Just rewatched for the third time and I tell you it just gets better, that is, there's more nuance to enjoy in the performances and the writing. How House sizes up Foreman when he discovers him in the bathroom, takes a few beats before speaking to him, nicely done. I did think RSL's heartfelt moment talking about Amber and how he is stuck came out of the blue. He did it well, but I wonder sometimes if those are editing rather than directing choices. Some eps flow so beautifully (as someone upthread mentioned) and some less so. I've never noticed, are there a number of editors or just one? So here's a thought I'll throw out in case someone wants to discuss: the greater good vs. personal happiness is a universal theme, much discussed, and very relevant here. Which characters are motivated more by the gg and which more by ph? I mean it's going to be a mix for everyone, but I'm wondering if people see clear motivations in the way the characters are drawn.

I've never noticed either, but editing is a big, tedious, important job, so I would guess they have more than one. I do think they're finally getting more comfortable with the 6 act structure, which is good. I think that has caused them more grief than anything else this season. I'll have to think on the Greater Good vs Personal Happiness, but it's an interesting point to discuss. I don't think the answers are necessarily as obvious as they might seem, either. Foreman has always had me confused, through the whole series and right through this episode. I don't think he knows who he is or what he wants. He seems more interested in doing what he thinks he should do than what he actually believes to be right. I guess "Greater Good" would win for him, but there's some conflict as to whether he's acting on his own morals or someone else's.

Finally watched the ep... My other half is blissfully untouched by fandom and any kind of character obsession, and I therefore regard his view as that of the man on the Clapham Omnibus. His gut reaction straight afterwards was that it was a terrible episode, one of the worst ever, and the reason for him was the Foreteen storyline completely 'jumped the shark' - he found it unbelievable on plot, characterisation and medical grounds. Me, I was actually more positive than him about it (which is unusual) but then that's probably because I wasn't taking a lot of interest in Foreteen and was trying to see every nuance of Wilson instead. Re Greater Good versus Personal Happiness, it seems to me that Wilson's entire life has been about sacrificing personal happiness for the greater good - by marrying his wives (probably), by remaining friends with House and supporting him against all the odds (e.g. his comment to Tritter that House was more important than he was - not true, but he believed it), by initially picking the bed he thought Amber wanted rather than the one he wanted, etcetera. I guess Amber was starting to break him out of this, but then she died... :(

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. RSL is a beautiful man but I was relieved when 13 snapped Amber's notebook shut when she did in WH. LE is a gorgeous woman but the only time I am interested in seeing her in any kind of intimate scene is when it is with House. I was afraid we would have to watch her and Lube Guy making out in Insensitive and was glad when he made a graceful exit. 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. Cuddy seemed genuinely disappointed when Cam quit and begged her to reconsider her decision. And she was aware that House hadn’t sabotaged Cam at the time. I think that at the time she genuinely believed that she wanted to stay at home with Rachel because she was riding the high that she had got from bonding with the baby. But when she was leaving for work at the end of BB she seemed a little relieved to be high tailing it out of there till the baby cried and she felt bad. Unlike House, who is clear that his career in medicine fulfills him, Cuddy is confused about whether she is fulfilled by her job and thought that a baby will make her feel good about her life. When she was forced to come back to work after spending time with the baby she realized that in fact it is her job that fulfills her and this makes her feel guilty. House understood this about her before she did and that annoys her and she is determined to prove him wrong. So she lashes out at him with an intensity that is meant to prove to him just how much she resents being away from the baby. House tries to give her an out by telling her that working moms are more fulfilled than stay-at-home moms but she continues to fight him saying that that’s just what working moms say to make themselves feel better (which is her guilt talking) and that she actually wants to stay home with the baby (which is her wanting to prove House wrong about what she really wants). It's Wilson who finally succeeds in getting through to her when he points out how much like House she is when he says “What House does is who he is. And the same goes for you.” What Cuddy did not only was cruel, but also violated the Hippocratic oath. Yes, what she did was wrong. And I know I should be, but I am not bothered that it violated the Hippocratic oath. It has been violated in the most cruel and egregious possible fashion by House himself in Who’s Your Daddy when he intentionally inflicted pain on his patient, a 16 year old girl, as a part of an unnecessary test (or at least one for which there were less painful alternatives) while seeming to enjoy it. And we never got to see him expressing remorse for what he did. There have been other violations like Foreman stabbing Cameron with the needle in Euphoria, doing the bone marrow extraction without anesthesia in Family and switching the trial drug in Big Baby. It would take something much bigger than what Cuddy did to House to get me bothered about the oath being violated on this show. I still don’t like that they wrote it the way they did but I can see why they did it. One of the reasons was to even the score between House and Cuddy and to bring their relationship to some sort of equilibrium. In LTEC House behaved like a jerk and I ended up feeling bad for Cuddy. Here Cuddy behaved like a jerk and I ended up feeling bad for House. We wouldn't have felt sorry for House if he had been made to do clinic duty or if she had booby trapped his office. Another reason they chose to go the Cuddy hurts House route was to showcase HL’s amazing physical talents. He was simply brilliant when he was hobbling up those stairs. The fall was sheer perfection. The range of looks of surprise and puzzlement when he discovered his cane had been stolen was astonishing and they were perfectly coordinated with his movements as he looked around for it.

