Thoughts on Birthmarks, episode 5.04 [public but not posted]

[kidsnurse]

Open to public, but not publicly posted anywhere but in my journal.....

First things first.  I was neither particularly disappointed, nor particularly moved, by this episode.  At the end of it, my overriding emotion was one of relief, really, that the entire Wilson-Wants-House-Out-of-His-Life debacle is over, and perhaps now we can get back to business as usual.

What I liked:

• Cuddy's clever cover story for administration of the sedative [although I do hope that there was actually IG in that syringe as well, because SARS... yeah].
• Wilson's clever I've-thought-of-everything approach to a Road Trip With House--the used floormats, the empty plastic bottle [although I do think an actual urinal would've been funnier], the locked-up cane, the restricted phone privileges--and most especially, the second, smaller, wind-up flashlight [and btw--this is how they actually come packaged].  And the rationing out of the Vicodin, which was both funny and imparted to us a change in Wilson's previous House-view.  The Wilson of the last year and a half might have made him go without the Vicodin, whereas this Wilson didn't disagree with House's observation that one pill would "take the edge off, but it won't give me enough relief for an escape...."  Which I prefer to see as a silent agreement by Wilson that the pills are for pain.  Whoa--what a concept!
• The uncharacteristic gentleness with which House recounted to Wilson his memory of Wilson lugging around that unopened envelope.
• "I'm not even sure anymore we get to choose who our friends are."  'Nuff said.
• The loving, indulgent smile lighting Wilson's face when House says, "If you're coming back just because you're attracted to the shine of my neediness... I'd be okay with that."  That smile... 'twas a lovely thing to see.

What I didn't like, and/or was confused by:

• Cuddy's administration of the sedative--no alcohol wipes, and the site was dangerously high.  I know--small thing--but small things add up.
• House and Wilson's come-and-go seatbelts--Wilson's especially, as he was shown driving without it on for long periods of time.  And it stretches credibility to want us to believe that a man who lives life "expecting the worst" [and more on that later] wouldn't be positively obsessive about his seatbelt.
• The way the end played out.  I wanted... more.  I wanted one of those warm, mutual, "you know, I really love you" smiles that they gave each other in the montage at the end of Damned If You Do.  That would've been enough.  And perfect.  
  

And finally, something that made me go hmmmm....:

• Read this:  House rolls his eyes and calls after Wilson, “You were born expecting bad things to happen; it’s why you chose Oncology.  You expect the worst, and you prepare for it.” [from The More Things Change, chapter eight, 'Child's Play'.]
• And now this, transcribed directly from last night's episode:  "When things go wrong, I like to be ready."  [Wilson, after House disposes of keys.] "This is about you, needing to be prepared for the worst.  So you become an oncologist; no surprises there--worst happens all the time." [House, at  funeral, trying to get Wilson to admit to needing him.]
• But they don't read fan fiction.  And actually, I believe that, and know this is a coincidence.  Still....  

So those are my primary thoughts, for whatever they're worth.