It's A Wonderful Lie

Season 4, Episode 10, Aired

Trivia

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  • Trivia

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    • In the scene where House is talking to Jane and they are eating lollipops, Jane's hair changes between shots. When seen from the back, her right braid appears to be over her shoulder. However, when seen from the front, the same braid is now behind her shoulder.
    • In the opening scene, we see a second rope on the floor next to Maggie but on the close shots the second rope isn't there anymore. In the same scene, when Maggie has her hands problem, she let go of the rope and we see the end of rope passing through her hands well before her daughter hit the ground. Therefore the rope is too short for the girl to go all the way down.
    • In the beginning of the episode Maggie is holding the rope with her bare hands. When someone is climbing up and has a safety rope, the person who is holding the rope usually doing it in gloves because if the climber slips the one who is holding the rope may burn his hands and instinctively drop the rope with the climber.

  • Quotes

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    • House: Things have their place when you hang them from Christmas trees.
    • House: I saw something amazing. Pure truth.
    • Kutner: She called her mom a slut?!? House: No. I called her mom a slut.
    • House: (unveiling an Apple iPhone from the gift box) Wow! Now either that costs more than 25 bucks, or I'm seriously starting to doubt Steve Jobs' business strategies... Thanks!
    • House: See. Clear, simple statement of facts describing their cooperation with absolutely no attitude or fear. Dr. Cuddy: Something's gotta be done. House: Oh yeah.
    • House: Have you people no holiday spirit? Bring me the egg-nog of good cheer! Dr. Foreman: House, if you have something to say, say it, if you don't, give us a chance to get home before Santa. House: Scrooge.
    • House: Listing all the possible causes is only impressive if you can do it reverse alphabetically.
    • Thirteen: The only thing we found in the ecstasy was.... ecstasy. House: Well, that never hurt anyone.
    • Kutner: He lies. House: My ears are burning. Dr. Foreman: Tell 'em you're done firing people. House: Well, if I lie, that would be little reassurance.
    • Thirteen: She's not a liar. House: Okay, this is gonna be a tough case. I have almost no knowledge of alien physiology. Thirteen: Everyone lies, but there's an exception to every rule. House: Actually, there isn't. That's kinda what makes it a rule.
    • House: Are you a doctor? Jane: I'm 11. House: That's not an answer, that's an evasion.
    • House: There's a reason that everybody lies: it works. It's what allows society to function, it's what separates man from beast. Dr. Wilson: Oh, I thought that was our thumbs. House: Do you wanna know every place your mother's thumb has been? Dr. Wilson: I'm sorry, I missed rehearsal. Am I taking the "truth is good" side? Don't you usually take that part? House: Lies are a tool, to be used either for good… no, wait, I got a better one. Lies are like children. Hard work but they're worth it. Because the future depends on them. Dr. Wilson: You are so full of love… or something.
    • Thirteen: You catch her lying? House: Not yet. Thirteen: Wouldn't "no" have been a shorter answer? House: Wouldn't you not talking make this a shorter conversation?
    • Melanie: Prostitutes wear religious symbols? House: I think they just like kneeling.
    • Dr. Cuddy: You owe me fifty bucks. House: Then you owe me half a lap dance.
    • House: Do you spell "homie" with a "y"? I want to be respectful.
    • House: On the other hand, you are now a team, you've gotta work together. The simple fact is giving people crap makes people like people. So spend 25 bucks, learn to love.
    • House: Conflict's built right into the name. Santa's about sharing, a secret's about withholding.
    • Kutner: So you've got Huntington's? Thirteen: Nope. Kutner: But House said that you… Thirteen: If I wanted to talk about it, why didn't I bring it up?
    • House: If you don't know how to lie, you don't know how to tell when you're being lied to.
    • Kutner: Why don't we just double the amount we can spend? Dr. Foreman: Nope. Kutner: Can't afford another $25? Dr. Foreman: If we allow people $50, people will spend $60. Kutner: Ah, so you can't afford another $35.
    • House: Well, that sucks. 4,300 saved e-mails and not a single mention of "lesbionic, " "sanchez," or "man-gina."
    • House: It's just a climbing knot. Taub: But what does she use it for? Try bondage. House:I did once. She just tied me down and whined about how hard it is to be Dean of Medicine.
    • Kutner: It's not Christmas yet. House: I remembered. I'm not a Satanist, I'm a druid.
    • Dr. Wilson: I've been looking for this all morning. House: Did you look in the box on my desk? Oh, by the way, your mom called. Your dad's dead.
    • Dr. Wilson: Have you ever consider channeling your powers to, I don't know, bring peace to the Mid-East? House: I couldn't do that. Dr. Wilson: But if they ever got it, you could screw it up. House: Yeah, that's more where my powers lie.
    • Melanie: No rash on my labia. Do you need to take a look? House: I'm saving my money for a Red Ryder BB gun.
    • House: Where are we going? Dr. Wilson: Nowhere. I just know it hurts you.
    • Kutner: You guys mad at me? Thirteen: Nope, you had no choice. Kutner: Of course I had a choice. You had no choice once I made my choice. Thirteen: And now I'm choosing not to be mad at you. Kutner: Why? Thirteen: 'Cause it'll drive House nuts. Dr. Foreman: You think that'll make your lives better or worse?
    • Dr. Wilson: You tell people the cold hard truth all the time, you get off on it. House: Because I don't care. She cared.
    • Dr. Wilson: The angels of Christmas have finally given House a present he can appreciate it. House: Oh don't ruin it, don't pin this on Christ, he's got enough nails in him.
    • House: Take off that hat. Dr. Wilson: It's Christmas, it's a reindeer. House: It's a moose. On a Jew.
    • House: The only reason they give multiple reasons is you're searching for what the person wants to hear.
    • Kutner: Who's that from? House: Santa, obviously, because you know I worship him. No, wait, I mean Satan. I always get them confused.
    • Dr. Foreman: Did you buy House a present? Dr. Chase: Why would I? Dr. Foreman: To screw with me. Dr. Chase: Then I'm gonna say yes.
    • Roger: I had known her for less than an hour and she offered to take me home. There was no need to drug her... not that I would.
    • Kutner: Good, then can we do Secret Santa? House: I liked you better 15 seconds ago when you were afraid for your job.

