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Finalewatch: 'House M.D.' Teardrop on the fire
After last week's cliff hanger ending on House M.D., I didn't know what to expect from tonight. In the wake of giving himself a heart attack on top of pushing his cracked skull into working overtime, how much further would House go to save Amber? And how far had he already gone with her? I didn't think House could betray his best friend, but things were looking shady.
The episode used a minimum of time going through previously seen footage. I'm going to spend even less and skip it entirely, since this recap will already be a lengthy one. We begin with House and Wilson at the community hospital that is currently treating Jane Doe #2 - AKA Amber. Kidney failure has progressed into an ever increasing heart rate. That hospital can get her into surgery in a couple of hours. Their own is a mere 15 minute ride away. Wilson poses as her husband and they move her.
In the ambulance ride, Wilson still cannot wrap his head around everything that is going on and so he focuses on the one answer he thinks he might get by asking House why she was on the bus and why they were together. Unfortunately, Amber is crashing in the meantime. House is about to use the defibrillator when Wilson asks to ice her instead. He reasons that if they bring her core temperature down low enough they can induce a protective state of hypothermia, whereas if they jump start her heart it can release all sorts of free radicals that may kill her brain. The go for the non-brain-killing option, icing her and putting her on a by-pass machine to take over the job of her heart.
The team gets together for the differential, but the best they come up with outside of blood tests is to have House take the Alzheimer's medication again. As he points out, he already had a heart attack that morning and can't do anymore drugs until after lunch. The team dejectedly files out, except Taub, who hangs back to ask House if there was anything medically relevant that he was unable to disclose publicly. Which is a very politically correct way of asking what kinds of naughty he may have been doing with Amber that precipitated the event. House comments that he didn't sign up for a philanderers anonymous meeting, but when he can't answer Taub on the matter of what substances might have been ingested, Taub decides to run a tox-screen.
Meanwhile, 13 and Kutner are visiting Amber and Wilson's apartment. They are poking around, though 13 clearly doesn't want to be there. Kutner is more emotionally distanced from it all, but as we learn it is not because he is emotionally cold. His parents were killed when he was 6 years old and he learned that death was the way of the world. Which is very zen, but I am not sure I would want my doctor to have that same attitude.
House still hasn't slept and when he does attempt to shut his eyes, he finds he is not alone. He asks Amber what they did last night while she pours him a glass of sherry and straddles him, asking him if she feels familiar before whispering the word "electricity" in his ear. The dream gives him an idea - to attempt deep brain stimulation. But Cuddy immediately shoots it down on the basis that drilling holes into already cracked skull is probably not a structurally sound idea. On more than one level. On the other hand, all the tests the team have run have revealed a whole lot of absolutely nothing.
However, Kutner and 13 turned up a few interesting finds when they uncover diet pills, SSRIs and amphetamines. While I am sure there are several houses in which you will find Dexatrim, Zoloft and Adderall, those houses are not likely to contain two doctors with one doctor hiding the pills from the other in a Vitamin E bottle. House decides to take the easy test by cracking Amber's chest and poking a finger on her pulmonary artery. Whether or not they feel calcification will decide if they warm her back up for treatment. When that is the safe route, I think you are in it deep.
The team is more disturbed that House is basing tests on the notion that their assumptions may be wrong. And while I understand that seeing your bosses confidence shaken like that might be disturbing, I am still surprised at the vigor with which the team argues that he is compromising his treatment plan based on his relationship with the patient. Even more surprising is Foreman arguing that they treat first, because it's faster. How often has he argued against that? Even run tests behind House's back? Has he finally given in to becoming more like House after all? Lastly, 13 accomplishes nothing, other then desperately attempting to blend in with the carpeting. So House calls her out and tells her that she needs to get over whatever is bothering her and do her job. With no niceties or coy games to get under her skin, it's like a splash of cold water on an already tense episode.
