Merry Little Christmas

Season 3, Episode 10, Aired
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Episode Summary

Wilson arranges for House to make a deal with Tritter, but House refuses. Meanwhile, Cuddy cuts House off Vicodin and removes him from the team's case: a 15-year-old little person who entered the hospital with a collapsed lung and anemia.
9.0
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EPISODE RATING: Superb
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Fan Episode Reviews (42)

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  • Looking Back--what a superb episode.

    9.5
    "Superb"
    By DeadRookie, Apr 12, 2011 Report Abuse
    Just saw a rerun of this tonight. What a superb episode. No matter what happens on House in Season 7, this is the REAL House. The House that made us want to watch House. House is in PAIN. For reasons that are not made clear, House no longer is rude or shown taking ANY medication. Did someone just miraculoulsy cure his pain? Blame the AMA, the FDA, the lawyers and blame the producers for chickening out taking away what made House a truly human being despite his grouchy *(at least in this Season) disposition. He makes it clear he loses the life force when the pain is severe. This episode has so much in it that I felt it deserved another fine review. This is one of the best episodes of what might have been its best season. BTW--I read many reviews of this episode and no one wanted to use the "M" word (Ok I saw two out of 40 reviews that used it). Kudos to the brave who said MIDGET..it's not an insult. It is just an in your face label. No one wants to be labeled anymore. House doesn't call them "little people" and I find that term even more degrading. "Little people" it sounds as if they are from another planet or race. They are JUST people like you and me. Using the M word is NOT the same as the "N" word, no one lynched "M"s or made them drink (if they can reach it) from a seperate water fountain. Lighten up on the political correctness..now if all you angry "little people" want to send me emails,
    I want to let you know..I loved the Wizard of Oz
    ...I love you all :)moreless

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    2 0

  • this episode is so bad that i nearly stoped watching the show

    1.0
    "Abysmal"
    By siiixon, Feb 10, 2011 Report Abuse
    this sorry with the annoying cop really getting old, i was thinking about for a while to just stop watching the show all together, but then i just decided to skip the episodes with the cop (witch are the next 2), this stupid cop story simply do not fit the rest of the show, i just hope house will not stop taking drugs because that will be the end of me watching the show... as this episode was so bad that it made me over thing my general interest i give it the worse score just possible... i simply hated itmoreless

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    1 15

  • House vs Tritter- Round 6

    9.5
    "Superb"
    By DonStants2, Apr 27, 2010 Report Abuse
    House is well and truly on the ropes in this episode, as he deals with Wilson's betrayal and refuses to take the deal offered to him.

    The episode was good as a whole, but it took a slight dip in the recent storylines, the first time for me House has been less than perfect during a story arc.

    The case itself was fairly interesting, and the episode started fanatastically with House refusing the deal proposed to him by Tritter- 2 months in rehab, and he gets out of jail and keeps his medical license. The banter between himself and the dwarf mum was also hilariously funny, and set up the storyline well. However, when Cuddy and Wilson try to force House into accepting the deal by taking away the vicodin, House begins to deteriorate- and, in some ways, so does the episode.

    Cameron and Wilson's sniping was understandable- Cameron obviously cares deeply for House, as seen when she visits him at his place to help him whilst he was detoxing. Hugh Laurie's acting was fantastic through his detox and his junkie behaviour to get pills, however the episode seemed to be a little drawn out and didn't quite have the dramatic effect the previous one did. The case was interesting, and had good twist at the end, but something in the episode was missing.

    It may have been that, to me, even House would have accepted the deal. He may be stubborn, but he senses reason above all else- he could have easily got out of it, and although he never makes things easy, this does overstretch the mark. Nevertheless, the episode as a whole was good, setting up a final showdown between House and Tritter in the next episode, as House's behaviour has caused Tritter to now not need Wilson's evidence. The look on House's face is one of defeat- the first time we have really seen it in the series. Although dramatic, it was also a little depressing. Overall, a very decent episode, but not as good as the ones leading up to it.moreless

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    1 0

  • A bunch of midgets.

