House Recap: “Words and Deeds”

Title: Words and Deeds
Original Airdate: 1/8/07

Oh House, you sly dog. Just when we think the brilliant doc has actually been beaten by evil Tritter with his magical, above-the-law powers… just when we think our favorite curmudgeon has actually reformed, gone to rehab in earnest, and become a respectful, humble person… House reveals his true super-power: Acting! Yes, it turns out the good doctor is not just brilliant at solving medical mysteries – he’s also brilliant at putting on an incredibly convincing show and completely pulling the wool over everyone’s eyes, including Tritter, with seemingly sincere apologies and a stint in rehab in order to get his charges dropped and avoid jail (and speaking of brilliant acting, if Hugh Laurie doesn’t win every award out there this year – Golden Globe, SAG, Emmy, etc. – then there will be Hell to pay from yours truly. Hugh Laurie fans of the world, Unite!!).

Ehem. Anyway, I found it very interesting that House’s oft repeated diagnosis/catchphrase, “Everybody Lies”, became such an integral part of this episode – to the point where it wasn’t just the patient this time who was lying (or rather, having false memories as a result of his bizarre illnesses), but almost everyone else was lying in a major way as well, especially Cuddy, who decided to perjure herself in court in order to clear House of the charges. Man… didn’t see that one coming. But I suppose it is fitting that she be the one to go ahead and draw up false pharmacy papers in order to prove House’s innocence, because if she hadn’t stupidly denied him his Vicodin in the first place, he never would have stolen the dead guy’s drugs. Ah well, Cuddy: You live and you learn, and you lie in court as a result.

As the not-really-fooled judge pointed out, though, Cuddy’s actions proved that House does indeed have some very good friends – even if he doesn’t totally deserve them. But frankly, since he seems to be the only doctor in that hospital who can correctly diagnose a patient’s baffling and mysterious illness – and thus save their life, like he does once again in this episode – you can understand why his “friends” put up with him. And of course, in the “Finally!!” department, the judge put the smackdown on Tritter, dismissing his case by telling him that House is no dangerous coke addict and that his pursuit of this case is clearly just an act of revenge against House’s jerky behavior. SMACK-DOWN. I mean seriously, it’s about bloody time that this whole infuriating Tritter storyline ended.

But I guess if any good came out of the whole Tritter thing, it was that it reminded the audience that we do not want our beloved grouchy doc to change – we love him, just as he is. I’m sure I’m not the only one who was left grinning at the end of this episode, as the rocking “Season of the Witch” played when House revealed to Wilson that his rehab guard had been sneaking him Vicodin the whole time, and that his contrite and humble behavior was just an act. But if House ever wants to get romantic with Cameron, though, he should keep up said act, because upon hearing that House had finally apologized to Wilson, Cameron stopped House before he went back to court and finally, finally gave the man… a hug. Well, it’s a start I suppose. And House’s romantic response to this spontaneous display of affection and warmth? “Excuse me, I have to go to jail.” Oh House, though you may try to act aloof, you clearly want some affection from the comely lass, as revealed when, on the night before the trial, he visibly brightened up when Cameron said she would be “staying here tonight” – thinking she would be staying with him at the rehab clinic for support – only to be deflated as soon as she clarified that the patient of the week needed to be closely watched.

And speaking of unrequited love, the patient of the week had perhaps the most serious case of it that I’ve ever seen on TV – to the point where the man literally had heart-attacks every time the object of his unrequited affection was in the room. Yikes! Certainly makes one feel like an over-sensitive doofus for ever crying over a crush, because at least you never had a heart-attack over it! Of course, most of us also aren’t handsome young firefighters with unusual spinal ailments and a rare case of male menopause. I guess maybe it’s a good thing, then, that the House team went all 1940’s on him and electro-shocked his memories out of him, because his firehouse buddies would never let him live it down if they found out he had menopause. But I guess you can’t electro-shock love out of you, as the firefighter seemed to immediately fall head over heels for his unrequited love as soon as he saw her again. And who can blame him? She has to be the most gorgeous and petite female firefighter ever – which is totally unrealistic, of course, but so is a hospital staff full of relatively young, model-gorgeous doctors, and one incredibly charming, handsome, and magnetic Brit doing a perfect American accent. But isn’t that why we love TV?

LaLa is a writer who currently resides in LaLa Land, aka Los Angeles. LaLa also likes to sing. LaLa also knows some lawyers in a law office. LaLa is also prone to making bad jokes, like this one. And of course, LaLa also loves her some quality television shows with quality actors on them, like House… and The Office… and 24… and, well, pretty much any smartly written show that doesn’t include a fat guy with a hot skinny wife or the words “two and a half men” in the title.