The Honeymoon: Episode 22

"Here's to women! Can't kill 'em, can't kill 'em and tell the neighbors they're stripping in Atlantic City..."
And on that classy note, we have Episode Twenty-Two! More Stacy and Wossface. Er, Mark, that is.

We get hit with the full blast of Stacy's ability to spar with House in this episode, which accounts a lot for why House was with her in the first place-- the people House likes--Wilson, Stacy, Cuddy-- are all far less jerky than House, but argument-wise--and in Wilson's case prank-wise--they certainly can take him to a certain extent.
That was a bit of a tangent, but it was eventually was supposed to get to the point of-- Stacy and Adler are very similar in their Holmes/House whupping ability. Bravo bravo, Adler/Stacy, but you still aren't as cool as Watson/Wilson!

Also, both Holmes and House seem unwilling to associate/spend time with anyone incapable of matching wits at least to some degree. Because, contrary to popular belief, Watson is not stupid. Fact.

The fact that House hasn't really changed is certainly an interesting one-- it isn't the leg that made him bitter, grumpy, and a general sort of ass, it's him.

And yes, I know I have remarked on this many times, but:
H: My old friends are telling me to be careful... They--
S: He. He thinks.
H: Fair enough.

And:
"'Why,' said I, glancing up at my companion, "that was surely the bell. Who could come to-night? Some friend of yours, perhaps?'
'Except yourself I have none,' he answered. (from FIVE)"

Also, Wilson braving the wrath of his hostess-playing wife to go see House whenever he asks is very Watson.

My goodness, season one went by so fast!
On to season two!

Three Stories: Episode 21

Ah, Three Stories... fun with exposition galore!
Also fun with House babysitting an auditorium of little medical Ducklings. D'aaaw.

This episode brings to light a trait in House that is not really related to Holmes but is still interesting. House--like Holmes-- is remarkably reserved. Despite the way he seems to flaunt his crippled status, he doesn't discuss the injury or his personal life at all, really, especially with those who he care most about him. Yet he is perfectly content to tell the story of his infarction--in the guise of an abstract example--to a whole room full of Irregulars--err, medical students, that is. I guess what this says about House is that with strangers he can remove himself further from his situation and tell his story far more comfortably than he could possibly have with someone like Cameron (oooh, bad example, that. He wouldn't be able to stand how much she would care). Although when he is talking about his own case he gets considerably touchier and more frustrated, more in the students' faces.

Also, the bit with knowing how quickly snakes regenerate their venom is a bit ridiculous for a doctor, but hey, he's House. He knows everything. Just like Holmes, who actually has a bit of a history with snakes.

"On average, most drug addicts are stupid *pops handful of pills*" Well thank goodness for smart ones like House and Holmes!

This episode makes my heart go out to Stacy-- it was a hard decision she had to make, and one that caused a whole lot of repercussions. House was hella harsh on her for an incredibly difficult decision that she couldn't possibly have foreseen the consequences of (nothing makes my heart go out to that Adler woman. I do not like Irene Adler, and she hasn't been through or done anything worth my heart. Although, for the most part I don't like Stacy too much... she's too snipe-y, too fake. Too annoying).

Random note about this episode: This is one of my personal favourites-- the filming of the flashbacks, with House breaking the fourth wall consistently and the visuals changing with his voice over. Also the students and his team in the flashbacks. Very fun episode to watch.

Kids: Episode 19

"That's right. I'm subjecting a twelve year old to a battery of dangerous and invasive tests to avoid being bored. Okay maybe I would do that, but I'm not."
Anything to alleviate the ennui, House? Well, at least its not the cocaine.

Also, Wilson with the "That's our Hitler!"
Producers references FTW!

Heavy: Episode 16

Heavy:

In this episode we see Vogler talking to the Ducklings, trying to get them to betray House.
Vogler's sneakiness is highly reminiscent of Moriarty: he's donated big bucks to the hospital, so everyone's on his side, leaving him to crusade against House. Like Moriarty's math professor mask.

Cameron calls House an "Angry, misanthropic son of a bitch," which is definitely something that could apply to Holmes.

When House needs his team to give him anything, any diagnoses, anything to help him think of an idea, its very like Holmes bouncing ideas off of Watson and various Scotland Yarders.

Mob Rules: Episode 15

Mob Rules:

I have absolutely nothing related to House and Holmes, but I do have an off topic observation:

For all you galactic hitchhikers, the thing in the clinic with the kid sticking a toy policeman, fireman, and firetruck up his nose to rescue the toy cat already up there is a perfect, if somewhat metaphorical, example of Beeblebrox's Gambit.

Control: Episode 14

Control:

This episode introduces Vogler, who will become the Moriarty figure of this season.

This episode also shows that House will risk his medical license and just about everything about his life, for a single patient. Because he feels it's right.
Holmes will do this too: he'll burgle a house or perform various other illegal feats, not to mention risking his life, in order to protect the honor and life of his clients. Because he feels it's right.

"You value our friendship more than you value your ethical responsibilities," House tells Wilson in this episode.
And so Watson will risk ethical responsibilities for his friendship with Holmes. Take, for example, in CHAS, when Watson cheerfully accompanies Holmes in a spot of highly illegal housebreaking.

