West coast checking in (at least a wee little bit of it)... So, I enjoyed this episode thoroughly and loved the new relationsips House was able to begin and even enjoy. It wasn't what I expected: I thought it would be much more grim and House would be crazier. But this was wonderful. I loved that he could get so close to Lydia even though he knew how it would probably end. I think they both needed each other to get through. It was nice to see people not trying to lecture, punish, seduce or change him. Makes me think the situtation back at ppth may be too toxic for him and his colleagues to fix. They are all so harsh with each other and always at cross-purposes. But drama needs conflict, so there it is. There are echoes to earlier situations and relationships in his life, but really these stood on their own. I didn't miss the PPTH folks at all (and I do like them). It was quite a long journey, condensing the relationships and realizations into a few key scenes. Loved Alvy and the Woody Allen reference: ha! Woody as a rapper! Funny! Did anyone hear exactly how long he was there? Months I know, but I don't remember a reference. It was great that the NAMI people found it a sensitive depiction of mental health issues. That's what drama does, hits the broad strokes and wakes people up. I loved that Dr. Nolan just stood his ground and didn't play House's games, didn't take it personally and was still able to help him. There's a lot there for House to think about. The cake bit was exactly what he did in House's Head when he put his face into the pile of bus clothes to get the smell, so I guess it's just what House does sometimes. He took some huge risks being uncool enough to try the rapping and try some other things that he wouldn't normally do. He's always the guy snarking the background, deflecting and above the fray. But here, he got into the fray, found himself smiling and going along, even if he wasn't perfect, and it seemed to feel okay. It's such a different way to start the season, I'm a little taken aback. But I loved it. And I'm not too worried about nicer gentler House: this is while he's still on the meds in that controlled situation. Once he's back where he's his own boss again, he may step back from some of that progress. I would like to see him stay off the vicodin, though and the other drugs. Sober House could be very interesting. And now for rewatch no. 1!

I genuinely enjoyed this episode. I was enthralled by the phases House went through and the people he got to meet on the way. Though some scenes/situations might have seemed a bit "contrived" or beyond the realm of what can possibly happen in a real psychiatric hospital, it didn't mellow my enthusiasm for this episode given that I have come to think of House as symbolic, allegoric even, when it comes to its relationship with hardcore actual facts poor undeserving us, non-fictional people, know about the real medical world. I was, like some of you, a bit disappointed that big chunks of House's hallucinations were completely ignored (namely Kutner and Amber coming back to haunt him and his non-existent sexual relationship with Cuddy). It was indeed upseting to see these important events be completely dismissed as if saying "well, now that you no longer hallucinate, why try to understand why you hallucinated in the first place and why you hallucinated what you hallucinated ?" As for House's return to PPTH, I cannot wait for it. House got better (no matter what that means) and it is great. But it was the "easy" part. Don't misunderstand me : going to a psychiatric hospital and using this experience to improve your mental health is a gruelling process, I am not denying that. Nonetheless, it is what a psychiatric facility is meant for; it is supposed to help people feel better. If one doesn't get better there, one is in serious trouble. On the other hand, PPTH was not designed for House (or any other doctor, for that matter) to feel better. It is not a place where people's job is to take care of House and make sure he feels good about himself, though it has occasionally looked like this. As Boffle said, it is a "toxic" place, but it is toxic partly because House made it that way. Let me explain : I come from a family of doctors who all work in hospitals and are huge fans of House. And they can all testify that, in spite of all the vexations and hurt feelings that may be caused by fellow MDs, they have never known a working environment as personally challenging as fictional PPTH. Now, all the characters around House are somewhat realistic and their non-fictional counterparts could actually be encountered in real hospitals. House, on the other hand, not so much. So I can only assume that the main reason, if not the only reason, why PPTH is such a deep pit of hell when it comes to human interactions is because House is who he is and therefore created an environment where only smart, tough, overbearing, feisty, intrusive and emotionally crippled people could survive. Adapt or perish ! It can only be interesting to see this new House (though the actual extent of his change remains to be seen) face the world his former self helped engineer and in which he thrived. House Original Flavour vs. House 2.0 ! That can only be a good watch !

I don't really have much to say or add except that I absolutely loved this episode. I have to make special mention of the use of No Surprises by Radiohead for the detox scene - the album it comes from is my all-time favorite (OK Computer), but I can't listen to it often because it's so heavy and it reminds me of a time in my life when I was struggling with what I hope was the worst of my depression. I listened to it quite a bit then as it was very cathartic as well as being an amazing musical accomplishment. I'm glad they used the song and I think they used it well, but WOW, was it powerful. So House is happy... I can't wait to see how he screws it up. :wink: I'm spoiler free so I have no idea what's coming, but House wouldn't be House if he didn't find a way to ruin this one way or another. And I love him for it. Of course I want the best for him, but it's the struggle that's interesting, and it looks like this episode has set him up for one hell of a struggle to hold on to what he has learned as he goes back to his real life. I do hope he manages to keep some of the lessons, for his sake. Is it next Monday yet??

The way the Lydia's sister-in-law was cured was the only thing I had real trouble accepting -- even as an allegory. I've been thinking about how it could have worked for me. I think that if the "cure" had been less complete I could have accepted it. When Freedom Master handed her the music box, if she had held it instead of dropping it or even just run her finger over it, it would have been more convincing than having her speak (and speak well despite not having used her vocal chords in a decade.) The reaction of House and the hospital staff would have shown that it was a breakthrough. Similarly, once she was no longer completely catatonic, I would have bought it if we saw her walking around, holding the bow for her cello rather than playing well.

