Transplant Episode Review

Transplant was an interesting title to theorise about. I like the fact that it did refer to both an organ transplant and House being transplanted from jail to PPTH under Foreman's watch (the new DoM). House has not lost his wit nor his disrespectful ways, mocking Foreman's position and refusing to acknowledge him as a real boss. Foreman seems less authoritative than I thought he would be but perhaps some aspect of revenge is reserved for later on. I also like that the writers kept House true to his form. "People don't change" and expecting him to come back an apologetic, remorseful man...well it was never going to happen.

The fact that the POTW is not a patient but a diseased organ is an interesting twist. House has a natural tendency to de-humanise diseases so he was able to procede as normal without the 'annoying' interaction with the patient (the receiver of the lungs was Wilson's patient). House is often criticised for being an ass, but if he hadn't suggested to Wilson that he stops "respecting" his patient and convinces her to live she would be dead. ("What comes after respect?") The parallel to this is that Wilson then gets the bad influence alcholic boyfriend to convince the patient to live. Wonderful writing.

I like Chi Park already. She does remind me of Masters but I think she will hold her own. The fact that this apparent mouse punched her supervisor not only makes House respect her more, but connects her to House. The part where he suggested they were twins was fantastic. I like to see that she isn't subservient and only follows House's instructions if they are medically relevant (ie refusal to steal the chair). She decides to stay at PPTH, and has the courage to tell her parents what happened because of House. She sees past what he projects and what people say about him to what really matters; his impeccably observant and deductive mind.

The medicine draws him back again, as we saw in Twenty Vicodin. You'll note that he was completely unaware (and doesn't care) about how much he is being paid. Besides believing that people don't change, he also likes his surroundings and situations to stay the same. The team is nowhere to be found and House mentions more than once that he wants them back. Also, the team not being present is a very well-thought way of de-emphasising the fact that Cuddy is no longer there. It makes that particular (major) change easier to digest if it's less obvious. House also wants his old office and even goes as far as breaking in to get it back (which he does in the end). It's perhaps a reminder to the audience that House has always done dramatic, apparently nonsensical or shocking things. He just happens to (at least partly) compensate for these actions by so often being right.

Humourous dialogue I particularly appreciated:

After shouting unexpectedly about the elephant in the room (prison) he talks about not being raped and then says, "Well now that we've got that completely behind us". 

"Fresh fruit in prison is usually chicken"

Wilson punches House in the face and then says "Dinner tonight? I'll pick something up."
 (This is a reverse parallel between House and Chi, with the punch symbolising punishment for a moral wrongdoing).

The relationship between House and Wilson is a vital character in itself. I have always admired their friendship and to see Wilson forgive him once again both makes me happy and proves that "the heart does go on". It is perhaps a misguided idea to trust his friend but a friendship like theirs is unconditional. I like the vegetarian metaphor, with Wilson going back to meat signifying him going back to House.

I thought it was a very good transitory episode from jail to PPTH, and I particularly liked seeing House interact with Chi and Wilson. Next up is Charity Case. If you're into speculation, check out my theory on Thirteen.

Transplant - Episode 2

So far this is what we know about episode 2 of Season 8. It will be written by Foster and Friedman, directed by Dan Attias and will be called 'Transplant'. We've known about the writers/director for a while but only recently found out about the title.

The word 'transplant' is most widely associated with organs; most commonly the removal of one person's to put in another. It can also mean the transplantation of the same person's living tissue to another part of the body. OR, it can have an entirely different meaning. To transplant can also mean to move or be moved from one place to another.

As I have mentioned previously, [H]ouse titles often have layers of meaning or apply to more than one aspect of the episode (often main plot and sub plot). I will take a gamble and say that in this case it will mean House being transplanted from jail to hospital (hopefully to PPTH to add a controversially dramatic level) to get the treatment I theorised that Annable's character would give him (some sort of surgery: mentioned in "A Close Encounter- The 'Change' Aspect). On a more medical (and more obvious, though perhaps misleading) level it could mean that House himself will be getting a transplant.

I have NO medical knowledge other than what I've learnt through TV shows, documentaries and common sense so forgive me if what I say next is complete nonsense.

Scenario ONE: Say a prisoner dies, someone House tried to save for a while, someone who he became close to (a jail Wilson). This prisoner says that when he dies House can have his organs/living tissue; in this case his thigh muscle. Annable performes the surgery, House returns to his normal level of misery (self-defined happiness).

Scenario TWO: House has some sort of brain surgery that minimises his pain. The medical 'transplant' applies to the sub plot which somehow links to House (a prisoner, someone related to Dr. Jessica Adams).

Without knowing what happens in episode 1, 'Twenty Vicodin', it's extremely hard speculating about what will happen in episode 2. That's all I have at the moment.

Any other ideas about what 'Transplant' will mean in this case?

ADDITION:

A splendid chap (aka BF) had a very interesting idea about what 'Transplant' could mean. He shared my view that it could mean House being transplanted from jail to hospital. HOWEVER, he also had the idea that perhaps there will be a case so severe that the patient will have to be transplanted to the jail hospital for House to diagnose; an illness so unusual that no other doctor can diagnose let alone cure. Then I thought that this could also apply the other way around. House could be taken to hospital (most likely PPTH) under police custody to treat the patient. That would be his first time back at PPTH. Fireworks.