They team suits up and is about the crack her chest when Chase notices that Amber's eyes are yellow, indicating that her liver is failing. Which means no opening her up and she stays on ice. But House is on to the more subtle mystery of his dream. He doesn't drink sherry (and really, who does?) so he's trying to figure out what it could mean. Which is when he remembers the name of the bar is Sharries. He and Wilson take a trip and the bartender (played by Fred Durst. Yup.) gives him back his motorcycle keys. House asks him if Amber seemed sick and he mentions that she sneezed before letting them know that he was too busy to analyze his girlfriend's snot. Which is particularly awkward since Wilson is there. House tries to say that she isn't his girlfriend and the ever helpful bartender shoots back that she was hot, he seemed into her and she bought him drinks, so last night she was his girlfriend. Yeah, time to go.
Wilson tries to question it but House redirects his focus and they decide to fill Amber's lungs with slurry to buy more time. I am unsure what that means exactly, but 'slurry' doesn't sound too bad. Sort of like a dessert drink. Which made the graphic overlay of dark blue sludge sliding through her esophagus and filling her brachia all the more horrifying. Meanwhile, the team suspect she may have HepB and they are about to treat her for it when House drops off to sleep to another visit, where Amber tells him it's a lame diagnosis. But it triggers more memory and House rushes the room to stop them, pointing out a rash on her lower back. They settle on Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (what?), but Wilson wants to keep the treatment safe (because apparently he has seen the show), leading to more strife with the team.
It's only remarkable because it leads House to confront 13 with what's really bothering her. That the idea of a young, female doctor is dying - an idea that strikes a chord with her but which she has avoided by not testing herself for Huntington's. In no mood to coddle her, he tells her to deal with it or pack up her stuff and go. While this is going on, Foreman is going behind House's back to Cuddy, to tell her that he thinks House is using bad judgment and will kill Amber. Next thing we know, Cuddy and Foreman are pulling a House...on House, by treating his patient against his wishes. Only, they are not House and soon Amber's EEG is slowing, indicating the infection has spread to her brain thanks to their attempt to bring her temperature back up.
However, despite Wilson's clear fury over the matter, it has made House realize he has played it safe and it's doing her no good. Which is when Wilson brings up House's earlier idea of deep brain stimulation. Yes, he really does ask his best friend to risk his life for his girlfriend. And, though I cannot quite believe it, they all move forward with it. Chase performs the surgery, delivering volts of electricity directly into House's ventral hypothalamus. And it does release his memory.
What we learn is that House did have too much to drink. But he was alone when he did it. And when his keys were taken away, he called Wilson. Only Wilson was on call and Amber was home. Which is why she was with him. But all the pieces don't fall into place until House hears her say she's getting the flu and take some pills.
It doesn't have the same "eureka!" power as last week's necklace revelation, but it's more emotionally charged as the situation is explained, in slow and agonizing detail. Amber took amantadine for her flu, but was poisoned by it, and since it binds to proteins, dialysis won't clear it out of her system. There is nothing they can do and Amber has been killed by the cure for the common cold. It's ridiculously simple and devastatingly complex, made all the worse because she's a doctor taking it herself. This in and of itself makes the scene crushing. It gets worse when a tearful House experiences a full on seizure, which leads to cracking his skull and a brain bleed.
The team gets the news that there is nothing they can do to help Amber. That there never was anything they could do. Cuddy talks Wilson into weaning her off the anesthesia so she can wake up and they can say good-bye. A decision that is hard enough, much less having to get around to the actually saying good bye part. Because before they can get to that, Wilson will have to tell her that she was in an accident, that all her organs are failing and that she's going to die in just a few hours.The team each file in and don't even have to say a word to Amber before it's just she and Wilson laying in her hospital bed. Until she tells him she's tired and it's time to sleep. It's wrenching and marvelously well played by everyone.
