"Almost dying changes nothing. Dying changes everything."

After one of the saddest moments I've witnessed in any TV series ever made, the death of Wilson's girlfriend Amber in the previous episode of the series "Wilson's Heart", it was difficult to return to the series. It has been around a year since I watched the last two installments of the show, "House's Head" and "Wilson's Heart" back to back, and I always meant to get around to continuing the series but there is a sort of almost indescribable sadness felt during that two parter that TV shows rarely hit with me. The cliffhanger from "House's Head" in which the realization behind the identity of who was on the bus with House hits him, its one of the most devastating reveals in fiction. Wilson was one of my favorite characters in the series, and endlessly kind guy who was just an utterly good person. He didn't deserve this to happen to him. Its the kind of reveal that hits you straight in the stomach where you almost can't breathe for a moment because you're so immersed in the piece of fiction you're consuming. 

How can "Dying Changes Everything" possibly follow that up? This episode has lofty, almost unrealistic expectations to fulfill, continuing after two masterpieces that are in debate for some of the best TV I've ever seen. If I was a fan of the series as it was initially airing, I would feel a slight disappointment in this episode because it doesn't provide a complete closure to everything in regards to Wilson and House, but how could it? This is a dense, complicated relationship that deserves multiple episodes of screen time to delve into. I think I would have been more disappointed in the series choice to start "Dying Changes Everything" with a formulaic and rather dull opening scene, completely disconnected from the last season as an establishment for another episode of the week case. I think this was one of the only episode's mistakes. I believe it would have been greater to open the episode from either House or Wilson's perspective, and get into the case of the week stuff later on in the run time. 

The case in itself is fine, a decently written mystery with a ton of medical terminology that if you held a gun at my head and asked me to explain to you what any of it meant, you would have to pull the trigger. But that's a part of the series charm. I also liked how the case of the week isn't quite as throwaway as it would initially seem as it eventually ties into Thirteen's Huntington's disease reveal from the end of last season. It also helps to give House and Wilson a reason to talk directly to each other, and not avoid one another. House's complete disregard for his part in Amber's death was perfectly written, and his conversations concerning her with Cuddy were the highlight of a fantastic premiere. His front of confidence and rude behavior is an immediate tell that he's hiding his guilt regarding Amber, as revealed in the last scene with Wilson. This isn't anything new for House, we've seen how his overall personality is a simple front to hide all of his insecurities (see; "Three Stories" as a prime example), but it helps to deliver the episode meaning and perspective on all the emotions felt in the previous two episodes.

Juggling this series with X Files will be my new thing going forward, I'll be mixing in currently airing series ("Ted Lasso", and "Barry" when it returns later this week) so my profile isn't completely covered with the same two shows, but predominately these will be the two series I'll be writing about going forward for awhile. I've missed House, and this premiere reminded me why the series was such a cultural landmark in 21st century drama. "Dying Changes Everything" House declares in the closing moments for this episode, and moving forward, I want to see exactly what he meant. 

Specials

Season 1

Season 2

Season 3