1. People thought it was cheating? Sure, if they did something like dreams or hallucinations even just a couple of times a season, we'd soon get tired of it. However, it's an accepted and time-honored storytelling and character-development device to delve into a character's subconscious mind. Definitely not cheating. Hmph.
2. As you know, I totally agree here. The patient was a stand-in for House in many respects. You've made points and illuminated many parallels I hadn't thought of. What is especially interesting is the "murder" of the patient. Was House killing his physical self? Or was he instead finally realizing that the physical matters, but he must destroy the mind-created illusion to get back to the physical? I think it's the latter, mostly because he asks for the ketamine when he wakes up.
3. For House, I don't think he could see Cameron as a true object of lust/affection or as a potential girlfriend unless he respected her mind first. (Say what you will about Stacey, but she was one smart cookie.) Sure, it is heavily implied that House employs the occasional hooker, but that is part of the physical, which he is trying to keep entirely separate from the intellectual. He is very attracted to Cameron, but he cannot act on it as long as he respects her mind. In fact, he specifically told the one prostitute we saw to not say anything. It might even be that he cannot perform physically if he suspects the woman of having a sharp mind, so great is his gulf betwixt the physical and the mental. If he were to sincerely court Cameron, it would destroy his disconnect between the physical and the intellectual because she embodies the best of both in his view. Thus, it is entirely logical and understandable why he has kept her at arm's length despite his obvious attraction.
Before his infraction, he could have a beautiful and smart girlfriend because he had not yet separated the physical from the intellectual. Afterward, breaking up with Stacey was just one part of his redefinition of his life in order to make his physical ailment mean nothing. That is also why he could not carry on an affair with her now. If either Stacey or Cameron were less beautiful or less intelligent, he would not have the problems he does beginning or continuing a relationship with one of them. (Of course, Stacey has three strikes against her. Not only does she combine beauty with smarts, but she is married as well, and it is not logical to have an affair with a married woman.)
I hadn't noticed that Cuddy is not sexualized in House's mind, but you're definitely right about that. He is constantly making comments about her physical appearance in real life, but not in his dream. It may be that Cuddy is safe to him. He knows he can say to her what he does because he doesn't really mean it. If he meant it, as with Cameron, he could not say it. But Cuddy is both beautiful and smart, so Stacey and Cameron must possess some other third quality that House requires in order to find a woman truly attractive. Hm.
Anyway, thanks for the insightful and thought-provoking post. I shall have to go back and re-watch the episode again, I think. How long until the season premiere?
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1. People thought it was cheating? Sure, if they did something like dreams or hallucinations even just a couple of times a season, we'd soon get tired of it. However, it's an accepted and time-honored storytelling and character-development device to delve into a character's subconscious mind. Definitely not cheating. Hmph.
2. As you know, I totally agree here. The patient was a stand-in for House in many respects. You've made points and illuminated many parallels I hadn't thought of. What is especially interesting is the "murder" of the patient. Was House killing his physical self? Or was he instead finally realizing that the physical matters, but he must destroy the mind-created illusion to get back to the physical? I think it's the latter, mostly because he asks for the ketamine when he wakes up.
3. For House, I don't think he could see Cameron as a true object of lust/affection or as a potential girlfriend unless he respected her mind first. (Say what you will about Stacey, but she was one smart cookie.) Sure, it is heavily implied that House employs the occasional hooker, but that is part of the physical, which he is trying to keep entirely separate from the intellectual. He is very attracted to Cameron, but he cannot act on it as long as he respects her mind. In fact, he specifically told the one prostitute we saw to not say anything. It might even be that he cannot perform physically if he suspects the woman of having a sharp mind, so great is his gulf betwixt the physical and the mental. If he were to sincerely court Cameron, it would destroy his disconnect between the physical and the intellectual because she embodies the best of both in his view. Thus, it is entirely logical and understandable why he has kept her at arm's length despite his obvious attraction.
Before his infraction, he could have a beautiful and smart girlfriend because he had not yet separated the physical from the intellectual. Afterward, breaking up with Stacey was just one part of his redefinition of his life in order to make his physical ailment mean nothing. That is also why he could not carry on an affair with her now. If either Stacey or Cameron were less beautiful or less intelligent, he would not have the problems he does beginning or continuing a relationship with one of them. (Of course, Stacey has three strikes against her. Not only does she combine beauty with smarts, but she is married as well, and it is not logical to have an affair with a married woman.)
I hadn't noticed that Cuddy is not sexualized in House's mind, but you're definitely right about that. He is constantly making comments about her physical appearance in real life, but not in his dream. It may be that Cuddy is safe to him. He knows he can say to her what he does because he doesn't really mean it. If he meant it, as with Cameron, he could not say it. But Cuddy is both beautiful and smart, so Stacey and Cameron must possess some other third quality that House requires in order to find a woman truly attractive. Hm.
Anyway, thanks for the insightful and thought-provoking post. I shall have to go back and re-watch the episode again, I think. How long until the season premiere?