HOUSE!

[corilannam]

Thanks to a massive back up on I-95 at a completely inappropriate hour last night, I didn't get home from meeby's TAR party until almost 1 a.m. So of course, the logical thing to do is fire up the TiVo and watch the new House.

And then watch it again.



Oh man. How awesome was that? This was totally the episode I've been waiting for -- Wilson! Wilson angst! House devotion to uncovering the Wilson angst!

I can't help but love upset, flustered Wilson. He's always so cool and dry, so seeing that emotion welling up beyond his control was just... guh. And I loved House's reaction to it -- deeply intrigued on both a personal and an intellectual level. He honed in immediately on the fact that something major was going on with Wilson, and he took the case figuring that if he solved the medical mystery, he'd solve the Wilson mystery at the same time. His two favorite hobbies together -- puzzles and Wilson! Although no, he never has needed a better reason for taking a case than Wilson asking him to. Foreman should know that by now.

Speaking of Foreman, I really liked the development of his relationship with Wilson over the course of the episode. I get the feeling that Foreman doesn't know quite what to make of Wilson, but they seemed to come to a greater mutual appreciation of each other, even if Foreman never found out exactly what Wilson's motivation in the case was. Bonding over a rabies shot, you gotta love it.

And I enjoyed the contrast not just in their personalities and backgrounds, but also in their branches of medicine and their medical experience. Foreman asks "what are we supposed to tell her?" frustrated at not having anything to offer but hopeless treatment and some pain relief, and Wilson very calmly replied, "Yes. That's exactly what we tell her." This is a big difference between Wilson and Foreman. They're driven to find the clues that will tell them how to fix their patients, but as an oncologist, Wilson has probably had many more occasions where he diagnoses a patient for whom he can do nothing, and he's had to learn how to cope with that. I love that even after grim diagnosis after grim diagnosis, they couldn't save her. That had to happen sometime.

James Wilson, Boy Wonder Oncologist. Hee! And an unusual mention of Wilson's first name, which made me wonder if the fact that the homeless woman kept calling for "James" had any significance. I don't know if it was meant to be misleading in some way, or if we were supposed to think it was part of why Wilson took over the case. But on my second viewing, I was struck with an image of Wilson listening to her call out for James, and in his mind, seeing his brother in a hospital somewhere, calling out for him.

In Swedish, "friend" means "limping twerp." Heeeeee!

And oh, the joy of that last scene. House *follows* him. House has follow-up questions. House knows his family. House just can't stand it that there's something he doesn't know about Wilson. And I love that House doesn't figure out the answer -- Wilson tells him. Maybe he tells him because he knows House won't let it go, and maybe it's a relief to finally tell someone about his brother and House is the only person he would even consider telling. I would bet serious money that his wife doesn't know. He's even more tightly buttoned than I thought, our Wilson.

So, nine years. That probably means that House and Wilson have known each other for less than nine years. But I do like the idea that they've known each other just a little longer than that, and maybe whatever happened with Wilson's brother happened in the early days of their courtship acquaintance, but since it probably took a long time for them to work past each other's substantial intimacy barriers, House had no idea what was going on. Mostly, I like that idea because it would drive House crazy to find out this happened right under his nose and he had no clue. I can totally see him trying to put together all the evidence in hindsight.

I love this show beyond all reason. Almost as much as House loves Wilson.

Comments

[movies-michelle.livejournal.com]

*joins cereta in the nudging*

I loved the "limping twerp" line, not only for his complete comfort in mocking House (and his obvious anger), but mostly for his use of the word "twerp" to describe House. I don't know, it's just such a geeky, wonderful, and weirdly appropriate word. *g*

I also loved that House followed him. House has shown us that he's tenacious when it comes to a mystery, whether it's one about his patients or his co-workers (he seems to have pulled the files, medical or otherwise, on just about everyone he works with), but I don't think there's anyone else he would follow to some unknown part of the city on a cold winter's night.

And despite the fact that I've watched the episode twice, and rewatched a couple of scenes more than that, I missed the discussion between Foreman and Wilson about what to tell this woman who was dying in pain. And it totally makes sense. You're right, as an oncologist, especially someone who has been around long enough to be head of his department, he's dealt enough with pain management (not cures) that he would be able to look at it that way. Foreman, on the other hand.... Do we know how much practical experience any of these guys have had? Obviously they've all done their internships, etc., but do we know how long they've been practicing? I get the idea that Foreman, at least, has spent more time in a lab than dealing with actual patients. It's not that he doesn't want to, just that he hasn't necessarily done it.

And I do like the antagonism between Foreman and Wilson. On Wilson's side, it's obvious what the problem is: He can deal with House's complete lack of bedside manner, but not Foreman's, and this is a case that means something to him. On Foreman's side, I think it goes back to the fact that House obviously doesn't give a crap about much of anyone's opinion and treats everyone the same--except for Wilson. Foreman bridles at the fact that House won't listen to him, that he doesn't respect him (which is crap, because House wouldn't keep him there if he didn't respect him). And in walks Wilson with a case, asks House to take it, and House does. House listens to Wilson. The fact that House listens to Wilson over Foreman's objections--and especially in Foreman's area of expertise--is salt in an already open wound.

Ask me again how much I love this show. *g*

[corilannam.livejournal.com]

I don't know, it's just such a geeky, wonderful, and weirdly appropriate word.