House has a final dream. He and Amber sit on an all white bus and discuss the options of dying, being pain free, no longer being miserable and the unfairness that a bitter misogynist gets to live while love struck hopefuls are a lost cause. And how he doesn't want Wilson to hate him for not being able to save her. For being the reason she was on the bus. But Amber grins and tells him that he can't always get what he wants (nice call back), before we get to the final montage. House opens his eyes to a tearful Cuddy and Wilson, who walks away. 13's Huntington's test comes back positive, Foreman, Chase and Cameron meet for a beer, Kutner watches TV alone, Taub hugs his wife and Wilson? Wilson goes home to a relatively new but empty bed. Until he finds a note, hastily scrawled on the back of a bill:
"Sorry I'm not here. Went to pick up House. (love) A"
Ouch?
So, yeah. Not much funny tonight. But there were these:
13: It could be anything .
House: Let's go with that. Quick! Get her on panacea!
Wilson: This is exactly what I was afraid of! You went behind my behind my back! You went behind House's back!
House: Inside voices.
I am still stunned myself. I never figured they would kill off Amber, ripping Wilson down that much further, weakening one more of House's already tremulous sources of support. And how incredible were the performances tonight? I can't quite wrap my head around it all enough to have many questions about what we might see next season, but here's what I got so far: How will this affect House and Wilson's friendship? Did Cuddy seem a little too relieved with House's awakening? What will be the long term effects of a cracked skull and brain bleed? How will 13's positive status change her character? Discuss, while I go get a fresh box of tissues.
I really did not like this episode- not because it wasn't a good episode, but because of how things turned out. House got Amber killed- of course it was an accident, but the impact is worse than what it would have been if he had just been sleeping with her. This completely ruins the House-Wilson dynamic. This could lead to House reforming his cynical ways, but do we really want that? The writers of this show seem hell bent on change. This whole season was about thrusting a new team when the old one was fine. I didn't mind the change all that much since the initial episodes were fun and Olivia Wilde is smoking hot (and they're ruining that too by giving her Huntington's), but having House and Wilson not be friends and House moping around feeling guilty isn't my idea of a good show. I think they slaughtered the golden goose.
AC | May 19, 2008 9:17:12 PM | #I have experienced many emotions watching House. I usually enjoyed his sarcasm. But this is the first episode that had me crying my eyes out! This will definitly change House relationship with Wilson and that's the way it should be. For 4 years, House hasn't grown that much. He always found a way to get off sticky (and illegal) situations with his cynism intact. But now, he has to realize that his selfishness has a real impact on the people he loves or respects (Cuddy and Wilson have risked their careers a lot of time for him and he doesn't seem to appreciate their loyalty). He is partly reponsible for Amber's death and I don't think Wilson should just forgive him like nothing happen (someone died here!). He'll have to found another enabler besides Cuddy now and maybe try to find a new friend. I'm thinking about Mira Sorvino character's. In all, a good season of House except for the introduction 13 (men could she be more boring?) and the killing of Amber (my favorite new character).
Melissa | May 19, 2008 9:54:43 PM | #Did anyone notice the studly bartender? I think that was Fred Durst, you know, the guy who did it all for the Nookie.
Rachel | May 19, 2008 9:55:03 PM | #I thought this episode was extremely well done, but I was exhausted by the time I finished watching it. Crying buckets too. And I really did not want Amber to die. Now the questions for next season - how long will Wilson hate House for Amber even being on the bus. Their friendship will definitely change, but to what extent? And so 13 knows for sure she has Huntingtons - now what? By the way, I don't think Kutner's attitude towards death bother's me that much. He has always come across as compassionate. So his acceptance of death doesn't mean he wants to hurry it along.
Melody | May 19, 2008 10:13:11 PM | #Amber was an interesting character with great potential. Her relationship with Wilson and House gave the show a much-needed storyline that could have run in the background for a long time without getting old. Good source of levity and quick wit. We always appreciate unique characters who can give House a run for his money. Seems a shame. Hopefully the writers are heading somewhere good.
