House Episode 5.20 Simple Explanation
Oh, wow. I am so very sad that Kutner is the one who killed himself, as I thought that Kutner brought a lot to the show and was my favorite one of the new ducklings - in fact, he and Chase were tied for my favorite duckling overall. I have to wonder why TPTB enjoy killing off the new folks that the audience seems to enjoy the most (Amber, Kutner). Yes, I realize that we need to CARE for the death to matter, but still. When I heard the spoiler that someone was going to die, I thought it would be Cameron. It's true that I don't care for her, but it also seemed to make the most sense since her only purpose has been to be obsessed with House. I have always maintained that Cameron is still infatuated with House and that is the real reason she's been hesitant to commit to Chase. According to the promo for next week, I have been right all along (and I was so hoping I was wrong): Cuddy confronts Cameron and asks her, point blank, "Are you in love with House?" *sigh* I have said since the beginning of S2 that a House/Cameron romance is the single thing that would put me off of this show for good, and if that's where TPTB take it, I don't think I will be able to watch. For one thing, it will send the wrong message to women everywhere (be obsessed with a man for 5 years and eventually he'll love you), and, secondly, it would be such a trite cliche that it would squelch the uniqueness of this wonderful show. However, if TPTB make Cameron get therapy for her obsession, then it can be another public service announcement for NAMI - that's about the only scenario I could accept with that storyline being resurrected. Seriously, if TPTB don't have anything better to do with her than to keep her endlessly crushing on House, she isn't serving much of a purpose on the show.
Anyway, considering that the decision was made to have Kutner commit suicide, I think it was handled quite well and I am an advocate of mental health awareness, so I like the message that it's not always possible to tell when one is suicidal, there isn't always a reason family and friends can figure out, and everyone feels guilty but it's no one's fault. Also, it was lovely that the show ended with a public service announcement for NAMI. If they had to do it, they did it well.
I also thought TPTB did a terrific job of showing Thirteen's and Foreman's reactions. I know I often say that they both bore me, but then I'm always backtracking when I see something like this. It was interesting and in character that Foreman wanted to handle things alone because that's what he was used to, and lovely that at Kutner's funeral Foreman took Thirteen's hand and we saw that she was wearing the bracelet he gave her. I thought it was interesting that the funeral / death of Kutner did not seem to bring Chase and Cameron closer and they weren't shown together at the funeral. (Funerals tend to bring loved ones closer, in my experience.)
I thought it was unbelievable for Cameron to come up with the PotW's diagnosis when House and the team couldn't, though I suppose one could argue that the others were distracted by their grief. I felt like Cameron was being shoe-horned into the episode, though. And then for TPTB to write her as if she's the one who truly understands House fell flat for me. She has always been the one, despite what many of her fans say, who has most frequently misunderstood and misjudged House.
I liked Cuddy in this episode because she was understanding and there for House as a dear friend, not being all emo about her own life and her baby (which I'm glad she has) and not trying to force House to do anything. I'm not sure what to make of Wilson, because I honestly don't believe what he said about House only wanting to solve the puzzle of why Kutner killed himself because he is worried that he missed something and is losing his edge. I believe that is, indeed, one of House's fears (we saw that way back in "No Reason"), but I don't think that was his single motivation for wanting answers regarding Kutner. We already know that House genuinely cares about his fellows, whether he admits it or not, so, of course, he must have cared about Kutner as well. In summary, I think in this case it was really just Cuddy who understood House. (Aside: House was an ass to Kutner's parents. This is something even I find it difficult to forgive House for.)
I know "Simple Explanation" is meant to refer to Kutner's suicide and the simple reasons at the root of PotW's and wife's illnesses, but I'm not yet sure how it applies to House - unless Wilson *was* right. And this makes me begin to think about "The Socratic Method"...
I fear that we might learn later that, in fact, Kutner *was* murdered, and, if he was, I fear Taub might be the one responsible. Clearly he's unhappy, and clearly he's been somewhat jealous of Kutner. That would be a terrible plot development, though, in my opinion, because, though he's troubled, I never got the sense that he was homicidal. And if things do play out this way, that would leave two spots open for Chase and Cameron to rejoin House's team - which I think would be an awful idea and a step backward for the show. I guess time will tell...
I do still love this show, but I am fearing that it is getting MUCH too soapy, with multiple love interests for House (when I firmly believe Stacy is the only real love interest from his perspective), especially given the promo for next week, and I am afraid this will turn into a show I no longer like. I was afraid this would happen in S2, though, and it didn't - so even if it does now, I guess I am happy to have gotten almost 3 more years out of it. I have never been one to criticize the show runners and I have been a rather consistent defender of David Shore and Katie Jacobs. They haven't let me down yet, so I'm trying to keep the faith. :-)
There was so much going on that I sat perched on the edge of the sofa, not even getting up during commercial breaks. I must watch again. One more thing, though: I liked that again, with the PotW and his wife, we witnessed House seeing what people are willing to do for love (and guilt). That's been a consistent theme since the beginning and I like it, and I can't help wondering if it makes him think of Stacy and the infarction. Oh, and I love Meat Loaf and thought he did a terrific job in the episode.
Others' thoughts?