3.23 The Jerk From tv.com:
House treats a 16-year-old chess prodigy who gets everyone on the team annoyed with his behavior. Foreman is upset with House because he thinks his boss sabotaged his job interview with another hospital.
NOTE: THIS IS THE ONLY EPISODE WHERE WNJWWHPB IS MENTIONED
NightOwl- 04-18-2008
I re-watched this last night. Made me miss Chase even more. Especially the scene at the end when Chase enters House's office and does the "chasing ghosts" outline about who sabotaged Foreman's job interview. Fantastic. And even when House actually compliments Chase ("Sometimes I forget why I hired you"), Chase doesn't acknowledge it. He just says, "You cost him a good opportunity and gained nothing." I guess it shows Chase really has moved on from needing House's approval. And it's just a really cute scene. They seem to be relating almost as peers.
I like this episode a lot. The actor who played the jerky kid was really fantastic. I love the moment when House walks out of the kid's room and says, "Jerk," under his breath. :lol:
I also love at the end when House leans in close to the kid and says, "I wouldn't have taken your bishop. I'd have moved my queen to D6, defusing the threat. Then rook to E8, attacking the king's pawn. I'd have lost the exchange, but won the game." I was so happy that House actually would have won the game if it had continued (if the kid hadn't seized).
The whole chess thing as a metaphor for House being several moves ahead of everyone else was really enjoyable too. (The way he caused everyone to "chase ghosts" and the general way in which House is always ahead of everyone in the thought process.)
extra_cat- 04-18-2008
I loved pretty much everything about this episode. I thought the POTW was fantastic--the actor was perfect for the role. Enid, the mom, is one of my favorite POTW family members ever. The scene with House and Chase where Chase confronted House about sabatoging Foreman's interview was satisfying on so many levels. We got confirmation from House that hiring Chase was not based solely on Daddy Making a Phone Call (in whichever spin you take on that). It was fantastic to see Chase confronting House calmly and rationally and not treating him like a petulant three-year old. I often feel like Wilson and Cuddy play parents to House and try to tame him. Chase did a wonderful job of understanding him and I loved that. It was also consistent with the way Chase handled the patient--giving him the option to behave. And I couldn't help but find it funny when Nate called Chase "Skippy" and "Doogie." I loved it when House and Nate butted heads and had their chess match. Foreman's sulking was very entertaining and House cracked me up with his reactions to Foreman's sulking.
And, seriously, someone needs to write a fan fic about what Chase did to distract Enid when House wanted to go play chess with Nate.
Boffle- 04-18-2008
And I would like to add to the love for this one with the fact that they actually played a real chess game of 45 moves or so that went with the psychological game they were playing: that is just... brilliant! Lots of things tickle me no end about this one, like the shots of House puzzling over the chess game, him explaining how he would have won, the jerk telling him he was bluffing and that even though House would have won if he hadn't forfeited, forfeit he did, so the great bluffer House was bluffed by this kid and then House saying "jerk" at the end as he walks away. Great stuff.
And, as a former chess geek, does anyone know if that chess game is documented online somewhere?
