A Brand New House

House’s case this week involves a young teenager named Jackson who was born with both male and female DNA. His parents have concealed this information and raised him as a boy, giving him regular doses of testosterone shots and discouraging him from pursuing activities like dancing. The real conflict in this episode isn’t the case however, but rather House’s lack of conflict. That’s right folks: House is in a good mood.

House asks Wilson before he steals his food, he follows instructions from Cuddy without dispute, and he even humors Jackson’s parents’ request to run a medical test he knows is pointless. What gives? This is precisely the question that Cuddy and Wilson and House’s team are rabid for an answer for. They suspect that House is on drugs…and no, not the Vicodin, but heroin. They’re wrong of course, but not by much. House is on methadone, which has eliminated the pain in his leg and is thus responsible for his good mood. It’s kind of like when House got rid of his leg pain a couple of seasons back, though I forget what the exact circumstances were in that instance.

It also becomes apparent that Kutner and Taub are wise to Foreman and Thirteen’s pretend breakup. They start playing with them, trying to get them to admit it. When Foreman and Thirteen realize that Kutner and Taub know their secret, they figure House has to know. After all, nothing gets past House. Except wait…it has, because House is too busy enjoying being out of pain.

As for the case, it’s nothing we haven’t seen dozens of times before on House. The team runs tests. They assign a diagnosis only to have it disproven moments later. They run more tests. The parents whine. Thirteen also gets heavy into the mix when she starts fighting the parents over their decision to withhold Jackson’s particular DNA condition from him, afraid that Jackson is suicidal because he feels that he’s different but doesn’t know why.

When Cuddy finds out that House is sprinkling methadone into his raisin bran, she tells him to lay off or find another job. House pretends to choose the latter, and goes out for a new job. He even-gasp-dare I say it, finally gets acquainted with a razor! Cuddy of course woos him back because his skills are unmatched.

All said and done, not much of any consequence happens during this episode. It’s entertaining and competently produced, but obviously everyone knows that something is going to come up that will stop House from taking the methadone because House can’t be happy. He needs his misery to be the medical maverick that he is; it’s what keeps his skills sharp. Hugh Laurie and Lisa Edelstein do excellent work here, and the show is still going strong (though I wish the writers would stop jamming Foreman/Thirteen relationships down viewers’ throats). I wonder what’s in store for next week, and I’m sure I’m not alone.

Season 5, Episode 16: The Softer Side (originally aired February 23, 2009)

For another take on this episode, check out House doesn’t do happy. by Robin Reed.

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House, Tuesdays 8/7c on FOX

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