House's mirror has two faces

The problem: How to introduce a half-dozen new characters on House, a show that rarely has time to slow down for exposition and personal shadings? The solution? Tuesday (Oct. 30) night's clumsy, yet informative episode.

[I'm never sure what could be spoiled in a recap of a procedural, but if you don't want to run the risk, don't.]

Titled "Mirror, Mirror," the episode's Patient o' the Week was played by the always welcome Frank Whaley. In addition to a dramatically reduced body temperature, weird honey-combed patterns under his skin and sludgy blood, the patient suffered from, well, being psychic.

In reality, the guy had something The Good Doctor called Mirror Syndrome, an empathetic mimicry condition that gave him the magical ability to impersonate the most authoritative person in any room. Basic Googling hasn't helped me uncover an iota of information on the condition, but it was mostly a magical writers' device. With only the most minimal of sample sizes, the patient was able to tap into the innermost thoughts (or body language, at least) of the adjacent Alpha doc.

Despite the contrivance, we only learned little bits about the aspiring cottages that we didn't know before. Cutthroat B**** (Amber, if you prefer) knows that people don't like her, so she has to always be right to compensate. Peter Jacobson's Taub is married, but finds himself attracted to the domineering Amber. Andy Comeau's amazingly dull Brennan is bored with this job and wants to go back to his altruistic humanitarian medicine. Doctor Kumar (errr... Kutner) is a new experience junkie and a bit of masochist. The big secret was supposed to involve Olivia Wilde's No. 13, a secret so intriguing that House voluntarily saw a patient just to tag along with her. Instead, the patient only mirrored House and we discovered that House thinks No. 13 is hot, which was every bit as shocking as the final domination showdown between House and Cuddy, decided when the patient channeled House and complimented Cuddy's breasts (we also learned No. 13 is scared, which doesn't get to the root of her sure-to-be  shocking secret).

There was a lesson to be learned from the Mirror Syndrome Guy (whose other symptoms had something to do with pig poop): Every one of the cottages had a truth or weakness exposed, but none could do anything about it.

"People don't learn," he said. "They don't change. You did. You're a freak."

He was talking to Foreman, who returned in a mostly unspecified advisory capacity, working as part of House's team, but under Cuddy's jurisdiction. Although he initially professed to misery, Foreman realized that he really liked working under House's watch.

Duh. We're glad to have him back.

There was lots of good stuff around the edges this week.

Some favorite moments: