HL is back there with that beautiful wedding ring on prominent display I love that ring so much. If I was Jo, I would find it so gratifying that while my husband is surrounded by three gorgeous women, it's still my ring on his finger. Is it odd that when I watch the show, sometimes I'll rewind if they have a close-up of Hugh's hand to see if I can find a ring indentation on his hand? I just think they're perfect. One of my favorite HL interviews ever is this one because at the end, he gushes on and on about his "brown-eyed girl." So sweet. I squee for Hugh/Jo. But it is obvious that Hugh and Lisa are really good friends, and I just think that makes the ship and the show all the better.

LightMyCandle: If it also helps, I was a little ticked too, partly because I hate Cam and partly because I didn't think that dress worked for her. It made her arms look really long and spindly. Also, it looked like a high school prom dress – not something a 30ish year old doctor would wear, but I guess that’s in keeping with Cameron’s fashion style (vests, poofy sleeves, Mary Janes). Angelfirenze: Yeah, am I the only one who gets really, really annoyed when fans ship real people who are otherwise married and/or in a committed relationship? Honestly, if someone is fortunate enough to find the person that makes them happy, the idea that they should get divorced just so you can live out your onscreen ship in real-life is rather selfish. You're not alone at all! I especially don't care for people publicly posting real-life fics about the actors being involved with each other because I think it is potentially hurtful to the actors and their families. I understand that some people are into that and want to share with friends, but posting on the web for all to see is, in my opinion, disrespectful.

Responding about Cameron's dress in her thread.

So, anyway, I really liked the House/Cuddy aspects of this last episode. I think it gave us more of an insight into how much respect the two have for each other. Cuddy respects House enough to risk her job over and over again, and House respects Cuddy enough to know that she has to cover the hospital's ass. Also that he called her in the middle of the night to tell her about the diagnosis. And that he said, "Goodnight, Cuddy" at the end of the phone call. Usually he just hangs up the phone without a final greeting, but he made an effort. There will be Huddy in S5, I tell you, there will be!

I thoroughly enjoyed the strong and sweet House/Cuddy aspects of "Living the Dream" last night. The set up for next season's exploration of their relationship is proceeding at an agreeably slow pace, one that permits us to appreciate the contradictions and tensions in the complex ties that bind these two seriously flawed but fascinating people. The final phone scene reminded me strongly of the parallel scenes in "Meaning" at Cuddy's bedroom window and in "Half-wit" in her livingroom. TPTB have consistently portrayed the intensity and intimacy of their relationship through these glimpses of domesticity. House relies heavily on Cuddy as the source of stability to which he returns at moments of tribulation and disruption. He seeks her out to share his brainstorms, his diagnostic triumphs, and to challenge his medical insights. Their partnership is based on her being his valued sounding board. The midnight phone call reflected this intellectual connection as well as the erotic and emotional aspects of their peculiar "marriage." I am prepared for lots of Huddy- and Cuddy-hating that will now flow as this relationship intensifies.

Great to mention how slow it's going! I'm so glad they're not just throwing them into bed together randomly some episode. The slow build-up allows for a stronger argument for their relationship, so that when it happens, it will be organic and hopefully not alcohol-induced. The Huddy/Cuddy-hating has already started. Most of the argument against them/her at the moment says that he's only going to her because Wilson is busy. While I agree that Wilson being otherwise occupied does allow for House to traipse off to Cuddy more often, they have a different relationship than House and Wilson have. Cuddy provides a better wall of stability against and for House's radical genius. Without Cuddy, House would be out on his ass so fast - she needs to be there, and he recognizes that. She gets him, sometimes better than Wilson does. I just wish she would trust herself more often. I think House wishes that as well. She's right more often than she knows.

hey chipmunk_love, i totally agree with you there :) without cuddy, there may not even be a house i'm excited to see how things will unravel, i'm glad too that they are doing it slowly, cuz i seriously can't imagine them doing crazy stuff all of a sudden, i actually like how complicated, complex, somewhat mysterious their relationship is. it makes it all the fun to learn and see their interactions. i hope after the anticipated "huddy" scene, everything will be alright for them considering that they're probably not going to be in a lovey dovey relationship. (seriously can't imagine that kind of relationship with cuddy and house, i like the way they are right now, the tension is there all the time :D *hearts it* )

Yes, blacktop. Yes, yes, a thousand times yes. I agree with those thoughts. I'm very excited for the next season to see whatever developments between them get throw our way, romantic or not. There hasn't been a lot of focus on how complex their relationship with each other is, and I'd love to see that.

