House M.D. (TV Series) One Day, One Room (2007) User Reviews

one of the best episodes yet

[atalya · 10/10 · 13 March 2007]

other than maybe "three stories" and "no reason", this is definitely one of the best! it deals with powerful controversial issues, which is maybe why some people found it disturbing - but that's the whole point! a show like "house", or any other show come to think of it, is not suppose to make everyone agree with it - it's suppose to make you think or even annoy you. if it did annoy you - it did it's job and did it well! aside from that - Hugh Laurie is (as usuall) phenomenal. and Winnick - this is my first encounter with this actress and i was amazed. she did challenge him (both Laurie and house...) and the dynamic between the two of them was amazing. it was so amazing, that it made it believable for him to eventually open up to her.

and for those of you who didn't like the child-abuse idea - the thing is, i don't think the writers meant for us to say: "oh, so that's why he's the way he is". not at all, neither does house uses it as an excuse. it's just another piece of the big puzzle which is house, along with many other pieces. the point and the strenght of this revelation, i think, is not that he's been abused - but the Revelation itself, the fact that he suddenly opens up and talks to her without his mask of sarcasm and bitterness. that's what was so powerful about it.

brilliant writing. brilliant acting. brilliant episode.

Brilliant, one of the best episodes!

[DERKOMAI · 10/10 · 2 March 2007]

I applaud David Shore (the show's creator, so I doubt he'll fire himself) for writing this pivotal episode even though he must have known few people would understand it. What I loved about this episode is that all the negative comments people are making as examples of how it was typical and lame are actually the opposite or have nothing to do with what was going on. I understand that on the outside, if you don't specifically pay attention to what is being said, this episode would come off as a boring fluffy installment of Grey's Anatomy. In reality, from House's perspective the message was rather bleak in that he comes to the conclusion that talking to the patient did no good for either of them. House did not turn nice, his dark cynical outlook on life and humanity was fully intact throughout saying we are base animals who can occasionally aspire to something less than evil. He was cold and argumentative with her the whole time until the very end when he decided that revealing something about himself he finds uncomfortable talking about would get her to talk, a move he made despite himself and ultimately found to be useless. They never claimed House's abuse to be the reason he is the way he is nor that her rape excuses her from anything. The episode was a discussion about logic, dealing with traumatic events, and, predominantly, how we respond to and are affected by the people we end up in rooms with rather than the world as a whole.

I think I also need to clarify something else. The purpose of the old man had nothing to do with Jesus. The relation may have been intended for fun along with House's position lying on the picnic table, but that's not the reason for the story's presence in the episode. The father stuff was a ploy, that may or may not have been true, to get Cameron to let him die in pain so she wouldn't forget him as just another patient. He wanted to be remembered. It's a parallel to House's storyline in that House and Cameron got stuck in rooms with patients asking them to do something they find torturous, and they would have happily switched places with each other.

Great Episode

[perry-provost · 9/10 · 2 November 2007]

I thought this episode was among the best.

What was clever about it was that in both House's interaction with the raped girl, and Cameron's interaction with the old man, was that they were forced to face the things that they fear the most.

House always wants to stay away from patients and focus purely on science, analysis, and solving the puzzle. He also avoids, at all costs, talking about anything truly personal and dealing with emotional issues. Imagine him then being placed in a room with a victim of rape, which is about as personal and emotional as it gets. House is clearly out of his element. There have been several comments about the woman continually reminding House that she was raped. I think that she was saying that to House when he tried to shift their discussions and fall back into his logic and analysis mode. She kept House in her zone where he was forced to deal with the personal interaction and her emotions.

Cameron has always had an aversion to dealing with death. From early in the series, she would freeze up when dealing with terminal patients. Her character is one of empathy. She can't bring herself to tell someone that they are dying. When the patient is dying, she goes out of her way to make the patient as comfortable as possible (as any doctor would). In this episode, she is confronted with a patient how demands that he be allowed to suffer until he dies. It is a situation where she has to stare a dying man in the face during his last days and he won't allow her to empathize.

