We're going to see a lot of development in her character this season -- as Thirteen goes through the various stages of her slow-death Huntington's diagnosis. The premiere was just the beginning, and we can expect all sorts of reactions and changes from her, given her rather grim prognosis. Wonderful, just wonderful. I'm wondering when the show's name will be changed.

You know, I don't really hate Thirteen, but lately I started to wonder if at some point of the season she won't go away for whatever *very dramatic* reason. Actually, the three of them, because I do think it was strange that they didn't change the credits - after all they seem to love her so very much :roll: Since I don't believe that C&C will return to House's team, maybe what we'll see is a long line of fellows that will stay with House for a little while and then will go away. This is not so much a crack theory as I used to think, problem is I don't know if I like it...

i don't see C&C returning in the way they were there before...but if the show goes on another 4? seasons, I can see them changing up the diagnostics dept. Maybe have an attending or two and one or two fellows. IAre the newbies listed as cast or are they still guest stars (or however they phrase it)? If they aren't given the same blilling as the ducklings, I think their characters' fates may still be in question.

I think their characters' fates may still be in question. I don't think TPTB are unsure about the new characters - if anything, their willingness to follow a Thirteen's storyline proves that they have been planning this development for awhile. What I think that they also may have planned is the candidates' periodic change - not a new Survival game, but a substitution from time to time, maybe not even during this season, but I won't be surprised if in the next one we'll have another fellow to join to the team.

Please let it be that the only reason we're getting pounded with so much Thirteen is because she'll soon be gone. :roll:

One of the Fox writers answered questions submitted by viewers from the season premier. Some answers are a tad bit spoilery. http://www.fox.com/house/features/qa/QA1.htm I found this bit interesting... 3) House was definitely going into emotional turmoil last night as his feelings were concealed until the very end when he allowed his vulnerability to be thrown onto the table. Will we see House throw his vulnerability on the table to more characters? It goes without saying that House doesn't show vulnerability easily or often. It would take a major event, possibly a catastrophic one -- though we may well see a couple more of those this season. So what catastrophic events are in the works? My guess is something's going to happen to Cuddy. They've taken away his lifeline (Wilson...granted he gets him back), so who's his next level of dependence? Cuddy. They answered my question about House's head injury...I read a while back that sometimes that kind of injury can spark periods of geniusness. LOL Maybe we'll get some crazy musical dream/hallucination.

From what we have already heard, the hostage crisis perhaps. On a personal level maybe the death of one of his parents.

Yeah, probably a dead parent for House and possibly facing losing Cuddy at some point, whether it's during the hostage crisis or it's more to do with her losing her job, I don't know, but he's gone through losing his team (he didn't really get them back, except Foreman, which is good because I still believe that Foreman is his favorite duckling, JMO ), losing Wilson, (he will get him back at some point, but he'll have to work for it) so the next logical person is Cuddy to "lose" is Cuddy.

Maybe House loses his job. I think that would be something interesting to explore, but I would save that for a later season, personally. It just seems with the impending Huddy, if House goes through another loss this year after getting Wilson back, it would be Cuddy. But the job issue could potentially be a great arc at some point.

House losing his job would be something interesting to explore, but I think it would be more interesting if Cuddy lost hers. We know this is all about House...he wouldn't be away from his job permanently. Something catastrophic doesn't necessarily have to be a bad thing. It would be catastrophic for House if Cuddy lost her job, but not for Cuddy if she resigns to pursue something else she's really interested in (returning to medicine, pregnancy, etc.). Question about the hijack episode...do we know which epi this will be? They say early in the season. How early? If it's after House gets Wilson back, maybe the hijacker takes Cuddy...could be what sparks the Huddy this season.

You know how there's always a lull in December/January where they show reruns or sporting events and American Idol comes back? I think that the hostage episode will probably wind up being advertized heavily and be the one that airs when the American Idol shows hit their regular groove. OR, it will be the one that airs before the lull and someone will get shot and we'll have to wait 4-6 weeks to find out if they live or die.

Based on the fact that we started to hear about it (the hostage episode) once they resumed shooting early this month it seems as if it is somewhere between the 10th - 12th episode. It could be an episode at the end of November or one that is dropped in mid December or early January and then yeah a couple weeks off before the next episode airs that sounds likely. Or the strat of February sweeps.

OR, it will be the one that airs before the lull and someone will get shot and we'll have to wait 4-6 weeks to find out if they live or die. Hope not. Been there, done that. When? In No Reason House was shot, but we knew he'd survive, the big question was about the ketamine, if it'd work or not and how it'd change House. If someone other than the regulars (and by regulars I mean only the six in the opening credits!) would be in some threatening's situation the cliffhanger and its resolution might be completely different, as well the effects on House and the others.