Re Greater Good versus Personal Happiness, it seems to me that Wilson's entire life has been about sacrificing personal happiness for the greater good So that's where the discussion gets tricky. I think House even pointed out that people sacrifice their personal happiness for the greater good...because it makes them happy to do so. Their happiness comes from doing something that makes them feel good about themselves, feel noble, maybe at the same time distract themselves and others from failings in themselves or in their conduct of their personal lives (speaking generally here, though I do think the Wilson example fits). I suppose for some it's kind of a martyr thing (maybe Foreman fits there?). I think it's an interesting question especially for doctors who are generally seen as at least somewhat noble, in a profession of healing and saving life. Dana in this ep seems to have no qualms that she made the right choice in giving up medicine. She talks about how people are outraged by that choice and judge her. It's a natural response: if you have the ability to work toward saving lives, do you have the obligation to do so? If she's doing what she wants to do, doesn't she have the right to do that? Or do her abilities condemn her to a life where she's not happy? Should she return to research because of guilt or intimidation? So for her, going for her own personal happiness makes her life both happy and meaningful. But, then, it's only been 8 months. Maybe this time will end up being a sabbatical and something will happen that causes her to go back to medicine and find that helping others makes her happy too. On the other end of the scale is House. Seems like he tried to carve out a very specialized career that would make him happy: solving cases, but not seeing patients. He gets the joy of solving cases and none of the messy human part. Well, that didn't work. Those damn people kept pulling him into their cases and, though he keeps a bit of distance at first, he usually gets drawn into the patient's lives. Often, it is something they have done themselves, to be more attractive (Act Your Age), to avoid having more children (Need to Know), and such, so to diagnose them, he has to talk to them. In fact, talking to them has become a key thing about his methods: he can spot the lies quicker in person and knowing the individuals helps him understand their motivations and therefore their actions. So now his personal happiness (not seeing patients, remaining personally detached) is traded for the greater good (helping more patients), but in doing so, is he happier? He seems happier, but then that could be the drugs (vicodin, anti-depressants, who knows what). He's selfish, but it's not as simple as that. He's also talented, skilled and in a place where he functions well, so as for everyone, it's both. He doesn't get a lot of personal happiness in his life, but what he does get, much is what he gets he gets from doing his job well, so he's there for the personal happiness, but he certainly serves the greater good. And if that argument is right, the same could be said for everyone, just what makes them happy is different. The TB or not TB guy was in it for the greater good completely, because working for the greater good made him happy to be doing what he was doing. Another reason they chose to go the Cuddy hurts House route was to showcase HL’s amazing physical talents. He was simply brilliant when he was hobbling up those stairs. The fall was sheer perfection. The range of looks of surprise and puzzlement when he discovered his cane had been stolen was astonishing and they were perfectly coordinated with his movements as he looked around for it. Yes!

I don't think greater good vs. personal happiness is quite the right spectrum for House personally. I think his drive is not for his own happiness but his own sense of what is right. Which sometimes matches up to society's perceptions of "greater good" -- such as saving lives -- but sometimes doesn't -- such as not pissing off those around you just because you don't feel like being polite. For Wilson, I think he does sacrifice self for the greater good, but he sometimes (often?) has a distorted picture of how his sacrifice would serve it. I think he sacrifices in ways that are not always effective long-term and sometimes even counterproductive. But I do think he gives out of a desire to give, cares out of a desire to care. Boffle, I know you're not saying that Wilson only sacrifices to be a martyr, but some people do say that, and I think that does the character (and giving people in general) a big disservice.

But I do think he gives out of a desire to give, cares out of a desire to care. Boffle, I know you're not saying that Wilson only sacrifices to be a martyr, but some people do say that, and I think that does the character (and giving people in general) a big disservice. To me, this makes Wilson sound saintly, and I think he's got more layers than that. I believed Cate when she said he wasn't as nice as he appears on the surface. I also believe RSL when he said he wanted to give Wilson more darkness than the producers did in season one, because without it, why would House hang out with this guy? I think he's a genuinely caring person, but I also think he's sometimes done things out of a self-interest he's not always willing to acknowledge, like any other character. He's got actual flaws, not just occasionally misguided virtues.

