Analysis "Brave Heart"

[luridlurker]

There are two interwoven themes in "Brave Heart": Miscommunication-or rather missed opportunities to communicate-and how much braveness of heart is needed (and not always found) to try and break the cancerous silence.

Comments

[lilapaddy]

Always anticipation. I love Lawrence Kaplow's episodes, I really do. Character-wise, the man can do no wrong. He was one of the first writers and has not been with "House" for all of its six seasons, making his POV both fresher and more nostalgic (or at least hearkening back to the golden age of the show) than some newer writers (Eli Attie, who IMHO writes the worst House/Wilson interactions on the show, comes to mind).

Anyway, back to your analysis. Three things: I think that it makes some good points but doesn't go far enough with them, and it could be a lot shorter and more readable. You structure it like a high school essay, but your thoughts are first-rate and deserve sharper focus than the formal tone gives them.

I want to hear more of how you think this is going to go in the future or what it means for the development of the characters and less rehashing of the show itself, although your parenthetical comments on House and Wilson's tones are superb.

[idonmatrix]

I found the anlaysis to be well-written and accessible for the causal viewer whichis always noce :)

I did want more in terms of a deeper analysis of each scene but maybe it's better to start at the surface and wait for others like us to go a little deeper which I plan to do right now :)

[luridlurker]

M.E.W.: Yes, exactly! It's boring when there's nothing left that might be added. Then there wouldn't be any discussion either. :)

[luridlurker]

M.E.W.: Thanks so much for taking the time to comment and for your constructive criticism as well as your kind words! What we intend to do is indeed write somewhat "formal" analyses of the episodes (there're many journalistic reviews online already) as well as rehashing them to a certain point. Now that the episodes have just aired, everybody remembers them perfectly well, of course, but later it might be a welcome place to refresh one's memory.
Speculating (too much) about how the show might continue could annoy fans who don't want to be spoiled… ("Ausiello Files" anyone?) Taking a closer look at the subtext that is definitely there is fun, but what H/W fans long to see will never happen in canon anyway. That's what fan fiction is for! :)

[alternatealto]

I like this analysis! You draw out a lot about the two characters and what both the text and the subtext have to say about their relationship.
And what a challenge all the subtext in this episode would have presented to two lesser actors: but Hugh Laurie and Robert Sean Leonard carry it off with ease, showing us two friends who both have a great deal of healing to do, each of whom needs the other even more than he realizes.

To me, the most poignant moment in the episode was the look on House's face when he finds out who it is Wilson is whispering to. You can so clearly see what he's feeling, in all its complexity: sorrow for Wilson's pain and his own inadvertant part in bringing it about; a touch of embarassment at his intrusion into Wilson's privacy; the realization that Wilson really is "stuck" in his grief and will need help to move on; a resolution to try to help, somehow; and finally just simple, open, love and caring. House is actually far better at showing his feelings for Wilson than Wilson is at expressing his feelings

[luridlurker]

M.E.W.: Many thanks for your comment! Yes, I also loved that scene, *everything* House feels and thinks is clearly visible (Hugh Laurie is brilliant). Very well said! House hasn't been paying attention to Wilson because he was too caught up in his own pain and misery: He usually is such a remarkable observer, who always knows what's going on with the people around him, but he's had no idea what his best friend is going through--and that realization hits him hard

[idonmatrix]

Let me mention again I really enjoyed your analysis. I've watched the H/W scenes over and over again because they are so rich. The scene I found most intriguing was the morning glory scene. I thought the dialogue was extremely clever. On the surface, the conversation was about House masturbating, Wilson being appalled and disgusted by it; moving from the sofa to a more permanent spot in Wilson's apartment. On a deeper level, it was exploring the idea of Wilson transitioning from Amber's shrine (vagina) to House's morning glory (penis). Recall in Don't Ever Change, House described as his female proxy. Is Wilson ready to move from the proxy to the real thing

[luridlurker]

We took the scene exactly like that, too, YES

[tanagramme]

Very interesting analysis, thanks!
I loved the end of the episode and its parallel between House&Wilson and Chase&Cameron. Cameron and House both fail to get the other to talk to them, while Wilson and Chase are stuck not knowing how to deal with a death. The link you see with "Both sides now" completely makes sense.
Wilson's line "You see? He is getting better" felt wonderfully twisted to me: it summed up the whole episode regarding House's and Wilson's progress (or lack thereof). On one hand, House is getting better, on the other hand Wilson isn't, and he remembers us in just one sentence spoken to his DEAD girlfriend. It feels like Wilson is watching House doing okay, while he himself is slowly drowning. It perfectly announces who's gonna be taking care of the other in the upcoming episodes.

[luridlurker]

M.E.W.: Yes, I agree: Wilson is stuck and needs help; House is maybe not "doing okay" yet but getting there, something Wilson is very happy about. He needs House to get better, he needs his strength. That he shares his worries about House with Amber is not that unusual, IMHO, because we often share our concern for people we love and who don't want to hear any of it with someone else. In Wilson's life there simply is no other person he could turn to. So Amber has once again become a proxy for a real friend who would listen and offer comfort in return. Hopefully House will take that place soon! :)

[soophelia]

Wonderful analysis!

I especially love your insight into the scene where Wilson catches House masturbating and how it's another example of how sexually shy or inhibited Wilson despite his "panty peeler" reputation.

House just needs to take initiative and make the first move :)

[idonmatrix]

I'm pretty that's what we're going to see in episode 11.

[luridlurker]

LL: While there's life (in their pants), there is hope... ;)

And thank you, Soophelia! The "panty peeler" reputation seems to be more or less just House's invention/paranoid jealousy: He accused Wilson of cheating on his wife (Julie) with every available nurse/accountant, but Wilson denied that. And in the end we learn Wilson got cheated on and not the other way around. And what we heard from/about Bonnie/Grace/Amber Wilson gets peeled and never is the peeler. House wasn't aware of that before Bonnie told him-House is often as blinded by Wilson's persona as everybody else.

[soophelia]

I agree. In fact, House seems to be the "panty peeler": Stacy, Cameron, old woman in clinic, teenage daughter of male clinic patient, Honey, Cuddy, Lydia.