Top notch acting and writing

[touser2004 · 10/10 · 7 February 2020]

Watched this episode some years ago and rewatched a couple of nights ago and it gets even better with age .The writing was so good I looked up the writer and found out it was David Shore the creator of the show Hugh Laurie was brilliant and he met his match with Winnick whose performance was mesmerising but it could only be so because the writing was so damn good.Slowly and carefully Laurie and Winnick dismantled each other's defences and it was beautiful to watch -it managed to bring intelligent debate about the purpose of life and death and at the same time be thoughtful ,entertaining and full of tension Watching it was like listening to a brilliant peace of music To those who gave it anything below 7 all I can do is repeat one of Houses favourite quips "Ignore them they are idiots"

great episode dunno what the other guys on about...

[jonol63 · 9/10 · 9 February 2007]

In response to the other persons comment, were they watching the same episode as me???

firstly, its a TV series not a "movie" and the writers did a wonderful job on that episode.

It actually showed house, out of his comfort zone and doing something he wasn't typically 'good at'. Also this episode gave a sense of 'realism' (for lack of a better word) to the show, instead of the whole usual saving lives thing where house and his 3 ducks dredge though mountains of information and possible diagnosis options (dont get met wrong i love that as well!!). But the show needed a smack of realism so, it changed it up and got away from the whole Tritter thing, and start afresh..

anyhow just my opinion i really enjoyed the ep!

great show.. great season!

Jono

Don't listen to the closed minded reviews.

[hadraniel-26346 · 10/10 · 2 January 2016]

This is really a rare and exceptional episode amongst a series of great episodes.

People are too busy generalizing the characters to notice that this episode really highlights more on philosophy and how it relates to human perspective. More-so than the usual House episodes focusing on atheism every now and then. There is a character with a counter- argument. Are there moments where the episode highlights the base characters of Chase, Cameron and Foreman? Sure. But it does that for a reason. There is a reason it's obvious like that. Ask why? What is the context this time? Why are they doing that?

What people seem to miss is the puzzle in this one. Of course there is no physical puzzle for House to solve. But there is a puzzle still there. So he has to learn how to do that.

There is also a great use of contrast in this episode, with humor, in difference to the obviously dark main topic.

There's tons of episodes of House curing someone's rare ambiguous affliction. But this episode is one of a kind.

Less is more, in this episode. But if you're actually paying attention, there is a ton of detail, depth, philosophy, and a great examination of the human condition.

It's a shame all these negative reviews put a damper on this episode. They really have no clue. They are entitled to their opinion, but it's obvious they missed the point of this episode, and it skewed their opinion. Sorry, but it's true...

A fresh turn for the series.

[digitalfreak2007 · 10/10 · 8 February 2007]

Those of you familiar with House know of his rude, arrogant attitude towards both his coworkers and his patients. This episode tones that down a bit and is a refreshing experience for those who have become numb to House's usual behavior. The humor is more tongue-in-cheek this time around and this episode provides more than its usual amount of laughs. While some viewers might view this particular episode as an apparent weakening of House's snide composure, it is only because House is reacting to someone who reminds him of his troubled past. This episode also served to develop House's character. Rather than spending all the time having petty squabbles with Cuddy and the rest of his group, House is a lot more deep in his discussions.

Katheryn Winnick should be nominated for an Emmy

[jacksw · 10/10 · 2 February 2007]

I am a BIG fan of House.

Hugh Laurie is continually more nuanced than any actor on TV.

BUT the the performance of Winnick in her intimate dialogs in this episode with Laurie was more than stunning.

The character of House is completely challenged for the FIRST time.

First by actually feeling embarrassment for a patient who's medical problem includes forcible rape.

Then by caring so much that his made up finesse story is immediately challenged.

Although later it had some teeth.

The House character's success is tied to total insulation of his mind so as to not feel while caring quite brilliantly as a doctor for his patients.

Winnick's Eve indomitable aggressiveness really was the first equal to the House defenses.

She pushed and pushed and pushed through even the viewers' defenses.

This is the what, to the fans of Drama, is called WOW!! WHAT a pleasure!

On a side note: I thoroughly enjoyed the veteran character actor, Geoffrey Lewis, bring us the exquisite pain and sorrow of an old no-name guy letting go.

