House's last episode, I have to tell SOMEONE about my epiphany...

[journeymom]

I'm just figuring this out. Ages ago when i still cared about about the show House I wondered how they'd end the series. Would they link it back to Sherlock Holmes and his struggle with Moriarty at the top of Reichenbach Falls?? Then the show got lame and I stopped wondering.

But, I rewatched the season ender of BBC's Sherlock tonight, the one where Moriarty kills himself and Sherlock fakes his own plunge from the roof of the building (HOW??) and got to thinking about that final episode of House. They DID give House a Sherlock Holmes death!

First, Greg House has no equal, his greatest enemy was only ever himself. In fact I think Wilson told him that explicitly more than once. So House was his own Moriarty.

House comes-to after having passed out shooting heroine with his patient in the upper story of an abandoned warehouse. This patient is a convenient cypher for House's struggle with himself and is conveniently dead. For whatever reason the building is on fire. House struggles with himself and decides he wants to live. Like falling over a waterfall, House falls through the floor to the ground floor below.

Wilson finds the burning warehouse just in time to see House's profile in the window, then the roof caves and House is buried in flaming timbers. Similar to how Watson sees Sherlock slam to the ground, head crushed, dead.

At House's service Wilson berates House for being an ass, like Watson tells Sherlock's gravestone how angry he is at him. House reveals to Wilson that he's still alive, having made it out of the back of the building. The body pulled from the burned-out building was his cypher patient.

And we know Sherlock is alive but don't know how he did it! Dammit! Anyway.

So that's how the show House had a proper Sherlock Holmes ending.

And I have got to quit being an idiot and get some sleep.

[ollyoxenfree]

LOL! I watched the final episode too. I hadn't really watched the show since the first season. I got tired of the formula - patient has bizarre symptoms, the team tries a few different treatments but they fail, almost killing the patient and finally there's the big reveal. I liked the nod to Sherlock Holmes and his fake death in the final episode. 

So here's my big epiphany when I watched it - the title of the final episode was "Everybody Dies".  The final scene has House and Wilson, riding off on motorcycles into the sunset. Just like Easy Rider. (NOT Thelma and Louise - which is the comparison I've seen made elsewhere, obviously by people who are all MUCH younger than me and all their "classic" movie references date from the 1990's, oh vey!)

So I think that the final "final scene" - unwritten and unfilmed - is actually similar to the final scene in Easy Rider. Spoilered, because I never know what people think is a spoiler, even 43 years later......

Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show)

The characters played by Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper are shot by rednecks and left dying on the side of the highway. Everybody Dies. 

[A&A]

Originally Posted by ollyoxenfree 

LOL! I watched the final episode too. I hadn't really watched the show since the first season. I got tired of the formula - patient has bizarre symptoms, the team tries a few different treatments but they fail, almost killing the patient and finally there's the big reveal. I liked the nod to Sherlock Holmes and his fake death in the final episode. 

So here's my big epiphany when I watched it - the title of the final episode was "Everybody Dies".  The final scene has House and Wilson, riding off on motorcycles into the sunset. Just like Easy Rider. (NOT Thelma and Louise - which is the comparison I've seen made elsewhere, obviously by people who are all MUCH younger than me and all their "classic" movie references date from the 1990's, oh vey!)

So I think that the final "final scene" - unwritten and unfilmed - is actually similar to the final scene in Easy Rider. Spoilered, because I never know what people think is a spoiler, even 43 years later......

Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show)

The characters played by Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper are shot by rednecks and left dying on the side of the highway. Everybody Dies. 

Interesting theory, but Wilson is already dying, and House has "died" (legally.)

[journeymom]

Ollyoxenfree, good one! 

Originally Posted by A&A 


Interesting theory, but Wilson is already dying, and House has "died" (legally.)

True, but it would make a tragic, ironic (I think) twist.  They made it! They're on the run! It's a Final Problem (another Sherlock Holmes-ism) that works for both Wilson who's dying and House who has to go back to jail; they get to be together till Wilson's end.  But then they get shot by mean, indifferent, outside entities.  Tragic!!

But the House fan-base would rise up with torches and pitch forks with that ending. So it's best if that particular twist is left outside of the broadcast story, so fans can consider and accept it if they want to. 

I admit, I've never seen Easy Rider. But I don't consider it a spoiler.  I've never seen Citizen Cain, either. 

Edited by journeymom - 6/3/12 at 10:58am

[ollyoxenfree]

Originally Posted by A&A 


Interesting theory, but Wilson is already dying, and House has "died" (legally.)

Yeah, but that's kind of why I wondered what happens next. Wilson is facing a painful, miserable death and House is going to have to watch every miserable moment, since Wilson won't have anyone else (they can't go back home, since House will be arrested). And then what? House either returns to Princeton and goes to prison or lives a meaningless, boring anonymous life on the lam - without the puzzles he needs for his mental survival - a horrible pseudo-death indeed.

I have sympathy for both characters (both played by very fine actors, btw). An unexpected Easy Rider-type ending is probably the nicest thing that could happen to them.  

[ollyoxenfree]

Originally Posted by journeymom 

I admit, I've never seen Easy Rider. But I don't consider it a spoiler.  I've never seen Citizen Cain, either. 

I won't spoil it for you then!

The small city where I attended university had a repertory film house. I should have been studying, but I was watching too many classic, imported/subtitled and art house movies - all for my cultural education, of course. I don't do ANOVA calculations too often anymore, but I have a pretty good supply of small talk subjects whenever I need it! 

[MadiMamacita]

good analyses ladies! I didn't know either of those references.. very cool indeed!

[JohnnysGirl]

Did anyone listen to the fresh air interview with Hugh Laurie? Man does he sound different when not doing a low, grumbly American accent.
I thought they were smart to end the series. Eight seasons were several too many, though I enjoyed the characters thoroughly. Just too repetitive and formulaic, as everyone else said.

[journeymom]

I heard it, too.  I thought his comments about making his foot cramp on purpose was interesting.  Interesting paired with his comment about battling depression. 

[Viola]

I know this is an old thread, but what about making your foot cramp on purpose?  I do this all the time, and I make my calves cramp on purpose too.  Especially if my legs are jumpy and I can't sit still, it can help.

[journeymom]

That's interesting! My calf muscle has cramped a few times and it's really uncomfortable, so I can't imagine causing myself that kind of pain on purpose! But I'm a pain wimp, that's for sure. How does cramping the muscle on purpose help your jumpy legs? Does it interrupt the jumpiness?

My thought, which is probably over-reaching, is that Hugh Laurie discovered he could 'treat' his depression by cramping his muscles on purpose, in the same way some people cut, burn and bruise themselves to ease their own pain. 

But that's probable a big stretch.  Maybe he was dealing with jumpy legs, too! Or he was just testing his body, curious to know what he can make it do.