WELL, DUH

[deelaundry]

In which I figure out the thing that had been confusing me about last night's episode.

I went into the episode gung-ho for the House/Cuddy kiss. For ficly reasons, admittedly, rather than true shipping, but still, I was looking forward to it. Then when it happened I thought, "That was totally random! It didn't really match the emotions of the scene at all."

Confused, I was, and befuddled. Then this morning it hit me:

HOUSE IS SOCIALLY STUNTED

He had no clue what he was doing or feeling, or how to deal with Cuddy, then Cuddy said, "Why do you have to negate everything?" as in "be contrary," and his rat-maze brain shoots out the signals to do the most contrary, out-of-place thing in that situation.

Voila, kiss.

Then his logical brain thought, "WTF? Why did I do that now?" and his emotional heart felt, "SCARY! FLEE!" and he took off. And Cuddy didn't want to deal with his issues on top of her own, so she let him go.

In other news, I REALLY want stephbass to analyze this episode. PLEASE!

Comments

[warmdarkwoman.livejournal.com]

Hm. Maybe House really does have Asperger's, and just hasn't been diagnosed. It would explain a lot about him.

[anoel.livejournal.com]

Yes exactly! I was confused the whole time trying to figure out why he did it and that makes so much sense. I just love how the scary/flee response matches his "if you're happy..." response last episode.

And I was looking forward to it for vidly reasons (mostly) so I know how you feel there.

[inlaterdays.livejournal.com]

Cuddy's character bugs the crap out of me, for completely un-ship-related reasons. gaaaaah.

/vent

edit: sorry to anyone I offended :(

[namasteyoga.livejournal.com]

And of course there was House's answer to Cuddy's question: "I don't know," which may have been one of the few times -- outside his hallucination/dream worlds -- in which he says something truly honest.

Same reason why he doesn't know why he kissed her and is kind of shocked that he did.

[tripperfunster.livejournal.com]

IAWTC I WANT to like her. I USED to like her. I could easily like her again, but they've been writing her like such a fuckin' flake!

Totally over emotional and indecisive, to the point of annyoing. How she became the head of the hospital, I have no idea.

In earlier seasons, she was a strong, independant character with some personality flaws = real. Now, she's just a basket case.

I WANT MY OLD CUDDY BACK!

[bammel.livejournal.com]

Don't apologize. ♥

BUT SLEEP WITH ONE EYE OPEN, LID.

[bammel.livejournal.com]

Yeah, he's hopeless. I felt so bad for both of them.

[inlaterdays.livejournal.com]

lulz.

[deelaundry.livejournal.com]

The reason I don't think he's on the autism spectrum (because there are a lot of ways he's Asperger-y) is that I think he understands other people. He just doesn't understand himself emotionally.

OK, please forgive the unforgivable ego of quoting my own fic, but I wrote it up this way in "Around the World":

Greg House has never trusted his torso. His head, his arms, his legs: they all work right for him. (Well, the one leg doesn’t any more, but he’s not going to let it screw up his metaphor the way it tries to screw up his life.) They’re all reliably strong and sturdy and responsive.

His heart, his guts, and his dick, on the other hand, are traitorous bitches. Can never turn his back on them because they’ll sell him out on less than a moment’s notice.

He trusts what he thinks and what he does. What he feels… is going to kill him some day.

That's how I think he pictures himself.

[deelaundry.livejournal.com]

It does match the "if you're happy..."! That hadn't occurred to me; great observation. House is so very smart about rational things, and so very lost when it comes to himself.

[deelaundry.livejournal.com]

*hugs* - "She bugs me" is not bashing. You're using the "I" language there, expressing your own opinion while leaving it open for others to have their own opinions. *hugs*

What about her bugs you?

[inlaterdays.livejournal.com]

Mostly, her wardrobe! Whyyyy does the head of a hospital have to wear stiletto heels, clothes so tight she can barely breathe, a push-up bra, and a blouse or sweater cut down to her navel constantly? I feel like the show is always going "LOOK SHE IS IN A POSITION OF POWER BUT SHE IS REALLY REALLY FEMALE!! LOOK AT HER BOOBS! LOOK HOW SHE CRIES OVER BABIES!!"

