HOUSE Season Finale: Help Me
May 17, 2010 by Erik Wilkinson
Earlier today, I fessed up to having a sneak peek at House’s season finale. Now seems like an appropriate time to reveal another secret. The screener provided to TV critics did NOT include the final scene of the show. My preview faded to black as House decided what to do with his secret stash of Vicodin.
In order to jump start the conversation about “Help Me,” I prepared this review in advance. I am eager to read your theories and opinions, and will jump feet first into the discussion thread with thoughts about the closing minutes.
Intense.
My first look at House’s Season Six finale was ten days ago, and that term has dominated my thoughts ever since. By opening the story with House cradled in defeat, this episode kept me planted on the edge of my seat. Any hopes of a happy ending were dissolved. Instead, I spent an hour wondering how he had reached rock bottom. Was it Cuddy? Wilson & Sam? Someone on the team?
House’s downward spiral went into overdrive after losing an extraordinary patient. Hanna forged a connection with House that reached beyond their perilous surroundings. A kind woman who loved her family above all else, Hanna had the life that House claimed to covet. Actress China Shavers was responsible for giving Hanna life, and her performance extended far beyond the confined setting. Shavers and Hugh Laurie had a familiar chemistry, and their easy connection gave Hanna’s amputation and subsequent death more weight. House never left her side, and did his best to save her. Was it just because she was in danger of losing her leg? I think it was because Hanna needed him.
As doctor and patient waited for help in the rubble, they shared an exchange that crystallized House’s journey this season.
Hanna: “I always thought that if I did the right thing…if I treated people right, then good things would happen to me. Do you think that’s how it works.”
House: “I didn’t used to…Then recently I tried. Now, I don’t know.”
House applied the lessons he learned through Dr. Nolan for a full year, and emerged as a kinder, yet unhappy man. Wilson has gone back to the future to find love with Sam. Cuddy’s engagement to Lucas dealt a death blow to House’s belief that she would be the answer to his romantic ills. Then, Hanna’s sudden death in the ambulance took away House’s lone source of meaning, the ability to heal. If you take away everything a man knows and loves, what is left?
House rejected the methods of Mayfield last week, but he continued to practice its lessons as the finale unfolded. The housewarming gift was a thoughtful gesture, especially the inscription, “To Lisa and Lucas…From Greg.” There were no sarcastic asides or inappropriate quips, only a magnanimous gesture of friendship. If you believe that House was being sincere, then Cuddy’s brutal dismantling of him was agonizing to watch. If Greg House genuinely loves Lisa Cuddy, her emasculating comments set him on a path to dangerous self-destruction.
The scene that will likely generate the most speculation this summer (unless it’s the secret one I wasn’t privy to 🙂 was House’s recommendation that Hanna consent to the amputation. Hugh Laurie nailed the delivery of that speech, and did more in sixty seconds to explain House’s world view than some entire seasons do. Lisa Edelstein’s reactions were poignant, and though she did not speak, I thought this was the most meaningful House/Cuddy scene in quite some time.
The disaster area was a clever device to send House’s team back to Princeton Plainsboro, allowing House and Cuddy’s scenes time to breathe. Thirteen’s mysterious request for time off will be a prime target of speculation. Otherwise, the Diagnostic department was relegated to second class status in this episode.
Director Greg Yaitanes made television history tonight, as “Help Me” was the first primetime drama ever to be entirely shot using a high-end digital SLR. The Canon EOS 5D Mark II isn’t in my price range, but I find it astounding that Yaitanes was able to capture this story on a device priced under three thousand dollars. Kudos to Yaitanes and his team for making the most of their technology, providing an intimate look at a dangerous environment.
I could say more about House/Cuddy, House/Hanna, the virtual absence of Wilson, and other issues in the finale. However, the discussion of this episode is sure to be epic, and there will be plenty of time to share.
