Baggage (House)
Encyclopedia
"Baggage" is the twenty-first episode of the sixth season
of the American medical drama House
. It aired on May 10, 2010. The episode deals with Dr. Nolan trying to help House
by getting him to recount the events of the past week. The critical response was generally positive.
and Dr. Nolan (guest star Andre Braugher
), looking into House's past week to try to work out why House is showing signs of being upset and unperceptive.
During the session with Dr. Nolan, House recounts the case of a woman (guest star Zoe McLellan
) who arrives at the Princeton Plainsboro emergency room with an unexplained illness and amnesia
. While trying to solve the mystery of the woman's illness, House also helps her piece together her identity based on clues such as her running gear.
In the side story about House's private life, Wilson
kicks him out of the condo due to his ex-wife Sam moving in with him. Back in his own apartment, House finds his roommate from Mayfield Juan "Alvie" Alvarez has not only occupied the place but also sold several highly valuable items in order to finance some questionable redecoration. Throughout this episode, they spend time retrieving those items. Another theme is Alvie's problems with being recognized as an American citizen because he has lost all documents proving his national background. Ultimately, House solves these problems by faking a DNA test, scientifically linking Alvie to his probably Puerto Rican
mother. He also recovers the books sold by Alvie. One of them happens to be a very rare book by Cuddy's great-grandfather.
Back in the medical story, the patient's situation continually worsens, finally looking hopeless. However, when she is moved to the operating theater she happens to be pushed through some UV light, where House spots the remnants of a tattoo and diagnoses her as having an allergic reaction to the ink, with the allergy
having been triggered by the patient's regular extreme long-distance running. Based on that diagnosis, her death is averted and a full recovery seems possible.
With Nolan, House realizes that everyone around him is happy and moving in together (Cuddy
and Lucas, Wilson and Sam and even in a way Alvie and his cousin), except him. Even after having taken Dr. Nolan's advice for a year, he still feels miserable. He blames Nolan for his loneliness and accuses him of being nothing more than a faith healer
. Enraged, House leaves Dr. Nolan.
IGN
reviewer Jonah Krakow gave the episode an "Impressive" score of 8.3 and said "This episode itself was well-done even if the main character is tough to root for. I enjoyed the switch in storytelling styles with flashbacks coming from an unreliable narrator, and I loved how Andre Braugher continued his role as both an advocate and adversary to House. It was about time he returned to this show. As for House, it's difficult to watch someone slowly sink into deep depression, especially when he's dug all the holes himself. Regardless of how well-written the episode was, it's frustrating that with one episode left this season, it seems like any progress House made during the first few episodes was all for naught and he's right back where he started." and also negatively noted that: "House is a brilliant character and often hysterically funny, but he's also frustrating as hell."
Unrealityshout.com praised the episode as breaking House tradition and called it a "welcome diversion from the usual format of the show, and a lead-in to the last episode of the series...
TVfanatic.com gave the episode a 3.5/5 praising the episode but saying that some of it worked and some of it did not, but said that "Overall, it's hard to complain too much when the show leaves its typical, procedural episode set-up. I must give it credit for trying something different and I could also watch Hugh Laurie and Braugher simply exchange home decorating tips for an hour. They're great together.
Zack Handlen of The AV Club gave this episode a B rating.
House (season 6)
House entered a sixth season on September 21, 2009 with a two-hour premiere. The season premiere, titled "Broken", was filmed at the Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital in New Jersey.Season six featured 22 episodes, two fewer than the usual number...
of the American medical drama House
House (TV series)
House is an American television medical drama that debuted on the Fox network on November 16, 2004. The show's central character is Dr. Gregory House , an unconventional and misanthropic medical genius who heads a team of diagnosticians at the fictional Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in...
. It aired on May 10, 2010. The episode deals with Dr. Nolan trying to help House
Gregory House
Gregory House, M.D., or simply referred to as House, is a fictional antihero and title character of the American television series House, played by Hugh Laurie. He is the Chief of Diagnostic Medicine at the fictional Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital, where he leads a team of diagnosticians...
by getting him to recount the events of the past week. The critical response was generally positive.
Plot
The episode is set from the viewpoint of HouseGregory House
Gregory House, M.D., or simply referred to as House, is a fictional antihero and title character of the American television series House, played by Hugh Laurie. He is the Chief of Diagnostic Medicine at the fictional Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital, where he leads a team of diagnosticians...
and Dr. Nolan (guest star Andre Braugher
Andre Braugher
Andre Braugher is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his roles as Thomas Searles in the film Glory, as the fiery detective Frank Pembleton on Homicide: Life on the Street from 1993 to 1998 and again in the 2000 made-for-TV film Homicide: Life on the Street, and as Owen Thoreau Jr...
), looking into House's past week to try to work out why House is showing signs of being upset and unperceptive.
During the session with Dr. Nolan, House recounts the case of a woman (guest star Zoe McLellan
Zoe McLellan
Zoe McLellan is an American actress who is mostly recognized for her roles as Petty Officer Jennifer Coates on JAG and as Lisa George on ABC's Dirty Sexy Money.-Biography:...