I finally got to see the episode (Mondays are evil in my world), and while I was overall indifferent on this one, there were some things that stuck out to me. -The Diagnosis: Okay, this episode, while not based on the case, made me think of this case instead on the New England Journal of Medicine Image Challenge (the other images on the site are somewhat graphic). This makes me wonder where the writers are now getting their cases from to work with. -Mercury Retrograde: Some of us at HHoW have an inside joke on this. Very nice to see it mentioned. Although, Mercury Retrograded ended on Feb 1st, a few days before the episode aired, even though its effects were to be felt throughout this week still and until February 21st. Sorry mods. And there are four of these happening this year instead of three. Really sorry mods. I don't think greater good vs. personal happiness is quite the right spectrum for House personally. I think his drive is not for his own happiness but his own sense of what is right. See, looking at the show, I see House not as in seasons, but in what the ratings were each season. How would he have reacted in early season one? How would he have reacted before the Tritter arc? I see him as having this reaction now as he would have been incapable of it earlier in the show. I don't necessarily think he's had as much character development as other characters in the show, but by this episode, Cuddy's baby had impacted him a bit. Even if he was "behaving" only because Cuddy wasn't.

I think the idea was that she had extraordinary capabilities in this area of research that none of the House characters have. Nonetheless, you make a good point, the one she was making, that it's her right to live a life that makes her happy. It's not a simple question and there are double binds every step of the way, but it is interesting to think about and clearly, something the House writers are putting out there to indicate the direction that the show is taking, and for that matter has always taken, at least in terms of asking the hard ethical questions and playing them out through the characters' behavior. I think we've seen all the characters have both dark and shining moments, just as all human beings do. Choices are made, consequences happen, maybe we learn something or maybe we don't, maybe we repeat the same mistakes our whole lives or maybe we move on. The pendulum always swings both ways, just not at the same time for everyone.

I think that one is only extraordinary at a job when you have a passion for it. If she's burnt out and unhappy at work, I think it's better for the research that she is replaced by someone who may not be as exceptionally intelligent as she is but who is passionate about the work. Another reason they chose to go the Cuddy hurts House route was to showcase HL’s amazing physical talents. I have no problem with showcasing any of HL's talents but I wish it hadn't been at the cost of Cuddy's character. I can understand that she's conflicted about work or baby, most mothers are even if they aren't adopting, but wanting to hurt House physically goes too far, as does being so unaware of her actions that it takes Wilson to tell her that she's causing House real pain. I blame the writing. As Jessica Rabbit said, "I'm not bad. I'm just drawn that way."

Finally, watched the ep! Hooray!! :) I'm disappointed :( sorry for my English, but: Why did mr.Shore decide, that the patient-oncologist is good to show Wilson, that he should live?? WHY?? It is supposed to be House's privilege to save his best friend. They are alone, but they have each other! Greg... it was his turn to save his friend. And mr.Shore and others stole this from me...

I don't think it's out of character for characters to sometimes go too far in their behavior, especially under extreme circumstances. There's no magical rule in life, nor is there in writing about life, that says, with equal applicablity toward the value and sensibilities of everyone, that this is where the line is and you can go no further. The line is different for everyone. That said, people do screw up and go too far, even beyond what is acceptable to them, breaking their own rules under duress perhaps, then someone else says hey you went too far and they aplogize. Sounds perfectly normal human/character behavior to me. Pluha, I'm not sure I understand your complaint, but it's David Shore's creation and I'm happy to have him write it (and supervise others' writing) any way he wants it to go. In human terms, I think they were making a point about the kind of job Wilson has and the kind of life he has been living. It's actually a step up for him to be the one with the character moment with the patient and we got the revelation of how stuck he is at home. I don't know how they could write it so that the characters take turns and only this character can save that one. If you can get yourself saved by anyone, I say go for it! As for stealing, we're the audience, not the writers, so don't know how that would work. I've found that things become much more interesting and make more sense after watching a few times: maybe that would help with some of your issues? It certainly helps with mine. :-)

I have no problem with showcasing any of HL's talents but I wish it hadn't been at the cost of Cuddy's character. I can understand that she's conflicted about work or baby, most mothers are even if they aren't adopting, but wanting to hurt House physically goes too far, as does being so unaware of her actions that it takes Wilson to tell her that she's causing House real pain. I blame the writing. As Jessica Rabbit said, "I'm not bad. I'm just drawn that way." Oh, I agree that they hurt Cuddy’s character when they took the “Cuddy hurts House physically” route. Like I said in my earlier post, I wasn’t happy with it. I was trying to make sense of why they chose to go that way and I concluded that it was because they wanted us to feel sorry for House (and this was a surefire way of doing so) plus it was a wonderful opportunity for them to showcase HL’s talents. I have been very unhappy with the writing for Cuddy as well. But I guess what we’ve learned from the arc is that she’s as screwed up as House and Wilson and I can make a bit of peace with the writing when I think of it from that point of view. Only a bit though. I think they could have established that she is a flawed person in more nuanced and subtle ways.and I do think they took the easy way out.

Pluha, one of the rules of House and Wilson's friendship is that they don't talk about feelings. Wilson could never tell House that he's stuck in an emotional rut and he can't move on. House would just tell him to get over it. Because the POTW (patient of the week) got him to do something -- washing Amber's cup -- we can hope this will free him up enough that he can move forward in his friendship with House.