Some quite cool scenes in this episode thanks to using the perspective of the "Locked In" patient - hearing his thoughts, following his eyes. Just looking at a guy that doesn't move wouldn't be anywhere near as interesting.

There aren't lot of games in this one, but House does have some fun. They're still playing with the idea of House as God:

Molly (patient's wife): I don't know how God is going to get us through this, but he will.
House: Stop it, I'm blushing.

Patient: I never thought I'd be praying for a brain tumour, but please God...
House: If you're praying in there, stop it right now.

We also can't forget House's amazing ego.

House: If you can't bring Muhammad to Princeton, bring Princeton to Muhammad. It's my diagnostics posse - hot, dark and darker.

House is not content with making the attending doctor look like an idiot (and I found it odd that the doctor didn't want to explore any other options).

Attending Doctor: I completely disagree with Dr House.
House: I don't.

House: Dr Idiot will realise that his name is not a coincidence.

Being locked in gives the patient some insights into the people around him. He correctly predicts that House and Cuddy have a thing (well, kind of a thing). He gets to see everyone ask House why he was in Middletown, and hear House deflect with guitars and lingerie.

Did you get the Heroes reference? This episode was a very serious one. I've probably missed some of the fun and games tho, so let me know in the comments.

Labels: 519, cuddy, house calls believer an idiot, team, wilson

Ah, House and the metaphors (and similes). From Moby Dick to House having trouble thinking of a non-sexual metaphor. They're a very useful part of the show - without them, most people watching wouldn't understand what was going on. Especially me. And they're classic House humour. Not that they always make things clearer. Some of House's more obscure metaphors stump even his team and Wilson. And then one of them has to bite...

The metaphors usually refer to the show's patient, as the team try to figure out what's going on. House is usually the one confusing the team, but sometimes one of them rise to the challenge, like in Ep2-12: Distractions:

Cameron: His brain is like a waiter that's got too many...
House: Heyyy! I do the metaphors.

Only to be knocked back by House. But hey, he does them well! Like the murder scene metaphor in Ep2-19:House vs God. Simple, easy to understand, right? Well, as long as you know of the medical stuff he's referring to. But the metaphors are more interesting anyway. Some of his better ones:

Ep1-3: Occam's Razor
House: Hey! How you all doing? Interesting fact: every seven years it's a whole new you. Inspiring metaphor, huh?

Ep:1-10: Histories
Wilson: The something else is going to melt her brain.
House: Poach. Better metaphor.

Wilson tries to appeal to House through metaphors. Maybe it's catching. Comparing House to Moby Dick when he wouldn't stop chasing a disease in Ep2-17: All In was a classic (House wouldn't chase the whale, he'd convince it to be caught). Also great was the image of House as a cat in Ep3-14: Insensitive, when his curiosity about a Sepia patient gets the better of him. Is there a theme here? Obsessive and destructive...

Of course, the best parts are when House confuses not only everyone watching, but the team (and Wilson) too. That moment of silence, while they figure out who's gunna bite. Some apt House-isms.

Ep2-18: Sleeping Dogs Lie
House: Great battles kick up a lot of dirt. Obscure the battlefields so the generals can't see what's going on.
Wilson: ... So what are your orders, General House?

Ep1-17: Role Model
House: You know, when the Inuit go fishing, they don't look for fish.
Wilson: ... Why, Dr. House?
House: They look for the blue heron, because there's no way to see the fish. But if there's fish, there's gonna be birds fishing.

It's not always Wilson who has to take the bait, but he does tend to take one for the team.

There's so much more to show and tell about metaphors in House. But, this post is long enough. I'll visit the metaphors again.

As usual, thanks to www.twiztv.com for the transcripts.

Labels: 103, 110, 117, 212, 217, 218, 219, 314, metaphors, team, wilson

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