This will be my first post all on one episode. It's one of my favourites from season 3: Ep3-18: Airborne. A middle-aged lady gets sick while engaged in... something. And House is getting on a plane. In a wheelchair. But still abrasive, so don't worry, he isn't going soft. There's $500 in House-isms right there. For some reason, House's team just doesn't give as many opportunities for laughs without House there. Apart from Cameron and Chase sniggering about their sexual activities - and Foreman's exasperation. Good old Wilson.. feeling sorry for House? Whatever next?

How does Cuddy tolerate House... sends her back to economy class, then sends her upto First Class to a sick passenger. And a possible infectious disease. Seems like a bad time to be arguing with Cuddy. Not to mention the look around the chair. Ha!

House: "I need help."
Cuddy: "Who doesn't!"

The passengers are great stand-ins for the team... although not so helpful on the medical side. The kid taking the place of Chase is excellent - "Crikey, mate", just agree with House.

The Helluuooo on the phone is classic House. Preface bad news with a joke. This whole scene is great, so I'm just gunna post the transcript and comment:

Kid: What's "extension pastoring"?
House: It's when you're molested by a priest's cousin. (Ha, witty and dirty. Devil's dictionary anyone?)
Cuddy: Do we really need these three?
HOUSE: Worried they'll make you look bad? Could be symptomatic of head trauma, cerebral infarction or intercranial haemorrhage. Thoughts? (He needs help.. yes, but of a different sort.)
...
House: Clog or leak? (Probably talking about blood, but what do I know about medicine?)
Man: Errr... you're talking of toilet? (That'd be my guess)
Cuddy: House, is this actually helpful?
House: Not so far. (Surprisingly. Although the kid has his insights)
...
Cuddy: We're flying out of Singapore. If he has a credit card and a condom, he can get anything he wants.
Woman: Eww.
House: Condoms. (The look on his face! It's part glee, part epiphany and part wonder)
...
Cuddy: You think he's a mule.
House: I think he's a jackass. We're gonna have to operate.(Ah, that wit. Yes, operate on a plane, make the story more unbelievable. Why do jackasses get such a bad reputation?)
Kid: Cool.

The parallel operations (that don't happen) and then Lumbar Punctures are quite indicative that the standard story structure is still present. Even on a plane, they can be wrong multiple times, yet still get to the answer and save the patient. And House does it by himself. House's team and Wilson have similar troubles on the ground.

House asks the flight attendant if she's handicap accessible at the end, with a smile at Cuddy. Even grumpy old House can flirt with the ladies, if rather crudely.

This post's question: What story does House give for becoming a doctor? He gets his inspiration from a character much like himself, except willing to do other work while waiting for a case.

Labels: 318, question, team