Oh, that House: Just when you think the series has become a ridiculous soap opera, it becomes… an accidentally timely ridiculous soap opera.
As part of a series of fantasies that both Cuddy and House endured on Monday night’s House, she fantasized Hugh Laurie’s House as Charlie Sheen’s Charlie Harper in a dream-state version of Two and a Half Men.
He dreamed he was a Walking Dead House, equipped with a zombie-killing “axe-cane”; she dreamed up a black-and-white ’50s sitcom, a Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (her ‘n’ House), and a musical House, to the tune of “Get Happy.”
The episode, titled “Bombshells,” turned on a medical crisis suffered by Cuddy. It’s thought she has cancer, but this being House, it’s all about him. No, really — that was the theme of the hour: House reduced her potential tragedy to an excuse for him to escape via pills. I think I’ve seen this plot. About two dozen times on House.
The dialogue was inflamed with sap:
“You take it so you won’t feel pain.”
“I was scared.”
“Pain happens when you care.”
“You’ll choose yourself over everybody else over and over again because that’s who you are.”
“Don’t, please, don’t!”
“Goodbye, House.”
Could have been worse, Cuddy: You might have dreamed you were dating Charlie Sheen. That you were a goddess.
Did you watch House this week?
Twitter: @kentucker
I think there is a problem with House when the medical case of the week was so minimized that there’s nothing even worth mentioning.
Many great House episodes (Three Stories, House’s Head, to name two) reduced the importance of the POTW for a plot push. Nothing wrong with it. Good to break the formula from time to time.
Except that they’ve broken “the formula” so much lately that it doesn’t mean anything anymore.
Hello Everyone!~~ Bla ckWh iteCup id ℃’○M ~~is the be’st and most succ’essful d’a'ting s’ite many Magazines Rated the International D’a'ting s’it’e for Bla’ck W’hite Si’ng’les and Personals who are see’king long lasting and enduring rela’tionships. Meet Int’erracial singl’es for friendship, d’ating and roma’nce, photo personals, instant messages, chat and more. promises don’t come easy
Jumping the Shark epitomized
I have to admit that the phrase “jumping the shark” also crossed my mind while I watched this episode.
This episode could. . .not necessarily does. . .but could be a jump the shark moment. I have been a huge fan of House since the beginning and it is my only “appointment TV” of week.
With that said, I hate the notion that they are going to possibly turn House into some kind of “poor me” character and have him go back to being a Vicodan druggie. We’ve been there, done that.
I hope they don’t turn House into a sniveling little wimp.
Anyone who uses the phrase “jumping the shark” should be publicly flogged and executed.
I thought it was a great, inventive episode. And I have to add that I hope Martha sticks around. She’s the best duckling ever!
I agree. If the return of Thirteen means that Martha leaves, I don’t want Thirteen back.
Agreed! This is one of my fave eps of House. I like Martha better than Thirteen and hope she doesn’t leave!
I could be wrong but I thought I read that Thirteen will be back for the 150th episode and but that Martha will still stay on until the end of the season atleast…not sure but I do hope so I like Amber Tamblyn in this role she has some funny lines and the guys are actually taking her a little more seriously.
I like Thirteen, but I ADORE Martha! Amber Tamblyn is just too cute for words, and her character is a great foil for House. Olivia Wilde’s movie career is going so well I’m hoping she doesn’t return to HOUSE as anything more than occasional guest-star so we can have Martha back next season.
Best female duckling maybe (though IMO that’s iffy. I prefer Cutthroat Bitch or even the ever sanctimonious Cameron) but Chase wins best the duckling award hands down.
As for the ep, the jump the shark phrase has jumped the shark. Maybe this crazy episode will set the bar for the next round however… but what to call it? Danced with zombies, Charlie Sheen and the Subdance kid. I don’t know… I kind of lost all reasonable thought after watching that.
sooooo….that was weird
I was shocked and saddened by the episode. Not only do I love House and Cuddy together, but I also thought House would choose Cuddy over pills. Heartbreaking.
House chose Cuddy over pills once already (“Help Me”); it didn’t work. For the past several months, all she’s done is bitch and moan about what a lousy, unsupportive asshole he’s been. Time to go back to what works (for both House the character and House the TV show): Vicodin and vitriole.
Addicts never chose anything over pills
or whatever their addiction is…
Yeah weird..but that is the reason I fell in love with House because he is dysfunctional and it makes for great tv! The House we all knew is back! The pill popping storyline gets old and tired but it is representative of a drug addict. Love the change of pace this week!
