5.14 - The Greater Good

I found this was a surprisingly strong episode, with both a compelling POTW and interesting interaction among the characters who met her and those who didn't need to. Taub, Foreman, Thirteen, and most of all Wilson were directly affected by the patient's choice to jump out of her hole and pursue her own calling to grapple with the meaning of personal fulfillment. Cuddy and House, who are already struggling through tremendous personal changes which are upending their lives, did not meet the POTW. Kutner, in his Deepak zone,did not confront the challenges presented by the patient's choices. Cuddy's pranks were clearly presented as unfunny and strange; that is why Wilson confronted her on them and why she apologized to House in an unambiguous and affecting way. House correctly understood early on that Cuddy's behaviors were expressions of her anger and frustration with her conflicted situation. The fact that he realized that she needed to punch her way through her anger and that he was willing to be the punching bag for her was, in its own twisted Housian way, a romantic gesture as concrete and powerful as the delivery of her old desk. He cared enough for her that he was willing to absorb some minor physical punishment to see her through her temporary troubles. No, this is not how most people support one another. But the interactions of House and Cuddy are purposefully designed to present them as equally eccentric and and thoroughly off-kilter. I did not like Cuddy's pranks, but in my opinion, they were paltry in comparison to the vicious hurtfulness of Wilson's declaration in "Dying Changes Everything" that House had never been his friend. Sawing through canes, destroying guitars, switching laxative for Vicodin, faking a disabled elevator, none of this is even half as brutal to House as the calculated cruelty of that statement from Wilson, I believe. House absorbs these blows from Cuddy and Wilson because his generosity of spirit is monumental.

And yet boards go crazy at the merest hint of skin from House. Double standards much? I am not interested in Foreman or 13, their romance, their intimate scenes or in viewing any of their body parts. I am less bored by Chase and Cam's romance only because both of them have been on the show for years but I am not interested in their intimate scenes either. Same goes for Kutner or Taub. OTOH, I am very interested in House and his romances. And I do happen to think that HL is an incredibly attractive man (there's proof of it on the HL thread :) ) and I would be very interested in watching him in an intimate scene. I don't think that's a double standard, though. I've read comments from people about how they hate House and/or HL does nothing for them, for instance. And some of these people rave about how awesome Chase is and how pretty JS is. Or how attractive Foreman is. Or how cute Kutner is. Its just different strokes for different folks, I guess. I'm thinking that House's interest here -- especially if they're intentionally echoing the choices and issues of House and Stacy (moved in together quickly, she made medical decisions without consulting him, etc) -- is a direct thread from the conversation in the bus with Amber. House has been reconsidering aspects of his life, in that he doesn't want to be alone and miserable. He's directly apologized to Wilson, dealt with bringing him back into his life. He's considering whether to move forward with Cuddy .... it makes sense that he wants to see others not make the same mistakes he did with Stacy. Consider also that he backed off on Taub when pressed, and even gave Taub advice to save his marriage. (Advice Taub didn't take, but ...) House is in a different place emotionally this season. He's still a jerk, but in ways he's a more romantic jerk. He's making the attempts to connect, which are a huge step for him. House is trying to connect with Wilson and Cuddy in a way he hasn't done before. But I don’t think that all the “love” talk is about House connecting with Foreman or 13 or not wanting others to repeat his mistakes. That’s a bit much for the character even given that this season is supposed to be about his personal growth, IMO. House added the "love makes you do irrational things" line after he seemed to have appealed to Foreman's rational side and convinced him that losing his job was not worth the little extra time 13 might get if she were on the drug. By doing so, he pretty much knowingly set him on the path towards switching the drugs because he knew that Foreman was interested in her, that not only does his past history show that he can sometimes do unethical things to get what he wants (Euphoria, Family) but so does his recent history as evidenced by the fact that he recently changed the appointment schedule and lied to 13 about it. And it’s a path that House knows will put Foreman’s career at risk, possibly expose 13 to dangerous side effects and mess up the drug trial. I don’t think it was about not wanting to see others make the same mistakes he did with Stacy. House should have been telling Foreman to consult 13 instead of waxing eloquent about love and how it makes you irrational if he really wanted them not to go down the same path that he and Stacy did. Instead, Foreman made exactly the same mistake after his conversation with House. 13 trusted Foreman, yet he took the decision to put 13 on the drug without her consent. Just like House trusted Stacy and she took a decision about his leg without his consent. I think House was experimenting with Foreman to see whether he has changed and was betting that his newly developing emotional side would win over his selfish, rational side, the one that has gotten him so far in his career. Then House would see how that choice affected the Foreteen relationship. Would Foreman tell her what he’d done? And would their relationship survive after he did or would it disintegrate like him and Stacy did. But things got more serious than House had bargained for when 13 developed a tumor etc. Playing cupid this episode was his way of doing damage control. House and Taub? House was the one who told Taub about his wife's secret bank account because he was curious about what Taub would do about it. And in typical Houseian fashion he started out by pushing his buttons about his marriage and predicting that he would eventually forgive his wife and tell her about his infidelities. IIRC, he encouraged Taub to save his marriage only after the PI (who had been listening in on the conversation) pointed out that House’s behavior was not rational because Taub would be a bad employee if his marriage failed.

