House

Season 2 Episode 2

Autopsy

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EPISODE REVIEWS
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Episode Summary

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Autopsy
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Dr. Wilson convinces House to take the case of one of his patients, a young girl with terminal cancer who starts suffering from hallucinations.
FAN RECAP

Fan Episode Reviews (39)

SUBMIT REVIEW

  • A terminal young cancer patient endears herself to the hospital staff.

    1.0
    By Thnunumber6, Jul 22, 2011
    The episode is cloying, manipulative, and sickly-sweet and thus can be dismissed as a mis-step in an otherwise strong early second season. By the time the little pixie leaves the hospital, the only thing left to those who haven't been sucked in by the whole thing is an almost overwhelming feeling of nausea.

  • Brilliant! Definitely Emmy material, this episode pulls on your heart strings and keeps you bound tightly. Magnificient performance by one little girl and the excellence of the entire House cast shines through the hopelessness of the situation. To me it gmoreless

    10
    By AprilFox, Jan 23, 2011
    This is one episode not to be missed. Brilliant, engaging, heart-felt and utterly wonderful. If you ever thought that strength and character came with age, think again as this young actress steals your heart. House is brought to his knees and perhaps faith is born again. Touching and moving, is an understatement, this episode holds you tightly.

  • Probably my favorite episode in the series.

    10
    By talosIV, Dec 25, 2010
    As at least one of the top reviewers for this episode noted, this episode is "perfect," and exhibits a depth unsettling for TV writing. As someone whom some might consider a film snob--with Fellini and Tarkovsky in my repertoire of favorite directors, and standards for screenwriting right up there with the Coen brothers--I really can't help but noting the distinct, but very welcome, out-of-placeness of this sort of quality in television. Many people have focused on the young girl, who does indeed do an excellent job in this episode and deserves commendation for her performance, but the character development of the show's eponymous Gregory House is gigantic in this episode. House's performance is extremely layered, I'd almost say the overall feeling of the episode embodies a more realistic--and therefore more touching--Scroogesque sort of story of subtle redemption. The very caustic behavior of House is harder to tolerate in this episode because of its direction at the character of a 9-year-old girl with terminal cancer; in this episode there's nothing funny about his jibes, which often form the cynical comic relief in this series. At one point, House's outwardly callous cynicism, in scoffing at his young patient's bravery in the face of death, brings a disgusted and nearly speechless Wilson to genuinely tell him to "go to hell." The emotional rawness is magnified by the complexity of Greg House's utterly screwed up and miserable character, who we see is part jealous of and part confused by his patient's love of life. The episode does an excellent job showing House's misery in contrasting him with his brave young patient. In an Oscar-worthy scene between House and Wilson in House's office, we see Dr. House using a razor to break up diphenhydramine, in order to circumvent the blood brain barrier and treat his cold, as Wilson asks him, with little surprise in his voice "...you're treating your stuffy nose with cocaine?" Here, House's misery and nonchalance about the future course of his life is beautifully rendered, as he quips, "unlike her, I've got the luxury of time," to Wilson's observation that the girl, though dying, enjoys life more than he does. Wilson's sad but genuine response that "she could outlive you," is made of greatness. Hugh Laurie's acting is beautifully sublime as the aloof House melts just a enough to see his discomfort with his own emotions as the young patient gives him a hug at the end of the episode, as she tells him to "take a walk next time [he's] outside." As the episode ends, we see he is following her advice to stop and smell the roses, and this seems like the first step that the series makes toward hope for Gregory House. So there you have it; I think this episode's genius lies in showing some of the coldest, most bristlingly mean sides of House's character alongside some of his softest and saddest, which ultimately makes you feel most sorry and empathetic for him. A classic episode that makes me yearn for the grumpy Gregory of the first three seasons.moreless

  • great episode

    9.6
    By konstantina_gr, Dec 06, 2010
    This epison reminded me why I watch this series.It was one of the best season 2 episodes.The little girl was amazing and vbery strong.The little actress was perfect in her role.The girl would propably die but once again the doctors refused to give up and finaly saved her.The episode was very touching and i liked the scene that the girl asked Chase to kissed because she didn't want to die without been kissed.And he kissed her.It was so sweet!!The music was awesome,too.

    You are beautiful

    No matter what they say

    Words can't bring you down

    Ohh no You are beautiful

    In every single way

    Yes words can't bring you down

    Ohh no

    So don't you bring me down todaymoreless

  • Beautiful and haunting

    10
    By DonStants2, Dec 06, 2010
    This was one of the most touching a beautiful episodes of House ever written. The entire cast played their parts perfectly.



    I thought the relationship with House and Wilson got a lot of insight in this episode. Wilson's caring attidude seemed to clash with House's "jerkishness". Nevertheless, I think House was a lot softer on the inside in this episode. He wanted to help end the childs suffering- his critism was of her mother (unfair critism, it is devastating to lose a child), and it was clear he was more concerned for her prolonging her suffering for an extra year.



