Birthmarks (14 Oct. 2008)

House tries every delaying tactic available when Wilson forces him to attend his father's funeral. Meanwhile, the team tries to find the cause of a young woman's abdominal pain and hemorrhage that occurred in China.

Director:

David Platt

Writers:

David Shore (creator), Doris Egan,

Stars:

Hugh Laurie, Lisa Edelstein, Omar Epps

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Hugh Laurie	...	Dr. Gregory House
Lisa Edelstein	...	Dr. Lisa Cuddy
Omar Epps	...	Dr. Eric Foreman
Robert Sean Leonard	...	Dr. James Wilson
Jennifer Morrison	...	Dr. Allison Cameron
Jesse Spencer	...	Dr. Robert Chase
Peter Jacobson	...	Dr. Chris Taub
Kal Penn	...	Dr. Lawrence Kutner
Olivia Wilde	...	Dr. 'Thirteen' Hadley
Samantha Quan	...	Nicole
Christine Healy	...	Janice
Scott Paulin	...	Bob
Jack Conley	...	Sheriff Costello
Diane Baker	...	Blythe House
Ho-Kwan Tse	...	Fang Dong Wen

Storyline

As the team is team is about to treat a woman they think suffers from SARS, House gets word that his father has passed away. House would rather stay and treat the patient than attend the funeral and eulogize his father, but Cuddy intervenes, and he finds himself going to the funeral with Wilson. Secrets from House's past are revealed.

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Plot Keywords:

delirium tremens | search for parent | flag draped coffin | cell phone | american flag | 

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Genres:

Drama | Mystery

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Certificate:

TV-14

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Mandarin

Release Date:

14 October 2008 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Doheny Mansion - 8 Chester Place, Mount St. Mary's College - 12001 Chalon Road, Bel Air, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Heel & Toe Films, Shore Z Productions, Bad Hat Harry Productions

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

When House and Wilson are chatting in the bar, after Wilson breaks the window with the bottle, the sandwich in House's hands changes between shots. First time, its right edge is towards House;s right; next shot, it's bitten on both sides and then alternates.

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Quotes

Dr. Gregory House: Come on, forget the keys. Call a locksmith. We'll go inside and play "guess that smell" with the truckers while we're waiting. Join me on the dark side.
Dr. James Wilson: Dark side's done, House. I'm delivering you to your mother and that's it.

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Connections

References Sesame Street (1969)

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Soundtracks

"MMMBop"
(uncredited)
Written by Isaac Hanson, Taylor Hanson, Zac Hanson
Performed by Hanson
Played on House's phone as the ringtone

User Reviews

My dad is dead.

It is interesting that I see this episode right after watching Les Revenants, which is also about death. It seemed so appropriate.

While House is the featured mourner, don't think he is the only one. The others, Dr. Wilson (Robert Sean Leonard) and the featured case (Samantha Quan), were also about death in a less subtle way.

But, House's travails, I suspect, would cause a lot of viewers to examine their relationships with their own fathers, alive or dead. And, like House, we would probably agree that, no matter how our relationship was then or how our memories are now, we are who we are because of our father, for better or worse.

Maybe it is not death that is the topic, but relationships. Whatever the case, it was another outstanding episode and an example of why this is the most intelligent show on TV.