[END NOTE: Erik’s excellent review of tonight’s season finale was written without the advantage of seeing the final scene. As Erik mentioned, the screeners we were given by Fox ended with House, sitting on the floor, debating whether or not to take the pills. Had the season ended right there and then, without any further evidence of House’s actions, I would have been satisfied. Leaving the audience to spend the summer contemplating the path House was going to choose would have been interesting and worthwhile….albeit a bit cliched. But we all know that’s now how the season ended. The pills, formerly a debilitating crutch, were thrown to the floor in favor of love and possibly a new life.
After witnessing House’s breakthrough first hand, Lisa was no longer able to suppress her feelings any longer. Ending her brief engagement, Lisa finally admitted that she was in love with House. In a moment that justified a season of growth, House acknowledged his demons and realized that he needed to be better if they were going to work. In a moment that House and Cuddy fans have no doubt been waiting a long time for, the two kissed – and it wasn’t a hallucination – this time it was the real deal.
I know Erik and others will be debating this final scene in the comments, but I wanted to be sure it was included as part of the discussion as it was an important ending to a captivating season finale episode. Risking life and limb with Huddy fans, I have to say that I thought this final scene felt forced, but more importantly it didn’t feel earned. Some will debate that House and Cuddy’s feelings have been brewing for quite some time (too long perhaps) and I agree, but the declaration of love so soon after her engagement felt a bit too hurried. It felt a bit too convenient for my liking, but I’ll let others argue the counterpoint.
Regardless of how I feel about the ending, there is no denying that HOUSE knows how to reinvent itself time and time again. For a show that is a formulaic procedural at its core, the writers have managed to add dimension to these characters and grow them in such a way that there are always new stories to be told. Despite its longevity, there is a reason HOUSE remains one of the most critically acclaimed and popular series on television – the superb writing and the spectacular acting. — Kath]
The Huddy era has arrived. After a stretch run of episodes leading viewers to believe that Chase & Thirteen would be the next onscreen coupling, Gregory House and Lisa Cuddy began their long awaited romance in HOUSE’s Season Six finale.
Millions of House fans have looked forward to this story line. It is appropriate that they came together with House at the point of no return, willing to accept the other’s imperfections.
In Season Seven, the creative team faces an interesting challenge. After giving the audience what they have been asking for, can they avoid the bumps and bruises that come with pairing your male and female leads. Is it a Moonlighting situation waiting to happen, or will the show find new life?
What did you think of the finale? Where is the show headed in Season Seven? Thirteen’s request for a leave of absence was not explained, what are your theories? The declaration of love and that epic kiss? Did you expect it? I look forward to your feedback as we say goodbye to Season Six!
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well the first emotion that comes to me in disappointment. but that’s only because of the final 5 minutes.
i loved seeing House vulnerable. he connected, opened up and comforted Hannah. something he pretty much never does, no matter who the patient is. So that was great. The Huddy writing in this episode was of “Soap-Opera” quality at best. They way he convinced her to get rid of her leg was tear jerking. when Cuddy emasculated him, i felt she deserved a good bitch slap across the face. I actually like the little exchange between House and Foreman.
Things i hated the most:
1. complete lack of Wilson(except for 10 f!@#$%g seconds
2. Forced Huddy writing through out the entire episode
3. Forced established Huddy in the end.
the last 5 minutes failed epically. the writing was contrived, trite, disgusting, and completely half-assed. cuudy’s engaged to Lucas…GREAT. then within a matter of hours, she dumped him and professes her love to House…..melodramatic and forced. Of course House in his desperation, would accept her confession at face value instead of dissecting it like he should.
the feeling i get is Season 7 will be “The Huddy Show”. which brings the debate of whether or not the show should still be watched. or if there intention is to successfully make Huddy work, then maybe the show should come to an end. If House is happy, there is no show. So idk. i’m feeling a lot about this. i guess we;ll just have to wait and see what happens.