TL | May 19, 2008 10:29:37 PM | #For me like just about everybody else this episode was a major tearjerker...a bit more of one than I wanted but what can I say it was a phenomenal episode, even with amber dying...sadly I think her death made the episode even better because I really shows how the writers aren't afraid to enter new territories by changing many of the relationships between the characters. One relationship that I think may have really evolved was that between Cuddy and House, I believe it got picked up on but I don't know how much. If you notice it seems to have been written that Cuddy never left House's side and was still holding his hand while she was sleeping. I get the feeling also that Cameron will become a part of the team again as 13 possibly becomes more and more unable to practice, personally I am very sad that 13 may not have long of a tenure on House because she was quickly becoming one of my favorite characters before the writer's strike, but afterwards it seemed like they didn't write much for her and I was hoping that would change as House picked up stride next season. And I guess to follow suit I am very interested for next season on the possible mental issues house might have, and especially the relationship between house and wilson. well enjoy the cliff hanger
The show's writers are running out of steam, the drug amantadine has not been used as a flu prophylactic for at least two years. Due to overuse, especially in China, flu virus strains have developed an almost total resistance to amanadine. Its replacement, rimantadine, also is almost totally useless against the flu now. When it did work, amantadine had a side effect of disorientation, not a good thing if you drive, which is why the writers probably had Amber taking it, to explain her not driving to the bar. Apparently, there are no taxis or car services in the world of House.
AMA | May 20, 2008 12:05:53 AM | #Such a sad but amazing episode. Like many of you (I'm sure) I was crying my face off by the end of it. Poor Wilson and I have to admit I hated Amber this season but I was sad to see her go last night. I hope next season is just as good as this one was, without the stupid writers strike of course.
Oh hey- anyone notice the "Vote for Change 08" sticker in the bathroom stall that 13 was hiding out in? That made me giggle.
K | May 20, 2008 5:29:32 AM | #Poignant. Very poignant. Foreman finally listened to House... or at least the examples of House. And became House.
House branching off from self-loathing and self-destruction to self-pity. You can't always get what you want.
Slurry: a watery mixture of solid materials. (A muddy paste essentially)
What was the graffiti in the stall House was in?
(in blue) James -something-
is -something-
(in red) Totally.
The entire cast was stellar: the final goodbyes, Taub going back to his wife, Kutner still living like a kid, Lesbian getting her results, the Three Musketeers, and then the original three: Cuddy watching over House, the star of the episode Wilson (who influenced the episode and House from the start), and finally a slightly-vegetative House.
The episode kind of went how I thought it would go: Taub thinking about his wife, Thirteen testing herself, Amber being written off. Sometimes you do get what you want, just not the way you want it.
Again, the entire cast was stellar, but Robert Sean Leonard and Anne Dudek really know how to steal a show.
pakopako | May 20, 2008 6:38:43 AM | #Oh, and if the writers wanted to, they could keep Amber around as a hallucination House sees/talks to for a few episodes out of guilt.
pakopako | May 20, 2008 6:42:51 AM | #I can't say that RS Leonard was outstanding last night, though I admit he showed some emotion versus his usual performance. Does anyone else notice that he is almost constantly smirking? I found it very, very distracting during the final scenes last night. Sorry, cause I know there are a lot of RSL fans out there, but it is what it is.
Suzie | May 20, 2008 7:16:43 AM | #I agree with TL. Amber was by far the best of the new additions this year. I've not be so pleased with the two male newbies who don't really have enough of a personality to care. I'm very disappointed in Amber's death, as the best scenes of the post-strike House episodes have come between her and House. I've endured the weeding out of Chase and Cameron but Amber's death(which was brilliantly executed and acted) was just another blow. All that said, House is one of the few shows that hasn't dropped off in quality this year. I'm sure that the new dynamics are going to be quite interesting. House needs to reestablish some of his missing humanity, compassion and decency, but not to the point where the transformation is unrealistic.
Michael | May 20, 2008 7:19:43 AM | #i liked last nights episode a lot. very good performance by all of the actors.
as for house and cuddy, im excited it may finally happen. dont deny it, hugh and lisa have amazing chemistry and it shows in the show so id love for their characters to finally get together. i think what may have made this cause her to stay by his side was because he was in a coma, as foreman stated after the seizure occurred. She's been forced to watch him suffer and watch him go through all this crap so many times I think she's really beginning to see how much it affects her. And Amber dying just added a mood to the last few minutes. You never know when it may happen to you.
