House M.D. (TV Series) Meaning (2006) User Reviews

True Colors

[kj_tenneson · 8/10 · 7 August 2021]

As we begin the 3rd season, we find House recovering from being shot last season. And yet the start of this episode is a man in a wheelchair at a pool party, hosted by his family. Without any provocation, the man steers his electric wheelchair into the pool.

Meanwhile, House is pleasant, good-natured and spinning theories as always, except that no one seems comfortable with this at all, as they are all used to toxic, dysfunctional House. The only issue? They've all developed amnesia it seems, because literally everyone from the enamored Cameron, to the stern Cuddy, forgot that this man is BRILLIANT!

I'm so irritated with the characters right now, it's not even funny. I recognize that House is damaged and not a great guy, but he IS an amazing doctor. Yet suddenly everyone is telling him he's wrong, and telling him he can't do the things that make House, well...House. And I can almost understand Cuddy, because she's covering the Hospital, but Cameron is a subordinate and Wilson is supposed to be his best friend.

What's more? As usual, he's right and he changes a family's life forever. Same old, same old, right? Not quite. Wilson, convinces Cuddy NOT to tell House he was right, because he was beginning to think she was right and develop some humility, which Wilson decides is best for House. So they're going to withhold this information and send House on a spiral of self-doubt and second guessing himself, because that couldn't possible go wrong, or cost someone their lives! WTF?!?

I'm not sure how long this story arc is going to run, but if it's more than a few episodes I don't think I'm going to like this season and I'm definitely not going to overlook this going forward, anymore than I've overlooked Foreman trying to infect Cameron at the end of last season. When a person shows their true colors, pay attention - it's unlikely to change; they just generally keep it hidden.

This episode made me cry

[goutamhebbar · 10/10 · 12 March 2022]

Lying & cheating house isn't right thing for the Cuddy to do. Dr. Wilson just let it go by telling everybody lies. I think it will affect Dr House very badly.

An excellent opening to a season of an excellent series

[ilstefano · 10/10 · 8 September 2006]

Well, it's well worth the wait for season 3: Meaning is simply fantastic! All aspects of this episode fit well in the series, all the things House does are perfectly relevant to him, especially his stubborn nature with which he tries to solve the case, and that he notices very small details others don't. The majority of the other doctors have either remained the same, or have changed for the better. The only exception is Dr Wilson, and it's the only part of the episode I'm not satisfied with. Instead of House's best friend who helps him with the case, he rather seems to be his "dark side". All in all, I quite like this episode, and am eager to see the others in the season. Especially if the soundtrack remains of the same top-quality ("You can't always get what you want" at the end of the episode is a great choice, I think).

The people around House blew it.....

[curtisbrent-48626 · 9/10 · 16 March 2021]

In this episode, we see House as being more "normal", almost the type of House that his team, Cuddy, and Wilson always wanted him to be. Whether the ketamine worked, or the pain loss was psychosomatic didn't really matter in this context because he was a "new and improved House", if you will. The team and those around him blew it by constantly asking him WHY he was doing things, taking cases and pushing himself a bit more, as well as meddling into his cases and telling him he was wrong and send the quadriplegic home, instead of letting House be House and do his thing. He ends up curing the quadriplegic, although they kept that secret from him until later, and caused what was the start of House turning back into who he was before the gunshot wound. If they had just let him be, he would've been a better House to be around. Of course, that doesn't fit very well in the context of the show, his flaws and how the people react around him is the major part of the entire show.

I thought it was an interesting idea for the episode in that it showed how everybody around him sometimes treat hims with kid gloves too much, so to speak, instead of taking his word for it and giving him the benefit of a doubt. This is kind of frustrating to see in the episode. Wilson should've known something was going on when House asked him for the prescription of pills, that his pain was returning, and that he was beginning to have doubts in himself. The pain loss probably was psychosomatic, but you would think they would have encouraged it instead of getting into his head and causing him to revert into his old ways. After all, there's a reason why Cuddy gave him the medication after all, after telling House she wouldn't authorize it.