The lack of Wilson is the second of two things that disturbed me the most. First of all they wrote House/Wilson in this EP like nothing ever happened in “Baggage”, which was both awful and great at the same time. It seems to be that they are ending the “Hilson” friendship to force House and Cuddy together, which is terrible writing. of course that’s based on the last 4 episodes.
13’s actions have me concerned. i love her. in my opinion, she’s a much stronger female than Cuddy could ever hope to be. if she leaves that’s just a another reason not to watch. next season.
i am happy that House decided not to take the Vicodin(yet). maybe not for the right reason. in all honesty, i would much rather have swallowed the entire bottle instead of the cheesy Huddy scene we were handed. I’m not against Huddy, i much prefer Hilson. but they fucked up the execution and establishment of the Huddy relationship. it came out of nowhere.
so i both loved and hated this with all my heart. i will be watching next season, if for no other reason that my own OCD and the hatred of being left out. but idk. with nothing to go on for next season, i really can’t make any opinions past tonight.
and needless to say, Hugh Laurie and Lisa Edelstein’s performances were brilliant as always.
I doubted and even disliked Season 6 at various points, but reserved judgment til it was over. I’m glad I did, because in hindsight the writers absolutely nailed the one big overarching theme- House’s recovery and happiness. It would have been boring- too easy- if he had returned from Mayfield to find his most important relationships instantly healed. We all saw House recover from the nightmare of Season 5; it took all year for his friends to recover, too.
Every viewer, whether they like him and Cuddy together or not, should be happy for Dr. House right now.
Because he overcame so much, and worked so hard, to turn his life around. He really has been less selfish, less cruel to the people around him (mainly, Cuddy and Wilson). He’s been good. He’s stayed off Vicodin. He’s let other people be happy without him. And all year long, until tonight, he got nothing in return.
And Cuddy- she’s been out of the “crazy House vortex” for a year now and presumably no happier for it. In 9 to 5 we saw only a… lacking relationship with Lucas. But her chemistry with House was, as always, undeniable. We can assume she loves her daughter but she was lying to herself when she accepted Lucas’s proposal.
House and Cuddy are both messed up. Their relationship is a fast cycle of hurt and forgiveness. What kind of dad will House be? Who knows how long they’ll make it? I can’t even speculate on it, just like I couldn’t speculate on Season 6 a year ago. Let’s just enjoy their journey and celebrate these two great characters. And Wilson of course (missed him in the finale).
My wish list for Season 7 includes a return to the classic [H]ouse formula (i.e., Dr. Sherlock Holmes and a whiteboard) and something happy for Chase. I’m worried about Thirteen. I used to dislike her (mainly during the Foreteen arc) but she’s grown on me this season. We could use a break from hearing about Taub’s marriage- or at least do something new with it.
ETA: I half expected the ending. I thought Dr. House would end S6 either with Cuddy or swallowing Vicodin- but either way, with a smile on his face.
Also- I thought this was the best season yet for the House & Wilson friendship. Hard to top it, but I hope House/Cuddy doesn’t swamp it out in S7.
I agree with previous comments made in regards to the last few minutes. I’ve always considered myself in favor of the Huddy ship, though that’s never been my main attractor to the show. The way it was done in the last few minutes here WAS cheesy, unestablished, pushy, and (perhaps) rather lazy, I believe. Don’t get me wrong, these two did need to get together some time, because that’s just what their characters would end up doing naturally, but with the events of the past season, I didn’t believe it to finally be that natural time.
I can’t believe it . The writers of House have not left us with a cliffhanger as a season finale. Or maybe they did leave us with a cliffhanger and we just don’t know it yet. I would bet that House is once again hallucinating. Think about it. House is back in the same room contemplating doing the same behaviour where his primary hallucination concerning Cuddy took place at the end of season 5. Also , Cuddy shows up in House’s appt just before he is going to woolf down a couple of Vicotins to assuage his sadness. She tells him everything that he wants to hear . Another thing , how did she get into House’s appt?
i doubt he locked his door if his only thought was to get to the vicodin, so she could have just waltzed right in. it’s already official, next season is about exploring Huddy through and through.
http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2010/05/18/house-huddy-spoilers-season-finale/
the worst part is….this is what the writers and david shore had always intended to happen. so now we have to learn to cope and “try” and be “happy” for Huddy. *takes suicide pills*
The writers of House should do away with the kinder,gentler House and let House be House. I hope that House MD is not going to turn into another formula soap opera with all of the love triangles that is common to that genre.