For fans of this episode you can't miss this YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaXzCY32lWk

You might dissolve into a fetal position when Eve decides to tell House .........as did I.

one of the best episodes

[entropic1 · 10/10 · 29 September 2007]

I've just watched this episode again and then read the other comments, and now I'd like to argue with those who say this was a bad episode because it simplified House's character and explained his whole character away with the childhood abuse story. I think House knows perfectly who he is (and certainly there is a sensitive side to him, too,) only he hides it and the viewers usually only see his cynical, arrogant style, but time after time there are episodes in which he is forced to open up and tell something about himself, and in these occasions he doesn't act as if he should be pitied for his unfortunate experiences,he doesn't whine away- which makes him all the more likable. Just to mention one example, at the very first episode the patient asks him quite rudely how he became crippled and he simply tells her the facts. It is the same with this episode, the rape-victim girl asks him questions and he is forced to tell her something, possibly in order to get rid of her sooner. He remains objective throughout the episode and tells the girl about his abuse as a way of treatment, he sees the girl just as he sees other patients-a nuisance, and even if he opens up to her, he is not interested in her. I think this episode is one of the best in character-development, and I find these soul-searching, argumentative episodes more intriguing than the routine of one patient/episode, because episodes such as this one bring the viewers again one step closer to putting together the whole House-puzzle--and I think the puzzle of his character is much more interesting than any of his patients or colleagues in all the seasons.

A thinking episode.

[jgrayson_au · 9/10 · 5 October 2007]

This is my favourite episode to date, but I can understand people not liking it. In much the same way as MASH used to have 'funny' episodes and 'serious' episodes, this is very much a serious episode.

**Slight Spoiler ahead** This episode sees house 'treating' a rape victim. I love this episode because it touches the core of modern day medicine. The holistic approach. If someone is physically healthy, is that enough? These days it's not enough to re-attach someone's limb, you need to help them through it too. House has to help her cope, and come to terms with, her rape; and in doing so faces some of his own demons.

Having unfortunately known people to have been raped, I thought Kateryn's portrayal was spot on. Perhaps the only let down was the side story about a dying homeless man, which took emphasis off the main story and removed the flow.

**Spoiler off**

Overall, the episode is a much darker episode due to the nature of the case, may not have as many fans. I've seen some reviews about this being the worst episode ever, and I can understand why they said it, but I still disagree. This is the 'thinking man's' House episode. The medicine this time is psychology, not phsiology. The first episode where house truly heals someone.

10/10.

shows the diversity of the complicated man and doctor that make up house

[shanemick9 · 9/10 · 31 May 2009]

I enjoyed the episode and the dialog. I think it was very well written. It shows us viewers that House has a side that he constantly struggles to keep hidden; which reveals his true reason for his misery. It is a breakthrough episode which will lead to House showing more humanity as the episodes continue to still knock our socks off of us as highly interested viewers. I hope that the future episodes continue to be as wonderful as this one. I find the complexity of the characters and the complexity of each episode to be very well balanced. I hope David Shore can continue to write more episodes with this terrific balance and also bring in the wonderful guest stars that make this show the highly loved show that it is.

This might contain spoilers!

[superangelofglory · 21 May 2012]

It is by far one of the best episodes. The actress playing the raped girl did a fantastic job and it is a shame she only appeared once. I'm hard to impress but I felt the need to replay this episode. It shows that even House is a human person and it shows that, in his own way, even he can help someone emotionally damaged. It also shows the power of human instincts. House does anything he could figure out to make the girl not want him as her doctor and, although she suffers because of that, she still won't give up because, deep inside her, she knew House was her only chance to get over the horrible thing that happened to her. As I said, it is a very strong episode and am glad they made it this way.

Experimental episode

[errepinna · 7/10 · 15 April 2023]

This episode is trying to do something different while taking away what's fun about this series: the puzzle.

I personally prefer this to any weekly villain, but I can't say it was executed well. Katheryn Winnick is gorgeous and plays well the character of a raped girl, but the episode is trying to be deep without really getting there.

The fun part is putting House in a situation where he's not comfortable, but honestly it gets old quickly. The first half of the episode is entertaining, the second part is really kinda meh, and the finale is weak.

Again, I understand what they were trying to do (or at least I think), but execution was meh.

I signed up for an IMDb account just to vent my frustration with this episode...

[skyward11 · 3/10 · 9 October 2011]

Like one of the previous reviewers, I have been watching all of the House episodes up to this one in a fairly short amount of time (I was watching the show several years ago, but stopped at some point). There were a few less-than-good episodes, but this one was unbearably bad.