Then the camera pulls back, and of course the books are on the table, and Amber's coat is on the chair. That's not Amber's coat on the chair. It's Wilson's suit jacket; it perfectly matches the suit pants that he's wearing while washing the dishes. Also, I just went back to the scene in The Itch (in which House visits Wilson at 3 am). There is no coat on the chair. There are books and magazines/journals scattered on the table, but not at all in the same configuration as in The Greater Good (which has only a few books and no magazines/journals). When House walks into the kitchen, we don't get a good enough view to see if the cup is there. Doesn't matter though; Wilson could move it around the kitchen as he cooks, cleans up, and goes about his day. Even if the cup is there, I don't see why House would be suspicious of a cup on the counter. Beyond all that, I don't understand why living in Amber's apartment means that Wilson is "stuck." It was/is actually Wilson's apartment as well; he moved into it before Amber died, which means it was/is his home too. It's not like he was still living in the hotel when she died and then moved into her apartment after her death. This is his home; most people don't move out of their home when their partner dies — both for practical reasons and for emotional reasons (the memories are there, etc). Wilson is still grieving, and that is completely normal, natural, and understandable. He is "stuck" in that regard, and that's ok. But I don't think that living in the apartment is a symptom of that.

It was/is actually Wilson's apartment as well; he moved into it before Amber died, which means it was/is his home too. It's not like he was still living in the hotel when she died and then moved into her apartment after her death. This is his home; most people don't move out of their home when their partner dies — both for practical reasons and for emotional reasons (the memories are there, etc). I think the thing for most people is that he didn't live there with her very long. It was about two months at the most, so it probably felt more like her home than his home. I've always liked that fact that he still lives in her apartment because I think it could make for some interesting stuff down the line and I'm glad that it was actually brought up. And living there may not mean he's stuck, but I would call letting a cup sit and get filthier and filthier would say that he's stuck. And I wouldn't expect the cup to be there in The Itch or for the apartment to look exactly as it does now because I doubt they had thought about this subplot at the time they filmed that episode. I don't think that's a double standard, though. I've read comments from people about how they hate House and/or HL does nothing for them, for instance. And some of these people rave about how awesome Chase is and how pretty JS is. Or how attractive Foreman is. Or how cute Kutner is. Its just different strokes for different folks, I guess. ITA, I don't really think it's a double standard. You're attracted to who you're attracted to. I don't think OE is attractive (just not my cup of tea) and I would appreciate him keeping his clothes on. Even though I do find HL attractive, seeing him without a shirt or in shorts or something doesn't really do anything for me. I'm also not dying to see RSL show some skin either, even though I find him to be the most attractive guy on this show, just an opinion. I'm more of a face girl, I suppose.

And living there may not mean he's stuck, but I would call letting a cup sit and get filthier and filthier would say that he's stuck. Yea, I wasn't addressing the cup in the sense of whether it's a sign that Wilson is "stuck"; I was simply addressing the cup in the sense of whether it was there in The Itch. Clearly the cup is a sign of Wilson being stuck; what I'm saying is that the apartment is not a sign of this. Mainly what I was addressing was the idea that Wilson living in the apartment is a sign that he's "stuck." That just doesn't fly with me, sorry. I don't care if he lived there 2 years, 2 months, 2 weeks, or 2 days when Amber died. He had moved into it; it is his home.