Happy endings are not usual nowadays, even if we think that series on tv must not go on that way. Is House an exception?
Anyway, I think this doesn’t fit with all 6th season. We all have seen the rule “even if you are a good person you would be-or not- in an unhappy life”… Just like real life. Even the firsts episodes were written down assuming that idea, so the end is not going in the same line. I think the plot has an artificial change. I hope next season comes with a logical end. This one has no sense at all.
I am still not sure i completely understand the ending. Maybe i watch too much Lost, but, he had 2 pills in his hand, but, only one hit the floor…
Oops, I didn’t see that ending coming! There are plenty of items to address regarding the finale, so please be patient as I respond to each of the commenters.
Jonathan: Since you were first to raise the concern that Season 7 could devolve into the Huddy Show, I’ll show off my powers of straddling the fence this way.
I enjoyed the 43 minute, 18 second version of this episode. As the secret ending unfolded, I was genuinely surprised. Unfortunately, my reaction quickly faded to disbelief, due to the brutal exchanges between Cuddy and House earlier in the day. Kath’s point about this was best: they did not EARN the moment. It was a gesture to Huddy-shippers, but a vicious blow to common sense and mature storytelling.
That being said, the twist ending fulfilled its purpose, as the pro-Huddy and anti-Huddy factions have come out swinging online. If season finales are produced to generate buzz, it was a success. House took a ratings hit this season, particularly with Dancing with the Stars experiencing a renaissance of sorts on ABC. Perhaps Katie & David are taking the first steps to winding things down at Princeton Plainsboro.
For the two seasons I have written about the show, the personal lives of House and his team have taken center stage. The prospects of romance have superceded the potency of antibiotics. If Season Seven continues on that path, then a House/Cuddy relationship was their only option for an overarching storyline. Foreteen fizzled out, Cameron is gone, and Olivia Wilde will be missing for a chunk of the season (more on that later). The creative team backed themselves into the Huddy corner.
Here’s the crux of my long-winded point. If you were rooting for House and Cuddy to go in this direction, be happy. Just refrain from arguing that the ending was sweeping and romantic. If you are not a fan of the Huddy experiment, don’t lose sight of the standout effort of Greg Yaitanes and his team in putting this episode together. It was great TV. Focus on that.
I didn’t notice only one pill hitting the floor… if you’re right, it may be foreshadowing? Maybe eventually House will try to have Cuddy AND vicodin in his life.
I don’t think Huddy qualifies the show as a ‘soap opera.’ It makes infinitely more sense than Foreman/Thirteen did, anyway. Most people don’t want a show centered on their relationship, and the writers know that. Luckily [H]ouse has a very strong and successful formula to fall back on: the medical mystery. Not to mention a very solid supporting cast.
These sorts of developments are inevitable for a long-running show with tons of sexual tension between two of the main characters. Know what else is inevitable? Huddy breaking up. I’d bet a lot that they’ll be done by the S7 finale. But House could NEVER be satisfied, NEVER move on to something new and refreshing, until he at least got a shot at being with Cuddy. I think it will be fun, can’t wait to see what the writers do with it.
Those who are in the know received their info from the creators. The same creators that have kept the final few minutes of the season finale secret from those in the know. So, one wonders why keep secret the final few minutes of an episode from the critics and still give away the story line for the new season to the same? The creators are just saying that Huddy happens. Is everyone sure that the finale of season 6 is the way Huddy happens? I know that it’s a TV show but I love puzzles.
i have accepted that bringing Huddy into full reality might be there way of starting to bring the show to its end. but to just have House/Cuddy ride off into the sunset is absolutely ridiculous.
