House: Last Resort
By fred | November 26, 2008
(S05E09) This was quite the unusual episode we got this week. Not so much because of the added 10 minutes or so, but because of the setup everything took place in. Things were taking place in a very unusual and unexpected manner this week for House and his patient of the week, because of course no matter what happens there’s one thing you can always count on : each week there’s a new patient for Dr House.
Actually, there are two things you can always count on. The second one being House, of course. It doesn’t matter what happens, in the hospital or in his personal life, it doesn’t matter if he needs to solve a mystery in his office as always, in a secret CIA hospital, from prison, after being kidnapped and driven to his father’s funeral, House will always be grabbed by a mystery that presents itself to him, and he will always need to solve that damn thing. (Also, he will always succeed in the end.)
And I’m sure many people will have hated this episode, or parts of it at least. The biggest one of all, to jump right at it, being the way House behaved during the hostage situation. Jason was a frustrated patient who couldn’t get a diagnosis but he also needed to know what the Hell was wrong with him, so he thought he’d just grab a gun and get ans answer, damnit!
It’s not the first time House is at gunpoint, and whatever the situation House remains true to himself, even when the lives of others (or his own) are at risk. And let’s all be frank, that’s why we love him — or love to hate him, same thing. The way he dealt with the situation and everything going on there, picking up the phone with a “Crime Scene?” or simply admitting he was trying to fool Jason – “Thought I had a little more time with a guy that size.” – this is why he’s House and why we love to see him in such situations.
And we all knew, the minute House announced there was no tumor - and really, why would there be one? Didn’t Jason go through numerous CT scans, MRI and all possible tests already?? – he would do it, he would give him his gun back. It’s just the way he works, because at that point House had been grabbed by the mystery, and he needed to know as well. Actually, I’m even thinking had he gave up and surrender long before, House would have took the case on and followed up, because he needs to know.
Having an answer is a need of House as well, he has to know, once he jumps into a mystery he becomes obsessed with it, and nothing will stop him until he understands, not even the patient’s death. Jason hit it on the nail when he told House “Your obsession gave me back the gun.” As far as I’m concerned, it was a typical and expected move from House, no surprise there, even if it meant potentially putting the lives of others in danger. But I’m sure plenty of people will have hated that, thinking House jumped the shark and went too far on that one, and I can’t really blame you if you did.
To be fair though, I think House also thought he had established a trust relationship with Jason, and that in their common quest for an answer they would work together. House assumed giving him is gun back was only for show, for the outsiders, because he wouldn’t really use it and threaten them anymore. That’s why he was truly shocked when Jason asked that Thirteen take the drug first, again, while it wasn’t the deal.