    I thought the whole Chase kissing the girl thing was excellenty portrayed, and also very amusing when House deduced it. I also loved Andie giving House a hug at the end, and promptly inspiring him to live life more, seen at the end when he rides the motorcycle- another insight into House's passions before he injured his leg.



    Overall, this episode was exactly why I watch the series- it was funny, dramatic, moving, brilliantly acted and wonderfully written.moreless
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Cast & Crew: STARS

Hugh Laurie

Hugh Laurie

Dr. Gregory House
Jennifer Morrison

Jennifer Morrison

Dr. Allison Cameron
Jesse Spencer

Jesse Spencer

Dr. Robert Chase
Lisa Edelstein

Lisa Edelstein

Dr. Lisa Cuddy
Omar Epps

Omar Epps

Dr. Eric Foreman
Robert Sean Leonard

Robert Sean Leonard

Dr. James Wilson
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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

Jonathan Fraser

Jonathan Fraser

Salesperson

Guest Star

Sasha Pieterse

Sasha Pieterse

Andie

Guest Star

Jewel Christian

Jewel Christian

Pam

Guest Star

Stephanie Venditto

Stephanie Venditto

Brenda

Recurring Role

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • TRIVIA (6)

    • When House and his team are listening to Andi's heart, he throws the iPod into the chair in a way that would damage the internal hard drive, rendering the iPod useless.

    • House says he took 1000 milligrams of Benadryl. Adult formula Benadryl only comes in 25 mg tablets. Either he took 40 pills, or they got the dosage wrong.

    • Music: Christina Aguilera's Beautiful (cover recorded by Costello)

    • In this episode, Chase tells Andi that he is 30. However, in the episode "Cursed" House clearly says that Chase is 26.

    • Trivia: The motorcycle House takes for a test drive is an Aprilia 1000cc RSV Mille. The bike House owns in later episodes is a Honda CBR1000RR in Repsol colors.

    • At the end of the scene with Dr House and his team listening to the sounds of Andie's heart, Dr House changes from the sound of the heart to an opera song. However, because he is using a third generation iPod, he would have to change songs by hitting the track change button above the scroll wheel, which he does not do. Instead, he is rotating his thumb counterclockwise, which should be reducing the volume, which does not happen, nor should it change tracks because he does not have the click wheel featured in iPod generations 4 and after.

  • QUOTES (38)

    • (walks into House's office)
      Dr. Wilson: You're treating your stuffy nose with cocaine.
      House: Diphenhydramine. Antihistamine. New delivery system. It's a blood-brain barrier thing.
      Dr. Wilson: It's all about speed, isn't it? One thing to another, never standing still. You're pretty good at that.
      House: I know my way around a razor blade.

    • House: Bagels. (drops a bag of bagels on the table)
      Dr. Foreman: You didn't sleep in.
      House: Didn't sleep, didn't breathe. I'm dying.

    • House: Oxygen saturation is 94%. Check her heart.
      Dr. Foreman: Her oxygen saturation is normal.
      House: It's off by one percentage point.
      Dr. Foreman: It's within range, it's normal.
      House: If her DNA was off by one percentage point, she'd be a dolphin.

    • House: Union rules. I can't check out this guy's seeping gonorrhea this close to lunch.
      Dr. Cuddy: Exam Room One.
      House: Well, it's sexist, and a very dangerous precedent. If people could choose the sex of their doctors, you gals would be out of business.
      Dr. Cuddy: Exam Room One!

    • House: I'm taking a sick day.
      Dr. Cuddy: Take some Claritin.
      House: Everyone's a doctor suddenly.

    • Dr. Cuddy: You're actually talking about killing her.
      House: Just for a little while, I'll bring her right back.
      Dr. Cuddy: Oh, well, in that case go ahead. Why are we even talking?

    • House: Idolizing is pathological with you people. You see things to admire where there's nothing.
      Dr. Wilson: Yeah, well, we're evil.

    • House: Can I come with?
      Dr. Wilson:To tell Andie she's going to die? That's very un-you.
      House: Well, she's such a brave girl. I want to see how brave she is when you tell her she's going to die.
      Dr. Wilson: Go to hell.

    • House: True. Cardiac tumor was benign.
      Dr. Wilson: That's impossible.
      House: Statistically.
      Dr. Wilson: Oh shut up. If the tumor's benign that means it did not cause her hallucinations.
      House: That's why I'm mentioning it.
      Dr. Wilson: So the tumor is a coincidence.
      House: This is bad--you're starting to state the obvious.

    • Dr. Foreman: That CT shows no meningial involvement.
      House: True. Get a tox screen and MRI.
      Dr. Foreman: We can do that if you want to ignore what we just discussed.
      House: Sounds good.

    • Dr. Chase: If she's never kissed a boy, it's a fair bet she's never had sex.
      House: Tell that to all the hookers who won't kiss me on the mouth.