LoonNight: If I were to craft a review of Season Six, my best strategy would be to attach a link to your comments. Ultimately, the writers did tell a story of reconstruction. House put himself together, piece by piece, with invaluable help from his best friend. In my opinion, it would have fit the arc more aptly for Wilson to have appeared in the final scene. Though it would not have satisfied the legions of Huddy fans, it certainly would have assured viewers that the backbone of the season (House & Wilson’s friendship) could also set House straight.
I appreciate your optimism about Season Seven. There isn’t much to be gained from cynicism (Conan taught us that!) and I have too much respect for the talented cast and crew to write it off. The best answer to anyone who argues that Huddy will ruin the show is: We’ll see, won’t we?
Here’s to a hearty summer of speculation, and fingers crossed for a return by Jennifer Morrison!
switchkosterice: Thanks for providing an objective take on the final scene, especially as a fan of the House/Cuddy relationship. Though I remain a huge fan of the script for this finale, the Huddy twist diluted the impact of those pivotal House/Cuddy scenes.
During my sneak peek, it seemed clear to me that House was driven to rock bottom by Hanna’s death, more than Cuddy’s rejection. At the very least, each event was equally responsible for sending him into a tailspin. I am very curious as to when Season Seven will be scripted to begin.
Will we begin the morning after? Will Thirteen wait for a decision about her time off, or disappear? Will Lucas be given the opportunity to take a parting shot at House & Cuddy?
There are hints about these developments in some of Katie Jacobs’ press interviews over the past two days, but the questions are interesting to ponder.
edward3608: Your point of view on House is similar to that of a longtime GMMR commenter, John, who believes that interpersonal relationships (romantic or otherwise) are antithetical to the character we have watched for six seasons.
Since millions of viewers still discover House through the prism of USA Network marathons, largely assembled from earlier seasons, I take your point that some viewers will reject a version of the show that is too “soapy.” They would cringe at seeing a smiling, extroverted House 2.0.
Though I have been critical of the creative team over the past two years, I believe that they understand the heart of this character. Hugh Laurie has fashioned too complex a human being to be reduced to saccharin.
I hope you return to the discussion in September, when we all find out where this is going…
Nice blog. I decided to post here rather than on the House Wiki site because this discussion has more substance (plus I loved the RSL interview from December).
It occurred to me that even if House and Cuddy can maintain a decent relationship in Season 7 (which of course isn’t guaranteed), the strongest influence on House’s behavior has for many years been the constant and severe pain he carries with him everyday. It’s not like he’s going to become Suzy Sunshine all of a sudden just because he’s with Cuddy.
Wilson and Cuddy have both stood by House for many years despite his often atrocious behavior. So to say interpersonal relationships are antithetical to the character is not exactly true.
Regarding Thirteen, I don’t mind her, and it looked like something was brewing with her and Taub in this episode, no?
MaryGrace: Thanks for deciding to contribute to the discussion at GMMR. We’re fortunate to have a thoughtful and considerate group of regular contributors.
You mentioned an angle for House/Cuddy that would stifle some of the criticism for their pairing. What’s Greg House like as a boyfriend? In a weird way, it’s comparable to Jack Nicholson’s character in “As Good As It Gets.” Can House grow beyond grand gestures of kindness and contribute daily to a workable relationship? If the writers dig in to that fertile ground, I would agree that Season Seven will feel like a breath of fresh air.
The Thirteen/Taub exchanges were VERY bizarre, and felt abbreviated. There are real-life reasons for writing a leave of absence into Thirteen’s story. Yet, I wanted a few more hints about the twist.