It is! So very Wilson, and it's the perfect word for this situation, where House

You're right, as an oncologist, especially someone who has been around long enough to be head of his department, he's dealt enough with pain management (not cures) that he would be able to look at it that way.

Maybe that's why he's pretty understanding of House's pill popping, too. It's going to be so interesting next week to see where Wilson weighs in on the detox issue.

I get the idea that Foreman, at least, has spent more time in a lab than dealing with actual patients. It's not that he doesn't want to, just that he hasn't necessarily done it.

Yeah, he's really just kind of rough around the edges when it comes to bedside manner. But once he gets it, he's good at it, so I think you're right and he just hasn't had much experience. Cameron clearly hasn't, either. Chase is the only one who seems good at it already, and that makes sense given his speciality, I guess.

On Wilson's side, it's obvious what the problem is: He can deal with House's complete lack of bedside manner, but not Foreman's, and this is a case that means something to him.

Yeah, definitely. I think he sees House as a wounded genius, so he can justify House's lack of bedside manner even if he doesn't really like it. Foreman, to Wilson, is just going to come off like a heartless, arrogant prick. Which, you know, is fair. *g* And given Wilson's emotional attachment to this case, you just know that every time Foreman says something derogatory about homeless people, Wilson is taking that as an insult to his brother, and every time Foreman wants to throw the woman back onto the streets, Wilson is seeing his sick brother being kicked out into the cold with no one to help him. So it's no wonder he reacts kind of strongly.

And in walks Wilson with a case, asks House to take it, and House does. House listens to Wilson. The fact that House listens to Wilson over Foreman's objections--and especially in Foreman's area of expertise--is salt in an already open wound.

Absolutely. It's a blow to his pride. And it's just another piece of the House puzzle that Foreman just can't figure out. He spends a lot of time trying to figure out House and why House does what he does, and every time he thinks he's got a handle on it, House throws him again. He keeps thinking that House does things for personal reasons, only to have House say that it has nothing to do with anything but intellect. So now he's trying to apply the same principles here, except that this case is all about the personal. Poor Foreman. He's so confused! And everything is supposed to be about him, so how was he supposed to figure out that everything is actually about Wilson? *g*

Ask me again how much I love this show. *g*

So, how much do you love this show? *g*

[movies-michelle.livejournal.com]

re: bedside manner and experience with patients:
Cameron clearly hasn't, either. Chase is the only one who seems good at it already, and that makes sense given his speciality, I guess.

Actually, I think Cameron has had the most experience. She knows that using the official names for things is good and all, but you need to make sure the patient understands you, too. (Such as when Chase is going on to the woman in the pilot about what they're going to see in the CAT scan, and Cameron just says, "Basically, it'll light up your brain like a Christmas tree.") Cameron's problems seem to be the opposite of House's and Foreman's, though, in that she gets too close to patients. She doesn't seem to have any emotional barrier between her and them, so that when things start to go wrong, she doesn't have the defense. She's too close. And that's not good for a doctor, either.

I think [Wilson] sees House as a wounded genius, so he can justify House's lack of bedside manner even if he doesn't really like it. Foreman, to Wilson, is just going to come off like a heartless, arrogant prick.

Oh, I think Wilson is fully aware of how much of an arrogant prick House is. *g* I think the key difference is that he knows House. He knows how smart he is, but he also knows that some of that "heartlessness" is a defense against caring at all (rather than simply caring too much). It's also a by-product of seeing patients as puzzles to be solved, rather than people. (I love the connection they made in the pilot, where Wilson points out that he can't just let the woman die now that he's met her: She's no longer just a list of ailments to put a name and treatment to, she's a person.)

Foreman, on the other hand, has not earned that right to be that arrogant yet, at least in Wilson's mind. For one thing, he doesn't know Foreman as well. For another, he just hasn't been a doctor long enough, treating patients long enough, with enough instances of being right to actually earn the level of arrogance he might see him having.

[Foreman] keeps thinking that House does things for personal reasons, only to have House say that it has nothing to do with anything but intellect. So now he's trying to apply the same principles here, except that this case is all about the personal. Poor Foreman. He's so confused!

The problem with people who don't understand other people, is that when they try to figure those other people out, they just end up battering their head against a brick wall. I think, on the one hand, Cameron is right, and that Foreman and House are just a little too much alike for their (or anyone else's) own good. House is the puzzle that Foreman can't figure out and it makes him nuts! On the other hand, I think Foreman just doesn't get how House operates. And, frankly, much as I love him, I wouldn't want to work for House, either. *g*

And with regards to that moment, you're right, that House is always telling them to think intellectually and without emotion, and that it Foreman is therefore totally not getting it when House is taking the case for purely emotional reasons.

I was about to say that House doesn't react emotionally about anything else, except where Wilson is concerned, but that's not true at all. Would he have wanted in on John Henry's case--and been so passionate about staying with it--if he hadn't been a fan of the music? And I don't think he has any interactions with Cuddy that aren't emotionally based, i.e., he thoroughly enjoys doing whatever will make her the most nuts. *g*

And, yes, his patients seem to somehow hit a moment with him a lot of the time where they're no longer just cases, but people. Maybe it is a good thing that he only takes one case at a time.

So, how much do you love this show?

*holding arms out as wide as possible* *g*