5.17 The Social Contract

I don't think Wilson intended for House to go in with him. But, it was the final seconds before he was going in. The last step, and that can be the scariest because there's no more time to prepare. At least it's like that with me, you can stay calmer about things that are farther away timewise, but when it's right in front of you, it can make you jump a little. I think he just wanted that last boost of encouragement before he went in. Wilson asking House to meet Danny at the end seemed like the first time the idea had been brought up. It seemed to me that Wilson decided between his meeting with Danny and the elevator scene that that's what he wanted and House accepted. I agree with those who think that House was only there for the first time as emotional support before and after. I don't think either one of them thought he was going in.

Why don't you think Wilson intended for him to go in?

It just didn't seem like he did. The way he asked House at the end sounded like the first time the idea had been mentioned or thought of. I don't think that's what he wanted all along. It was House's idea to go with Wilson in the first place. I think after seeing House willing to do that and be there for him, added with time tp process his first meeting with Danny, he then decided that he wanted them to meet. If he had wanted House to meet Danny the first time, I think the end conversation would have gone differently. Why would he want House in the room the first time he saw his brother in years? I love my bff, but if my brother took off and I was left with no idea if he was okay or not and then showed up years later, I would certainly appreciate support, but I would want to see him again on my own for the first time. I think that's a private family moment. House doesn't know Danny, I think it would be a little difficult to be able to fully take in that experience if a third party is observing you. I also don't think Danny would be comfortable with a total stranger coming in with his brother. Agreed. I need to rewatch, but didn't Wilson give House a sort of expectant look when the nurse/aide/orderly arrived to take him to Danny's room, but House was preoccupied with his phone call? And didn't House look disappointed when he finished the call and saw that Wilson was gone? I think that what happened there was not the missed opportunity for House to accompany him to Danny's room, but the missed opportunity to give Wilson a "good luck" or other gesture of moral support.

ITA with everything you just posted LightMyCandle (ETA and OldHamster :) ). House was only there to keep Wilson company. In particular because of the fear that Danny might not want to speak with Wilson or that the first talk would go badly. Having House in there with them would have complicated an already tense situation that was meant to be just between the two brothers. Wilson obviously wanted House's attention that last minute before the moment of truth but that was not to be. Still Wilson knew House was there for him almost until that point and more importantly would be waiting for him when he came back out. I can't see House going with Wilson then leaving him behind without finding out what happened. That would have been cruel and pointless.

Yep. I agree with LMC that House was there for moral support and not to actually sit in on the visit. During the operating room scene, I got the impression House would not go in because he said in case your first meet doesn't go well you could probably use the support of another person. So my sense was House would be there for Wilson after the meeting in case something went during the meeting. I still can'gt wrap my head around how House got back to the hospital. Wasn't the brother two hours away from Princeton. Or did Wilson mean I'll see him in two hours as in I have an appoitment with him in two hours - not that it wil;l take two hours to get there.

Wilson had planned for House to go in with him, to be there the whole time. That may not be how psych wards work in the real world, but it was obviously expected in House!world. That was shown not only by Wilson's disappointment, but by House turning back to the empty room after the phone call, expecting that Wilson would've waited for him before going in. I think House left after that, and took a cab back to the hospital to deal with his patient (and stuck PPTH with the huge fare). That is consistent with RSL's expression, but it's just too weird. House or no House. I sure never expected it.

I thought Wilson was disappointed because House cut their conversation, not because he wasn't going to meet his brother. That makes no sense whatsoever. Not for a regular person and especially not for House, who is a jerk with almost no sensibility, and Wilson, who knows that. Still, probably the best episode of the season. I still don't find House's response to Wilson hiding his personal life believable. He had more boundaries, more respect and was more understanding way before, in Sports Medicine, when he just signaled his hurt and withdrew. One can argue that he has been through a lot with Amber's death and all, having discovered his fear of losing a friend, but I'm still not convinced. Maybe I just miss the sulking.

Maybe House's reaction was an overreaction to Wilson's reaction, and that's what makes House's reaction believable. Wilson was angry from the beginning, and that made House worry even more. Wilson gets angry when someone is going to leave or die...so... I could totally buy that House would prod until Wilson bled.

I'm all choked up, having *finally* gotten to see this episode. More later, perhaps, but for now I'll just say that I laughed out loud many times, I found the whole patient story terribly sad (though true), and thank god for the glorious House/Wilson closing scene. Wow.

