Picspam/Recap: House 7x09 Larger Than Life - part 2
previous part: tickets are selling fast for the Hong Kong film festival
HOUSE: I forgot. You guys talk. No offense to either of you, but dinner with your mom? Come on, I-I-I have to act like a decent human being and you know what a strain that puts on me. And you! Ever since you broke up with Sam you've done nothing but mope and whine. It's an unbelievable bummer.
WILSON: And just what is so exciting that you have to blow off both of us to do it. [careful...]
HOUSE: I just want to sit on on my couch, in my underwear, drink scotch, and watch the Real Housewives of New Jersey. By myself. I just want one night off. Is that so much to ask?
WILSON & CUDDY: Yes.
CUDDY: You have to choose one of us.
HOUSE: I choose Wilson.
CUDDY: Good, because he's coming to my birthday dinner.
WILSON: I do not whine.
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
It's really not House's fault he forgot they talk, SINCE IT NEVER HAPPENS ON SCREEN ANYMORE. Damn it. One Tuesday lunch, people. Or something. Anything. This was good though. Not enough, because I'm greedy, but good. OT3 Power!!!
I LOVE that Cuddy called this right and that Wilson lost their bet (DAMN IT. THEY'RE BETTING OFF SCREEN. BOO. Okay, fine, the reveal was funnier, but still.). I love it that Wilson thought it was safe to agree to go to dinner if House picked him. Oh, Wilson; dear, sweet, stupid Wilson. I don't know why you still have a hard time understanding their dynamic. Yes, it's his girlfriend and yes, it's her birthday and, yes, it is the Hong Kong film festival, but what you don't understand is that he thinks Mrs. Cuddy is his potential kryptonite. He's been nice (nice!) to random strangers on the off-chance he'll run into Mrs. Cuddy so that she won't smite him in her displeasure. Her future presence is already having an effect if he thought this particular strategy would work.
Total LOL at Cuddy's victorious grin and at Wilson's face completely falling. HBIC Cuddy knows all. Don't mess with her, don't bet against her. She's no Lois Lane; mere glasses aren't going to fool her. "Yeah, she's a little nuts." So if he picks you... He's not going to pick me! But if he does. He's not! It's not going to happen! It's the Hong Kong film festival for crying out loud! Okay, fine. How about this. If he chooses me, you two can go to the festival. Really? But if he picks you, you're coming to dinner. It's not going to happen! Silly Wilson.
"I do not whine." It's here that House decided to drug Wilson, isn't it?
MASTERS: Why is your assumption of his guilt more valid than my assumption of his selflessness? [because only one of you is a doctor]
HOUSE: Because my assumption is based on millions of men and Taub who've cheated on their wives. [okay, that works, too] Find the girl and the love nest. Every hero has his kryptonite.
This is here really for that last line :D I feel like I keep saying this, but I kind of love the fact that I love everyone on the team. Masters doesn't even bug me even though she's Morality Girl! Complete with...disapproving glances! And colorful tights!!!
HOUSE: EKG is unremarkable. Thyroid, liver, and kidney functions seems fine. You're perfectly healthy.
CFB: I wish that you would take a second look. I'm tired all the time and when it's cold I get this weird pain in my shoulder.
HOUSE: I have a pain in my leg. You don't hear me complaining. Except for just now.
CFB: How do doctors get this idea that you're better than everyone else?
HOUSE: Probably all that pulling people back from the brink of death. It's just a guess.
CFB: My own daughter is a doctor. She makes a hobby of dismissing my concerns.
HOUSE: She sounds smart.
CFB: Did she tell you to say that?
HOUSE: I've never met your daughter.
CFB: That's hard to believe since you're currently shtupping her.
Well, hello kryptonite!
Whoo hoo!!! Candice Bergen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Awesome.
I just love her studying him. I'm really appreciative of the commitment here. She came to a free clinic, somehow avoiding her daughter even though her office is in said clinic. She had tests done . . . and came back and waited to see House. Oh, and she made up a false name for the chart. It's incredibly impressive the work that went into this. You can see where Cuddy gets her . . . let's call it moxie.
And we have our first bit of Yiddish.
