5.05 - Lucky Thirteen

I'm rethinking what I said earlier. I do think House feels hurt..even if he can't admit it. I still think he hates change, too, which plays a roll in all of this. "If you're happy, then I'm..." he can't finish it because he's not happy...and I don't mean he's not happy with Wilson or Cuddy. He's not happy with his own life. He has Wilson back, yes, but I think his own grief, guilt and lonliness haven't fully been revealed yet. I have to wonder if he might be experiencing post traumatic stress to a certain degree. He's had a double whammy...the bus and then the death of his father. Even if he didn't feel anything for his dad...when you lose a parent, that barrier between yourself and death is gone...you're next in line. It's a frightening thing. His vicodin usage is seemingly increased, his limp is worse. There's more going on than meets the eye. And with Cuddy adopting, she didn't confide in him...which he might of expected given he talked to her about Wilson. She's doing something to not be miserable, she's making her dream come true. House's miserableness wasn't solely based on the loss of Wilson...he's unhappy about a lot in his life and has been for a long time, including his need to frequent prostitutes (he jokes about it, but when people joke about things like that, there's usually an element of hurt in there). He wouldn't be miserable if he had someone in his life who would negate the need for a prostitute. That man needs a hug, seriously.

I've heard that the PI spinoff idea has been dumped, so TPTB apparently could judge audience reaction in some way and determined that the character did not strike a chord in enough viewers to warrant his own show. Well guys, neither does 13. Is it too much to hope for that TPTB have also noted that most of the audience is not nearly as enamored of 13 as the writers are? Oh please. Oh please. They really seem to have blinders on when it comes to that character. And it may be too much to hope for, but I still am. I have to wonder if he might be experiencing post traumatic stress to a certain degree. He's had a double whammy...the bus and then the death of his father. Even if he didn't feel anything for his dad...when you lose a parent, that barrier between yourself and death is gone...you're next in line. It's a frightening thing. His vicodin usage is seemingly increased, his limp is worse. There's more going on than meets the eye. That's an excellent point carrie. I was noticing last night especially in one scene (can't remember which scene it was) how much more pronounced the limp is. PTS would be a perfect explanation for a lot of things when you think about everything he's been through since HH, and I wonder if, and hope they will, address it at some point later in the season.

The AV Club's review of Lucky Thirteen reminded me of another favorite exchange: House: "People interest me. Conversations don't." Foreman: "Because conversations go both ways." Both: "Like Thirteen."

I admit I don't notice who the various writers are of any particular episode, but I think there's a lot of male fantasy/excitement about having a "bisexual" woman on screen. For instance, I thought the scene where 13 looks for spider bites was rather sexy (the hand running down her side and back in particular), there was the kiss, there was the views of the POTW from the back,w/o clothing... Oh yes, I think 13 gives the writers a lot of pleasure. But they have perhaps forgotten that this is not the reason we love, or loved, the show House. The writers were two women: Liz Friedman and Sara Hess. And not to pick on you particularly, but I have to wonder if there would be bitching in the various fora and comments if it had been House and Wilson with the nudity, or Chase ... When they chose to make her a bisexual woman (and where's the hoyay support for that, anyway?) there were complaints she'd be bi in name only. And now that they show they didn't just take the easy road -- not only by showing sex scenes, but referring to the fact that she's been picking up women exclusively at bars ("and all this time, I thought it was just because I liked boobs") -- people bitch that they didn't need to see all the skin, and they're merely playing out male fantasies.