I wouldn't say that House is "happy." He's recognized that as a goal. I think what's important is that he recognized the ability to actually reach for happiness, and that it is within ability for him to attain happiness without losing everything else. In the past, he saw happiness as a detriment to his central core. He thought the possibility of being happy made him a "normal" person and normal doctor, so he avoided "happy" at all costs. Depression doesn't necessarily manifest itself in typical emo moping. Instead, there's an issue of inappropriate emotional reactions. (Recall that Hugh himself has said he recognized there was something wrong when he was "bored" at a charity race, which was an inappropriate reaction, rather than "sad.") For House, his depression has manifested in darker and darker outlook on others. He avoids dealing with his emotions. He deflects. He pushes people away -- people can't hurt him if he doesn't allow them to get to know him, and at the same time, happiness would require making emotional contact with others, so keeping them away is both deflection and, in his view, self-preservation. House certainly wasn't "happy" when Nolan decided he was ready to leave. He was depressed -- but that was an appropriate response. (Compare that to his reactions with Cuddy. He followed their kiss with immediately battling with her to push her away and denied his feelings.) He didn't push Lydia away, he'd allowed himself to actually begin to open up to someone new and potentially accept something good and "happy" in his life. He'd seen happiness as a possibility for himself, even if it didn't work out that way. So in this case, I don't think we have "happy" House. But we do have a House who doesn't automatically reject happiness.

I long ago learned to suspend my disbelief when it comes to some of the medical details and wonky timeline issues of the show. I have to rewatch, but overall loved it. Specifically that this took place over months, not a few days or weeks. And has anyone mentioned the fake out urine test? When Hugh launched into "He is an Englishman" ? One of my favorite scenes ever.

Oh that was wonderul TJRX. He does drop those little English shout-outs in every now and then and I love him to death for it. The way the Lydia's sister-in-law was cured was the only thing I had real trouble accepting -- even as an allegory. I've been thinking about how it could have worked for me. I think that if the "cure" had been less complete I could have accepted it. It did seem a bit contrived but it didn't bother me. After all we have no way of knowing that she won't soon revert back to her former self in some or all ways. She's still headed for rehab and the cure may have been dramatic but it's not necessarily complete yet (ref. Awakenings). After all we don't expect House to keep his sunny smile 100% once he gets back to his former life.

Hmm. Someone elsewhere says that the smiley face t-shirt House wears at the end is one that Alvy was wearing earlier. Can anyone confirm? Because that would be sweet -- in a unspokan, Housian version of "sweet."

I thought the most touching moment was at the very end when Alvie watches House walk away and then goes to get his own meds.

I know many thought the sex scene was beautifully done, but I got distracted by a few things: -How did the clothes on the bottom half of their bodies magically get unzipped, pushed aside, or removed? -Doesn't sex usually involve moving? -That was rather...brief. Maybe I'm not enough of a romantic.

So painful
My favorite season is still number 2. I was totally obsessed with this show. Now, I have to grit my teeth to watch. I intend to watch this series through to the end no matter how much it hurts. Got to see how it ends. I agree with the shadowcat list and the alias_smith comments on the "sex". I kept channeling Scooby-Doo the whole 2 hours. Brruuuhhh??? There are moments that I liked, but too many where I just can't ignore the impossible situations. How could House be in the institution for several months with NO ONE contacting him? I truly hate Wilson now. I am calling this episode the "Great Mental Institution Cliche Festival". You had: not taking meds, the talent show, the music box, the miracle escape from catatonia, the guy who gets inspired at the end to get better, physical injuries, sex, the screwed-up doctors, lockup in the isolation room, patients with the usual cliche psychological conditions...... Three words about HL: creepy old guy. He looks a lot older than season 2. They can't hide his big stomach anymore. The dreadful hair (what there is of it) makes me cringe. I think House lost his sex appeal. We always knew he was screwed up, but he was coping with it before. This guy who can't make it in the real world is not really attractive. I don't see the swagger and big self-confidence that helped make him so appealing before. The relationship with Lydia isn't too hard to understand, though. House was giving her attention that she craved. Screwed-up people like her (and she admitted it) only care about having a good time now and don't worry about the future. Here's looking forward to episode 2 (teeth grinding)!!!!

Mileages obviously vary. Yes, Hugh is 50 (so, apparently is House, since he made the comment that recounting every moment of his past would take 50 years). That is far from "old," especially these days. Look at some of the "hot" actors in Hollywood. Brad Pitt is only four years younger than Hugh. So is Johnny Depp. Tom Cruise? Only three years younger. And none of them are called "old." And while HL may not have washboard abs (and may not have even when he was competing in international sports), I'd bet he could wipe the floor with any pretty boy hack with abs that came solely from the gym. And not just because of the boxing.

You know, HHOW is not the government. The Constitution does not guarantee the right of truly offensive posters to say whatever they want, no matter how derogatory, about the show most of us love, on this privately run web site. I don't understand why I have to grit my teeth through some of the bilge that gets posted here. So far I have, but some people cross a line. If I have any rights at all, as a long time poster, I vote that really creepy little posters can be removed.

Guess I find creepy old guys with big stomachs and dreadful hair hotter than hell. Or what Namaste said.