show me your teeth

[swatkat]

Highly enjoyable episode. Loved Foreman's story, especially, and that Foreman did not tell anyone about his mother's death—it's a little bit akin to Chase's storyline in 'The Mistake,' but they didn't use it to milk some more Manpain or sympathy from Thirteen, which gives it an A+ in my book.


In Which Lucas Is Vaguely Disturbing:

The tripping scene in the cafeteria immediately reminded me of 5.14, 'The Greater Good,' and Cuddy's 'vengeance' on House. After watching that episode I wrote:

"I have always had trouble with the way this show deals with physical pain, blurring boundaries between what is funny and what is callous and inappropriate, what is For House's Own Good and what is stupid and wrong. I've never watched Detox after that first time, because while fandom adores it, it always felt like David Shore's personal hurt/comfort fantasy to me (the Tritter arc being Detox II: Extended Edition—with added tortured!House). And the most problematic thing about both Detox and the Tritter arc, to me, is not just that it's Shore's hurt/comfort fic, but that it's Shore's hurt/comfort fic with dark!Wilson and dark!Cuddy, who push House into further physical pain For His Own Good. That is what is seriously disturbing, even more so because the show does not call them on their crap at all on Detox, and only very little in Detox Revisited—which is then undercut by House's asshattery that shifts a lot of sympathy to Wilson (and I kind of tend to forgive the stupid plotline of 'Words and Deeds' completely because of Cuddy, who is made of awesome). Hell, I even find Wilson sawing House's cane in half in the Epic S2 Prankwar disturbing, because while it was funny and House's smile was priceless, it was also very nasty and wrong, because you do not do that to a man who depends on his cane. It's hurting him where he is weakest—and I'm not saying House does not do that to Wilson, and everyone else, because he does, he specializes in it—and it's just not done. And you do not make a cripple climb staircases and install a tripwire so that he can fall and hurt himself, no matter how much you want 'vengeance'. Or steal his cane and hide it in the broom closet, for that matter.

The thing about Detox and Detox II is that both seemed to have been written to generate shock and the kind of pleasure that you get out of hurt/comfort, while being a little (but not entirely, because it's for his Good) disapproving of Wilson and Cuddy's actions. Wilson's cane-sawing (which was only a minor version of Cuddy's Getting Back At House in this episode) felt like we were supposed laugh *and* be shocked—which is actually how I reacted; the sense of 'wrong' kicked in afterwards. This episode, it seemed, was torn between being disapproving—which began with Cuddy confessing that she's stooping to his level and being meaner than he is, continued in the slightly guilty look that followed after he walked out with the mop, and culminated in Wilson's Earth to Cuddy lecture—and also generating laughter (there was even a matching adorable smile of recognition from House, like he was almost… impressed that she was being this mean to him)."

There was no disapproval in this episode, though—it seemed, from the cafeteria scene, that we are supposed to be on Lucas' side on this one, because House and Wilson looked vaguely guilty after his chastisement. There was no mention whatsoever of the injury he could have caused House with the tripping or with the knocking him over in the bathtub. There are a few problems with this scenario:

a. You do not trip a cripple, no matter how important the point you're trying to make is. It wasn't funny when Wilson did it (sorry, House/Wilson fandom, but it was designed to cause him pain—your rationalizations are nice, but I don't buy them; that it's accepted code of conduct between House and Wilson is a different thing altogether), it wasn't funny when Cuddy did it, and it wasn't funny when Lucas did it. Cuddy at least had the grace to be ashamed about it afterward.

b. Cuddy had asked Lucas not to retaliate. So while it's oddly endearing that someone is trying to take care of Cuddy for a change—who else cares?—it also reeks of 'there, there, honey, you need a manly man like me to take care of you' and 'mine is bigger', which is not what Cuddy deserves, especially when she's trying so hard not to give in and play House's games (you know she can when she lets herself). She can take care of herself, thank you very much. This is not the first time Lucas has done it, either—he did it when he tried to dig up information on Chase. It makes me worry for what's coming in the future.

c. This is yet another indication that Lucas is insecure about House and Cuddy, and this does not bode well for their relationship. Which breaks my heart for Cuddy, because she's trying so hard to make this work.

d. House, Wilson and Lucas' little pact in the end about not telling Cuddy was really annoying, because no, she isn’t something to compete over, you jackasses, and stop withholding information from her, she can handle the truth!




In Which House and Wilson Are Not Praised:

That said, I did enjoy Lucas' parting shot: 'See, she's under the odd impression that you guys are her friends.' Because yes, THIS. They are cowardly jackasses who still haven't told Cuddy about the condo (though she already knows and doesn't care, ahaha). I know the prevailing opinion in fandom is that Wilson shouldn't have to feel guilty because Cuddy's offer had already been rejected and she hadn't made a higher bid, but here's the thing: Wilson did it with the express intent to 'punish' Cuddy for House, knowing it would hurt, because they are friends in their own fucked-up way and you don't do that to a friend. Wilson and Cuddy keep doing these things to each other, because House comes first and they'd through each other under a lorry if it meant it'd make House happy—which is probably why Cuddy has not made a fuss about it (that, and she's not playing games anymore). But Wilson doesn't get a free pass for it. If we can criticise Cuddy whenever she puts House before Wilson—as we should—why the double-standard when it comes to Wilson, fandom?

I'm also hoping this is some kind of a set up for House showing Cuddy that he is capable of being a good friend, as Wilson pointed out in 6.07. I've wanted this to happen for ages (it's why I was so desperate for the hallucination!sex to be real, as you know—well and also because it was hot), because I want the show to acknowledge that House and Cuddy are friends, and because I want House and Cuddy to recognise the importance of their relationship outside of romance.




In Which I Love Cuddy, But You Know That Already:

OMG, how is she so awesome? Her not being remotely interested in Foreman's feeeelings, her little 'bye' to House, her knowing about the condo and not caring, her telling Lucas not to retaliate and her trust in him. And oh, the way she looked so happy and glow-y in that last scene! Do not make her cry again, show. I cannot be having with it.


Etc.

+ House's leg is hurting again!

+ TAUB IS MY FAVOURITEST

+ I still want to punch Chase, but damn he's pretty.

+ Foreman has really grown a lot, hasn't he? OE's face in that scene where House brings up his mother, gah.

+ House is such as ass.

+ But it was interesting that he didn't assist the clinic patient. He's trying not to enable people, like he did with Freedom Master.

+ Taub now deserves a storyline of his own. It could just be him and House, snarking at each other. Did I mention how I much I love him?

+ The POTW was lovely.

+ The scene in the football stadium with Foreman and the POTW was really well-shot.

+ Meanwhile, please discuss next week's promo with me here. This is a spoiler/emotional reaction free post, and let's keep it that way.