A few random thoughts: (1) I see from the above posts that I'm not the only one totally bored by the PI. The minute he comes on screen, I'm doing something else (like changing channels). (2) I think the new H/W relationship is much more complex than is apparent. Yeah, they're going bowling, etc. But Wilson also kept from House the Cuddy "secret." It's as if Wilson is going through the motions of a relationship with House but is no longer willing to let House into his life -- maybe so he doesn't get hurt again? (3) Wilson's second wife was Canadian -- at least a little continuity (he married her while at McGill or went to McGill to be closer to her). (4) First wife had a wooden leg -- fascinating if true. Although most prostheses these days aren't wooden. (5) I too felt the ep moved slowly. And I think the team needs to debate a bit longer before they tell someone she's going to die, if they're not really really sure. I suppose it's better than the alternative but, IMO, it was done just to have the link b/t dying 13 and dying POTW. Who wasn't reallly dying. (6) I'm a bit annoyed that the eps this season don't really seem to build off one another. -- In the first 3 eps, Wilson wasn't talking to House. Ep 4 and one car ride later, all is good. Ep 5, he's using Amber's name to play jokes on House. -- At the end of S4, it was Cuddy who was supporting House. Now, 4 months later, she goes to Wilson for a character reference (ok, I can see why she didn't pick House, but still, she doesn't even tell HOuse). -- Ep 4, House's father dies. Ep 5, no mention made of it. I can only HOPE that the writers will make some effort to tie pieces of this together going forward. B/c right now, the season (which, in fairness, is more interesting than last) seems a bit disjointed. Finally, I never thought I'd say this, but I actually miss the emphasis on the medical mysteries as well as the explantion. They seem rushed, thrown in at the last minute, not explained. Last night, I barely caught the full name of "LAM," let alone every rally understood if it was cancer or not and didn't catch the name of the final diagosis and missed (although it was probably said) how she got it, why it was hard to diagnose, etc. It was almost an afterthought and I found myself a bit dissatisfied.

The writers were two women: Liz Friedman and Sara Hess. And not to pick on you particularly, but I have to wonder if there would be bitching in the various fora and comments if it had been House and Wilson with the nudity, or Chase ... When they chose to make her a bisexual woman (and where's the hoyay support for that, anyway?) there were complaints she'd be bi in name only. And now that they show they didn't just take the easy road -- not only by showing sex scenes, but referring to the fact that she's been picking up women exclusively at bars ("and all this time, I thought it was just because I liked boobs") -- people bitch that they didn't need to see all the skin, and they're merely playing out male fantasies. ::hugs Namaste closer:: While I know I'm pretty squicked out by any excessive nudity (male or female) in a TV show at an hour as early as House is shown, sex is sex is sex is sex is sex. And this sex served a major purpose in this story. I really don't think they could have gotten away with the plot without it, YMMV. And I agree that if this had been H/W, there would be much different attitudes. Those who were squicked out by the scenes would be labeled insensitive, and this would be considered art of the highest level.

and all this time, I thought it was just because I liked boobs") -- people bitch that they didn't need to see all the skin, and they're merely playing out male fantasies. And I really thought the writers tried to move the relationship from the merely physical to one that worked on an emotional level--and then why that didn't work. That's not telling a story solely to play to male fantasies--and I'm not sure why two women together can only function as a male fantasy to begin with.

So this episode left me cold. Totally would never watch this show again if that had been one of the first episodes I'd seen. 13 isn't doing anything that interesting, I don't care if she spirals out of control. In fact, I'd rather watch Cameron and Chase have meth!sex again than watch 13 make out with an endless series of women. The end scene with her bedding another random chick was about as big of a shock as the boat sinking in Titanic. Of course she had no use for POtW after they didn't have the dying thing in common. 13 is selfish, completely unlikeable and makes me long for the deep, well thought out, and moving portrayal of S1 Cameron. Hell, I'd rather have entire episodes dedicated to Foreman arranging his sock drawer than watch 13 the Exposition Fairy falling into a sex and drug fueled oblivion. Only a shocking death by overdose could redeem her in my eyes. She's not that great of a character. She's a fine supporting character, I have no problem with Olivia Wilde but if there's one thing I've learned from the people I know who perform professionally: Either you're good at it or you're not. If you're good you can become great, but bad can never become good. She's not good. She's just pretty. That's not a substitute. I am actively disappointed in this show in a way I never have been before. Only House/Wilson came anywhere near being the show I enjoy watching. Wilson's "I am definitely not a drug addict..." bit was great. House's leaving a donut for Wilson post-fall was cute. That's the show I want to watch. If I want to watch General Hospital I'll tape it and watch it at my leisure, don't force feed daytime drama to me when I want to be watching a medical mystery. I don't care if Cuddy wants to move to Idaho and run an orphanage-YAWN! Chase's speech to Foreman was almost as bad as 13's "You're trying to save me" crap. We're not children, the writers don't need to explain every little thing like this is an episode of Mr. Rogers. In summary: this episode was terrible.

