From significant quotes, amusing pranks, and a tricky diagnosis, the House season 8 episode “Risky Business” delivered in spades.

house season 8

House season 8 feels like an underdog to me, and that’s why I’m paying special attention to it. However, that’s not what keeps me watching. I’ve recently given up on a few TV shows, simply because there’s not time for anything that’s only “kinda good.” I recently talked to you guys about how I dropped Pan Am, which was sad. But I had to do it. With House, the show still has Hugh Laurie (a tremendous talent and there’s a world of character analysis to do with his character of Greg House) and it has the bones that makes the show what it was even in season 1 of House.

Gregory House is still selfish and greedy, and he hates change. His own brand of loyalty (for people and spaces) creates a specific kind of humor. Even when I don’t agree with House, I tend to learn how to understand things from his point of view. It’s fascinating, especially for a former Psych major.

The show did some great stuff in highlighting sexual harassment and sexism in the workplace, and how easily the victim and quite logically (to high-up’s) become the bad seed that needs to be fired.

Also showing to sides to a coin was the wealthy patient. I understood his side of the business when he explained it, but otherwise I sided with his daughter and Jessica Adams. Still, the main point is that it gets you thinking. House has always said that everyone lies, and they’ve always made it quite clear that most isseus are clouded in shades of gray. The first few minutes of the episode “Risky Business” went out of its way to clearly define our patient as a moral man (he wouldn’t call cops or retaliate when attacked) who was making a business decision. And in the end, he makes the choice he started out to make, but I was left confused on why he was making the choice out of family, grief, or pride.

It’s hard to adopt new cast members, but Odette Annable has won me over enough so I’ll stop calling her Odette Yustman, and Charlyne Yi is great even with that horrible haircut. I love the way Park and Adams are learning some things about House fast, and even if they don’t agree with each other they bond anyway (like the Hepatitis C comment to House.) You know what they say about common enemies and goals uniting a tribe? Well, I think someone somewhere probably says something about that. And that’s what I see happening here.

One question – is working for House a good thing or a bad thing? Do you think former team members would recommend it? See, part of me knows it’s firmly a bad choice. But the other part of me knows it’s a challenging choice that won’t be easy, but will be worth it. Life isn’t supposed to be easy. Still. I’m not sure if I’d accept employment with our resident jerk. Would you?

All in all, the episode made me think and delivered a solid 40-ish minutes of entertainment. I would give “Risky Business” a re-watch in the future. What did you guys think?

Great House “Risky Business” Moments

  • House’s coupon for cupcakes. Wondering if they had time to do the cupcakes first. He makes everyone, even Dr. Park, have to loose up. He’s the opposite of Type A, even when he’s totally a Type A.
  • French vanilla ice cream is House’s least favorite. Mine too. Vanilla bean wins out over that in a heartbeat.
  • Best line of the night, “You may remember me from the time I saved your life.”
  • The quote that gets runner up is, “I found her sleeping in the park.” (Said when House returned a machine to Foreman.)
  • Wilson clearly knows and can define House’s bet policies, like he studied it in a textbook!
  • House pranking Ortho with a custom LED flashlight to cause motion sickness was genius. But Ortho pranked House back pretty well, well.
  • Foreman has totally de-Cuddy’d his office. The decor is so Foreman.
Tagged: , , , , ,