Let Them Eat Cake (House)
Encyclopedia
"Let Them Eat Cake" is the tenth episode of the fifth season of House
and the ninety-sixth episode overall. It originally aired on December 2, 2008.
), faints and breaks her ankle, she is sent to Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital, under the care of House
and his diagnostics team. When House's team realizes she had gastric bypass surgery
, Taub
accuses her of being a hypocrite. Emmy develops numbness in her left leg. Emmy gradually loses muscle and nerve control throughout her body and hallucinates. Eventually, Emmy gets frustrated and asks for chocolate cake to console herself; however, she becomes healthier after eating it. House realizes Emmy lacks an enzyme that requires carbohydrates. She has hereditary coproporphyria
. The treatment is a diet rich in carbohydrates and glucose
, but because of her gastric bypass and changes in her lifestyle, she has not been getting enough of either. Emmy rejects the treatment, opting for a pill that will manage her symptoms, but not make her healthy.
Foreman
begins his clinical trials on Huntington's disease
, with Thirteen
reluctantly partaking in the drug regimen. She sees a patient called Janice, and has a flashback, seeing her mother thrashing around the same way. Thirteen follows her medication schedule very strictly, but doesn't show up for her appointments. She tells Foreman that she doesn't want to have to see the state she'll be in in a few years. Foreman tells her to get over it and show up for her appointments on time, or not at all. She has another flashback of her mother getting in a car with herself watching from her window. At her appointment, Foreman tells Thirteen to get to know Janice, so Thirteen helps Janice with her jacket. At the end of the episode, Thirteen goes to talk to Foreman. She tells him that Janice in fact didn't scare her about her future, but it reminded her of her past. She admits that she wanted her mother to die, because her mother yelled at her all the time about nothing, even in front of her friends. Her father told her it was the disease, but she hated her mother nonetheless. She starts to cry and Foreman hugs her.
Cuddy
uses House's office while hers is renovated. She becomes an intrusive participant in the team's differential diagnosis, much to House's annoyance. They settle on sharing his desk until House disrupts her while she is on the phone with a donor. Cuddy retaliates by pouring a vial of hydrogen sulfide
in his office, forcing House to work in a room smelling of rotten eggs--he chooses to leave. The next morning, he heads down to her office, smashes her toilet with a sledgehammer, and convinces the architect he is Cuddy's boss and that he must approve all renovations. House tells Wilson he is having the toilet replaced with a bidet
; Wilson notes House appears to be trying to keep Cuddy in his office, the exact opposite of what he claims to want. Cuddy has the furniture removed from House's office. They confront each other, and House accuses her of wanting him, claiming she wears provocative clothing to get his attention. She claims their rivalry is "going somewhere", but when House gropes her instead of kissing her, Cuddy leaves. To reconcile, House arranges with Cuddy's mom to retrieve Cuddy's medical school desk from storage and install it into her renovated office.
Meanwhile, Kutner
tells Taub he has started an online diagnostic clinic, but used House's name, not his own. Taub blackmail
s Kutner for 30% of the profits in exchange for not telling House. Kutner has trouble with a patient who insists her breast implants are causing problems. The patient shows up at Princeton-Plainsboro to complain to House, whom she believes she has been emailing. Kutner and Taub send her to the emergency room so Cameron
can deal with her. When the woman starts singing "Coconut
" uncontrollably and bleeding from her ears, Chase
tells Kutner to ask House to help. Kutner refuses because his scam will be revealed if he involves House. Chase agrees to help for 25% of the profits. When Kutner and Taub check on the woman, they discover she died. House furiously confronts them with the patient's body on the autopsy table. House blasts Kutner for setting up the site and Taub for not stopping Kutner. House does a series of chest compressions and resuscitates the patient, astounding Kutner and Taub. The whole thing was a prank: House knew about Kutner's website and hired the woman to play a patient; similarly, he bribed Chase and Cameron to play along. House allows Kutner to continue the site, provided he pays House 50% of the profits.
Cuddy heads to House's office to thank him for the desk and what she thinks it symbolizes for their relationship. As she approaches House's office, she spots him flirting with the woman who played Kutner's victim. She turns away, walking back to the elevator dismayed.