I did not like Cuddy's pranks, but in my opinion, they were paltry in comparison to the vicious hurtfulness of Wilson's declaration in "Dying Changes Everything" that House had never been his friend. Sawing through canes, destroying guitars, switching laxative for Vicodin, faking a disabled elevator, none of this is even half as brutal to House as the calculated cruelty of that statement from Wilson, I believe. House absorbs these blows from Cuddy and Wilson because his generosity of spirit is monumental. Let's put Cuddy totally aside. House puts up with blows from Wilson because he does worse shit to Wilson all the time. Uses him left and right, in ways small and large. Why did Wilson say he doesn't think he and House were ever friends? Because over the years prior to the House's Head/Wilson's Heart, their relationship was absolutely unequal and unhealthy. I unequivocally disagree that Wilson said what he did to House to be cruel. He was intending to leave with the "change of scenery" excuse until House backed him into a corner and forced him to be honest. Watch the scene again and look at Wilson's face, listen to his voice. What he is saying is hurting him deeply in addition to shocking House. House has some generosity in his spirit, yes. But he is also an extremely self-centered and selfish person. That is an important point about his character.

Mainly what I was addressing was the idea that Wilson living in the apartment is a sign that he's "stuck." That just doesn't fly with me, sorry. I don't care if he lived there 2 years, 2 months, 2 weeks, or 2 days when Amber died. He had moved into it; it is his home. It made perfect sense to me that it was a sign he was stuck. As I see it Amber's apartment is no more Wilson's home because he moved into it then the hotel was his home because he moved in there. A place to live and your home are not necessarily the same thing. Nothing in the apartment besides his clothes and personal belongings are his. As Wilson said himself he sees it as her apartment, not his, he is surrounded by all of her possesions and he has left it as it was since she died. The furniture, decorations, everything in it is all Amber. Nothing is Wilson. Wilson moved in during Don't Every Change and 4 episodes (weeks) later Amber died. The reason Wilson moved into her apartment was to be with Amber without her there staying no longer makes sense. It would have been best to make a clean break, leave it behind, starting over again on his own and make a real home for himself. This is just like after his 3rd marriage failed. Wilson was unable to get a place that was his own then too. First he immediately moved in with House, then just as quickly he moved in with Grace and then into the hotel. None of these places were truly Wilson's home just because he lived there awhile and neither is Amber's apartment. Odd that he never had any items from his previous home with Julie or his other marriages that went with him anywhere. Almost as if nothing there was his either. Emotionally it would be healthiest for Wilson to move out. It would be a sign of growth and acceptence. Barring that he should at least start to make where he is his own instead of treating it like a shrine to Amber. The washing of the cup is hopefully a sign that he will at the very least do the latter.

None of these places were truly Wilson's home just because he lived there awhile and neither is Amber's apartment. Agreed. The best thing for him, IMO, would be for him to finally make a home for himself, by which I mean getting his own apartment, not moving back into a hotel, not moving back in with House, but having his own place. Or, as you said, really making Amber's apartment his apartment and changing things around. Hopefully, the cup is a sign of one of those things happening. I like that he still lives there for dramatic reasons (and I just like the apartment) but I think he's going to be headed out sometime soon. As they say, a house (apartment) is not a home. I don't feel like he's staying in Amber's apartment because it's his home, but because it's a place where he can feel close to Amber and be "stuck" with her, if that makes any sense. And a big WORD to dee. I don't want to get into the great Wilson debate again, but I completely agree with you.

