Chase (episode)

Chase is a Season 8 episode of House, M.D. and the twelfth episode of the season, which first aired on February 13, 2012. Jesse Spencer appeared in every scene of this episode and, following the format of "Wilson", "5 to 9" and "Last Temptation", it was told entirely from Chase's point of view.
Chase refuses to return to work after his injury and takes advantage of House's guilt over the matter to defy his attempts to get him to return to the hospital. However, when he returns for clinic duty, he meets a young woman about to take her vows. He finds his religious faith rushing into the void left by his loss of faith in House. As he gets closer to the patient, Chase continuously criticises House's methods, reputation and claims of objectivity as they disagree about the treatment of the patient. No longer is the fight about who has the right diagnosis, but instead the battlefield shifts to whether Cofield was right about House's abusive manner and recklessness and whether House's results are justified by the way he pursues his diagnoses and treats his subordinates. Chase and House finally come to a fundamental disagreement about the patient that may finally end Chase's reputation as House's "yes man" but also brings House's reputation under broader scrutiny.
Meanwhile, House starts trying to prove Taub's self-defence efforts are useless by ambushing him at every opportunity.
==Recap==
Chase wakes up and sees a beautiful woman in bed with him. She tells him he's bleeding through his bandage. Chase looks at the bandage covering his stab wound. He reassures the woman he's a doctor. He gets a call from House, but ignores it. He gets up on his crutches. He tells the woman about how he got injured. He checks the bleeding from the bandage, but it's not serious. He gets a text from House saying "Ding Dong". He opens the door to find House standing outside. House starts discussing a case and Chase cuts him off. House reminds him that this time is no worse than the other twelve times he's tried to contact Chase in the last three weeks. Chase says he doesn't want to talk to House and tells him he doesn't know when, or if, he's coming back and if House has a problem with that, he should fire him.
Chase is in rehabilitation working on his leg strength. Foreman comes to visit. He's worried that Chase needs counselling, but Chase assures him that he's fine. Foreman asks if he's coming back to work. He tells him he doesn't have to work with House, but reminds him if he doesn't exercise his mind, he will lose it at the same time he's regaining his motor skills.
Chase agrees to start working clinic duty. His first patient is a nun with terrible pain in her left shoulder that started suddenly and nothing seems to improve. Chase starts an examination, but there are no other symptoms. She was sitting and praying when the pain started. The other nun with her assures Dr. Chase she wasn't doing anything physically demanding or repetitive. The sick nun has enlarged lymph nodes so Chase suspects breast cancer. He asks the other nun to leave while he does the examination. However, when he's alone, he asks if it might be angina brought on by her imminent vows to enter the convent. The patient is surprised, but the way that she's dressed tipped Chase off and he tells her that he was in seminary. He starts the breast exam as she admits she's having second thoughts about it. He finds a mass and wants to admit her.
However, Wilson finds the mass is just a fat deposit and her scans are clean. Chase has also ruled out angina, and is still concerned about the shoulder pain with no seeming cause. House comes in with his team and says it's probably just a strain. Wilson swears he didn't tell House about Chase's return, and House admits that he saw Wilson acting suspiciously and had Park follow him. Chase exchanges greetings with the team, but House gets back to Chase's case. House wants to know why he took the case and Chase says she's just a clinic patient. House wants to know why Chase's opinion of him has changed when Chase's knowledge of what kind of a man he is hasn't changed. Chase says he's changed. Chase thanks Wilson and goes to leave. House stops him and tells him the nun has a fungal infection from eating unprocessed wheat. Chase leaves without talking.
Park goes to apologize to Chase, but Chase understands that she was just doing what House told her to do. She then asks Chase if he would like to have dinner with her that evening. She denies it's a date, and insists she's just trying to help him out with the trauma. Chase says it's okay and declines.
Chase sees the nun, who asks if he's ever been surfing. She's a surfer too. He wants to know why she wants to be a nun, particularly since she's older than most initiates. She says she's never had a real job, and she's had a lot of failed relationships, but she says there was no single moment that drove her to be a nun. Chase says there usually is a dramatic moment and she asks if there was one for Chase. He says he went to seminary because his father was distant and his mother drunk, but the priests and nuns were there for him when he needed someone. However, he's coy about why he gave it up. All of a sudden, the patient feels nauseous and vomits. This rules out a fungal infection.
