(Season 5, Episode 9 – “Last Resort”)
What did I think about the fancy opening of the week? I still love the experimenting they are doing, and the slow motion pan of the hospital clinic was a nice touch. We knew right away we were going to get something very different this week, since the cold open never takes place in the hospital.
I think the theme of the week was neat and tidy, with some very tight writing, the way I like it. But, I bet that it was more subtle for those of you who’ve been getting hit over the head with it. Am I right?
I think the “last resort” refers obviously to Gun Guy (I’m almost sure his name was Jason but I can’t find it anywhere online to confirm it and I think we were purposely supposed to think of him as “Gun Guy”) and Thirteen, but even House, too; but we’ll get to that.
I liked the change of pace for House this week, and what was interesting is that Dr. House didn’t really change much. His personality stayed the same, even though he was under duress, and he took his verbal jabs at Gun Guy as if he were any other person; loved that.
Even though this episode was deep and tense, it was not lacking for one-liners. Some of my favorites:
OK, so it was Gun Guy’s last resort because he simply couldn’t stand not knowing what was wrong with him; it was literally driving him insane, he was so obsessed. Since Thirteen was taking all the drugs for him, and it brought her to the brink of death, her last resort, it helped her realize that she didn’t want to die. I’m so glad we’ll see a new Thirteen and that she decided to do the Huntington’s drug trial.
House’s obsession, though, was the subtle piece. I knew the second House told Gun Guy that he didn’t have a tumor and Gun Guy said, “So, it’s over,” that House wasn’t going to let it be over. House can’t stand not knowing either, and as Gun Guy said, “Your obsession gave me back the gun.” Yeah, what’s that say about House’s sanity? Thirteen hit the nail on the head when she called House a coward and said, “You need to know everything because you are afraid to be wrong.”
Other things:
no comment on House putting all of Cuddy’s drawers in upside down? I’m rewatching it to see if they mention the gun guy’s name & just noticed that he makes sure no one goes in her desk while they’re all in there. LMAO
Yes, his name is Jason. House tells the negotiator to stop calling him by his name cuz it sounds creepy.
I loved this ep!
It is getting more difficult for me to enjoy this show each week. I find Thirteen to be a bore, but it is obvious that she is the only member of the “new team” that the writers have any interest in promoting.
Overall, I’d say I don’t like regular character centric episodes because I know they will not be affected in the long term. I knew Thirteen wasn’t going to die. Excitement gone.
Even when the ENTIRE TEAM disbanded last year, they all migrated right back where they started. Why on earth would I expect anything to happen to other front-burner characters?
Funny, as much as I dislike screwing with the formula (as the original team left, or on – God Forbid – Ghost Whisperer), I dislike stagnant seasons even more. I guess I like my characters to remain the same and for the guest arcs, etc., to really mean something.
Can’t have it all, I guess!
I hated this episode, it was dreadful.
Really awful episode. None of it made any sense at all.
And I hate how they are force-feeding us character-developments by parelleling them to patients illnesses.
Maybe I am mad because I somehow was expecting something great, like the “Amber dies”-episode.
But this season sucks so far and I am beginning to lose interest in one of my favorite shows :(
And I am a major fan of Olivia Wilde (“Thirteen”) but her character is boring me to no end. But so is everyone elses, even House.
*POST AUTHOR*
Wow, I’m surprised that so many people didn’t enjoy this episode of House. To me, it was the kind of episode that made the series great. How House could be at his obnoxious best when being held hostage was so well done, and Ivanek was a brilliant guest star.
I agree, the Amber dies ep was amazing, but also not a typical House ep. Tonight’s was more House-like.
My all-time favorite ep of House is the one where he has to teach the class spur of the moment; it might be called Three Patients or something like that, and was perhaps in season 2. Anyone remember this one? Maybe I’ll do a post about it soon …. :-)