More evidence that bad previews make for good episodes. Although in this case, it was more a lowering-of-expectations deal. Like House always talks about. When you expect nothing and you get a very little bit, you're happy.

1. Bi-racial-lesbian-escort-service-with-age-gap setup in the teaser was amusing, if in the end irrelevant. Cat clue was painfully obvious. Question for anyone who’s read fourteencandles’s fic "You Already Know (How This Will End)" -- that gorgeous girl was totally Diamond from Atlantic City (pt. 48), yes? I love that Wilson kept doing double-takes around her and finally hit on her when he called her with the prognosis at the end -- and that we finally have confirmation that normally he’s called James, or at least introduces himself to non-patients as such. Oh, boy, he’s gonna get an earful from House if he set something up with her, paid or no.

(Did he know what she was, and if so, is he that lonely? Did he just think she was pretty and was moved when she cared for someone she’d just met? Is he giving up on House and moving on?)

2. Wilson playing House! Doing doctorly diganosis-type things in addition to doctorly examining-type things. Following House's footsteps in the clinic and the Diagnostics office and the patient's room and the waiting area and his office and in scrubs in the O.R. Playing House's irony as he tried to keep a straight face at the (formerly lying) patient's wild list of recent activities and said that, yes, it is possible that her current illness had something to do with her trip. Calling himself an idiot. Taking advantage of the team at his disposal and making quick and tricky decisions. Even though he is still not equal to House and assumed the ailment was cancer because it’s what he sees most and didn’t get the final diagnosis right, tonight we got to see him think and say and do more than we have before, even in “Histories” I think, and that was a real treat.

3. House choosing the equivalents of his team from among the airplane passengers, going by looks and then directing them on how to act so he could feel at home enough to slip into diagnostic mode. The stewardess joining in with rebuttals was a nice touch. Also, House playing with the cabin PA and scoring everyone free alcohol and landing a series of maybe-dates with the stewardess, proving once again that the people who see past the asshole pretty much all fall in love with him. And his joke about being able to attack the pilot with his cane-corkscrew only if he were in a wine bottle.

House/stewardess/Wilson/call girl, anyone?

4. House touching and sniffing Cuddy. Shallow, yes, but kinda hot. She has a nice back, even when covered in a hysterical rash. Nice eyes, too, even when red-rimmed and glassy. Kudos to the makeup team on achieving illness chic. House’s protective/worried/professional-but-affectionate overtones made it even better. Loved their little “nyah nyah” faces towards the beginning, too, when House “graciously allowed” Cuddy to take his seat in business class.

5. Annnnd Chase gets the diagnosis once again! And gets to wear a gas mask and a suit in the process. Why they didn’t tell the skull-drilling team to hold off a few more minutes while they searched the home again for proof of their perfectly plausible theory, I do not know, other than makes-for-better-drama, but it was good to see continuity with his track record. He's done with his fellowship soon, too, so he should be damn good by now. My guess is that it was the high of solving the case that gave him the confidence to ask for what he’s been wanting from Cameron -- and that it was not enough to keep him from crashing when she broke it off. So we see once again that dedication to, and/or success in, medicine pretty much precludes one’s ability to sustain healthy romantic relationships.


Commentaries/discussions: Nightdog, Daasgrrl, Moonlash, Pun, Usomitai

Post-ep Fic: "Didn't I" by deelaundry