I don't know what Housecall meant, but I was bugged from the simple notion that Cuddy is insane without even the element of hormones working against her or dealing with any sort of post-partum depression which can wreck havoc on the nervous system. She's just plain nuts on her own accord. I think it's that Cuddy found it a much bigger task then she had expected it to be. She's someone who is used to sailing through life as long as she puts in the work -- she became the second youngest head of a hospital ever, one of only three women to get there, and all her life she's found that if she work hard and controls her situation, she gets what she wants. Babies aren't like that. And there is no way Cuddy could work her previous hours and still spend enough time with a baby. Reality sucks. Added to that is the ability to return the baby if it's not working out. Most of us don't have that option, it's ours, No Return, and so we suck it up and do what we can. Because it was a foster child, Cuddy had the option of saying she doesn't want to do this, she wants her old life back. The guilt of thinking of doing that may have affected her. She was angry at House for being House, and really, she loves working with House and appreciates what he brings to the hospital. She was angry at House for being who she made him and who she let him continue to be. There's this idea that everyone on the show seems to hold, that House can't help himself and so you take him as he is. What this episode showed is that House can help himself, he did it by not escalating the war with Cuddy. He has complete control over what he does but he chooses not to exercise it if he doesn't have to. Cuddy has spoiled him abominably by letting him get away with all sorts of things (where is the Cuddy of the pilot who made him do his clinic hours?) and now she's got a spoiled brat on her hands who no one else wants to deal with. Yes, she loves House. I don't know if this is what the writer was going for but I think there was an element of pissiness in her actions because House didn't try to sabotage Cameron to get Cuddy back, he was fine working with Cameron and it was Cameron realizing her lack of objectivity that led her to resign. And so Cuddy set out to hurt him both because of her personal frustration and to get him to pay attention to her again, to put her in his spotlight. It's very House-like of her, but not particularly flattering.

13 being temporarily blind produced the exact same blank stare as 13 the mysterious damaged chick had for year. That not very flattering of OW's acting abilities, I know. I could find no discernable difference between her "I'm blind" and her "I'm bland" look. You are very funny bailey. :lol: The contrast between RSL conveying so much in the washing up scenes vs the over-wrought 13 melodrama sums up for me everything that is wrong with this show right now.

Why did Wilson say he doesn't think he and House were ever friends? Because over the years prior to the House's Head/Wilson's Heart, their relationship was absolutely unequal and unhealthy. I don't believe that. I believe they've both given to the friendship and they've both taken. I think Wilson was talking through grief, not a real assessment of their relationship, which is why the roadtrip changed his feelings so dramatically. He remembered what he gets from the relationship. I think since Amber, both Wilson and House have slightly modified their approaches to each other, and in case, it's for the best. Wilson is less certain that he should teach House lessons and lecture; House is more careful of respecting Wilson's boundaries. She was angry at House for being who she made him and who she let him continue to be. There's this idea that everyone on the show seems to hold, that House can't help himself and so you take him as he is. What this episode showed is that House can help himself, he did it by not escalating the war with Cuddy. He has complete control over what he does but he chooses not to exercise it if he doesn't have to. Cuddy has spoiled him abominably by letting him get away with all sorts of things (where is the Cuddy of the pilot who made him do his clinic hours?) and now she's got a spoiled brat on her hands who no one else wants to deal with. No one "spoiled" House to make him who he is. He has always been able to scale back when he wants, and escalate when he wants, and that includes the early seasons. House's genetics, upbringing and infarction all play into who he is. The firing from four jobs suggests that House does need a very loose rein to function. And the reason Cameron chose not to deal with House had nothing to do with him being spoiled and everything to do with the difficulty of knowing when to say no and when not to considering House is usually right. It's that difficulty that made it iimpossible for Cuddy to take her mat leave, not House wanting TVs or lollipops. Cameron knew she would never say no; other folks would never say yes.

ITA mmp629. RSL's facial expression was PERFECT in the washing-dishes scene. He conveyed more emotion in that one expression than Thirteen did in hr entire tumor/blindness plot. Speaking of Thirteen's tumor/blindness... Was it explained why she was the only patient who got that side-effect? Everyone else had been on the drug for much longer, so why was she the only one suffering such severe side-effects? Either I've missed something, or the writers just dug themselves into an unexplainable hole. And it feels like all Kutner does is bitch and moan. I agree. >_> I liked Kutner in the last episode ("Big Baby"). Heck, I LOVED Kutner in the last episode. He stood up for his medical beliefs and wouldn't let House bully him into a certain diagnosis. Kutner had his own theories about the patient and wanted to test them. Which is good, because that's what a doctor should do. But in this episode ("Greater Good") he seemd to be bitching for the sake of bitching. Refusing to do his job just because House didn't tell him where Foreman and Thirteen were? wtf? He only appeared for one episode, but I miss strong-independant-doctor Kutner already. :cry: -

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