Season Four, Episodes Fifteen and Sixteen
These two episodes constituted a surprisingly good wrap up considering season four of House had to contend with the Writer’s Guild of America Strike that occurred during the 2007-2008 season. The episode order was cut from 24 to 18, and most shows that tried to overcome the challenges of rushing to wrap up season long story arcs in considerably fewer episodes didn’t do nearly the job that was done here. While it did cost us what was sure to be some killer three way action (love triangle people, get your minds out of the gutter), these final two episodes managed to pack a hellacious emotional kick to the gut.
“House’s Head”
It was interesting to watch House try to work a challenge when his brain wasn’t working right. Between the hypnosis and the hallucinations, it was almost to confusing to follow. I’m not sure where Cuddy’s little … uh … “show” fit into House’s whole process, but, well, lets just say I’m not complaining.
House working though the clues, though, to finally remember that it was Amber (if there were ever a time for me to start using her first name, I guess now would be it, especially considering ) that needed his help, was fun to watch, if not a bit heartbreaking in the end. Wilson accused him of having feelings for her not moments before House himself admitted that he had no clue why he was so motivated to figure out what was going on. I’m confident that this storyline won’t get left in the shuffle.
I find it hard to believe that EMS would have the bus evacuated, but just leave House to walk out on his own. Amber’s extraction would have taken a few minutes, as they would have had to cut the pipe that had cut through her upper leg. There would have been more than enough time for them to move House out as well.
Beer brand beer is the best beer ever, but can someone tell me why Fred Durst was behind the bar?
“I didn’t know you rode the bus.” – Cuddy
“I used to drive home after getting drunk. But some mothers got MADD.” – House
“Wilson’s Heart”
Leave it to Wilson to be more concerned about the why than the what. A quick House lecture brought him out of it, but Wilson was concentrating on why Amber was on the bus in the first place just a bit too much for my tastes. When he came around though, Wilson came up with a pretty ballsy treatment choice. I can imagine it being difficult on any loved one of one of House patients, but for Wilson, who knows the chances he takes, this experience must be hell.
The decision to kill off Amber was just as much out of left field as her pairing with Wilson in the first place. The character grew on me over the course of the season, and I was really enjoying this incredibly odd love triangle. How this affects both House and Wilson next season should lead to some great story telling, but not as good as what would have been if they’d continued to explore the relationships.
The best scene of this two-parter is when Wilson asks House to undergo the procedure that would help clear his thoughts up at great personal risk. When House responds with the “you want me to risk my life to save hers” comment, my heart just broke. The look on our hero’s face at that point, and you knew he would do anything for his friend. An incredibly close second goes to Amber and Wilson’s final moments together. From the realization of how bad her condition was to her goodbye, Anne Dudek turned in an outstanding performance. As much as I am enjoying Covert Affairs, she’s being so completely wasted on that show thus far, it is damn near criminal.
Thirteen’s hesitation didn’t make a lot of sense to me. She never really seemed close to Amber, and always seemed like she would be able to emotionally distance herself from this type of case. Even once House puts the issue out in the open, I still don’t buy the reasoning behind the reaction.
Wilson and Amber made a sex tape? Seriously?
And really, Hugh Laurie gets a Cuddy strip tease in one episode, and an Amber lap dance in the next? Seriously?
I loved the call back to the Pilot, intentional or otherwise, as Amber told House that he “can’t always get what he wants.”
Clacked by Ivey West 
on Jul 29, 2010 @ 13:00 EST5EDT