History check: House had to call her mom to arrange delivery of Cuddy's med school desk in Let Them Eat Cake, right? And did House actually call Mama Cuddy to ask about Cuddy's likes and got "go-karting"? I could see him not identifying himself (as himself) in getting the desk but the go-karting call? Did that not really happen? Or was Mama Cuddy screwing with House this whole time and/or confused about the picture she was forming about House when Cuddy wasn't giving her many specifics.
Oh, House, that really is the look of terror. And he wasn't even that bad here, considering his track record.
Oh!!! CFB gets to be a clinic patient (CLINIC! Everybody drink!) and the epiphany triggerer. Nice. But, after all, it is CFB. Of course that makes sense.
HOUSE: We have a situation.
Hehehehe. She's left, but merely being in the presence of kryptonite is enough to harm our hero--he doesn't know precisely where Cuddy is at the moment? I call shenanigans. He's definitely slipping. I love it.
HOUSE: Great! We'll confirm that in a week when your secret cultures have sprouted.
MASTERS: Am I in trouble?
HOUSE: I only get mad when you waste my time. I could care less about your time. But let me know when they come back negative and I'll mock you.
"HERO!" In big letters. Why do I think this is a little nod to Spiderman (I'm basing my comics knowledge too much on the movies, aren't I?). Heh, plus Taub has his picture in the paper, too, and every time he sees himself he's admonished to "Be Better." Very subtle, but really Taub needs to be hit over the head. Where are actual anvils around when you need them?
House is also . . . oddly calm. Well, once he's told Cuddy about what happened, he can let her deal with that part of it. But what happened to the House that didn't want his team going behind his back; the House that wanted them to challenge him if they disagreed, etc? Unless Chase told him; that seems to be his job lately (welcome back, Chase-who-spies-on-people-for-superiors. Not a catchy superhero name.). He made it clear that he knew about it plus that it was stupid but still let her do it . . . as a teaching opportunity? As a way to keep her busy? As a way to provide guaranteed mocking? At the end he was just biding time, waiting for Cuddy to come back.
HOUSE: I have been going out of my way to be nice to old Jewish ladies for months now on the off chance one of them could be your mom. You couldn't have mentioned she's a shiksa?
CUDDY: She converted when she married my dad.
HOUSE: See now is too late. ♥
CUDDY: I'm not blaming you for this. She's the one who ambushed you to find out what you were like because "I never tell her anything."
HOUSE: Well, I'd have to agree with her on that one. Anyway, I obviously can't come to dinner now.
CUDDY: Obviously?
HOUSE: Well, she's crazy and she hates me.
CUDDY: House, I need you to come to that dinner for two hours. Keep your mouth shut and behave like an adult. Yes, you will be in hell but I will feel better having you there. That is what a relationship is. We average our misery. ♥
HOUSE:
I love this. House was being nice to random old Jewish ladies. That's hilarious. If only this was the type of show that could have shown us flashbacks of this in a comedic fashion. Of course, he could have taken the easy way out and looked at a picture of Cuddy's mom, but, hey, why choose the easy path.
Yiddish #2!
Every so often, a line just hits me and I absolutely love it; it could be the phrase itself but more often than not it's how HL (or others) says it. "See now is too late" is one of them. LOVE it (not sure why, but it's awesome). This conversation is just great. He's so off his game that all he has are these quips with no overarching plan and I just adore the whole thing. I also love the part where she's using actual air quotes for "I never tell her anything" (Cuddy did, at least, tell her his name, profession, and place of employment, so that's...something?) And thinking about his reply-- do we think he's told his mom? He can't lie to her...so I assume his plan is to never bring it up and hope that his mom never asks :)
"That is what a relationship is. We average our misery." Love this, too. So true. And he actually squeaks in reply. Dinner with two (three) Cuddy women. Hehehehe. Can't wait!
Chase mocking
Rock, paper, scissors!!!
MASTERS: I'll only be wasting my time.
FOREMAN: She's a student. Somebody's got to go with her.
Ha! It is rock, paper, scissors and apparently Chase really does have a tell! (Or it's an angle and he's playing the long game. Don't be the buzz saw, Chase; your prettiness can only go...okay, pretty far with me, but still...I'm sure I have a limit somewhere :)).
