Customer Reviews

The Tyrant

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There are very few TV shows that have the type of impact on my mind that this particular episode has managed. It was truly the remarkable element of a clash of conscience as House's team is forced to diagnose an African dictator. For this particular episode the old team of Cameron, Chase and Foreman are back together, yet the team does not last long as this is the lighting of the destructive fuse. Guest starring one of my favourite actors, James Earl Jones, this sees Cameron and Chase struggling with their consciences as they consider the fact that if they save this tyrants life then he will go to his home country to commit mass genocide. The choice made and the person who made the choice will actually become quite a shock, but I promise this will be an episode enjoyed by many.

As this is one of the first episodes that House is truly free from the psychiatric hospital and has become involved once again with diagnostics. The team have returned as a means of filling the void left by House and Foreman is the guy in charge. Now House is back, Foremans power is threatened and he's not pleased. House uses this to his advantage and starts to play games with Foreman by mocking him while he's trying to do his job. This is a good glimpse of the same old House whilst still being able to appreciate that the man is trying to change his ways and make amends to those he has wronged. JEJ as a tyrannical dictator was a superb addition to the episode and it certainly brought up a lot of moral questions that I'm sure real doctors must face from time to time.

House's medical team has been dismantled and re-hashed into Forman's medical team. In the process of the destruction of the previous team, doctor Talb had quit, Forman recently decided to fire his girlfriend, 13 and Doctor Chase decides to join Forman's team. House has found acceptance from Cuddy, the Dean of medicine, to assist Forman's team on their current patient. (House has lost his medical license and will wait until he is approved as a doctor.)Forman is in constant struggle to find confidence in his team.

The team's patient is a politically controversial president and dictator of an impoverished nation in Africa who is visiting the United States. Controversy increases as the visiting dictator causes a political stir where ever he goes. Stakes run high as the patient's medical complication is not clearly defined by Forman's team. In the end, it is by their actions that you will then see their true principals demonstrated by each doctor and associate on Forman's team.

There is a comedic part to this episode as well as a darkly tragic part. The comedic part is House now acting in an advisory capacity to his old unit while Foreman remains in charge (House's medical license has still not been released back to him by the state medical board). As usual, his one-upmanship is beyond compare. He even uses athletic signals to play a form of charades to convey his diagnoses. The deeply tragic part is that the patient (James Earl Jones) has committed genocide in his own country as its leader. To cure him is to continue the mass murder.