Last night's episode was spectacular on so many different levels.
I am definitely ready for more Cameron Chase time though. The three newbies are not as good for me as the others were.. except for maybe Kumar.
Stacy | May 20, 2008 8:57:50 AM | #Wow, last nights episode was amazing. I agree with many of the comments here, the acting was great and the writers direction really makes this show more interesting in my opinion. I just used to watch it when I was bored but I might start watching it regularly next year. The end with the music by Iron and Wine really had me sad and depressed that I do not have a wilson of my own lol.
SArah | May 20, 2008 9:47:46 AM | #Great episode, incredible acting. Really REALLY sorry to see Amber go, I thought Anne Dudek was great. I like the Kutner/Taub/13 characters, but I hope next season we see a return to the original team. Maybe House leads one team and Foreman the other?
Brian | May 20, 2008 9:53:03 AM | #The season finale was excellent. Although, I'm hoping that they will pull a Dallas and have it all be a dream. The acting was amazing and had me reaching for the Kleenex box.
Sara | May 20, 2008 10:48:05 AM | #sorry, hated it. the show works because house is a mysoginist. i'm sorry amber is gone because she added guts to the show but come on. house called wilson to pick him up. amber CHOSE to help house. the crash was an accident. totally outside house's control. wilson CHOSE to ask his best friend to risk his life to save his girlfriend. he knew house could die. house had already died once. yeah, wilson saved him that time, but really. second time was not a guaranteed charm after the first. and house asked him you really want me to do this? and wilson basically told him, yes, i want you to die so my girlfriend can live cause i love her more than i love you. to me that's the ultimate betrayal of friendship and house owed him nothing after that. he made the ultimate sacrifice already to wilson. wilson had no right to walk away from house and house has no reason to feel guilty. and for the writers to even intimate that is some sorry 'we need to piddle this out for drama cause we don't know where else to go right now.' the new 3 newbies have not captured my attention enough that i was willing to stay with this show, but amber and the reintroduction of chase in the last few weeks picked me up. i'll come back for the first couple of shows next season but i may join amber after that.
renee | May 20, 2008 11:13:32 AM | #sorry, hated it. the show works because house is a mysoginist. i'm sorry amber is gone because she added guts to the show but come on. house called wilson to pick him up. amber CHOSE to help house. the crash was an accident. totally outside house's control. wilson CHOSE to ask his best friend to risk his life to save his girlfriend. he knew house could die. house had already died once. yeah, wilson saved him that time, but really. second time was not a guaranteed charm after the first. and house asked him you really want me to do this? and wilson basically told him, yes, i want you to die so my girlfriend can live cause i love her more than i love you. to me that's the ultimate betrayal of friendship and house owed him nothing after that. he made the ultimate sacrifice already to wilson. wilson had no right to walk away from house and house has no reason to feel guilty. and for the writers to even intimate that is some sorry 'we need to piddle this out for drama cause we don't know where else to go right now.' the new 3 newbies have not captured my attention enough that i was willing to stay with this show, but amber and the reintroduction of chase in the last few weeks picked me up. i'll come back for the first couple of shows next season but i may join amber after that.
renee | May 20, 2008 11:13:44 AM | #First of all, thanks for confirming that the bartendar was Fred Durst. Everytime he came on the screen, my brother would go on and on about how sure he as, though I was a skeptic. Looks like I was wrong... and Durst has gotten really old...
On to the episode... Amazing. Fantastic. Heart wrenching. I did not think that Amber would die, but a the episode progressed, it was obvious it was the only way. The acting by Anne Dudek and Robert Sean Leonard was phenominal at the very end.
While I can't wait for next season, I am almost a little afraid to see the disentagration of the House/Wilson relationship...
Was blown away by this epi, and will miss Amber. I like Kutner and Taub okay, 13 just bugs me. And if they can't find away to really bring Chase and Cameron back in fold, they should just let them go, it's kind of distracting to have them pop in for weird procedures and then be gone again. I mean, none of them even went to check on House while he's in a coma?!