House (TV series)
House is an American television medical drama that debuted on the Fox network on November 16, 2004. The show's central character is Dr. Gregory House , an unconventional and misanthropic medical genius who heads a team of diagnosticians at the fictional Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in...
and the ninety-sixth episode overall. It originally aired on December 2, 2008.
Plot
When a fitness guru, Emmy (Samantha SheltonSamantha Shelton
Samantha Sky Shelton is an American actress and singer.-Early life:Samantha Shelton was born in Los Angeles, California, to director Christopher and Carol Stromme. She has three older sisters, Koren, Erin and fellow actress Marley Shelton...
), faints and breaks her ankle, she is sent to Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital, under the care of House
Gregory House
Gregory House, M.D., or simply referred to as House, is a fictional antihero and title character of the American television series House, played by Hugh Laurie. He is the Chief of Diagnostic Medicine at the fictional Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital, where he leads a team of diagnosticians...
and his diagnostics team. When House's team realizes she had gastric bypass surgery
Gastric bypass surgery
Gastric bypass procedures are any of a group of similar operations that first divides the stomach into a small upper pouch and a much larger lower "remnant" pouch and then re-arranges the small intestine to allow both pouches to stay connected to it. Surgeons have developed several different ways...
, Taub
Chris Taub
Christopher Michael "Chris" Taub, M.D., is a fictional character on the Fox medical drama House. He is portrayed by Peter Jacobson. He becomes a member of House's new diagnostic team in the Season 4 episode titled "Games".-Professional life:...
accuses her of being a hypocrite. Emmy develops numbness in her left leg. Emmy gradually loses muscle and nerve control throughout her body and hallucinates. Eventually, Emmy gets frustrated and asks for chocolate cake to console herself; however, she becomes healthier after eating it. House realizes Emmy lacks an enzyme that requires carbohydrates. She has hereditary coproporphyria
Hereditary coproporphyria
Hereditary coproporphyria is a type of acute porphyria that is associated with a deficiency of the enzyme coproporphyrinogen III oxidase....
. The treatment is a diet rich in carbohydrates and glucose
Glucose
Glucose is a simple sugar and an important carbohydrate in biology. Cells use it as the primary source of energy and a metabolic intermediate...
, but because of her gastric bypass and changes in her lifestyle, she has not been getting enough of either. Emmy rejects the treatment, opting for a pill that will manage her symptoms, but not make her healthy.
Foreman
Eric Foreman
Eric Foreman, M.D., is a fictional character on the Fox medical drama House. He is portrayed by Omar Epps.-Background:A neurologist, Foreman was a member of Dr. Gregory House's handpicked team of specialists at Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital's Diagnostic Medicine Department...
begins his clinical trials on Huntington's disease
Huntington's disease
Huntington's disease, chorea, or disorder , is a neurodegenerative genetic disorder that affects muscle coordination and leads to cognitive decline and dementia. It typically becomes noticeable in middle age. HD is the most common genetic cause of abnormal involuntary writhing movements called chorea...
, with Thirteen
Thirteen (House)
Remy "Thirteen" Hadley, M.D., is a fictional character on the Fox medical drama House, portrayed by Olivia Wilde. She is part of the new diagnostic team assembled by Dr. Gregory House after the disbanding of his previous team in the third season finale...
reluctantly partaking in the drug regimen. She sees a patient called Janice, and has a flashback, seeing her mother thrashing around the same way. Thirteen follows her medication schedule very strictly, but doesn't show up for her appointments. She tells Foreman that she doesn't want to have to see the state she'll be in in a few years. Foreman tells her to get over it and show up for her appointments on time, or not at all. She has another flashback of her mother getting in a car with herself watching from her window. At her appointment, Foreman tells Thirteen to get to know Janice, so Thirteen helps Janice with her jacket. At the end of the episode, Thirteen goes to talk to Foreman. She tells him that Janice in fact didn't scare her about her future, but it reminded her of her past. She admits that she wanted her mother to die, because her mother yelled at her all the time about nothing, even in front of her friends. Her father told her it was the disease, but she hated her mother nonetheless. She starts to cry and Foreman hugs her.