So...where do we think this ship is going to go next season? The season's last scene ended on a bit of a Huddy note, after all. A large part of me thinks that Cuddy staying with House as Wilson went home foreshadows what could happen for the three of them next season. As Wilson emotionally recovers from losing Amber, Cuddy will take Wilson's traditional role to help House physically recover. As much as I would love for the two of them to just fall into bed together already, I sincerely hope that nothing physically romantic blossoms between House and Cuddy during this time, for a number of reasons. First, it just wouldn't be happening as organically as I think they deserve. If they sleep together at the beginning of S5, it would come off as "funeral sex" and completely superficial. Second, too many people would accuse Cuddy of taking advantage of House at a vulnerable moment in his life - he's both physically and emotionally shaken. I definitely wouldn't mind at all a strengthening of their friendship, and perhaps a bit more of their history. Maybe they could finally talk about their ONS, for our sakes. :) But I do think Huddy fans will finally be rewarded this season, and I do hope that it lasts for more than an episode. House/Cam got a whole season (and NMMNG and Half-Wit), House/Stacy had a whole half a season...if House/Cuddy gets at least 4 episodes, I'm pretty sure we'd be happy.

When House is sitting on the death bus with Amber talking about why he doesn't want to go back, one of the things he says is he doesn't want to be lonely (or alone--I can't remember the exact wording). What I'd love to see next season is for this to be an opportunity for House to reach out, to take a chance on letting someone a little closer. The big question is--will he? Cuddy would be an obvious choice. They have history, they already have a strong relationship, and I think the H/Cu scenes we got in HH and WH were set up to show that Cuddy is there for House. I don't even necessarily care if it takes a romantic turn. In fact, in some ways I'd prefer it didn't. I'd be happy if we simply got a deeper friendship between them.

I'm happy for anything I get. I felt totally fulfilled at the end of WH when I saw Cuddy sleeping next to House holding his hand. That, to me, confirmed my own assessment that these two have a strong bond. I am also convinced if the tides were changed, we would have seen House staying with Cuddy. I believe if you have a connection and are physically attracted to each other, it would only be natural that it would lead elsewhere. Of course, the hitch for H&C is their working relationship keeps them apart.

I enjoy this line of speculation immensely. I agree that the last four episodes of season four were designed to set up a possible arc highlighting House's re-engagement with Cuddy in season five. As sdemar states, the final scenes of WH gave us the wonderfully satisfying development of House declaring to dream!Amber that he doesn't want to return to living because he will be alone followed by the pull-back into the reality of the hospital room to reveal that he is wrong, he is not alone at all, that in fact Cuddy is by his side, holding his hand. The hitch in the elaboration of the House/Cuddy relationship next season will be, I think, House's extreme guilt over his role in the death of Amber. This guilt might make him reluctant to pursue a romantic opportunity of his own when Wilson has just been so brutally deprived of his own chance at love and fulfillment. House might simply feel that it is unjust that he find, even fleetingly, some happiness with Cuddy when his best friend is heartbroken and alone. I think, therefore, that repair of the friendship between House and Wilson may be a necessary pre-condition to the House/Cuddy affair taking off. I feel that this view is strengthened by the theme of uncompleted sex acts that permeated HH and WH at the end of season four. Consider the half lap dance that opened HH, then fantasy!Cuddy's halted striptease, the inconclusive erotic gestures of the mysterious dark lady in House's dreams, even the incomplete seduction of dream!Amber who straddled House but never kissed him. I think that all of this points toward House's unresolved feelings about his sexual relations and about the trust that a mature romantic relationship requires. I am reminded of what seemed like a throw-away line in "It's a Wonderful Lie" when House complains to Cuddy, "You owe me half a lap dance." Who knew that this passing comment would become a repeated theme of the House/Cuddy relationship for the rest of this season! I do think that House will find a way to resolve these concerns and that season four will show him open to renewing his on-again, off-again love affair with Cuddy. I am so ready for this to happen slowly, elegantly, and with much emotional impact. And I am sure that the phrase "trainwreck" will not even begin to adequately describe the aftermath of their get-together!

So, did y'all see this in Watch With Kristin? Shene in Chantilly, Va.: Will House ever have a romantic scene? Because it seems like if he got a little real love, things could turn good for him. I would argue that he's had plenty of romantic scenes, and I don't think I'm the only one who would argue that, so I am opening up the floor for House-related romantic arguing. In the tradition of our Smallville and Lost love debates, if you're a fan of House with either Cuddy, Cameron, Thirteen or Wilson, send in your 500-words-or-less essays in favor of the couple of your choice to tvdiva@eonline.com by July 7. (I know House will always love Wilson no matter what lady he hooks up with, but pretend it's like Highlander and there can be only one.) We'll post the best arguments from each side in an upcoming item! I'm sure there are quite a few people here who could make strong cases for their ship! I'm cross posting this to the ship threads.