HOUSE: Season Finale
Spoiler Alert: Stay away if you haven't watched the complete two-episode finale! This post is loaded with spoilers!
The writers' strike-shortened fourth season of House has ended and labor unrest was only one unexpected twist to have affected the series. Since all three of House's previous fellows had left the team at the end of Season 3, House launched a 'Survivor' style elimination protocol to identify three new proteges from the unruly horde of applicants. That seemed so long ago. Much of the first 4 or 5 episodes were devoted to the competitors - House himself often seemed like a footnote.
Things progressed in predictable House fashion until Amber was eliminated. Amber, the cutthroat, throw-anybody-under-the-bus physician with absent scruples and conscience that rivaled Dr. House's worst behavior. How could they get rid of Amber? She's a perfect foil!
Surprise! By the time the strike was settled Amber was back at Princeton-Plainsboro still competing with House. This time, however, it was for the affections of oncologist sidekick Dr. James Wilson. Very clever; the writers kept her in the story but mostly as a sideshow attraction. In the climax of Episode 416, 'Wilson's Heart', Amber becomes the hub for the entire season.
It appears that besides Dr. House, Amber was also riding that ill-fated bus that crashed in the previous episode. She was escorting the drunken doctor back to his house in place of on-call Wilson. Amber sustains severe internal trauma, coma, arrhythmia and eventual irreversible multi-organ failure. They lower her body temperature to buy valuable time (at least 60 minutes, right?) Searching for answers, House continues to journey in-and-out of his foggy memories and foggier fantasies related to that tragic evening. Wilson becomes suspicious that House and Amber were secretly involved behind his back. Does he also suspect that House will let Amber die to hide the affair and to restore their buddy status? Nobody ever accuses anybody but you can definitely feel the tension.
If House can accurately reconstruct what happened to Amber he may be able to save her!
Deep brain stimulation is applied to further jostle House's fragmented memories. I may employ the technology next time I cannot locate my car keys! House collects the final clues which explain Amber's deterioration. Minutes before the bus crash Amber consumed the prescription drug amantadine to ward-off early flu symptoms. Her severe kidney injuries kept the drug from being metabolized so, in essence, she overdosed by taking just two pills. For the record, she only needed to take one. Once House shares his discovery, he suffers a seizure and lapses into coma. Darn that deep brain shish kabob!
House's team cannot save Amber by performing dialysis because the drug binds to albumin and will not be filtered-out. Maybe so, but wouldn't an exchange transfusion or emergent kidney transplant solve the problem? C'mon, find some spine! She was already receiving heart-lung bypass. At what point do you stop suspending disbelief?!?
Amber is aroused just long enough for her weepy boyfriend to say goodbye. Wilson then personally shuts-off the the bypass equipment (So long, dear, I'll miss you!). Everybody else reacts in their own way regarding the loss of a former colleague/competitor. House worries that Wilson will remain angry at him. Most of the cast succumb to their emotions - except for Kutner who enjoys a late night bowl of cereal and some TV. Hmmm...maybe he's watching a rerun of House.
Reruns are all that we get until Season 5 premieres in the fall. Pass the milk, please.
Related Topics: Technorati Tags: House, TV, Hugh Laurie
Things progressed in predictable House fashion until Amber was eliminated. Amber, the cutthroat, throw-anybody-under-the-bus physician with absent scruples and conscience that rivaled Dr. House's worst behavior. How could they get rid of Amber? She's a perfect foil!
Surprise! By the time the strike was settled Amber was back at Princeton-Plainsboro still competing with House. This time, however, it was for the affections of oncologist sidekick Dr. James Wilson. Very clever; the writers kept her in the story but mostly as a sideshow attraction. In the climax of Episode 416, 'Wilson's Heart', Amber becomes the hub for the entire season.
It appears that besides Dr. House, Amber was also riding that ill-fated bus that crashed in the previous episode. She was escorting the drunken doctor back to his house in place of on-call Wilson. Amber sustains severe internal trauma, coma, arrhythmia and eventual irreversible multi-organ failure. They lower her body temperature to buy valuable time (at least 60 minutes, right?) Searching for answers, House continues to journey in-and-out of his foggy memories and foggier fantasies related to that tragic evening. Wilson becomes suspicious that House and Amber were secretly involved behind his back. Does he also suspect that House will let Amber die to hide the affair and to restore their buddy status? Nobody ever accuses anybody but you can definitely feel the tension.
If House can accurately reconstruct what happened to Amber he may be able to save her!
Deep brain stimulation is applied to further jostle House's fragmented memories. I may employ the technology next time I cannot locate my car keys! House collects the final clues which explain Amber's deterioration. Minutes before the bus crash Amber consumed the prescription drug amantadine to ward-off early flu symptoms. Her severe kidney injuries kept the drug from being metabolized so, in essence, she overdosed by taking just two pills. For the record, she only needed to take one. Once House shares his discovery, he suffers a seizure and lapses into coma. Darn that deep brain shish kabob!
House's team cannot save Amber by performing dialysis because the drug binds to albumin and will not be filtered-out. Maybe so, but wouldn't an exchange transfusion or emergent kidney transplant solve the problem? C'mon, find some spine! She was already receiving heart-lung bypass. At what point do you stop suspending disbelief?!?
Amber is aroused just long enough for her weepy boyfriend to say goodbye. Wilson then personally shuts-off the the bypass equipment (So long, dear, I'll miss you!). Everybody else reacts in their own way regarding the loss of a former colleague/competitor. House worries that Wilson will remain angry at him. Most of the cast succumb to their emotions - except for Kutner who enjoys a late night bowl of cereal and some TV. Hmmm...maybe he's watching a rerun of House.
Reruns are all that we get until Season 5 premieres in the fall. Pass the milk, please.
Related Topics: Technorati Tags: House, TV, Hugh Laurie
6 Comments:
Ok, Thanks for the synopsis, Now, how about discussing the Med stuff. Like is it even remotely possible?
Cooling a patient in the back of an ambulance? Should the Tox screen find the Toxin?
Etc.. etc.. ETC!
Thanks
Does amantadine actually kill a person in such a manner as it did Amber? I will never take it anyway. This question I believe was not really answered in the article. I
I also noticed that. With Amber on the heart lung machine, they could have easily given her a blood transfusion, and if donors were available, kidney and heart transplants. Since when does House not investigate every possible way of saving the patient's life? This episode was inaccurate and overly dramatic.
Amber was on heart/lung bypass, lungs filled with slurry - how was she able to speak when they woke her up? I think it is physically impossible to speak without breathing...
Anonymous said...
Cooling a patient in the back of an ambulance?
What is so hard to believe about that?
It's what they did on Sept. 9, 2007 to Buffalo Bills Tight End, Kevin Everett when he was injured making a tackle at the start of the second half in the season opener.
They used iced saline to lower his body temp and it may have helped saved him from being a quadropelegic or even worse death.
Read the book "Standing Tall, the Kevin Everett Story", there is a chapter about this technique, which I found very interesting.
About being on a heart and lung machine...I think it runs on the same principle as being in a coma and in life support. I was in a coma 8 weeks ago with lung and kidney failure and write this post only by the grace of God. I can assure you that I could not talk during my coma...
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