Cuddy
Lisa Cuddy
Dr. Lisa Cuddy, M.D., is a fictional character on the Fox medical drama House. She is portrayed by Lisa Edelstein. Cuddy was the Dean of Medicine and hospital administrator of the fictional Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in New Jersey. She also becomes House's love interest through the...
uses House's office while hers is renovated. She becomes an intrusive participant in the team's differential diagnosis, much to House's annoyance. They settle on sharing his desk until House disrupts her while she is on the phone with a donor. Cuddy retaliates by pouring a vial of hydrogen sulfide
Hydrogen sulfide
Hydrogen sulfide is the chemical compound with the formula . It is a colorless, very poisonous, flammable gas with the characteristic foul odor of expired eggs perceptible at concentrations as low as 0.00047 parts per million...
in his office, forcing House to work in a room smelling of rotten eggs--he chooses to leave. The next morning, he heads down to her office, smashes her toilet with a sledgehammer, and convinces the architect he is Cuddy's boss and that he must approve all renovations. House tells Wilson he is having the toilet replaced with a bidet
Bidet
A bidet is a low-mounted plumbing fixture or type of sink intended for washing the genitalia, inner buttocks, and anus. It was originally a French word.-History:...
; Wilson notes House appears to be trying to keep Cuddy in his office, the exact opposite of what he claims to want. Cuddy has the furniture removed from House's office. They confront each other, and House accuses her of wanting him, claiming she wears provocative clothing to get his attention. She claims their rivalry is "going somewhere", but when House gropes her instead of kissing her, Cuddy leaves. To reconcile, House arranges with Cuddy's mom to retrieve Cuddy's medical school desk from storage and install it into her renovated office.
Meanwhile, Kutner
Lawrence Kutner (House)
Lawrence Kutner M.D. is a fictional character on the Fox medical drama House. He is played by Kal Penn. He becomes a member of House's new diagnostic team in "Games", the ninth episode of the fourth season...
tells Taub he has started an online diagnostic clinic, but used House's name, not his own. Taub blackmail
Blackmail
In common usage, blackmail is a crime involving threats to reveal substantially true or false information about a person to the public, a family member, or associates unless a demand is met. It may be defined as coercion involving threats of physical harm, threat of criminal prosecution, or threats...
s Kutner for 30% of the profits in exchange for not telling House. Kutner has trouble with a patient who insists her breast implants are causing problems. The patient shows up at Princeton-Plainsboro to complain to House, whom she believes she has been emailing. Kutner and Taub send her to the emergency room so Cameron
Allison Cameron (House)
Allison Cameron, M.D., is a fictional character on the Fox medical drama House, portrayed by American actress Jennifer Morrison. An immunologist, Cameron was a member of Dr...
can deal with her. When the woman starts singing "Coconut
Coconut (song)
"Coconut" is a song written and first recorded by Harry Nilsson.-Original version:The third single from his 1971 album, Nilsson Schmilsson, it reached #8 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, and it features three distinct characters , all sung in different voices by Nilsson...
" uncontrollably and bleeding from her ears, Chase
Robert Chase
Dr. Robert Chase is a fictional character on the Fox medical drama House. He is portrayed by Jesse Spencer. His character was a part of the team of diagnosticians who worked under Gregory House until the end of the third season when House fires him. However, he was then re-hired in season 6...
tells Kutner to ask House to help. Kutner refuses because his scam will be revealed if he involves House. Chase agrees to help for 25% of the profits. When Kutner and Taub check on the woman, they discover she died. House furiously confronts them with the patient's body on the autopsy table. House blasts Kutner for setting up the site and Taub for not stopping Kutner. House does a series of chest compressions and resuscitates the patient, astounding Kutner and Taub. The whole thing was a prank: House knew about Kutner's website and hired the woman to play a patient; similarly, he bribed Chase and Cameron to play along. House allows Kutner to continue the site, provided he pays House 50% of the profits.
Cuddy heads to House's office to thank him for the desk and what she thinks it symbolizes for their relationship. As she approaches House's office, she spots him flirting with the woman who played Kutner's victim. She turns away, walking back to the elevator dismayed.