House’s formula is becoming tiresome. We all know that the patient’s illness is just window dressing to prop up the off-kilter characters that permeate House, but this week’s patient seemed invisible save the ham-handed self reflection she incites in the cast. Its a flimsy backdrop designed to allow the Thirteen and Foreman romance/disaster blossom without distractions from this whole “hospital” thing. It works.

A former world class doctor has given up medicine to pursue other interests in her life. While taking a cooking class, she predictably falls ill to an intractable disease that the crew races to solve. Races is too strong a word, they meander into action. The slow reaction is driven by two things. First, Cuddy is exacting her revenge on House for forcing her to return to the hospital rather than spend time with her new baby; and second, Foreman has moved Thirteen from the placebo group in his drug trial endangering her health and his career.

Cuddy’s pranks are the pedestrian and mean. She hides his cane, forces him to take the elevator and generally acts like a mean spirited kid. House realizes that there is no way out of this other than to let her exact her revenge on him. The oddity of this decision isn’t lost on Wilson or the crew, but House just takes it. Though its satisfying to see Cuddy get some shots in, its feels so out of character that I just don’t think it worked.

The real meat of the story is Foreman. After putting his career in jeopardy, he’s attentive to Thirteen and her signs of possible side effects. Eventually, minor problems turn into large ones. Thirteen’s mild headaches grow until they become overwhelming finally she is struck blind. House and Foreman intervene discovering a brain tumor. Foreman’s grief and guilt are out of control as he wrestles with his obligations (and future) as a doctor and his growing love for Thirteen.

I have to say at this point in the show the whole scenario with Thirteen seemed very promising. There was some real change going on, and surely they can’t just make a brain tumor and Foreman’s ethical mess just disappear, can they? Sadly, They can.

After giving it far less attention than it deserves, Thirteen’s brain tumor is treated by Foreman and House in semi secret. Its a total success and she suffers no ill effects despite having received radiation treatments. Also, Foreman decides to tell the truth about his folly of the heart to the drug company. Guess what? They don’t seem to care. All they ask is for Foreman to never work on another drug trial again. Yep, its all good now people. Oh yeah, and the patient’s bleeding was somehow caused by her period. I know its silly to be impressed by the various insane diagnosis happening on this series, but this one should be displayed on the top shelf.

This is House’s problem in a nutshell. We all know that the patient is going to come through. We all know that that whatever consequences seem to be there, really aren’t. This needs to change. House needs to lose some patients. House needs to lose some members of the crew. These characters can’t remain bulletproof if House is to become the fresh and exciting show it was before. With this TV programing climate, they’d better get on it.