House: The Social Contract

It’s another strong episode of House this week as our favorite crack medical puzzle solver is confronted with the case of a guy named Nick who, while at a social function, suddenly loses the ability to filter his thoughts. That is, he starts saying whatever comes to mind to his wife and client, no matter how rude or caustic. Basically the guy has House syndrome, but whereas House lives for it, Nick can’t stand it. So the team has to figure out whatever neurological dealio is screwing the pooch.

The team runs the usual battery of tests, but of course none of them work…otherwise there would be no show. House initially is more preoccupied with why Wilson refuses to go to a monster truck rally with House later in the week. Wilson claims that he doesn’t like monster trucks and has only pretended to all these years because he didn’t want to hurt House’s feelings. But House doesn’t buy it, so now he has two puzzles to solve.

He digs around a little and finds that Wilson’s appointment book is marked for the night of the monster truck rally but it doesn’t say what it is. Which means that Wilson doesn’t want House to know what it is. But you know House. He’s like a dog with a Frisbee; he ain’t letting go unless you pry the thing from his teeth with your bare hands. That’s a quality I admire…as long as I’m not the Frisbee.

House keeps digging and exasperates Wilson until Wilson tells him that he is really going to play racquetball with Taub and didn’t want House to know because House would punish him for spending time with someone else, and he didn’t want to rub it in House’s face that they were doing something physical that House can no longer do. That’s sweet of Wilson, isn’t it? Yeah, except the dude’s lying and House knows it.

The case takes a turn when the team actually solves it, the catch being that Nick would need brain surgery that is far too dangerous to perform. So he has to live with his condition of being unable to filter what he says. This condition has already gone a long way to alienate his wife and his daughter. Even though House has ostensibly solved the case, his involvement doesn’t end like it normally would.

House recognizes that Nick-at least with this medical problem-is just like he is, and his actions will drive away everyone who cares about him, just like House has. House may be able to live with it, but he doesn’t want the patient to have to as well. So he asks Chase to suck up to his boss and get him to try the surgery, even though the odds are it will kill the patient. It’s what the patient wants and for once, House is listening. It’s compelling and deeply affecting to see House get emotionally invested in a patient against his better judgment. It provides a new window into who House is and how he feels about his life. Hats off to the writers for being able to still provide insights into House as a character more than a hundred episodes in.

Also hats off to the writers for sparing viewers from having to witness any extended Thirteen/Foreman romance crap this week. That stuff just makes my skin crawl. Have I ever mentioned that I want to dry shave Foreman and get rid of that disgusting patch of hair on his chin? What is Thirteen thinking?

There’s also great development in House’s relationship with Wilson, and a revelation about Wilson’s personal life that was unexpected and could provide change for the future. It’s also just fun to essentially have two Houses making hilariously honest statements about what they see and experience. House remains one of the best shows on tv and deserves the mountains of praise and attention it gets.

Season 5, Episode 17: The Social Contract (originally aired March 9, 2009)

For another take on this episode, check out I’m not jealous of Cuddy’s pistons by Robin Reed.

For more on House, click here.

House, Tuesdays 8/7c on FOX

Photographs courtesy of FOX Broadcasting Company and IMDbPro