    • Dr. Wilson: What's your problem?
      House: These cancer kids. Can't put them all on a pedestal. It's basic statistics. Some of them have got to be whiney little fraidy cats.
      Dr. Wilson: You're unbelievable!
      House: If there's not one yellow-belly in the whole group then being brave doesn't have any meaning.

    • House: (discussing Andie's heart surgery) Chase, I want you there. I don't like reading surgeon's reports. They're boring.
      Dr. Chase: I'm not really sure I should be spending more time with her.
      House: She'll be unconscious. You'll be safe.

    • Dr. Chase: She's had one hallucination. Why are we operating on her? Why are we risking her life?
      House: Because Wilson thinks it would be nice to give the girl a year to say goodbye to her mommy. I guess maybe she stutters or something.

    • Dr. Foreman: (listening to Andie's echo-cardiogram) What are we trying to hear?
      House: A tumor.
      Dr. Chase: They tend to keep quiet on account of them not having any mouths.

    • Dr. Chase: (listening to Andie's list of treatments) If it were me, I'd just stay home and watch TV or something and not lie here under a microscope.
      House: Don't worry. If anything happens to you, nobody's gonna lift a finger.

    • Dr. Wilson: And not that it matters, but if you fix whatever's going on in her head, you give her maybe another year. Long time for a nine-year-old.
      House: No. It'll just fly by.

    • House: You did it, didn't you? You kissed her.
      Dr. Chase: It...it wasn't sick. It was one kiss for a dying girl! One small...one small kiss before she dies. (Foreman and Cameron turn away shocked) Thank you.
      House: That's exactly why you can't touch my markers!

    • House: I'm not going to kiss you, no matter what you say.
      Andie: It's sunny outside. You should go for a walk.
      House: Not much for the long walks in the park. Git.

    • Dr. Wilson: She enjoys life more than you do.
      House: Right.
      Dr. Wilson: She stole that kiss from Chase. What have you done lately?
      House: I'm pacing myself. Unlike her, I have the luxury of time.
      Dr. Wilson: She could outlive you.

    • House: (Andie) genuinely is a self-sacrificing saint, whose life will bring her nothing but pain, which she will stoically withstand, just so that her mom doesn't have to cry quite so soon. I am beside myself with joy.

    • Andie: Lot of people.
      House: Big musical number, kiddo. Lot of people here to make you look good.
      Andie: You're kinda freaking me out.
      Dr. Chase: He gets that sometimes.

    • Dr. Cameron: Whoa, you're letting me touch the markers?
      House: It's written down in my advanced health care directive. Should I be incapacitated in any way you run the board, then Foreman. Chase, you're just not ready yet.

    • Dr. Wilson Hayfever?
      House: You must be a doctor at everything.

    • House: Differential diagnosis. On your marks, get set…
      Dr. Foreman: Hallucinations could be caused by…
      House: Whoa! Wait for it. And…go.

    • House: And you stay away from the patient.
      Dr. Cameron: What did I do?
      House: You'll just get all warm and cuddly around the dying girl, and insinuate yourself, and end up in a custody battle.

    • House: What the hell is this?!?
      Dr. Cameron: Black walnut and ginger.
      House: It's nice.

    • House: I should have been out of here 20 minutes ago.
      Nurse Brenda: You got here 20 minutes ago.

    • House: (to a botched circumcision patient) I'm going to get a plastic surgeon, and put the Twinkie back in the wrapper.

    • Brad: (talking about circumcision) I got a pair of box cutters.
      House: Just like Abraham.

    • House: Cancer doesn't make you special. Molestation, on the other hand…

    • Dr. Wilson: (I'm) with a patient…
      House: Is she dying?
      Dr. Wilson: No.
      House: Then she can wait.

    • House: The tumor is Afghanistan, the clot is Buffalo. (everyone stares) Does that need more explanation?

    • Dr. Wilson: We can't do exploratory surgery on her brain!
      House: Are you sure you're not a neurologist?

    • Dr. Foreman: We could bolt her to the table.
      House: Gruesome and low-tech – kiss me, I love it.

    • Clinic Nurse: The patient in exam room 1 asked for a male doctor.
      Dr. Cuddy: (to House) The balls are in your court.

    • House: Is it still illegal to perform an autopsy on a living person?
      Dr. Cuddy: Are you high?
      House: If it's Tuesday, I'm wasted.
      Dr. Cuddy: It's Wednesday.

    • House: You're dying, and suddenly everybody loves you.
      Dr. Wilson: You have a cane - nobody even likes you.
      House: I'm not terminal - merely pathetic. You wouldn't believe the crap people let me get away with.

  • NOTES (7)

  • ALLUSIONS (2)

    • House: A-five, six, seven eight!
      Another allusion to a musical, in this case A Chorus Line. Mark the stage director calls it off to put the dancers through their paces, in the opening number.

    • House: No test results, it's goodbye Broadway and you guys'll be wearing bad cat suits in Des Moines.
      Referencing the musical Cats. Which did indeed perform in Des Moines a couple of times.

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No Reason
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