I feel like the show needed the sexuality to communicate what was happening - the attempt to shift from a purely sexual relationship to something more affectionate - that closeness seemed very genuine, in a foxhole sort of way. And it still ends with Thirteen's continued numbness, rather than having her magically learn her lesson. Thinking back, I did like that the POTW hooked up with her only to meet House. Oooh, good point, Poeia. Which actually made it more interesting, considering what they both had to lay aside to put any trust each other. What I didn't really need was an "extended teaser" on the FOX site and FOX zapping out a Facebook update to talk entitled "Preview Thirteen's Steamy Hook Up Scene With Another Girl!" Sex is sex is sex, but I have no delusions about the fact that the network was exploiting this for all it was worth.

I think the biggest "shocker" about seeing Thirteen in bed with another woman at the end of the episode was that they were kissing and Thirteen probably still has an opportunistic fungal infection in her mouth from the POTW. Those things don't clear up overnight. It's one thing to risk your own life through a series of one night stands. It's another to infect others. And, as a doctor, she should know better. Thinking back, I did like that the POTW hooked up with her only to meet House. I thought the Foreman Chase exchange was very in character. In Season 1 we had "How would you describe me?" "Insecure" exchange. Foreman has never said or done a single nice thing as far as Chase is concerned, but Chase is the one he turns to to get input about himself. That probably means something -- not sure what. Nobody's mentioned the "You're my hero" from House when Wilson smiled as an admission that he had used his dead girlfriend's name to sell House on the prank. Loved that.

For those that are counting, House didn't quite lose the leading role in last night's episode, but it was very close, down to the wire. If the opening teaser hadn't been cut down, 13 would have prevailed. I counted all the scenes that both were in and it is as follows: House: 27 minutes, 10 seconds 13: 26 minutes, 14 seconds So the way I see it is that one crazy night, there was this party that got a little out of control. Everyone drank too much and by the end of the evening, all TPTB found themselves naked and in the formation of a human pyramid. They all probably would have laughed it off and called it a day except OW was there and snapped a photo. Because nothing short of that sort of incriminating evidence being held makes any sense as to why they'd suddenly turn the show over to this mediocre actress and her truly boring character's issues.

So the way I see it is that one crazy night, there was this party that got a little out of control. Everyone drank too much and by the end of the evening, all TPTB found themselves naked and in the formation of a human pyramid. They all probably would have laughed it off and called it a day except OW was there and snapped a photo. Because nothing short of that sort of incriminating evidence being held makes any sense as to why they'd suddenly turn the show over to this mediocre actress and her truly boring character's issues. Or the emphasis on Thirteen's story is there for the same reason the emphasis on anything is there on this series -- David Shore thinks it is an interesting theme to explore. In theory, how someone deals with a death sentence that makes House's leg pain and inability to walk well seem like an inconvenience does seem interesting. However, I do find the execution (writing and acting) of this theme to be lacking.

In theory, how someone deals with a death sentence that makes House's leg pain and inability to walk well seem like an inconvenience does seem interesting. However, I do find the execution (writing and acting) of this theme to be lacking. I'll agree with you here. The idea of the "dying doctor" is fascinating. She makes a living finding the diagnoses that others can't find, saving people's lives, and yet she has to make do with a diagnosis that she can do nothing about. However, something isn't quite firing on all cylinders with this arc. Then again, the cylinders weren't really all there during Vogler, Cameron's crush, dealing with ketamine, Tritter, Foreman resigning... stop me any time here. But that doesn't mean, for me at least, that whatever is lacking completely takes away from the story; it just means that (gasp!) writers aren't always perfect. I did find it interesting last night when Thirteen was talking to Foreman about cramming all her fun into her last 10 years. When she was talking to House about using her (then lack of) diagnosis to be daring and living life to the fullest in You Don't Want to Know, I don't think this is what she originally had in mind. Drunken promiscuous sex is not the same as, say, skydiving. I think the "living your life to the fullest" goal is a noble one, indeed, but 13 needs stability so that she doesn't sink even further. It'd be nice if Foreman or Kutner went up to bat for her here, because I think they could both be good influences on her.

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