I am so sad this show has descended into ridiculous soap opera. It was so cool the first few seasons. Even with the formula it was still cool. Sigh.
i thought it was fine. below average maybe in general, average for the season, but acceptable. and still better than most of what’s on TV. unfortunately, unlike the people above, i cant stand the new frumpy doctor. she’s not a good foil for House and pales in comparison to Cameron, Wilson and Cuddy (not that Cuddy is anymore). they need to bring Chase and Foreman back to the forefront.
Another amazing episode for me! I loved the “Get Happy” number! And the zombie Foreman was my favorite!! I’m so sad that House turned back to the pills, but I think it would unrealistic for him not to have at least one relapse.
I loved the ‘Get Happy’ number too.
This episode was great! I loved every minute of it… an extremely entertaining episode that ended in an unexpected way. I know that fans have been divided since season 5, but I found these more character focused seasons to be really good. I was actually for the “Huddy” relationship, and I hope by seasons end it will work out, but when it does come down to it, by the end of the series (hopefully not soon) House will most likely end up being alone, and miserable.
“House reduced her potential tragedy to an excuse for him to escape via pills. I think I’ve seen this plot. About two dozen times on House.”
Well…that’s what drug addicts do. They act like addicts. They relapse. They hurt loved ones in pursuit of their addiction. That’s what it’s really like.
I thought it was a great episode.
THANK YOU Sarah – I was thinking the same thing. We’ve never seen House truly challenged in his sobriety, so it made perfect sense to me that Cuddy’s potential illness would be the thing to do it.
Well, we DID see him challenged in the 6th season finale – “Help Me” – but of course Cuddy was the one who gave him what he needed to remain sober. Since then there hasn’t been much stress … not enough to push him toward the pills. I for one am glad to see them challenging him in this way. The pills and addiction are still part of his character. Addicts don’t just recover and never crave their drug of choice again. It’s natural he would turn to the pills now, though I do hope they don’t make him turn back to the addiction full force. I hope we’ll see House has grown enough to recognize he needs help before it becomes uncontrollable again.
I agree, Sarah. Having unfortunately had an addict in the family, this is indeed what they do. Spot on, and entertaining, as far as I’m concerned.
looks like mr tucker didn’t take his happy pills today. I liked the episode and I am interested to see how the show deals with House’s relapse.
Hey Ken, cant help but notice those “sappy dialogues” are a better read then your articles.
Its disappointing to see critics moan about a show’s stagnant style and then bash whatever effort they make to stay fresh.
The medical plots of House may seem repetitive these days, but I have always enjoyed the characters, acting and writing on House regardless. That being said, I don’t think Cuddy should be leaving House at this moment when he is relapsing. Of course, it opens up the show for more story lines, but it’s a bad time to leave an addict. Cuddy should know better. And, especially now that she’s been given a new lease on life, she should definitely know better. Her timing couldn’t be worse.
If this had been a truly repetitive episode, it would’ve been suggested that someone had Lupus.
Sarcoidosis!
You’re speaking from House’s perpective. When will Cuddy dumping him not cause a relapse? Her point is that he is an addict and if he had been able to avoid the vicodin during this stress it would’ve been indicative of his ability to quit for good. The fact that he didn’t means it will probably always be a threat when stress and pain become to much. Such can be the life of someone trying to ignore/overcome an addiction. It would be unhealthy (at the very least) to stay in this relationship, even more so when you have a child. Love can’t actually conquer all.
i want HUDDY back.. -.-
I agree, her dumping him was cheap. She knew he was an addict, the time to have the realization that he was unstable was BEFORE she strung him along all this time.
So true! My husband, who only glances at it now while I watch, pointed that out immediately. My fan girl response is that it should show Cuddy how much he cares that he can’t deal with the idea of losing her without the pills. Twisted? Yes. House-ian indication of deep love (ie fear)? Yes
She gave that beautiful speech to him episode 1 and now she is changing her mind? It was poor writing. I saw somewhere else someone say there are no happy, healthy relationships on the show. It is almost like the writers don’t know what a good relationship looks like.
I thought the episode was good. House can’t just be magically cured and live a happy life with Cuddy, come one now, that’s not how it is in real life. The ending og the episode left me with a feeling of wonder; I wonder how the direction of the show will go on from this point. I want to see how this plays out. Anyway, I thought the “Get Happy” number was good, dark, but very good.
According to TVline.com, Huddy is done.
Thank God