  • Notes

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    • International Air Dates: Australia, February 20, 2008 New Zealand, April 1, 2008 8:30pm TV3 Brazil, April 17, 2008 Italy, April 20, 2008 on Canale 5 Latin America, Arpil 17, 2008 on Universal Channel Bulgaria: May 15, 2008 on NTV United Kingdom: May 22, 2008 9pm on five Denmark: June 7, 2008 on SBS Net Israel: June 15, 2008 on HOT 3/YES Stars 3 The Netherlands: September 11, 2008 on SBS6 The Czech Republic: November 3, 2008 on TV Nova Germany: October 28, 2008 on RTL Hungary: October 29, 2008 on TV2 Greece: November 22, 2008 on Star Sweden: April 21, 2009 on TV4 Poland: May 14, 2009 on TVP2
    • This episode was voted the "Worst TV Show of the Week" by the Parents Television Council the week of its airing because of House's sexual discussions with the patient's daughter, his method of proving his diagnosis, and his interactions with the clinic patient.
    • Injoke: House shows his team an e-mail on Maggie's computer. It reads: Sorry to hear you won't be coming along on the Halloween Day Climb. You're going to miss Matt's famous Ghou () Dance. Not to mention the wine and smores. Pam. The episode was written by Pamela Davis, and directed by Matt Shakman.
    • Music: Hark the Heralds Angels Sing by Frank Sinatra Trim Your Tree by Jimmy Butler The Twelve Days of Christmas by Frederic Austin The Little Drummer Boy by The Fab Four God Rest You Merry Gentlemen by Roy Hargrove Santa Claus is Coming to Town by Ramsey Lewis Trio Who Took the Merry Out of Christmas? by Staples Singers
    • Jacobson, Penn, and Wilde are now credited as "Also Starring."
    • Jennifer Morrison appears but has no dialogue.

  • Allusions

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    • House: Okay, antibiotic cream for you and a love glove for Francis. This is a reference to Francis the Talking Mule, a celebrity mule featured in seven movie comedies in the 1950s.
    • House: I'm saving my money for a Red Ryder BB gun. References the 1983 film titled A Christmas Story, directed by Bob Clark and starring Peter Billingsley. The plot of the movie revolves around little Ralphie (Billingsley) and his eagerness to get a Red Ryder BB Gun for Christmas despite the fact that his relatives and teachers and even Santa Claus assure him it's too dangerous.
    • House: ... and a second-edition Conan Doyle. Referencing Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of detective Sherlock Holmes, which House is often compared to.
    • House: Her friend sent her a Garfield cartoon. That cat sure does love lasagna. Referencing the long-lived comic first created by Jim Davis in 1978. As of this episode's airing it holds the Guinness record as the most widely syndicated comic strip. It features the adventures of Garfield, a large orange cat, his owner Jon, and rival pet Odie. It has been made into two feature live-action films and several TV shows and specials.
    • Title: References the 1946 movie called It's a Wonderful Life, starring Jimmy Stewart. In this film an angel helps a compassionate but despairingly frustrated businessman by showing him what life would've been like if he never existed.

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