) who arrives at the Princeton Plainsboro emergency room with an unexplained illness and amnesia
Amnesia
Amnesia is a condition in which one's memory is lost. The causes of amnesia have traditionally been divided into categories. Memory appears to be stored in several parts of the limbic system of the brain, and any condition that interferes with the function of this system can cause amnesia...
. While trying to solve the mystery of the woman's illness, House also helps her piece together her identity based on clues such as her running gear.
In the side story about House's private life, Wilson
James Wilson (House)
James Evan Wilson, M.D., is a fictional character on the Fox medical drama House. He is played by Robert Sean Leonard. The character first appears in the show's pilot episode when he introduces a medical case to Dr. Gregory House, the protagonist of the show. Wilson is Dr. House's only true friend,...
kicks him out of the condo due to his ex-wife Sam moving in with him. Back in his own apartment, House finds his roommate from Mayfield Juan "Alvie" Alvarez has not only occupied the place but also sold several highly valuable items in order to finance some questionable redecoration. Throughout this episode, they spend time retrieving those items. Another theme is Alvie's problems with being recognized as an American citizen because he has lost all documents proving his national background. Ultimately, House solves these problems by faking a DNA test, scientifically linking Alvie to his probably Puerto Rican
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
mother. He also recovers the books sold by Alvie. One of them happens to be a very rare book by Cuddy's great-grandfather.
Back in the medical story, the patient's situation continually worsens, finally looking hopeless. However, when she is moved to the operating theater she happens to be pushed through some UV light, where House spots the remnants of a tattoo and diagnoses her as having an allergic reaction to the ink, with the allergy
Allergy
An Allergy is a hypersensitivity disorder of the immune system. Allergic reactions occur when a person's immune system reacts to normally harmless substances in the environment. A substance that causes a reaction is called an allergen. These reactions are acquired, predictable, and rapid...
having been triggered by the patient's regular extreme long-distance running. Based on that diagnosis, her death is averted and a full recovery seems possible.
With Nolan, House realizes that everyone around him is happy and moving in together (Cuddy
Lisa Cuddy
Dr. Lisa Cuddy, M.D., is a fictional character on the Fox medical drama House. She is portrayed by Lisa Edelstein. Cuddy was the Dean of Medicine and hospital administrator of the fictional Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in New Jersey. She also becomes House's love interest through the...
and Lucas, Wilson and Sam and even in a way Alvie and his cousin), except him. Even after having taken Dr. Nolan's advice for a year, he still feels miserable. He blames Nolan for his loneliness and accuses him of being nothing more than a faith healer
Faith Healer
Faith Healer is a play by Brian Friel about the life of faith healer Francis Hardy as monologued through the shifting memories of Hardy, his wife, Grace, and stage manager, Teddy.-Synopsis:...
. Enraged, House leaves Dr. Nolan.
Cultural references
- The song playing while House and Alvie are playing catch is Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)"Make Me Smile " is a song written and recorded by Steve Harley. It was originally recorded by his band Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel on the album The Best Years of Our Lives and released as a single in 1975...
by Steve Harley & Cockney RebelSteve Harley & Cockney RebelSteve Harley & Cockney Rebel are an English rock band from the early 1970s. Their music covers a range of styles from pop to progressive rock. Over the years they have had five albums in the UK Albums Chart and twelve singles in the UK Singles Chart.-Career:...
.
- Dr. Nolan remarks that House was first characterizing Wilson as displaying Iago-like behavior and then defending Wilson. This is in reference to the Shakespeare play OthelloOthelloThe Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in approximately 1603, and based on the Italian short story "Un Capitano Moro" by Cinthio, a disciple of Boccaccio, first published in 1565...
in which the main antagonist, IagoIagoIago is a fictional character in Shakespeare's Othello . The character's source is traced to Giovanni Battista Giraldi Cinthio's tale "Un Capitano Moro" in Gli Hecatommithi . There, the character is simply "the ensign". Iago is a soldier and Othello's ancient . He is the husband of Emilia,...
, schemes to bring down Othello by turning him against his underlings and causing him to believe that his wife Desdemona has been unfaithful.
Critical response
Critical response was from generally positive to muted, most reviewers noting the change in pace and the similarities to the episode Three Stories.IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
reviewer Jonah Krakow gave the episode an "Impressive" score of 8.3 and said "This episode itself was well-done even if the main character is tough to root for. I enjoyed the switch in storytelling styles with flashbacks coming from an unreliable narrator, and I loved how Andre Braugher continued his role as both an advocate and adversary to House. It was about time he returned to this show. As for House, it's difficult to watch someone slowly sink into deep depression, especially when he's dug all the holes himself. Regardless of how well-written the episode was, it's frustrating that with one episode left this season, it seems like any progress House made during the first few episodes was all for naught and he's right back where he started." and also negatively noted that: "House is a brilliant character and often hysterically funny, but he's also frustrating as hell."
Unrealityshout.com praised the episode as breaking House tradition and called it a "welcome diversion from the usual format of the show, and a lead-in to the last episode of the series...
TVfanatic.com gave the episode a 3.5/5 praising the episode but saying that some of it worked and some of it did not, but said that "Overall, it's hard to complain too much when the show leaves its typical, procedural episode set-up. I must give it credit for trying something different and I could also watch Hugh Laurie and Braugher simply exchange home decorating tips for an hour. They're great together.
Zack Handlen of The AV Club gave this episode a B rating.