House: Resistance is Futile

Dr. Allison Cameron: reliable member of Dr. House’s team; sweet and caring with strong moral values. I’ve never really been bothered much by her. Cameron’s character is what it is, and she added her own dynamic to the team. However, this episode, her last, absolutely made me loath her. Great job, writers, I see what you did there. Let’s make everyone hate Cameron so we won’t want to see her come back!

I suppose I should probably back track a bit. See, with everything that took place in this latest episode of House, nothing else really held my interest except for Cameron’s hasty and poorly executed exit from the show.

As always, we are treated to a new patient this week. In fact, it is House’s first case back as head of the department now that his medical license has been reinstated. The patient is a porn star named Hank who passes out from eye pain on the set of his latest masterpiece. His other symptoms include muscle spasms, a severe nose bleed, and mysterious rashes.

Before even heading into work, however, Cameron tells Chase that she forgives him for what he did to Dibala, but they need to get away from the hospital and find new surroundings. So, effective immediately, Chase and Cameron walk out on the job. That is, until Foreman, the only team member left, asks the two to help him solve this case before walking out the door. And how can Chase turn him down? Especially when he owes Foreman for helping him cover up Dibala’s murder.

Down two doctors, House goes crawling back to Taub and Thirteen. I’m not particularly thrilled about seeing these two characters come back just as I was getting into the grove of seeing the original team working together again. Although the lengths House goes to try and woo Taub and Thirteen back to their old jobs was pretty amusing to watch. House briefs them individually on Hank’s condition while they reject him and try to resist the temptation to give their own theories. Resistance is futile!

Things begin to unravel when Chase decides he wants to stay at Princeton-Plainsboro and House orders a risky procedure on Hank that could kill him. House faxes this latest diagnosis to Taub and Thirteen who call back urgently to stop the procedure and solve the case. Needless to say, they’re back on the team.

Cameron finally snaps when House put Hank’s life on the line for a “stupid game.” She ultimately blames House for corrupting Chase’s morals and “ruining him.” She believes that House has set a bad example by treating all of his patients like lab rats. And just like that, she leaves. She leaves House, her job, and her husband.

For another take on this episode, read Dr. Cameron: Exit Stage Left, And Don’t Hurry Back by Cameron Cubbison.

Season 6, Episode 7:  Teamwork  (originally aired November 16, 2009)

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