House Review: Cuddy 2.0

at .

Halfway through "Risky Business," I started looking at my watch. 

Typically I only care about the time to see if House is coming up with his routine epiphany at five to the hour. But tonight it was purely out of boredom. Here's was the problem with the episode: I only care and know about Wilson and House. 

Not only did I learn nothing new about House this evening - he's an ass, he's conniving, he's dishonest, he's brilliant - I also noticed that Dr. Adams is quickly moving into a type of role with which I'm uncomfortable.

House v. Foreman
 

First, she's trying to control House in a similar way Cuddy did. Remember that episode way back in season three that the writers have clearly forgotten about? It was called "One Day, One Room" and in it, Cuddy gave House more clinic hours in the hopes that he might actually feel something for people and spark some humanity in him. 

And here we are, five years later presented with a cleavage-y, smart, slightly naive character (minus 15 years of age) that is Cuddy's poor stand-in. Also Thirteen's, because she is so clearly willing to go to bat against the patients. Or was that Cameron? Sigh... I've lost track of young, sexy female doctors that have come through the series at one time or another.

Also, did House and the patient share any other quality than "asshood?" I'm just a bit confused on his role in light of the rest of the episode. Typically there's something tying the two together. At the beginning of the episode, I thought the parallel was that the patient missed his dead wife and was trying to move away from his grief by doing something a bit insane. 

Was House's "insane" parallel that he went to jail? Does a patient parallel count if it's paralleling House's actions in a different episode? Or are we supposed to just take a look at House and how he conducts business among his staff and understand that it's quite risky and could have gotten Park fired just as the patient's business was also risky, for his investors and for his family life?

What House and the patient lacked in loyalty in a backwards way, they made up for in the pushing people away department. The patient risked his relationship with his daughter and House continues to test those around him that choose to care about him, no matter how futile the task is. Bottom line, this episode was a filler and I could have used some laughs if it wasn't even pretending to be dramatic.  

And how about that last scene? House manages to get everything he wants (again!) including: revenge on his neighboring doctor, the satisfying feeling of manipulating Wilson, money for his department, and his version of foreplay, i.e. Dr. Adams destroying everything with House's guidance and permission. I suppose it's nice that House is imparting his destructive wisdom. It takes baby steps to reach the point of driving one's car into an ex's house. But I digress. 

Maybe the destruction of the other doctor's office was more like a Monster Truck Rally high, rather than a deeper, "I'm angry and hurt" explosion.

Any way you slice it, I will never watch this episode again. If someone wants to comment about any part of the installment that was truly worthy of analysis, please let me know. And while you're at it, tell me what you like about Dr. Adams. I'd like to like her. And Dr. Park. But I'm having trouble. 

Next week, Chase and Taub return! This show is sorely lacking in the familiar face department. At this point, I'm happy to see Taub and his nose. Desperate times...

Risky Business Review

Editor Rating: 2.5 / 5.0
  • 2.5 / 5.0
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
User Rating:

Rating: 3.1 / 5.0 (104 Votes)
Show Comments
Tags: ,

House Season 8 Episode 4 Quotes

House: You're an irrational patriot. I'll put that another way: you're a patriot.

[said to Dr. Park] Oh, you don't want to bet me.

House