It feels exploitative and yucky. 13 and Cameron don't dress like that. I know they have to do more running around, but are skin-tight skirts and 6-inch heels practical on slippery hospital floors or in patient rooms where there are a lot of cables?

I feel like we are constantly being hit in the face with the message that House only thinks of her as a body, not a person. (The stripper fantasy, the awkward kiss.) :/ The lecture from Cuddy to the birth mother about self-esteem came off as pretty ironic to me, and I don't think it was intended to.

[debbiel66.livejournal.com]

Yes, this is it exactly. He has no idea what he's doing. I thought he had a similar expression on his face as when he first saw Wilson and Cuddy at the end of Lucky Thirteen. "I don't know" is every bit as stunning as "I'm sorry."

I don't really get an attraction between House and Cuddy. She seems almost more like a weird maternal figure and he's a brilliant screwed up teenage boy. Relationship - definitely. Attraction - not so sure.

I missed Wilson. I think I just want him in every scene... selfish that way.

[hi-falootin.livejournal.com]

That House is socially stunted goes along pretty well with the things Wilson was saying, like that Cuddy had gone onto high school and House was stuck in the 8th grade. I just don't think it's very consistent with, say, the way he acted around Stacy. Although I guess she's an exception? IDK.

I kind of wanted Cuddy to punch him at the end of the kiss scene :/

[hi-falootin.livejournal.com]

I feel like we are constantly being hit in the face with the message that House only thinks of her as a body, not a person.

I agree exactly; she bugs me for the same reason.

[inlaterdays.livejournal.com]

I think Lisa E. is doing the best job possible with the character, but sometimes I get all frowny at wardrobe and the males on the production team.

[inlaterdays.livejournal.com]

I kind of wanted Cuddy to punch him at the end of the kiss scene :/

ME TOO! "Thanks, that was nice, but you've been a bigger jerk than usual all episode and you BROKE MY LAMP!"

sigh

you and I are on the same page, foot.

[hi-falootin.livejournal.com]

honestly, if no one else commented on what she was wearing it I'd think it was fine...it's that it's constantly pointed out that bothers me

[calamitysxchild.livejournal.com]

everybody seemed to think the kiss was really hot, but me and two friends that watched it all thought it was kinda...uncomfortable. Not in the moment at all.

[daisylily.livejournal.com]

THANK YOU

That makes perfect sense to me.

[lostwiginity.livejournal.com]

Did anybody ever write a story where House has Asperger's? People keep asking this, but I never see their questions being answered.

[lostwiginity.livejournal.com]

I think a fictional, only partially realistic character like House could have autism but be brilliant enough to analyze people down to what their motives and emotions are.

And people keep helping him out there, too. Especially Wilson keeps telling him what people around him feel and what he should do about it. (He even tells House what House feels.)

[njelruch.livejournal.com]

House is SO socially stunted. Maybe it was all the moving around -- he never really needed to hone his interpersonal skills, because he didn't have to interact with anyone other than his family (and that turned out so well) for much more than a school year.

I don't think he actually expects to change his friends' minds about whatever they're doing that freaks him out (baby, Amber, whatever) when he goes into jackass overdrive. I think he's subconsciously trying to drive them off before they ditch him for the better option. (The House in my head has major control/trust issues when it comes to love and friendship).

And I love the image of House's rat-maze brain.

[ignazwisdom.livejournal.com]

He's completely socially retarded. I LOVE IT.

[deelaundry.livejournal.com]

Which kind of story: House is himself but then gets diagnosed with Asperger's, or an AU in which House grows up with Asperger's? Because as far as I know, when you are diagnosed on the autistic spectrum as an adult, it's all about understanding yourself better and developing coping strategies to improve your life. Neither of which I see House having any enthusiasm for.