AK | May 20, 2008 11:33:12 AM | #I thought this was a great episode. Nothing could top the awesomeness of last week's episode though. Although I suspected they would kill off Amber, I still was hoping that they wouldn't. It's a shame to get rid of a character who added such a fun and interesting element to the show. Of course, I hated CTB when she was vying for the fellowship, but she at least was interesting to watch. I hope the show comes up with great stuff for next season to make up for not having CTB/Amber 'fighting' House for Wilson.
Hope House interacts with the original 3 more next season, and the new 3 are more like recurring guest stars than contract players (CTB was more interesting than some of them, like 13 who has no personality to me).
With how the show ended, I'm hoping they delve into House & Cuddy's relationship more...and not just coming from the point of view that it's one-sided, that Cuddy cares for House, but House is all for ANY female. I hope they show how much House cares for her too. Their relationship always seemed as long-standing and meaningful as Wilson's to me, and I'm hoping that with House & Wilson on the outs, House & Cuddy's friendship (and their feelings for each other) will get more concentration.
All in all, pretty good (but extremely sad) way to end the season. It has opened up next season to some change, kept the show fresh, and yet still connected us to the old relationships the show started out with.
AMA-
Amber did drive to the bar and was going to drive House home when he decided to take the bus. She got on the bus to give him his cane. They made no mention that she was disorientated before the crash.
As for why Amber was taking that medication, I think it was just to make a good plot line.
Mica | May 20, 2008 12:46:05 PM | #I thought that this was a very strong episode. I can only imagine what these last 2 episodes would have done for the show had they aired after the SuperBowl and the Tuesday after the SB as originally intended pre-strike. I would really have liked to see how the season would have ended with those eps airing in Feb.
Rishi | May 20, 2008 2:21:23 PM | #Oh my god! This episode was the best season finale of the show so far! The acting on everyone's part was amazing. I wouldn't be suprised to see a few more nominations for House at the Emmy's this Fall. Obviously it'll get the nomination for Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. But I think Robert Sean Leonard will get the nod for Oustanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, and Anne Dudek might get Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series. There will probably be some Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series as well for "House's Head" and "Wilson's Heart."
But this episode was awesome. Sadly, I knew that Amber was going to die. It was good though, if you think about it, because she's the kind of character that you need to remember throughout the rest of the series, and if she and Wilson just broke up and Amber left people would be like, "oh yeah... I kind of remember her." But the character was so powerful. I remember from the first episode she was on I wanted Amber to be on House's new team. And when she didn't get the job I was so upset and sad that she was off the show. Then she came back in that one episode with Mira Sorvino (sp?) and I was like, "Oh my god yes!" And she definitely added more to the show than Dr. Taub does... grrr. Don't get me started on Dr. Taub. And in "House's Head" I subconsciously knew that Amber was on the bus. The whole episode I kept asking myself where she was for the episode. And this whole week I kept thinking that Amber was going to die.
And I think the best scene was the "last bus ride" with Amber and House. House poured his heart out to her it seemed like and she connected with him. She convinced him that life was worth living. "You can't always get what you want" -- hands down best line of the episode.
So where does this leave us for Season 5? I like what somebody said above me with Amber still appearing in hallucinations because House's head is still screwed up. I bet Cuddy is going to defend House more often now -- against Wilson that is. Wilson isn't going to forgive House right away, but yeah. Kutner still isn't doing it for me... neither is Taub (although I liked seeing Amber's death mean so much to him that he went back to his wife)... but Thirteen is still pretty interesting. Sorry to all you haters out there. I like Olivia Wilde and I think she brings to the show something interesting. We don't know much about her because she won't tell us. Maybe now that she knows she has Huntington's Chorea she'll divulge in like... Cameron or something because she's the other chick there. Omar Epps gave a brilliant performance as well... don't have much more to say.
Mr Tuddy | May 20, 2008 2:36:03 PM | #
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