You can't always know what someone needs

[mothblank · 9/10 · 17 August 2018]

This episode is weird. It's too obvious, as some reviews pointed. You know since the beginning the wheelchair guy is going to be cured, you know they are not going to tell House about it. It's also contradicting, as House himself pointed during the episode. He was happy and clean for the first time in years, and just now they were worried about his motives? It doesn't make sense. Not to talk about Cameron being more stupid than ever. But, it is a very good episode. Foreman allowed himself to show some admiration, Chase exhibited his professionalism (and outshone his colleagues). More than that, the emotional downfall of House is very smart. He starts the episode happier than ever, trying new things, running, being thanked. In the mid of the episode, he is having doubts. Tries to give back the "thank you" he received, begins to sabotage himself. In the end, his old miserable self is back. I think there is a major importance to this episode, it gives the obvious conflict the show needs to continue, but it also gives a meaning to the story. Other reviewer considered that Wilson did what was good for House, associating it to the Rolling Stones song. Oh no, House didn't get what he needed. The downfall previously mentioned finds it's explanation in the treatment he receives from everyone around him. Cameron is miserable for unknown reasons, and treats House as bad as she can. Cuddy can't seem to withstand a better House, punishing him for it, and later believing him, but not allowing herself to show it. Wilson gives him good advice, but acts behind his back (damn traitor), he tries to "protect" House, but ends up being his cancer.

Different sort of solution

[xredgarnetx · 8/10 · 9 October 2006]

A despondent cripple takes a header into a pool. Once in the hospital, he is at the mercy of House, who suspects there's more going on than meets the paralyzed eye. His proposed solution is not taken seriously, and the man is being wheeled out at the end, where he will die at home. Or will he? It's up to Cuddy to save the day for a change. But will she? See it for yourself. The ever-radiant Kathleen (EVENT HORIZON) Quinlan guest-stars as the beleaguered man's dutiful wife. I would prefer to say nothing more about this episode, but IMDb is pestering me for more lines. I will say Quinlan, who is the real focus of this episode, is still a stunner after over 25 years of movie-making. Film buffs will remember her for her star turn in an episode of the otherwise mediocre TWILIGHT ZONE -- The MOVIE.

Yes, but . . .

[jknousak · 8/10 · 27 June 2020]

I agree w/ the commenter who said this episode is weird. He survives the gunshot wounds (no surprise), but with a good right leg that gives him such happiness and "get up and go", it's truly a breath-of-fresh-air episode for House and for all of us. Yes, we're here to suffer through life but man, a bit of respite helps us get through, eh?

Cameron is awful now, total turn around as though they (the writers) had to give the Sturm and Drang to another character or the show would collapse, for crying out loud. Cuddy is Cuddy -- she's consistent (I like consistent characters including the messy bits everyone has), but Wilson -- he c/o House playing god and now here he, Wilson, is doing that very thing and being the bad guy -- why? House would not have the reputation for being One to Solve Difficult Medical Cases were he not able to do so w/ an above average "batting", er, luck average. Even at 60% that's more who live and have a quality of life as the wheelchair guy now does than those who perish for having giving it the best shot he could.

Oh, and not enough PTS for House for sure which is the main unrealistic part of this episode.

excellently plotted, however, a little bit predictable

[joeliyiyang · 10/10 · 14 June 2008]

I watched this episode after watching the season finally of season 2 and episode 15,16 of season 4. I have to say that this is the one that brought me the most descent meaning. I knew House would cure the patient just by guessing and i knew that cuddy would be stopped from telling him that he is right. That's why I say that it is predictable. However, it is still an great episode because it shows us we can not always get what we want. House can be always right, even by mere guessing. The reality doesn't work that way. The other interesting of this episode is that House began to run and make every use of his leg which i knew will go back to "stroke" again. House is just like everyone else to some extent since my leg is cured from paralyzing and I was doing the same thing he does on TV. It really remind me of what that filling was like.

Self-indulgent

[youneselkhomassi · 6/10 · 11 January 2024]

This episode is basically every other House episode but put on steroids. We have characters being stupid and pretending that this is the first time they are on the show. We also have Dr. Cameron acting like a morality ringtone over House, Dr. Cuddy ignoring that she has a brilliant doctor who is for the first time, happy. Then, a villainized Dr. Wilson that would channel every character's anger with House's plot armor. He abandons his role of the comforting friend and the sound of reason to a complete manipulator that isn't contempt with being compassionate for his so called friend being happy.

Every character seems to have been exaggerated for the drama except for Dr. Chase since he's obviously currently not a character. But hey we now have more dramatic camera work and acting so it must be better right? The writing takes the hit. Thus, we have on our hands a 2000s tv movie that begs you to get intrigued by its cheap drama. I don't know any reason behind watching this anymore. The show seems to be wanting to make episodes progressive and connected whilst also killing the concept of progression and nuance in its first episode of this season. A reboot that takes the old and kidnaps the new whilst holding the characters hostage in an oversaturated drama.