Pardon the Interruption: House 6:13 - 5 to 9

Overall: 6.7

The writers deserve credit for giving Cuddy the respect she deserves -- but this episode still doesn't quite satisfy.

SABR Matt's addendum - Read the comment for a completely different review...I'm sure this won't be the only time we rather strongly disagree on a rating, but it is the first...

Spoilers under the cut.



Plot Synopsis:

This episode chronicles a day in the life of Lisa Cuddy - a day in which she juggles a sick kid, clinic patients, lawsuits, insurance negotiations, a thieving pharmacy tech, and - of course - the hijinks in House's department.

The most important matter on Cuddy's plate is the hospital's soon-to-expire contract with Atlantic Net, the biggest health insurance provider in the state. Cuddy believes that PPTH deserves to receive a 12% increase in reimbursements, and she threatens to terminate the hospital's contract with Atlantic Net if the company does not agree. Atlantic Net boldly calls her bluff, however, forcing her to publicly announce the termination of the hospital's contract and begin a negative public relations campaign against the insurance giant. By the end of the episode, Atlantic Net folds, and Cuddy gets her 12%.

Next on the top of Cuddy's agenda are the purchase order irregularities that have surfaced in the pharmacy. Apparently, the hospital has been receiving extra cases of ephedrine, which, as anyone with a passing knowledge of street drugs knows, can be used to make methamphetamine. A pharmacy tech, Gail, is found to be responsible for said irregularities. At first, Gail lies and claims that she was trying to lose weight to please her husband. But when the full scope of her theft becomes apparent, Gail drops the act and threatens to smear Cuddy's name if Cuddy reports her to the DEA. Cuddy gets the upper hand, however, by secretly taping a conversation with Gail in which Gail admits to stealing from the hospital for the past seven years.

Meanwhile, the more minor concerns Cuddy must tackle include her daughter's fever, a clinic patient demanding a prescription for breast milk, a former patient suing the hospital because Chase reattached his thumb without his consent, and a fist fight between Chase and the chief of surgery in the hallway. Oh, and - of course - there's House, who is very much himself. Among other things, he bribes the physical plant to turn on the air conditioning in the OR so a transplant surgeon will hurry up (and thus leave the OR free for House's patient) and keeps trying to convince Cuddy to allow him to use malaria as a diagnostic tool. But he also turns out to be a good friend at the moment Cuddy needs support the most.

Writing: 6.5

For a while, I wasn't quite sure why I found Cuddy's day-in-the-life somewhat more effective than Wilson's - but now I believe a German friend of mine hits upon the reason precisely when she observes that while Wilson pretty much continues to spin in his hamster wheel of co-dependency, Cuddy has actually moved forward and is attempting to live her own life. She has a child, is in an apparently long-term relationship (though, granted, this pains Huddy shippers), and seems to have made peace with House - at least for the time being. And on top of all of that, as this episode shows, she's actually really, really good at her job. Let me ask you: would you rather watch a weak character get taken advantage of yet again, or would you rather watch a strong character face various stressful situations and still come out on top? I prefer the latter.

I don't think we really needed to see PPTH through Wilson's eyes; I do think, however, that we needed to see the hospital through Cuddy's eyes at least once, as this shift in point-of-view reveals Cuddy to be far more than the administrator who's wrapped around the genius doctor's little finger -- and basically restores her dignity.

That said, I still missed the customary formula. Though I appreciate the way in which this episode burnishes Cuddy's image - and also rather enjoy Cuddy's interactions with House, two of which are highlighted below - watching Cuddy wrangle with criminal employees, insurance companies, and lawyers just isn't as interesting to me as watching the blood and guts of House's mysteries. As it turns out, I kind of do watch this show partially for the medicine.

Acting: 7.0

I have no scintillating commentary to provide regarding the performances. On this dimension, this episode is solidly average.

Message: 6.5

I can't say I'm overly impressed with the way insurance execs are portrayed here. On the other hand, the writers do go out on a limb and admit that health care costs money and that - imagine! - doctors deserve to be compensated for their services. When Cuddy points out that training a doctor is expensive, I feel like cheering. Perhaps while they're at it, the writers can further acknowledge that medical research - particularly drug research - is also extremely costly, and that those costs are reflected in the true prices of some of our miracle pills.

Highlights:

CUDDY: They should be pressuring other hospitals to be more like us, not trying to make us more like them. It's stupid!
HOUSE: Putting your job on the line in an effort to stamp out stupidity isn't?
CUDDY: You would.
HOUSE: Probably. But then I also want to try to cure cancer by infecting a guy with malaria to win a fifty dollar bet. You really want to be like me? (LOL!)

LAWYER: You want him to pay you?
CUDDY: Yes. Do you have any idea how much it costs? How many years it takes to train someone in microsurgery? (THANK YOU, writers, for acknowledging this!)

CUDDY: You still have a thumb because of us. And like everyone else in this world, we don't work for free. We earned this money - and if we have to take your house to get it, we will. (Yowza!)

HOUSE: They're not going to fire you - and you're not going to quit.
CUDDY: Why not?
HOUSE: Because you're an idiot. This place needs you - and that matters to you. (House is secretly a very nice man.)