A Review of the Season Finale Human Error

Season three of "House" came to a close with Dr. Foreman's impending departure looming over House's head. Throughout the entire episode, House was bombarded by his co-workers, mainly Wilson and Cuddy, with attempts to make him see that Foreman will actually leave. House, even though he does not show it, fears change. To quote Wilson, "You've had the same guitar since the ninth grade."

Dr. Chase could not stand to see House passively agree with Foreman's thoughts on a diagnosis. Consequently, Chase stands up to his boss, this has been a long time coming. House point blank fires Chase. Two down, one remaining. If the punch in the face Cameron received from House in an earlier episode this season didn't do the trick, the message was very well received this time.

For the matter of the latest case, it was a heartwarming tale of a Cuban couple whose boat capsized on their way to New Jersey to have House treat the wife. Of course, House's team spent the episode scratching their heads regarding this latest medical mystery, but this time the proverbial elephant in the room that is Foreman quitting led to much more confusion.

Her heart stops during a routine procedure leaving House scrambling for an explanation as to why this is so. House's God complex is revisited when he denies that human error could possibly be the culprit. He assigns blame to the one who created the heart in the first place, God. After numerous attempts to restart her heart while on bypass, it seems hopeless. House, defeated, let's the husband have one last goodbye with his soon to be deceased wife. To House's surprise and of defiance of all medical science, her heart starts beating again after being taken off bypass when she was supposed to die in the first place. This is where the defining moment of the entire episode occurs when House looks to the heavens or at least the ceiling of the hospital room with this look that almost says, "What gives?" Maybe, this cynical genius doctor has finally found a higher power than the one he assigns to himself? Don't count on it.

Foreman stops by House's office and House breaks down in a moment of weakness and tells Foreman that he wants him to stay after all. Foreman's new found ego prevents him from accepting his curmudgeonly boss' offer.

Now, what would a season finale be without a twist? Well, to House's surprise, Cameron hands him her resignation. House is now left without any subordinates to cave to his rhetoric.

As finales go, this episode was merely a blip on the radar, but entertaining none the less. There was not the physical conflict as in season finales past in this series, but it leaves House in a mentally vulnerable state. He is left without a team to interact with his patients while he lurks in the shadows. In all seriousness, do not expect a radical change in the casting of this show in season four. It is highly doubtful that all three of House's team will be gone for good. This series has shown that change never sticks around for very long, like House being able to walk without a cane and his one attempt at trying to clean up his painkiller addiction. The final word is that House is complex and his actions may not always be what he truly intends for to happen.