I am one of the many people who loved the first 45 mins of the movie because I felt that it had a lot of meaning to it. I also felt that it was just like reality and very well played out but then I was seriously let down by the ending. I felt that is was contrived and forced. I also didn’t like how they sugarcoted that life lesson that they were projecting all throughout the episode. I would have loved to see House either contempleting taking the pills or chose on his own to not throw away his efforts and just do something simple like playing the piano which use to ease some of his misery in the past seasons. I just felt the Cuddy thing to be a whole cop out to what would have been an excellent final.
I have worked with people like House and worse in the drug community as a counsellor and it is not a pretty thing to watch a lot of people say that House relapsing would be bad but to me that would indicate that they are serious about portraying a real person struggling with their drug/alcholol and self esteem issues because many people relapse on the first go. Cuddy looks like she is going to be House’s crutch which is never pretty because usually they get back to their old habits and bring the other down with them. If they can reframe from the godawful hurtful pranks that is not funny to watch and the soap opera childish silliness and explore those issues with Cuddy then I think it will be more bearable but then again I haven’t liked most of this season.
One person compared the Huddy relationship to Katherine Hepburn and Tracy which really got under my skin so I hope I never hear that comparison again. 13 I really couldn’t care less what happens to her I never was interested in her character.
1. House and Cuddy’s relationship will fail, because, as Wilson has noted at least a couple of times (paraphrasing): Do you think any of this can turn out well, for anyone? More than “Everybody lies,” this rhetorical question, invoking pessimism about all life’s great and grand ideas and actions, informs the heart of the show. Nothing can turn out really well in this universe, which is ours, distilled down to elemental valences, except the fate of most of House’s patients, who get the upside of House’s gloomy and cynical addiction to veracity, rarely mentioned anymore in discussions of House’s scorn and failings. We forget what he accomplishes most of the time. But everything else will go to hell.
I originally thought this was the most brilliant episode ever. But after reading the writers’ comments, which give the impression that everything in the episode was real and exactly as it seemed, I decided that it’s the most pathetic episode ever.
As “completely real,” it is unbelievable in so many ways – from physicians untrained in disaster response (especially one with a cane) being allowed to wander around on their own in rubble in danger of secondary collapse, to House having to belly crawl his way to find Hannah, yet later, people being able to waltz in and out of the area at will, to Cuddy confronting House and telling him about the engagement where and when she did, to her ridiculously quick change of heart about Lucas/House, to her breaking it off with Lucas and running right over to House when she’s got a baby at home and does not have a live-in nanny (I suppose after being dumped, Lucas offered to baby sit Rachel so Cuddy could go declare her love for House), to Cuddy’s comments to House in the bathroom, to House’s pathetic puppy happy to see his master dialogue/attitude in the final scene.
I guess I gave the writers/producers too much credit in thinking that this episode was almost all symbolic, allowing it to end on an upbeat note without the viewers realizing that what had really gone on was a suicide attempt and life after death experience. At the beginning, House hands Cuddy the book in a manila envelope that has been addressed for mailing – made me think maybe he’d actually mailed it (possibly after learning of Cuddy’s engagement), perhaps with some kind of note that tipped Cuddy off to his real state of mind. At the accident scene, he spends time staring up into the “bright white lights” of the helicopters. He then descends into a dark place where he finds Hannah. The whole Hannah story seemed allegorical for House’s own life since the time of his leg damage, and his current situation – she’s trapped by her leg with the building (read whole world) pressing down on her about to collapse and destroy her. She has what House once had with Stacy – someone who loves her, friends, the ability to start a family, but being trapped by her leg threatens (in House’s case, destroyed) everything. I could go on, but I’d run longer than the permissible post length. To cut to the chase, the Hannah story seemed like it worked perfectly as a symbolic “life review/life flashing before his eyes” kind of thing.
As for the suicide, House does everything right but Hannah still died. That mirrors exactly what House said to Nolan at the end of the previous episode – he’d done everything Nolan had asked him to do, but he’s still miserable. That puts him at a place of complete hopelessness. So I saw him going for the Vicodin not as just a way to ease the physical/psychological pain this time, I saw it as his completely helpless/hopeless attempt to end the pain.