I like the confrontation between House and Vogler at the end: reminds me very much of Moriarty and Holmes in FINA. The way they're both threatening without actually concretely confronting each other and both are very secure in the power they believe they hold over one another.

Cursed: Episode 13

Cursed:

This episode sets the stage for something that will show up in many episodes to come: House doesn't like big donors to the hospital.
That is because House doesn't like the rich.
He is always more contemptuous and mocking of the rich (especially Chase).

Much like Holmes:
Holmes believed that, "Some of you rich men have to be taught that all the world cannot be bribed into condoning your offenses (THOR)."
In SCAN, he is dismissive and contemptuous to the King of Bohemia, and NOBL he is downright rude to Lord St. Simon.

Hmm.... I might have to copy-paste the above bit into my Holmes-House post (nope, I'm not cheating at all! Just... sort of...totally cheating.)

House says he wants to know why Chase hates his Dad not because he cares, but because he just wants to know stuff. Rather Holmesian, n'est ce pas?

Sports Medicine: Episode 12

Sports Medicine:

House diagnosing all the clinic patients in the waiting room is just brilliant, and so completely Holmes-ish!

"Your powers of deduction are breathtaking." Sarcastic Holmes references? Well played, Cuddy. Well played.

Once again in this episode, House shows a blatant disregard for the feelings and comfort of his patient. Holmes is similarly unfeeling towards his client's preferences.

House trying to prove to Wilson that he has other friends is adorable because it's pathetic. Very very pathetic. Wilson is obviously House's only friend, as Watson is Holmes'.

Detox: Episode 11

Detox:

House jonesing for Vicodin is always interesting, and I, for one, do not hold with those in-denial enough to claim Holmes is not addicted to his cocaine.

Speaking of denial, Holmes and House both seem to honestly believe that they aren't addicted. House's pain excuse is almost as pathetic as Holmes' excuse of boredom. At least in this episode House admits to his addiction...

I like Wilson getting a chance to deduce back at House, after House breaks his hand.

This episode marks the first time House is attacked by a patient/ patient relative!
While Holmes has never been attacked by a client, relatives (like Grimesby Roylott of SPEC) and various others have threatened him.

Histories: Episode 10

Histories:

House is perfectly comfortable with tasting the patient's days-old vomit. Ew. But that does sound like something Holmes would do, anything for science, and etc...

Also:
"I'm competitive by nature," says House. Who does that remind you of?

This is also the episode where we learn about Wilson's brother, a development that interested me very much, knowing Watson's fraternal history.

DNR: Episode 9

DNR:

First of all, House is obviously a bit of a fan-boy of the patient in question (John Henry Giles), which is nice, because House's devotion to music just isn't played with enough.

Speaking of which, towards the beginning of the episode, Foreman finds House lying on the carpet of his office, listening to jazzy music and zoning out, his eyes closed, face peacefully relaxed, and his hand waving in the air, keeping time with the music.

Which seems to me very very similar to Watson's description of Holmes at a concert in REDH:

"All the afternoon he sat in the stalls wrapped in the most perfect happiness, gently waving his long, thin fingers in time to the music, while his gently smiling face and his languid, dreamy eyes were as unlike those of Holmes, the sleuth-hound, Holmes the relentless, keen-witted, ready-handed criminal agent, as it was possible to conceive."

I also think that John Henry Giles' point about how manically talented people like House and Giles will never have a normal life but can always have genius instead is very true, and also very pertinent to Holmes. A normal, trouble-less, boring life would be utterly out of the question for Holmes; he would rather be miserable but not bored. Holmes doesn't want a normal life, he has his genius and he has his cases and he has his Watson. Same goes for House. He doesn't want normalcy, he wants his genius and cases and Wilson.

Side Note: I was very pleased to see a Princeton Record Exchange bag make an appearance in this episode; someone's been doing their research on the setting of this show!

Poison: Episode 8

Poison:

...

I've got nothing.

Sad isn't it?

Yeah, it's sad...

Fidelity: Episode 7

Fidelity:

This episode begins with marital difficulties, a theme that runs roughshod over the Holmes canon (Take, for example, Watson's treatment of his own wife, forever abandoning her to go gallivanting off with Holmes. Also, a large amount of cases include unhappy marriages, relationships, and engagements.)

House later states, that he, "didn't realize it was possible for a woman to be unusually irritable."
Leading Cameron to tell him that he's a, "misanthrope, not a misogynist."
But he's damn well close enough, and Holmes certainly is.

He goes on to call Wilson in for a consult on a clinic patient with large, recently plastic-surgery created breasts, claiming that Wilson is, "somewhat of an expert in these matters."
Which somewhat reminded me of Holmes saying (in SECO) that the "fair sex is [Watson's] department."

Wilson: You can be a real jerk sometimes, you know that?
H: And you're the good guy.
W: At least I try.