It just didn't seem like he did. The way he asked House at the end sounded like the first time the idea had been mentioned or thought of. I don't think that's what he wanted all along. It was House's idea to go with Wilson in the first place. I think after seeing House willing to do that and be there for him, added with time tp process his first meeting with Danny, he then decided that he wanted them to meet. If he had wanted House to meet Danny the first time, I think the end conversation would have gone differently. Why would he want House in the room the first time he saw his brother in years? I love my bff, but if my brother took off and I was left with no idea if he was okay or not and then showed up years later, I would certainly appreciate support, but I would want to see him again on my own for the first time. I think that's a private family moment. House doesn't know Danny, I think it would be a little difficult to be able to fully take in that experience if a third party is observing you. I also don't think Danny would be comfortable with a total stranger coming in with his brother. To me, the end conversation showed Wilson had expected House in there. I believe (don't have the vid in front of me), Wilson said, "I do want you to meet him" meaning he had wanted House to meet him before. If my brother took off and I was left with no idea if he was okay or not and then he showed up years later, I would definitely take my husband with me to that first meeting for support. House and Wilson aren't married, but House is Wilson's main source of emotional support, his family in a large sense. Once House had offered to come with him, I assumed that meant being with Wilson for the entire time (and as I said, House and Wilson's actions both reinforced that assumption).

I believe (don't have the vid in front of me), Wilson said, "I do want you to meet him" meaning he had wanted House to meet him before. He said "I'd like you to meet him," and IMO he said it in a way that told me he was suggesting a new idea to House and House responded as if it was a new suggestion. I just don't think the conversation would have gone the way it did if House had already missed the opportunity where he was supposed to meet Danny. If my brother took off and I was left with no idea if he was okay or not and then he showed up years later, I would definitely take my husband with me to that first meeting for support. Well, then it looks like this discussion just comes down to a difference between you and me. I would want my first reunion with my long missing brother to be private. I think Wilson wanted that too, he wasn't even going to tell House what was going on and it wasn't his idea for House to go along at all. More than just my own comfort, I don't think my brother who has been through God knows what over the last 13 years would be able to react naturally to me if there was a complete stranger to him in the room with us. I would want to make sure he (the brother) was comfortable with me, not have him worried about this random guy in the back of the room, (House may be close to Wilson, but I don't think that would help Danny, he's never met House so there's no reason for him to trust him). The support comes before the meeting and after the meeting, not during. Once House had offered to come with him, I assumed that meant being with Wilson for the entire time (and as I said, House and Wilson's actions both reinforced that assumption). And I assumed that meant House would be there for Wilson for support before and after, not during. Really, what could he do during that wouldn't seem like an interference? I think Wilson's the kind of guy who would want to handle the meeting in his own way and whether House was in there craking jokes, telling him that it's okay, or not saying anything at all, I would see it as a distraction. And IMHO, House and Wilson's actions reinforced my assumption that neither of them intended for House to meet Danny that first time. We'll just have to agree to disagree.

Something really really small that I noticed. Wilson: "Taub, another graduate of 'House's School of Being a Dick'" House: "Private Dick." This is such scrutiny, but I was surprised they were allowed to say this. Every Late Night talk show I watch bleeps the word out if ever used, reason Justin Timberlake had a hard time promoting his SNL Digital Short :P Must have been one of those things that just slipped by the Narotic Parents Organization radar I doubt they would have gotten away with it were it not for the Private Dick clarification that followed. Couldn't have said it any other way. There must have been an unspoken amendment to the "words you can/cannot say on TV" rules, because I heard "dick" yet again on Leno last night. The kid who played McLovin in Superbad used it, and it wasn't like it was muffled in his speech, it was very noticeable. Interesting. If this is the case, way to go House writers for taking advantage of newly unrestricted words, they definitely help build a scene :P

Not sure that was mentioned but-- is it me, or did we get a brand new explanation for Spin's "You'd be surprised what you can live with" line?

You've made my mind hit a blank wall, Ji. :lol: Please explain. - - - I agree with everything you've said LightMyCandle. To me, it makes no sense that Wilson would have wanted House in the room when he first 'met' his brother again. Wilson had planned on doing it all behind House's back, so it seemed he wanted it to be a pretty private moment for him. (we don't even know if the rest of Wilson's family had visited his brother at that point). Wilson also had the niggling feeling that it would all go terribly wrong. After all, that's part of the reason he didn't want to tell House about finding his brother. I can't imagine he'd want House to see how pathetically the reunion went. Who knows how House'd react? He might have been showing his unique brand of rarely-seen supportiveness, but Wilson of all people would know that doesn't mean House isn't going to be unpredictable or a jerk. As for the moment before Wilson went in to see his bro...... I interpreted Wilson's frustration as a result of House brushing him off during such a momentus occassion in his life. House had accompanied him to New York and was being supportive, yet when the time finally came for Wilson to see his brother, House didn't even bother to acknowledge him. (granted, House didn't realize he was gone, but I don't think Wilson saw it that way). In such a situation, I reckon I'd be hurt too.

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