Meanwhile, Rachel and Taub are spiraling. Sex in the clinic, Rachel rubbing it in about her online friend, answering "are you in love with him?" with "I've never met him," which is not an answer at all. And she's not telling her husband about the important things in her life. I wonder if they've ever talked about these kinds of things; maybe they never have before but now Taub's just more self-aware. His interactions with the POTW and wife can't help, either. "Maybe there's more to him than you think." Oh, Tiny Taub. (ooh! Tiny Taub! (mighty mouse!) What's Foreman's superhero name? :-))
And now we have the . . .
Great dinner? or
Greatest dinner?!
(to watch, obviously, not eat at, 'cause wow.)
CFB: Is she going to eat anything else or just the cheese and crackers?
CUDDY: She's going through a picky phase; it won't kill her.
CFB: You're her mother. All I know is when you and your sister were growing up, you ate what we ate, no excuses.
HOUSE: Would you pass the salt?
Oh the look Cuddy gives him. He's really doing quite well, considering. I swear both Mrs. Cuddy and Wilson, the latter in gleeful anticipation, were waiting for him to say something. After the clinic experience, Mrs. Cuddy might have been looking forward to another chance on a more level playing field (does kryptonite know when it is kryptonite?).
I wonder if the food thing was a personal trigger (I could see his dad saying something similar), "We grew up with insane parents!" bonding for the win!
And challah! Yum.
"Pass the salt." I LOVE CFB's eye roll after Cuddy grabs the salt away from her. Aww, see? She's not so bad; once a mom, always a mom. I wouldn't have wanted her for my mom, but her heart's in the right place (will excuse CFB's characters for anything, I'm telling you).
CUDDY: She had eggs this morning and lots of fruit.
CFB: Ah, that explains it.
CUDDY: Explains what?
CFB: She was a little vilder chaiah [thank you, london_fan!!!!! ] in the park this afternoon. She wouldn't listen to anything I said. Must have been all the sugar.
WILSON: Actually, the whole "sugar makes kids hyperactive" thing is a myth. It's a study.
CFB: I'm sure it's very interesting. I didn't read any studies, I just raised children. It's not your fault. How are you supposed to keep track of what she eats all day, you're never home.
HOUSE: Sorry, I have to get this.
Is that Yiddish? I am not familiar with that word and I'm very sad about that.
House? Wilson? Would you two like to share your stories about Rachel's . . . independent streak? Perhaps you have some entertaining anecdote that would be suitable for such a festive occasion :D
Did Wilson not get the memo? Hee. The Cuddy women are really good at that look; Wilson just withers. This is fun.
"It's not your fault. How are you supposed to keep track of what she eats all day, you're never home." And you can never keep a secretary for more than one episode! err, day. :D I was wondering what her position would be on Cuddy's single mom status and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. I was hoping that they wouldn't be too "anti-" without some tongue-in-cheek reference so I'm thrilled that it was more workaholic-based than anything else. (okay, maybe a backhand slam against being a single parent...but that really comes later. I'm not sure "settle down" meant "quit your job" [seriously, I will look at this in the most favorable light possible]).
HOUSE: Tell me you need me.
CHASE: Jack doesn't have cancer.
HOUSE: God, that's awful, I'll be right in.
CHASE: [muffled medical stuff]
FOREMAN: We don't need you here, we just need to figure out why this guy's body thinks his ears are on his back.
HOUSE: Because his ear used to be something else. [medical stuff - specialization of cells during development]
TAUB: Referred pain.
HOUSE: Looks and brains. [medical stuff]
CHASE, HOUSE, & FOREMAN: [medical stuff, going along with the metaphor]
MASTERS: For the record, referred pain does not rule out infection. If it's spreading--
HOUSE: Were you like this when you were working for your math degree? If Euclid had been a guest lecturer would you have been the kid sitting in the front row going, "Actually, you haven't proven the Pythagorean Theorem"-- hello?
The little look he and Cuddy share as he leaves the room. To his credit, although, yes, he tries to leave dinner, he doesn't try that hard. Of course, now I'm realizing it's because he had Plan B, but still. Baby steps, right?
next part: not exactly leaping tall buildings in a single bound