House meets Chase on the mezzanine. He tells him about the vomiting. House asks Chase what he's going to do, but Chase doesn't know. House wants to know why he's back at the hospital. Chase says House will help because even though he isn't interested in the nun, he is interested in why Chase is interested. House agrees and suggests descending cholangitis. He then tosses a soda balloon at Taub, who runs for the exit. Chase points out the patient's bilirubin is normal. House counters that clinical symptoms can show up before lab tests show it. He tosses another balloon at Taub, but misses and Taub makes it out the door.
Chase goes back to his patient, and finds her foot is numb. Chase realizes he will need House's help.
Chase goes to House's office for help. House suddenly pulls out a paintball gun, but the only target is Taub who deftly stops the paint with a metal tray. House points out how differently Chase and Taub have handled the stabbing incident, with Taub having taken self-defence classes. Taub brags he has fended off six of House's attacks using his new skills. House says that's irrelevant - House will succeed sooner or later, and he points out the Chase that bad things happen and he shouldn't be attaching significance to them. He gets back to Chase's patient and suggests a clot, but the patient's D-dimers are normal. House attacks Taub with a foam sword, but Taub disarms him. Adams suggests another blockage - a vasospasm. Chase points out it doesn't explain the swollen lymph nodes, but a minor infection would. House suggests calcium channel blockers.
Adams follows Chase to see if he's okay and to thank him for saving her life. She wonders why he's not traumatized and he says being traumatized wouldn't change what happened. Adams asks why he's still mad at House then. She suggests a counsellor too. He insists he's okay.
Chase finds the patient with an iPod and she admits that she was tempted because it's likely the last time she will be able to listen to music. He wonders how committed she is and starts quizzing her. She admits her faith isn't strong and she hasn't felt the calling yet. Chase tells her that no-one joins an order without an epiphany, but she says she just enjoys the contemplation, silence and order. He reminds her what her life will be like, including never touching another human being. However, the patient knows about Chase's promiscuity and his injury. She says she's looking for something more. Chase says he is too. He excuses himself to do clinic duty.
Chase goes into an exam room but finds Taub hiding from House. Chase goes to leave, but instead asks Taub if his self-defence classes are working. Taub admits he has learned more from House's surprise attacks, and urges Chase to accept House's apology and rejoin the team.
The patient improves on calcium channel blockers. Circulation is restored to her foot and her shoulder pain disappears. Chase is ready to release her. The other nun goes to get a car. When they are alone, the patient admits that she was a nanny and let her charge, a two year old boy, wander onto the street where he was killed. Chase says it could have happened to anyone, but she says even if that's true, they would blame themselves just like she has. He accuses her of running away, but she says she's running to God. She asks him if his recent trauma also hasn't had a similar effect. He admits it has, but it hasn't made him want to run away. He says he hope it works out. She admits it will be hard not touching anyone. He touches her hand. She leaves.
Chase leaves the room and finds House making remarks about how hot the patient was. House accuses him of being afraid of real intimacy and choosing someone for whom intimacy is not an option for emotional support. Chase denies any emotional involvement with the patient and says he has a date.
Chase's date is an actress, but he's distracted. When asked, he admits to being bored too.
Chase arrives at his apartment to find his patient waiting there. She admits he was right. She takes his hand. They kiss and go into his apartment.
They wake up the next morning in Chase's bed. Chase talks about going to hell. She admits she's scared too. She tells him not to worry because she realizes he's not into relationships, but he assures her he was married once. She says she has to find a new place to live and a new job. Chase replies, but realizes she can't hear him. He looks at her neck and finds swelling. He asks if she has tinnitus and she does. She starts coughing up blood and he realizes he has to get her back to the hospital.
As Chase speeds to the hospital, he explains that the artery leading to her head is probably clotting and she is at risk for a stroke. He gets her to the hospital and tells them to rush her to an operating room. The swelling on her neck is now huge and she can't speak properly.
