head? We left off last week with House getting a surprise visit from a very dead Amber and she's still around this week, running rampant and unchecked through his life, an eerie hallucination from House's subconscious. For a while it looks like House is onto something good, he has a direct link to the inner workings of his mind, which helps him solve cases and plan bachelor parties. But, that all comes crashing down when the Cut-Throat Bitch (as she was affectionately nicknamed) tries to kill Chase.
The other night, Band From TV gave a concert to raise money for autism research. The band features Greg Grunberg, James Denton, Adrian Pasdar, Hugh Laurie, Bob Guiney, and others. Of course, I'm assuming that's Pasdar. It could be Sylar. Not the best sound quality, but it's worth seeing (and there are more videos here). Take a look at who joins them on tambourine near the end.
(S05E21) "You manipulative little bitch ..." House to Wilson.
After last week, we could all use a little breather from epic drama, right? Most of this episode was a complicated and not-too-enlightening game of cat and mouse between various parties that ended up being more amusing than annoying, thankfully. There were a few moments when I felt like I was watching Grey's Anatomy...and no, I'm not talking about the surprise ending.
(S05E19) Before we jump into an excellent episode, can someone please tell me what happened in the last minute of this episode, right after House stepped into the elevator and his vision began to get all blurry? It looks like Fox ran House a minute or two later than normal, once again, because my DVR cut off right in the middle of House talking to Wilson. Did anyone else have this problem? Or is it just time for me to get a new DVR?
Regardless of my minor technical glitches, this was an almost flawless episode that turned the focus back onto medicine and patients, while artfully weaving in the personal stories of the main characters.
I adore Carl Reiner. There. I said it. What are you going to do about it? No, seriously, if there's another actor/writer/director/producer in show business who's made me laugh more than Mr. Reiner, I can't think of him/her right now. He's been one of Hollywood's prime time jewels for six decades. So, the news that Carl Reiner is guesting on the House season finale makes me very, very happy.
According to the House powers that be, Mr. Reiner will be a clinic patient at Princeton Plainsboro, and his interaction is slated to be with Dr. Cuddy. Good for Lisa Edelstein!
(S5E18)"Cats make terrible doctors. Oh wait, that's women." -House
We get a break from the angst factory this week. The neurotic and usually enjoyable Judy Greer guest star's as the patient of the week, who arrives at PPH with fake seizures, green pee and a cat that can predict the deaths of old people. With all that, and some light-hearted pranking between House and Kutner, and this episode felt like it should have aired around Halloween, and not near the end of the season.
I enjoyed parts of this episode but didn't get any real dramatic tension from it. Even while crazy cat lady Judy was possibly dying, it was hard to muster up any emotion beside indifference to her situation.
(S05E17) This may have been one of the most satisfying episodes of House I've seen in a long time. The show is almost always compelling, but lately has left me more frustrated than content. Not so this time around. We finally had an interesting and engaging patient; a nice enough family man named Nick, who suddenly loses his social filter and starts spewing every private thought he's ever had. There was little to no Thirteen and Foreman, a smattering of Taub and Kutner, but, best of all, epic amounts of House and Wilson, which, counts for a whole heck of a lot.
(S5E16) First off, a thanks to everyone who wrote in telling me what the music playing at the end of last week's episode was. Who knew that Hugh Laurie was a composer, too? Apparently, everyone else but me. Also last week, a few of you wrote in expressing frustration with the slow development of House's character. I feel like we've seen other characters on the show evolve and develop, yet House has remained frustratingly stagnant.
Well, this week, I think we got our first peek at what a new and improved House would be like...and, I gotta say, I was not pleased.
(S5E15) "You're a wuss. Part wimp, part puss." -House to Wilson
We get yet another religious patient this week. Father Danny, who is running low on the big F, ends up in Cameron's ER after getting a late-night visit from Jesus. House initially grabs the case as a way to mess with Foreman and Thirteen, but it turns out that Father Danny might have a real problem.
We've explored religion before on House, but this one of the times when it hasn't worked so well. Father Danny's lack of faith is a good opportunity for Taub and Kutner to engage in a philosophical debate, about God, faith and the nature of suffering, but this all feels like ground the show has covered before.
(S5E13) "What's going on with everyone today?" -Kutner "It involves House, Foreman and Thirteen which means it's either dumb, dangerous or tragic..."-Taub
Is House actually becoming a nice guy? One of the most interesting things about this episode was the absence of his trademark jerkiness. Whether he was dealing with an upset Cuddy or trying his best to counsel a disbelieving Foreman, House not only seemed sympathetic, but empathetic as well. I was surprised by the genuine concern he showed for Thirteen and Foreman during the blindness scare and his willingness to be Cuddy's whipping boy.
Again, the patient of the week wasn't very memorable to me. I find myself not even really caring about them aside from how their illness will reflect the doctor's personal problems. That conceit has gotten so obvious it's hard too look past it and see the patient's as real people who are suffering. Is anyone else having this problem?
Variety has an excellent article up about Hugh Laurie's comedic roots in Britain, a genre Laurie excelled at long before he took the lead dramatic role of the dour doctor in House.
Being a fan of Britcoms (particularly those of the 80's), this is the Hugh Laurie I remember. He was even mocked in the Brit satire series Spitting Image in the early 90's for being typecast as a rich, stupid person (In his defense, only his two most famous comedy roles, Prince George of Blackadder The Third and Bertie Wooster of Jeeves and Wooster, were bumbling members of the upper class).
While medical dramas are not my cup of tea, House suffers from an even bigger handicap on my part because whenever I see him on the screen, I flash to Blackadder or A Bit of Fry and Laurie (or even his cameo in The New Statesman). With that in mind, I promise right now that if his old comedy partner Stephen Fry appears on House (as suggested in the article), it would be enough to make me watch the show.
The late night (soon to be 10pm) talk show host has come in first place in the annual Harris Poll to determine who is America's favorite TV personality. Here is the rest of the top 10 to give you an idea of who he's up against:
2. Hugh Laurie 3. Ellen DeGeneres 4. Oprah Winfrey 5. David Letterman 6. Jon Stewart 7. Charlie Sheen 8. Steve Carell 9. Stephen Colbert 10. Mark Harmon
(S05E12)"We can not let House anywhere near this woman"-Kutner to Thirteen.
Sometimes I think I'm really close to having a problem with the way this show treats women. I know House's sexist and racist remarks are so over-the-top they're meant to expose the hidden misogyny and subtle racism around us every day, but his joke to Cameron about performing oral sex made me cringe something fierce. She did well and good to ignore him, but I think that deserved a slap in the face. I'm not offended by the joke or the copious come-ons he made to Thirteen, but jokes like that straddle the line between making House an unlovable curmudgeon you can respect into a mean-spirited jerk. Which I suppose is the point? Right?
Anyway, there were a lot of oral sex and penis jokes in last night's episode. And I'm no prude, but even I was rolling my eyes after a while. Not your best lines House writers, but considering your past record of total awesomeness you shall be forgiven.
(S05E12) This episode was a perfect teaser to what House fans can look forward to for the rest of the season. It was well done, though not excellent, and set up a couple of key narrative threads that are sure to be slowly unraveled as we move forward.
This week's patient's comes to House courtesy of Cameron, who insists that the team help a man suffering from severe chronic pain that has no known cause. It's gotten so bad that the patient, even with a beautiful wife and kid, tries to kill himself. Multiple times. While his kid is watching. Yeah, it's a bit brutal.
I adore 
Variety has an excellent article up about 
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