After the stunning loss of Kutner last week, I expected House to take a week and regroup before throwing the character’s back onscreen without the loved anchor of the show. Instead, they pumped Dr Cameron and Chase back into the story making Cameron the de facto replacement this episode.

Cameron brings in a crazy environmentalist with various conflicting ailments. Everything from toxic inhalants to cancer is considered. He even has a scene where he is in so much pain that his screams peel the paint from the walls. I’m surprised we don’t see that more often on this show.

The whole case is a cover for Cameron though. She discovered that Chase was about to propose and though she doesn’t want to reject him, she doesn’t want to accept either.  She claims to worry that Chase is doing it as a misplaced reaction to Kutner’s suicide. She dodges Chase all episode and when he finally confronts her over it, she forced to admit she isn’t ready. Chase ends their relationship on the spot.

House’s reaction to Kutner’s death is to question his deductive abilities. Wilson new eating habits baffle him, he’s unable to see the real reason Cameron is hiding out with him and he can’t seem to get a hold on the patient’s illness. House finds that Wilson has been toying with him this whole time, and as usual the clouds break and the sunshine of diagnosis shines though. A spore infection from evil store-bought roses are to blame for his illness and the obnoxious environmentalist is vindicated and healed.

Cameron returns to Chase, the two reconcile and are now engaged. The show ends with a montage of happy shots of the couple their announcement. Even House looks happy eating french fries in slow motion. As it ends though, we get a big surprise. Amber, who died in House’s arms in season four, is back. This time as a hallucination. I’m not sure if this is their way of replacing Kutner in the cast since it was made clear that Cameron isn’t coming back. It could be a very provocative storytelling device is ghost-Amber is used properly.

If this wasn’t the week after the landmark suicide episode, I would’ve like it a lot. It was as if House was trying to cram happy and restorative moments into a show that should’ve been more introspective. Though the patient’s involvement was particularly shallow, I liked the banter with Wilson and the Chase Cameron conflict seemed believable enough. Overall though, it felt like a wasted opportunity to really see the actor’s portray themselves as grieving friends.