    8.0
    "Great"
    By Canogaparkcindy, Apr 27, 2010 Report Abuse
    This episode was strange to be a Christmas episode, an episode about dwarfs, some of it didn't make sense, but the sub plot was very good, Tritter continues to try to ruin everyone's life, the aftermath of Wilson ratting out House. Now House is in trouble, and he is nuts when he stops taking Vicodin again, and he takes Oxycodone, and starts foaming from the mouth, I like how the child didn't turn out to be a dwarf, the A plot seemed to be like any other episode to me, but the B plot was amazing, even House felt defeated in the end, great episode.moreless

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    0 2

  • Review

    9.1
    "Superb"
    By cavanagh15, Apr 27, 2010 Report Abuse
    Tritter and his case have one episode left before I begin to lose interest in anything that is going on. Its all just build up at this point. In the beginning it was surprising and fun to watch House meet his match with a patient that he took too far. Now it just seems like more of the same. Tritter keeps one-uping House every which way. House finnaly caves and agrees to take the deal, something no one thought he would ever do, and now Tritter says that the deal is now off the table and that he plans to put House away for good this time. The next episode is going to be the make or break for this storyline. The storyline has run its cource and now its time to see its resolution. If anything, it has not gone how I thought it was going to go. I still think House is going to easily find a way to get out of this without seeing anytime behind bars, I just dont know how yet.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

    ADD TRIVIA
    • When House goes to the doctor trying to get Vicodin, the doctor first tries to prescribe acetaminophen with codeine. House keeps fishing for the Vicodin but the doctor says he can't prescribe it because of that clinic's policy on not prescribing opiates to first time patients, but codeine is an opiate. Edit
    • Dr Chase seems to have amazing powers of healing. In the scene where House presents that case of the week to his team, we see him throw the case notes folder to Chase, who has a large bruise on the left side of his chin (from when House punched him in the previous episode). The bruise is so large that it almost reaches the point of Chase's chin. The camera cuts to House then, a split second later, back to Chase. At this point we see that Chase's bruise is now miraculously half its previous size. Edit
    • Trivia: In the scene where House is drinking and taking oxycodone, he is drinking Maker's Mark bourbon whiskey. He is also seen drinking Maker's Mark during the final scene of "Three Stories." Edit

  • Notes

    ADD NOTES
    • International air date Greece: November 24th, 2007 on Star Channel The Czech Republic: January 28, 2008 on TV Nova Belgium: February 7, 2008 on KanaalTwee Sweden: April 8, 2008 on TV4 Edit
    • This is the first episode to introduce the patient after the opening credits. Edit
    • Music: 'Zat you Santa Claus by Louis Armstrong, 'Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas' by Ella Fitzgerald, 'Defying Gravity' by Idina Menzel & Kristen Chenoweth. Also included is the distinctive intro to the Tears for Fears song Shout. Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • House: (to Cuddy after she suspends his privileges) You're gonna come begging me to save this girl long before I come begging you for pills. Edit
    • Tritter: I spoke with the D.A. He agreed to two months in a rehab facility in exchange for a guilty plea. House: Get out of my office. Doctor Wilson: No jail time. House:Right. I should get locked up in some place I don't belong in order to avoid getting locked up in some other place I don't belong. Edit
    • Clinic Doctor: Gabapentin is not really gonna help with the sleep. House: Oh...is there something else you can give me? Clinic Doctor: Vicodin is your best bet with sleep issues. House: Thanks so much. Clinic Doctor: Unfortunately our policy forbids prescribing opiates to new patients. House: How can a clinic have a rule against relieving pain. Clinic Doctor: Just with opiates. We find it helps us weed out drug-seekers. House: You think I'm a drug-seeker? Clinic Doctor: I'm not saying that. House: Well then give me the Vicodin. Clinic Doctor: I can't. House: ...because you think I'm a drug-seeker. Clinic Doctor: I just said I didn't. House: No...you said the policy was to stop drug-seeking, then you said I'm not a drug-seeker, policy doesn't apply. Clinic Doctor: I'm sorry, that's the policy. Edit

  • Allusions

    ADD ALLUSIONS
    • House: Let me translate that into Tolkien for you guys. Referencing the English author J.R.R. Tolkien, writer of The Hobbit (1937) and The Lord of the Rings (1954-1955), both novels contain "hobbits" (or "halflings") that have leading roles. Tolkien is also known for having invented several languages for his books. Edit
    • House: Only an idiot gets between Ahab and his whale. This is an allusion to the 1851 novel by Herman Melville title "Moby-Dick" (originally "The Whale"). The story is based around Captain Ahab's hunt for Moby-Dick, the whale, who eventually kills him. Edit

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