# House 3/16 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 16, 2009, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-3-16/489647 "2009-03-16T18:55:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2009, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-3-16/489647/1 "2009-03-16T18:55:32Z")
Tonight’s ep. features a cat that seems to know when someone is very ill or is about to die–based, of course, on some real life events. (Was that whole thing a hoax, or what? I don’t know the details.) ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-3-16/489647/2 "2009-03-17T01:32:42Z")
“You got a cat to pee on his chair.” “Yeah . . . a cat.” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-3-16/489647/3 "2009-03-17T03:00:54Z")
> [@vivalostwages](#): > > Tonight’s ep. features a cat that seems to know when someone is very ill or is about to die–based, of course, on some real life events. (Was that whole thing a hoax, or what? I don’t know the details.) The cat was, not surprisingly, looking for warmth. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-3-16/489647/4 "2009-03-17T04:59:47Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > “You got a cat to pee on his chair.” > > “Yeah . . . a cat.” 😃 I’m surprised House didn’t know that cat piss usually smells pretty bad–worse than that of most healthy humans. House seemed to enjoy the cat and toting it around in a bag. They were making a big deal about some upcoming episodes, but they sure look like repeats to me. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-3-16/489647/5 "2009-03-17T05:36:03Z")
Poor Dr. Taub. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-3-16/489647/6 "2009-03-17T05:37:06Z")
So, was that opening meant to tell us that House wasn’t quite ready to jump the shark? 😃 Good episode. I got quite a laugh out of the line, “Can you come back later? I’m right in the middle of negotiations with the Prince of Nigeria?” ---
**Author:** ![sachertorte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sachertorte/32/3727_2.png) [@sachertorte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sachertorte)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-3-16/489647/7 "2009-03-17T15:10:40Z")
Death Cat is real: [Death Cat](http://www.boston.com/news/local/rhode_island/articles/2007/07/26/with_a_purr_death_comes_on_little_cat_feet/) ---
**Author:** ![stargazer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb8c5e/32.png) [@stargazer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stargazer)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-3-16/489647/8 "2009-03-17T15:31:19Z")
> [@vivalostwages](#): > > They were making a big deal about some upcoming episodes, but they sure look like repeats to me. That’s what I thought! And then my TiVo says that next week’s episode is a new one, so I’m even more confused. ---
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-3-16/489647/9 "2009-03-17T15:41:15Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > Poor Dr. Taub. ☹ My heart really went out to him. I totally didn’t expect that his CEO “friend” was a con-man. At least he hadn’t given him the money. I never really noticed Peter Jacobson as an actor before, but I thought he did a good job in this episode. He looked genuinely depressed the whole time, and then when he came in at the end with a box of bear claws, and sat down at the table and just slumped there, it kind of broke my heart. ---
**Author:** ![Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a88e4f/32.png) [@Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleanor_of_Aquitaine)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-3-16/489647/10 "2009-03-17T15:57:56Z")
> [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](#): > > The cat was, not surprisingly, looking for warmth. Yeah, it was pretty lame that the big mystery was that cats like to sleep in a warm spot. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-3-16/489647/11 "2009-03-17T16:03:42Z")
The episode had its good points, like “Yeah. A cat.” I didn’t like it as a whole; I thought it the weakest effort of the season (and I like this season, so I’m not a better-in-the-days grump.) The precise connection between the nurse, her horrible past and her superstition was just sort of thrown in there with no real rhyme or reason to it. Taub’s misfortune also felt forced and, to be honest, it was kind of silly. The “go back to House with your tail between your legs” thing is getting old, and it can work, but it didn’t work for me there. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-3-16/489647/12 "2009-03-17T16:08:54Z")
> [@stargazer](#): > > That’s what I thought! And then my TiVo says that next week’s episode is a new one, so I’m even more confused. Yeah, it didn’t make any sense. The previews were for the one where Cuddy is painting the baby’s room and playing a biased party in the treatment of the prospective birthmom. They never actually said new, but said “you can’t miss this!” I thought, I didn’t miss it, when it was first on. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a88e4f/32.png) [@Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleanor_of_Aquitaine)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-3-16/489647/13 "2009-03-17T16:19:33Z")
They all seem way too desperate to keep their jobs under House. I can understand a young, ambitious doctor (like CTB) wanting the position for her resume, but it seems like Taub just needs to practice without doing plastic surgery, so as not to violate his no-compete agreement. I don’t see the motivation for him to put up with House’s crap. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-3-16/489647/14 "2009-03-17T16:25:43Z")
You know, I think I’d actually prefer it if House actually broke people. I’d prefer it if he broke Dr. Taub, because who in their right mind would work for Dr. House anyways? I wanted to see Dr. House consulting the woman before she decided to have brain surgery and to be told that life has no higher power and no greater meaning. If House finds god somewhere in this season, that’s it. There have already been a couple of pretty religious people that have come in for medical reasons and those episodes have all ended with “Well maybe there is something to this ‘god’ thing.” Also, if I can hop into the time machine, last week’s episode with the guy that had no filter in his speech had House ratcheting up the asshole-o-meter, which changes his character just to match the assholeishness of the patient. Good episode, but I didn’t like how they handled House. **h. sapiens** , I agree. Mr. Jacobson showed some pretty good chops and I’m right there with ya. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-3-16/489647/15 "2009-03-17T17:46:05Z")
> [@h.sapiens](#): > > At least he hadn’t given him the money. From the way he said it, I got the impression that he had given him the money, but wasn’t admitting it. He didn’t say, “What money? What are you talking about?” ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-3-16/489647/16 "2009-03-17T18:05:24Z")
And now that I think about it, whether it was intentional by the writers or not, House’s “Prince of Nigeria” line foreshadowed the subplot with Taub and the con man. ---
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-3-16/489647/17 "2009-03-17T18:23:47Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > From the way he said it, I got the impression that he had given him the money, but wasn’t admitting it. He didn’t say, “What money? What are you talking about?” I thought he hadn’t yet because after the lady walked away, he put a folded manila envelope in his coat pocket (I assumed that was the money). I like your idea too, though. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-3-16/489647/18 "2009-03-17T18:27:00Z")
> [@zweisamkeit](#): > > I thought he hadn’t yet because after the lady walked away, he put a folded manila envelope in his coat pocket (I assumed that was the money). > > I like your idea too, though. Bingo. ---
**Author:** ![Nature\_s\_Call](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nature_s_call/32/19006_2.png) [@Nature\_s\_Call](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nature_s_Call)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-3-16/489647/19 "2009-03-17T18:29:13Z")
I have to admit I missed the “jump the shark” idea until our lunchroom discussion today. My biggest complaint is Kutner’s supersitiousness. It doesn’t fit what I thought his character was - or at least I had always considered him too smart to actually throw salt over his shoulder and avoid walking under the ladder. Hell, even Kumar would know better. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-3-16/489647/20 "2009-03-17T18:31:38Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > From the way he said it, I got the impression that he had given him the money, but wasn’t admitting it. He didn’t say, “What money? What are you talking about?” She referred to the others who 1) were high school friends and 2) had cured his ear. I presume that he had conned them as well, so the question about the money fit right in. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-3-16/489647.md?page=2)