This seems to me to be a neat sum up of not only House and Wilson but Holmes and Watson. Wilson and Watson try to be the good guy and are accepted by others to be the good guy, but are willing to sacrifice morals for the sakes of Houses' and Holmes' schemes. House and Holmes, however, have realized that if they simply don't try to be good, they can say and do whatever they want.

The Socratic Method: Episode 6

The Socratic Method:

First of all: Happy birthday, House! Enjoy a pickle-less imaginary birthday dinner in your festive hat!

Next, and more on topic:
When House is going on about how wonderful schizophrenics/lunatics in general are, leading Chase to say this:
Chase: They [crazy people] aren't boring. He [House] likes that.

It very much reminded me of Holmes saying that, "...there are always some lunatics about. It would be a dull world without them." (3GAB)

And, also:
Wilson: Didn't we just leave your office?
House: I like to walk.

I seem to remember Holmes pacing when he thinks, too... Ah, yes! STUD, chapter 7: "'It can't be a coincidence,' he cried, at last springing from his chair and pacing wildly up and down the room."

And in SCAN: "I saw his tall, spare figure pass twice in a dark silhouette against the blind. He was pacing the room swiftly, eagerly, with his head sunk upon his chest and his hands clasped behind him. To me, who knew his every mood and habit, his attitude and manner told their own story. He was at work again."

And in REIG: "We found Holmes pacing up and down in the field, his chin sunk upon his breast, and his hands thrust into his trousers pockets."

Well, that's it for Socratic Method

Damned if You Do: Episode 5

Damned if You Do similarities include:

House and the Santa clinic patient:
House: Let me guess. Inflammatory bowel.
Clinic Patient: Wow yeah. Is it that bad?
H: Yes. It's also written on your chart.

House may be able to deduce things from a glance, but he isn't above "cheating." Neither is Holmes, of course.

Take, for example, in the first chapter of Hound of the Baskervilles, when Watson is studying a walking stick, left by a client:
“Well, Watson, what do you make of it?”
Holmes was sitting with his back to me, and I had given him no sign of my occupation.
“How did you know what I was doing? I believe you have eyes in the back of your head.”
“I have, at least, a well-polished, silver-plated coffee-pot in front of me,”

I like to think that in the musical montage at the end, when House is playing the piano, Wilson is there. After all, Holmes played violin for Watson...

Maternity: Episode 4

Thoughts on Maternity:

House's humoring of Cuddy wanting to swab everything in the hospital reminds me rather of all the times Holmes solves the mystery on his own, but lets Lestrade keep bungling, because it's easier that way. Also, power to Cuddy for cutting Tie-Clip-Guy's tie off!

Patient: I'm on a birth control implant!
H: I know. I saw the scar.
Huzzah for seeing, observing, deducing, and lording it over all others!

Occam's Razor: Episode 3

Rewatching Occam's Razor yielded a couple similarities:

The Ducklings' little conversation along the lines of:
Cam: His insane ideas are usually right...
Chase: He thinks outside the box, is that so evil?
Foreman: He has no idea where the box is!

Sounds a bit to me like Watson's exchange with Lestrade in REIG:

"I don't think you need alarm yourself," said I. "I have usually found that there was method in his madness."
"Some folks might say there was madness in his method," muttered the Inspector.

Also, House vs Cuddy over a clinic patient with a sore throat:
C: [to patient] you have a sore throat.
H: He said it hurt... I should've deduced that it was sore!
Deduce away, House, deduce away.

Also also, every time House deduces everything about a clinic patient from merely a glance (done twice-ish in this episode, maybe three?), I get little Holmes related shivers down my spine.

And just to pound home the "they're both arrogant bastards" point, we have:
H: Make a note. I should never doubt myself
W: I think you'll remember that.

Which is comparable to:

"My dear Watson," said he, "I cannot agree with those who rank modesty among the virtues. To the logician all things should be seen exactly as they are, and to underestimate one's self is as much a departure from truth as to exaggerate one's own powers." (from GREE)

Paternity: Episode 2

In re-watching Paternity, just about all the similarities I can come up with are:

When House is in the clinic with "Boy-who-sued-wolf dude", the conversation goes a bit like:
House: It's infected. With a really big hole, like you stuck a nail in it to relieve pressure
Patient: I wouldn't do that
House: Although the wound is irregular; it's not cylindrical, it's shaped like a triangle, so.... steak knife?
Patient: Wife's nail file.
So, House, do they teach you to recognize and deduce the shape of a poky thing in medical school? Or are you just channeling Holmes? (I think he's channeling Holmes. But hey, it's my job to think he's channeling Holmes.)

Also, Holmes sure as hell didn't hit on his employees/Irregulars! Score one for Victorian politeness over caustic sarcasm. (Yet the caustic rudeness is so fun!)

Episode the First

In the Pilot episode, the patient's name is Adler!

This is, I think, what made me go, "Well, I'm gonna watch this show!"
It started and House was being snarky and Wilson was being cute the patient's name was ADLER and I was hooked...

Adler as in Irene Adler (married name, Norton) of SCAN, the only woman to have beat Holmes, and his most widely accepted (female) love interest (although I personally think this theory ridiculous).

Irene crops up in a later episode, but I will touch on that later.