In the brief clip in the bathroom which occurs about midway through the episode, it appears that a male figure comes in and looks down at House. The viewer can’t tell for sure who it is. Is it House himself out of body and looking down at his dying self? Is it Kuttner – House seeing people who’ve passed on before? Is it Wilson arriving to check on House (perhaps after a call from Cuddy who’s received the book and note)? None of the above work if everything in the episode was “real.” So who the heck was it?
Cuddy appears in the bathroom in scrubs. Why the heck was she wearing scrubs if it is hours later and she’s already been home? I took it, again, to be symbolic, indicating that perhaps the final scene actually took place at the hospital, where Cuddy realizes after almost losing House, that she can’t move forward with Lucas because she does love House (regardless of whether it could ever actually work with him). That seems a heck of a lot more believable as a reason for her to chuck Lucas after spending so much time coming to the decision to be with him. House almost dying is the kind of dramatic/traumatic kind of thing that would make her change her mind as opposed to, “Oh, gee, he admitted he was wrong about his leg, I guess I’ll just throw away the whole life I planned with the guy who’s become a father figure to my baby and jump into a relationship with this guy who will see my baby as the competition for my affections.”
In short, when I thought that this episode was brilliantly contrived to look like one thing while being quite another, without being just a hallucination, and allowing for an ending that reflected reality (Cuddy deciding to give it a try with House) without being the way things really happened, I thought I would give House a try for another season. But if we are to believe that this episode was completely real, then this show has “nuked the fridge.” I fear we will never again see the storylines/writing we saw in prior seasons.
and we all know that the only person who should have walked into that bathroom is Wilson. Not Cuddy who somehow magically made House not addicted to drugs, made his leg like nothing ever happened to it. i mean come one he jumped right up. House doesn’t jump.
“You mentioned an angle for House/Cuddy that would stifle some of the criticism for their pairing. What’s Greg House like as a boyfriend? In a weird way, it’s comparable to Jack Nicholson’s character in “As Good As It Gets.” Can House grow beyond grand gestures of kindness and contribute daily to a workable relationship? If the writers dig in to that fertile ground, I would agree that Season Seven will feel like a breath of fresh air. ”
the answer is no. Thats not how House was created. and if they just decide to change him, well than that’s just bad writing. i mean the whole Cuddy ending was a last minute thing. that wasn’t supposed to be the original ending. So Cuddy was forced on us. Like they just threw it in there. The real ending was supposed to be “dark” which would have worked better considering what happened in the episode. But no, Cuddy magically appearing on her flying ovaries, 8 HOURS!!! later having not changed is just ridiculous, and stupid. I mean the rest of the episode was great, but that was just a slap in the face. But i won; deny that Hugh Laurie and Lisa Edelstein’s acting was superb. We better not see any less of Wilson. after all, House/Wilson/Cuddy are the 3 main characters on the show. The almost complete lack of Wilson in “Help Me” was awful. we got a 15 second phone conversation with him and House…..THAT’S IT??? House almost gets killed, and yet Wilson is no where to be found? What is that all about. When Huddy fails miserably, you know who will be there to pick up the pieces….Wilson, because that’s who its meant to be.
They couldn’t do another hallucination episode because they did that last season. I would have been annoyed if they used that device again. If you assume that Cuddy loved House all along but was fighting it, then this whole episode/season makes sense. It was a HUGE step for House to finally admit that he was wrong not to have the amputation, and Cuddy realized that.
He could have done it without Cuddy though. I do not believe the star cross lovers BS they put in which reduced Stacy to an insignificant footnote and is a messed up timeline chronology for House’s and Cuddy’s medical careers. It didn’t have to be a hallucination just an ending that either had him contempleting on the pills or throwing it away on his own and doing somthing simple as playing the piano which would have been more powerful and more significant in regards to his personal growth, Cuddy now just seems to be a crutch for House which will only end badly.