I am not opposed to House being "fluffy;" actually I was somewhat turned off by his incessant abrasive and often downright nasty behavior towards Wilson and Cuddy, who are basically his only friends. I thought it was becoming somewhat implausible for them to not simply cut House off altogether.

However, the issues brought up in this episode were exceedingly clichéd. I don't think that it's possible to write an episode about rape or abortion (or dying) today that will *not* come across as hackneyed or trivial. Even if it is possible, this episode does not provide evidence of it.

Furthermore, the dialogue is terrible. I'm actually surprised this episode was written by the show's creator. I almost couldn't believe it. It doesn't seem as though David Shore spent a lot of time on this episode. I almost stopped watching when the dying old man said "I need someone to remember me." And regarding the other patient: One of the other reviewers pointed out that someone who is *this* comfortable with pressuring people into giving her what she wants by yelling "I was raped!" at them repeatedly does not appear that deeply troubled by the fact anymore. It just seemed very contrived and unnatural.

I also would have to agree that this episode seemed way out of character for Greg House (and remember I don't mind House being kind and gentle once in a while). I don't think he's the type of person to enjoy spiritual or metaphysical conversations in parks. Think about it this way: If someone had asked you prior to this episode what House would do if confronted with a rape victim, would your answer have been "Talk to Cameron, Foreman, and Chase to find out what he should say to her"? This episode, in my opinion, marks a drastic drop in quality compared to all prior episodes. As I move on to the next episodes I hope that it is *the* low point of the series (as opposed to one among several), and that the quality of the writing will return to the levels prior to this episode.

What a great episode this is

[dalefl · 10/10 · 14 April 2020]

I will put this episode in the top five of all the television I have ever seen. Incredible. Long Term Parking was arguably one the best episodes in the history of television. I'd put it right up there.

One of the best House episodes

[sunky14 · 10/10 · 9 April 2020]

I think while the humor and wit element is a easy factor that draws people to watch House MD, it is the depths like this episode that stands House MD out as a series. This episode while intense shows you how House also has a humane side which at some point of time he had to acknowledge to someone. The side story about Cameron dealing with death was also very well thought out. This helped both the characters grow further.

A milestone

[antonioorso · 10/10 · 24 April 2020]

I have always been convinced that in long-running TV series there is always a specific episode which, for one reason or another, leaves its mark in the viewer. For me one is certainly "Time of death" in E. R. With guest star Ray Liotta (unsurprisingly it won an Emmy award). Another good examples is "One day, one room", which has its merit of breaking the usual scheme of the series. A patient with an unusual sharp mind manages to connect with House in a manner never seen before. The viewer has, for the first time, the means to see a patient being both healed by and a healer for her own doctor

House faces his own demons through the events surrounding a patient.

[agvkrioni · 10/10 · 30 January 2007]

Faced with the threat of jail, House succumbs to Dr. Cuddy's demands that he spend his days pulling Clinic duty where House then meets a young woman who will only reveal her problems to him. When the woman won't go away, House has no choice to but open up and face his own past demons and try to understand the world a little better. Meanwhile Cameron debates whether she should interfere with a dying man's will to die in pain.

This was a great episode. It was both deep (in a shallow, easy-answer Hollywood way) and revealing about House's character. Though some topics may be uncomfortable for people who have been abused.

Also it should be noted that the writer's give simple answers and flawed arguments using circular reasoning to define House's rationale that God is either evil, or does not exist. For some impressionable to such things, you are urged to search elsewhere (outside of a prime-time television writer's expertise).

A great episode!!!

[tomcatv1 · 9/10 · 1 September 2010]

I have seen this episode 3 or 4 times and consider it one of the best episodes of the entire run. For one, the performance of Katheryn Winnick is stellar. Second, the script she got to speak was about 6 levels above the normal TV dramatic script. You could tell the author knows how to rub two words together. He/She got my brain engaged. A rare treat. Third it wasn't all House, all jargon, all the time. House's universe expanded beyond the normal parameters. A mini big bang. And forth, one shouldn't forget the performance of Geoffry Lewis. It was just sad to see him go the way he did and I totally empathized. I'll see this when it comes around again.

Best Episode Ever!!!

[drewdropin · 10/10 · 2 September 2007]

First let me say that this is one of the best Dramas on TV!!!

I registered with IMDb to make this comment! And, to rank this fantastic episode!