Chase realizes she has a carotid artery dissection. The clot is the only thing keeping her from bleeding out. House arrives and realizes from Chase's description of her symptoms twenty minutes ago and the dried blood on his neck that he was with her when it happened. The rest of the team is shocked. Chase is called away - the clot has broken and the patient is bleeding profusely. He realizes they will have to pack off her nose. Adams and Taub realize that Chase shouldn't be doing the operation because of his relationship with the patient, but Chase argues he's the only surgeon available. Adams appeals to House, but House sides with Chase. Adams thinks House is trying to get on Chase's good side, but House realizes Chase is the best surgeon available.
Chase, Taub and Adams argue about whether to put the patient on bypass, but Chase insists he can get the surgery done in five minutes and it will take half-an-hour to get her on bypass. Adams argues with him that he can't be sure that he will be done in five minutes, if he doesn't she will have a stroke, and he's not being objective. He proceeds with his original plan. However, the surgery goes overtime. They check the artery, and it's holding. Chase tells them to start taking her off of anesthesia while he closes the wound. She wakes up. He gives her a hearing test and cognition test, both of which she passes.
Park goes to Chase to apologize about asking him out. Chase realizes it was Park who needed the emotional support and asks what she's afraid of. She says everything. He tells her she will get over it. She wonders if Chase is really over it. She says she was just lucky not to be in the room. Chase says it was pure chance he was in the room. He tells her he doesn't have time to teach her how to act like a doctor.
Chase sees House and tells him that the patient had nodules on her artery. House thinks it's lupus, but Chase notes her ANA is normal. House then goes to ambush Taub in the pathology lab. However, since House's ploy to get Taub into the lab was so obvious, he knows Taub will be paranoid. Taub is seen walking slowly down the hall, and House grabs a super-soaker. Chase asks to talk about the patient and House takes time out from seeing Taub interrogating the janitor to suggest the nodules were actually plaque indicating syphilis. House jumps out with Taub at point blank range, but when he pulls the trigger, the water sprays on House instead.
Chase explains to the patient that she probably caught syphilis the last time she had sex, even though it's been years. He also reassures her it isn't contagious at this stage. She asks if it causes hallucinations because she said she saw the boy who died during her operation.
Foreman is waiting for Chase. Adams has told him that he slept with his patient. Foreman removes him from the case even though he saved her from brain damage. Foreman says she's still sick and that if she dies, there will be another investigation. Chase says Foreman is just trying to cover his ass. Foreman says Chase is trying to take advantage of him, but Chase counters that House got a pass for an incident that got him stabbed while he's being kicked off a case where no-one got hurt. Foreman stands by his decision. Adams apologizes for ratting him out, but when Chase counters that he saved her life, she says she's paying him back by saving his career because he never would have slept with a patient or operated on someone he knew prior to the stabbing. She says he needs help. He says he needs to get away from House. She points out he's acting like House.
The patient is in distress again, with a tender abdomen indicating a problem with her liver.
House reconvenes his team as they add liver failure to the differential. House thinks it's lymphoma and when Chase grasps for another diagnosis, House reminds him that he's too emotionally involved. He apologizes, but the diagnosis is terminal.
Chase tells the patient they will most likely confirm cancer in a few hours. She realizes that the treatment will only extend her life a little. He says he will be there for her. She asks why he left the seminary. He admits it happened after he was caught sleeping with the groundskeeper's wife. She asks why he didn't tell her, and he said he didn't want to sound shallow and hoped she would believe that it was over something theological. He admits he always wanted to believe, but he always struggled with it. Chase realizes she is having trouble talking and she admits the muscles that control chewing feel heavy. Chase rushes out.
Chase passes Taub, who is once again bragging about beating one of House's sneak attacks, but is then tackled by a janitor. Chase gets to House's office to announce the patient has jaw claudication. House agrees that this points to giant cell arteritis and also agrees to steroids.
The patient improves on steroids. Chase goes to ask her to go surfing, but she's decided to go back to the nunnery because of the vision of the boy she saw during surgery. He tells her he loves her.