Very interesting comments but what about his hand?! I guess I was paying attention to the little things because I was not riveted by the dialog of the last scene but consider the following: 1 He was injured at the site to his left shoulder. 2 Foreman tried to stop him because he was still bleeding and then we cut to his bathroom. How’d he get there? 3 While he is in the bathroom we see his hands and they look normal BUT last 3 frames when they are holding hands his is so dark I thought it was an african american! And it is his left hand (same side as his shoulder injury). I replayed this and it seemed heavy on the hands and the left hand seems to have bulging veins when they are holding hands. Cutty was involved when he crippled his leg. Could the black hand hint that there may be something wrong with his arm and they will face another crippling decision? Or was it just lighting? I replayed it several times and think there may be something wrong with his arm. Please weigh in! This is making me a tad crazy…
Thanks to carina the poster above – i too spotted the hand at it slightly freaked me out? It was the centre peice of the last shot and therefore must have been deliberate – it certainly looked nothing like house’s hand – almost black skinned, dark and aged. Why was that? Hallucination? Disease? Something else? Any theories out there?
I, too, found those last few seconds both forced and a bit out of character.
Yea, I can understand and accept that Lisa would question if she is indeed ready to marry Lucas. When her thoughts are constantly on Greg, and his drug addiction and mental heath problems. However, that defines friendship more than romance.
I would have rather seen the scene end with just the two of them staring at each other and agreeing on “where do we go next?”, instead of the Jr High style of kiss.
Maybe it is because I have always figured that *if* Lisa and Greg ever become a couple, it would be because of their deepening friendship and that they were comfortable with each other, and not with teen-age puppy love.
Rewatched the episode online, and I’d like to comment on a few factual issues mentioned above. House doesn’t suddenly spring to his feet before kissing Cuddy. She clearly offers him a hand up, but it takes place off camera. It’s assumed it wasn’t graceful and we didn’t need to see it. Also, he clearly drops both pills, not just one, and lastly, his hand was black because he was FILTHY from being in a collapsed building. Although you could argue that Cuddy was there too, and she was too clean!
@ Mary Grace; watch again! During that scene both hands are shown and are NOT filthy before the final hand holding AND his hand gets darker and the veins are bulging as the last frames focus only on his hand! At least that is what I saw. Maybe I need to watch it again too.
As usual, your thoughts and theories have been more interesting than the finale. If you’ll excuse me, I have to go watch the final sequence again. This debate about House’s hands has my interest piqued!
So, I just watched the very begining and the end of the episode again and his hand is the a focal point of the very first scene the before it cuts to “hours earlier”. And his hand, the left hand is clean, not filthy. Perhaps it is only a coicidence that the last scene ends on his hand just like the episode opened, and maybe his hand appears so dark because of a filming shadow…it just doesn’t seem like it to me…
Well, I guess we’ll just wait to see if we have a healthy House come season premiere or one that has an injured hand/arm or worse…who knows, it was so subtle they could choose to build on it or not….
I contacted two folks from the HOUSE team seeking answers to our “left hand” dilemma. As soon as I hear back from them, I’ll share any pertinent details they can share.
Ok, I’m officially obsessed! Erik, what of the hand?! Anything??? I wish I could let go of his hand but it has got a hold on me! Sorry, couldn’t resist the pun…
Nothing yet, Carina…and I think it may have been a continuity error more than an Easter Egg.
The fools did it . They actually went and did it. My god! They’ve turned House into another soap opera. The only difference here is is that the actors are better on House then the standard that one would normally find on the soaps.
Edward: The jury is out on how House & Cuddy’s romance will impact the quality of the show. As an established hit, the easy path would be to stay the course and collect solid ratings. This move, despite my own objections to it creatively, should (along with Olivia Wilde’s hiatus until later in the season) open new doors for the cast.
Please come back to GMMR and share your thoughts when you catch the Season 7 Premiere!
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