House: 5x04 "Birthmarks" - Discussion and Spoilers

[Trekker4747]

From TV.com:

While en route to his father's funeral, House must help the team with a differential diagnosis on a young Chinese girl who has collapsed under mysterious circumstances.

House Medical Reviews

[S. Gomez]

Due to the dearth of new House last week, I grabbed Season Two (the only one I actually own on DVD) to tide me over. I was pleased to discover that there hasn't really been a significant drop in quality since then, which is quite an achievement in television. Looking forward to tonight!

[Neroon]

But didn't House himself seem less ascerbic to you?

[Trekker4747]

Bad Roon Rising wrote:

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But didn't House himself seem less ascerbic to you?

Having watched some of the first season over again myself, it seemed the show took on a more farcical tone and House became more of a cartoon character himself as the series has progressed. In the first season he had plenty of moments of real humanity and compassion shining through.

The show's tone changed a lot in the second season and it seemed to take itself a little less seriously and now it seems the patients and medical mysteries are taking more and more of a back-seat as we get involved in the various characters' lives. I mean, hell, when was the last time we had a clinic patient? They we're half of the fun of the show!

I think the show is still great, Laurie is still awesome, House is still a fascinating character, but if you watch any season one episode and then watch any season 2 and onward episode you can see a pretty big difference in how the show takes itself.

[S. Gomez]

Differences, yes, but the show is still a good one. That's what I really meant: that despite all the changes it remains good television.

[Neroon]

S. Gomez wrote:

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Differences, yes, but the show is still a good one. That's what I really meant: that despite all the changes it remains good television.

Absolutely NO argument with that whatsoever.

Now, on to tonight's episode. Not as many of the whipping smart insults... but enough! And I like this sheriff/deputy/peace officer .... he's alright!!!

"The war is over, Greg. Do this for me."

[Finn]

Will House get a DNA sample from James Bond now to see if there's a match?, Maybe trip on him after he walks back in the room, pulling off some hair.

[Agent Richard07]

I liked the road trip stuff. I was especially impressed when I saw that House was actually drugged and woke up to find that he was being driven to the funeral by Wilson. When House smiled, I'm sure a lot of people watching felt the same way. Another good moment was when House went up to the coffin to clip off a sample and Wilson with teeth clenched went all... "Jesus House what are you doing!!" on him. It was also nice to see that they managed to get R. Lee Ermey back to play a dead body.

By the way, what happened between Taub and his wife? Last I saw, she was surprising him with a car and things seemed good.

Shrekker4747 wrote:

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The show's tone changed a lot in the second season and it seemed to take itself a little less seriously and now it seems the patients and medical mysteries are taking more and more of a back-seat as we get involved in the various characters' lives. I mean, hell, when was the last time we had a clinic patient? They we're half of the fun of the show!

I think the show is still great, Laurie is still awesome, House is still a fascinating character, but if you watch any season one episode and then watch any season 2 and onward episode you can see a pretty big difference in how the show takes itself.

That's a pretty good assessment. I noticed a lot of what you're saying. The show does feel a lot more sensationalized now that it's a hit. Sometimes I do wish it was still the low-key mystery driven show it used to be.

[Neroon]

How many of us were skeptical of House's emotional display during his speech... but really wanted it to be sincere?

BOO7! wrote:

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By the way, what happened between Taub and his wife? Last I saw, she was surprising him with a car.

We saw Taub obviously appreciative of the gift, but then he looks pitiably and says "We need to talk." And that's where it ended and all we know. Except for something mentioned earlier by House or Taub. I can't recall who or what was said, though.

[Neroon]

BOO7! wrote:

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That's a pretty good assessment. I noticed a lot of what you're saying. The show does feel a lot more sensationalized now that it's a hit. Sometimes I do wish it was still the low-key mystery driven show it used to be.

Agreed on the difference between seasons, as I've noticed the same thing while watching reruns from S1 followed by a few S4 episodes. And like you 007, at times I wish it were less sensational and more like those earlier episodes. Yet I have to wonder how long the show would enjoy its ratings if it didnt' change in some way. Of course, next week's episode seems to amp up the sensationalism just a weeeee bit.

[Trekker4747]

Dammit!

Comcast TiFaux cut-off at the end right after Wilson said "I'm not even sure we get to choose who our friends are..."



What happened after that?!

[Neroon]

I don't recall that. Was it in the episodes or the trailer for next week's episode? I'm checking the recording right now

[Trekker4747]

Bad Roon Rising wrote:

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I don't recall that. Was it in the episodes or the trailer for next week's episode? I'm checking the recording right now

It was in the episode.

Wilson goes into House's office, they talk, House shows him the DNA test, then Wilson says something, "Well we don't get to choose who our parents are. I'm not even sure we get to choose who our friends are..."

"DELETE RECORDING. SAVE RECORDING"



Trekker, Menu->Series Options->House->Stop Recording->Five Minutes after.

[Neroon]

Shrekker4747 wrote:

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It was in the episode.

Wilson goes into House's office, they talk, House shows him the DNA test, then Wilson says something, "Well we don't get to choose who our parents are. I'm not even sure we get to choose who our friends are..."

"DELETE RECORDING. SAVE RECORDING"

Not that it's any consolation for you, but the same thing happened to me. I don't recall everything after that point, but I do remember the two of them walking back out of House's office, House stops and says, "my dad died." in a voice that is somewhere between blankness and realization

Trekker, Menu->Series Options->House->Stop Recording->Five Minutes after.

I've adjusted my own recording as well, especially given that I did not record thre trailer.

[Trekker4747]

Bad Roon Rising wrote:

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Not that it's any consolation for you, but the same thing happened to me. I don't recall everything after that point, but I do remember the two of them walking back out of House's office, House stops and says, "my dad died." in a voice that is somewhere between blankness and realization

I've adjusted my own recording as well, especially given that I did not record thre trailer.

This episode was a little longer than normal, I guess, so I suppose the cable boxes didn't get the memo and and weren't set automatically to be adjusted.

Well, I guess then that House and Wilson are "back together", I guess next week Wilson will be back as head of Oncology in the office across from House's balcony.

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Anyway. This was a great episode and pretty much what I expected, that it would set into motion the series of events that brought House and Wilson "back together" as that writing was pretty much on the wall. (As I've said before, this show loves to maintain a certain status quo.)

But I loved this episode, I loved that Cuddy "pulled a House" on House by drugging him. From House's grin he liked it too. Good episode and shows a bit more deeper into House and his "father's" relatuonship and into House and Wilson's.

One of the better character-driven episodes of the series.

The POTW stuff mostly felt like filler -as it tends to be when the show bogs itself down with the chracter stuff- but interesting non-the-less. When they started focusing on her parents saying they didn't "have a daughter" I half-expected some-sort-of reveal that the girl was really male with undecended testes or something like that (though we've already had a patient on the show who was "immune to testosterone" and thus grew up female even though geneticly male) but the medical mystery was an interesting twist, none the less.

Good episode all around. I vote Excellent.