House ep: "Don't Ever Change"

[deelaundry]

Figured something out that was bugging me:

House at the end of the episode says that he isn't self-sacrificing when he says Wilson could do worse than dating Amber. On first go around, I took this -- as I think Wilson did -- as House blatantly denying his feelings/potential for good. But the more I thought, the more I came to believe that House is doing one of his switcheroos a la "Half-Wit": telling the truth in a way that makes others believe it's denial.

If that's the case, and it really isn't self-sacrificing for House, then what does it mean? Put "I'm not sacrificing myself" with "people don't change" and... House can deal with the Amber thing because he believes Wilson hasn't changed. He believes Wilson will follow the pattern: save Amber, betray Amber, move on. That means Amber's no more of a threat to House than Julie, Bonnie, or Wife #1 were.

This also means that House hasn't changed. He believes the things he always has. Which means the show's not over. Phew.

EDITED TO ADD: Another light bulb just went off! Why did the end upset me so much, if I accepted it as true?

What happened in "Locked Up and Set Free" when Wilson's world expanded and he found substitutes who met his emotional needs? When he didn't need House specifically any more? Yeah, that's right; House and Wilson broke up! And got boring, according to several of commenters.

That's why I was so bothered by the ending of "Don't Ever Change"! My own Cassandra megalomania, thinking I'd predicted the awful future.

Comments

[karaokegal.livejournal.com]

You know my basic theory that Wilson needs to be in a relationship with a woman to have any power in a relationship with House, so if this is where we leave then essentially we're back to Season 1 and Amber replaces Julie, with House/Wilson being back to blow-jobs, banter and angst, because Wilson always goes home. (Until Amber gets fed up and becomes 2nd season Julie.)

Ooops-that's my epiphany. Gotta go update Babble again.

[bironic.livejournal.com]

I think Amber, unlike Wilson's past wives/girlfriends, has the confidence to waltz over to House's apartment and smack House and drag Wilson back home, ensuring that they have proportionate time with him. And maybe Wilson will like that, like he liked Amber pushing the maitre d' around, and maybe he'll remember what Cuddy said and get a little scared of her and be the one to break off a relationship for a change. Either way, it does seem he's broken the pattern.

[karaokegal.livejournal.com]

Maybe. It depends on how much the writers are willing to let House be wrong about people changing. They don't seem willing to let him be wrong about "Everybody Lies."

[bironic.livejournal.com]

Too true. As always, we're going to have to wait for another half a season to see if anything did actually change.