Chase is doing research about near death experiences. House tells him he's just suffering a reaction from having slept with her. Chase says the patient is throwing away her life and House accuses him of doing the same. He tells Chase not to strip the meaning out of her life. Chase accuses House of trying to screw with him for trying to re-evaluate his life and tells him that he's just trying to make his life miserable so he would be like House. House reminds him that if that was what he really wanted, he would tell Chase to do the same thing he did - make a stupid decision that blows up in his face and leaves him alone. House tells him to wait to re-assess his life when he makes a mistake. He reminds Chase he didn't make a mistake, he just got stabbed.
Chase goes to see the patient, but she's praying with her rosary. He looks at his research and tosses it in the trash. He goes to see her, and she hugs him. Chase finds Park looking up how to do a procedure in a book. Park is afraid of doing it wrong because she hasn't done one in a while. Chase walks her through the procedure and she realizes she already knows it.
Chase goes to say goodbye to the patient. He nods to the other nun and leaves. She calls after him, goes to him, and holds his hand.
Chase is now walking without crutches and goes back to House's office. He sits in his usual seat and starts looking over the file. House nods at him and Chase nods back.
==Major Events==
*Chase falls in love with and sleeps with a patient, but she decides to return to her convent after having a religious experience during surgery.
*House stages a series of surprise attacks against Taub after Taub starts taking self-defence classes. House finally bribes a janitor to attack Taub in the hallway.
*Chase returns to the team.
==Zebra Factor 7/10==
Giant cell arteritis is uncommon, and is very rare in persons under the age of 55.
==Trivia & Cultural References==
*Altar bread is the unleavened wafer used for the Eucharist. It has to be made out of untreated flour.
*The Carmelites are a religious order founded on Mount Carmel in what is now Israel sometime in the 12th century C.E..
*Kirra Point is a rocky headland separating Kirra Beach from Coolangatta Beach.
*Surfing is a water sport where athletes ride hydrodynamic flat boards on large waves. It was first popularized in Hawaii, but soon spread to Australia.
*Waimea Bay is a beach on the north shore of O'ahu. It is a popular surfing spot with large waves.
*Maui is the second largest of the Hawaiian Islands.
*Paintball is a combat sport where teams shoot at each other with compressed air guns containing paint filled pellets.
*Krav Maga is a military self-defence and fighting system developed for the Israel Defense Forces and Israeli security forces.
*The iPod is a portable media player.
*The Flintstones was the first prime-time television cartoon series, which originally aired from 1960-1966 and has had numerous spin-offs.
*Puerto Escondido is a popular tourist destination in Mexico.
*The fictional Midwest Journal of Experimental Medicine makes its second appearance. It was the same journal that published Foreman's paper.
*Although House's name has featured in the titles of six episodes (one in each season except for one and six), only two characters have had their names alone as episode titles, Wilson and Chase.
*Chase appears in every scene of this episode. House and his team have also their scenes, but Foreman has only three scenes while Wilson has one.
==Cast==
*Hugh Laurie as Gregory House
*Omar Epps as Eric Foreman
*Robert Sean Leonard as James Wilson
*Jesse Spencer as Robert Chase
*Peter Jacobson as Chris Taub
*Odette Annable as Jessica Adams
*Charlyne Yi as Chi Park
*Julie Mond as Moira Parker
*Valeri Ross as Sister Joan
*Jessica Luza as Cindy
*Kandis Erickson as Leisha
*Terrence Beasor as Elderly Man
*Liz Benoit as Nurse Anne
*Bobbin Bergstrom as Nurse
*Maya Jean as Nurse
*Josh Waters as Lorne
==Links==
*Episode page at IMDB
*Episode guide at Ace Showbiz
*Episode review as Blogcritics
*Episode page at House MD Guide
*Episode page at TV.com
*A review of the medicine at Polite Dissent
==Video==
thumb|300px|left|Apology
thumb|300px|left|Target practice
thumb|300px|left|Good advice
thumb|300px|left|Looking
Category:Episodes
Category:Season 8