I've watched House for years and have always been intrigued by the kindness and harshness of the famous Doctor. Perhaps, I can relate.

Next, Katheryn Winnick is amazing!!! I'm going to be renting everything that she's been in!

Who we chose to spend our lives with in those rooms: DO add up to what our lives are.

I just wanted to say that you must watch this episode. I believe it is the most complex (deep) episode ever on the show.

Finally, I don't approve of her "choice" in the end... Adoption is always a better answer.

Drew

P.S. There is a God. He sent his son to die for you, no matter what you've done. You can repent and turn to Him!

A standout episode in an excellent series

[handmethatspanner · 10/10 · 5 February 2020]

I loved it as a broadcast show. Years later I bought all the DVDs. In what is clearly a terrific series - this episode really stands out. The review by (jacksw) says pretty much everything. Not mentioned though is the editing/direction. A high point of which is the segment where House seeks the advice of several of his associates - very well written and directed. Katheryn Winnick's performance was something I did not really catch the first time I viewed this episode, its just wonderfully acted and marvelously written. I am going to credit the Director for the high quality of the scene at the park bench. Well done. all!

Masterpiece

[rsj7 · 10/10 · 22 October 2023]

A true masterpiece Hands down the best episode of a tv show I've ever seen The chemistry between Hugh Laurie and Kathryn Winnick is mesmerising A Brilliant, (if not comedic on occasion), supporting cast A great storyline discussing aspects of rape and abortion House once again shows his amazing deduction skills and perceptions to diagnose with nothing less than a glance I know it's all written and acted, and the writers need extra special congratulations on this episode Great sub plot of a dying cancer patient, being cared for by the ever caring Dr Cameron.

If you ever need an episode to convince a friend that house is a good show This is the one.

Is this really what doctors do?

[fly-23 · 18 May 2007]

My disappointment in this episode is directed at the way House took away another choice from a woman who needed some form of control in her life. To him, carrying the pregnancy to term was not to be considered, and Eve's weak arguments to the contrary betrayed the writer's philosophy on the matter.

Katheryn Winnick is absolutely beautiful, and looked so frail and in need of looking after, but it quickly became apparent that Eve is in fact a very strong woman, coping with a terrible event as well as could be expected. Why she chose House to be her confidante never became clear though. Maybe the idea was that she could see through the rough exterior to the heart of gold inside?

Not a good one

[germangior-1 · 6/10 · 15 June 2022]

Honestly I kind of had to skip some scenes because it was kind of boring. Felt like some sort of agenda behind this episode. Feel free to skip it. It started alright but then it just dragged out for way too long.

Utterly out of place

[rebeccaelizabeth3 · 2/10 · 7 January 2015]

I realise I'm 7 years late to the party, but I'm going to vent anyway. I really disliked this episode. I agree that sometimes House's caustic behaviour and snarky comments can get a little wearing but this definitely wasn't the way to shake things up.

Prior to this, the show has tackled some medical and social issues pretty well. The 600lb man was interesting, the autistic boy made for a good episode as well, and I'm not saying that rape isn't an important and worthy topic for an episode, but it has been so overdone in countless other shows and this episode brought nothing new to the table. Not to mention the constant repetition of "I was raped" as if repeating it over and over would lend some new sincerity or weight to the statement rather than perpetuating the cliché.

The characterisation of House was weird and out of place too. Asking social advice from Chase, Cameron and Foreman was out of character, as was going for a walk with a patient to have a religious debate. I'm not saying that this isn't a potentially interesting part of House's character development but I don't think it was handled well. Season 3 has been almost exclusively geared toward the idea that House will not change, and yet this episode completely contradicts that. So why didn't he just tell her to stop being cryptic and needy and see a psychiatrist - a doctor that would actually be able to give her the appropriate treatment for the trauma she went through?

It felt as if someone thought "we should get House to think about some philosophical stuff at some point, that could be interesting", but rather than work it in to a few episodes in a potentially entertaining arc, they decided to dump a truck-load of philosophical and religious fluff in to one single mind-numbing episode.

So yeah, I didn't like it. Or the sub-plot involving Cameron and the old guy. All in all, a disappointing episode but given than it's set amongst a lot of great ones, it's not enough to stop me watching the series. Unless of course I've got any more fluffy episodes on personal growth to sit through.