The Down Low
Encyclopedia
"The Down Low" is the eleventh episode of the sixth season of House
. It aired on January 11, 2010.
) mysteriously collapses while negotiating a sale, his partner-in-crime, Eddie (Nick Chinlund
), accompanies him to Princeton Plainsboro for treatment. But with a major deal pending, Mickey is not forthcoming with the necessary personal information the team needs to treat him. As Mickey's condition worsens, the team resorts to old-fashioned detective work to solve the case. Eddie takes Thirteen
to a warehouse to inspect the drugs for clues; they are nearly caught, but Thirteen pretends to be a prostitute and they get away with it.
Thirteen, Chase
and Taub
attempt to play a practical joke on Foreman
. Thirteen leaves a phony paystub showing she earns more than Foreman on the floor where he finds it. When Foreman complains to Chase and Taub, they confirm that they earn as much as Thirteen. Thirteen also borrows an expensive watch to reinforce the joke. Foreman protests the apparent disparity in pay to Cuddy
, but she refuses to negotiate, noting that Foreman does not have another offer to bargain with. Foreman later tells his coworkers that he is going to leave after this case and the three of them confess the joke to Cuddy and ask her to pay him extra out of their pay checks to keep him from resigning. She agrees, then tells them that Foreman has said nothing to her about leaving. As they leave Cuddy's office Foreman laughs at their gullibility.
Meanwhile, House
and Wilson
compete for the affection of a new neighbor, Nora (Sasha Alexander
). House makes her think that they are a homosexual couple. When Wilson tries to explain that it's one of House's schemes, Nora misinterprets the situation and thinks that Wilson is jealous that she is spending time with House. Finally, at a restaurant, Wilson announces his "marriage proposal" to House. The plan works and she ends up resenting both of them.
House bugs
Mickey's room to find out any useful secrets. When he is unable to, he realizes the signal is jammed because Mickey has a bug of his own in the room. Mickey is in fact an undercover cop terrified of being caught. He has been spying for 16 months. He is uncooperative because he fears blowing the cover and losing the case on a big cocaine dealer. House eventually realizes Mickey's disease is Hughes-Stovin Syndrome
, an untreatable autoimmune disease
that creates multiple aneurysms. Thirteen comforts him saying he did the right thing not blowing the case because there was nothing they could have done, no matter what he said.
As Mickey dies in his wife's arms, Eddie and the drug dealers are arrested. As they're caught, Eddie realizes the truth about Mickey, and is visibly hurt. Earlier in the episode, Mickey had the choice of letting Eddie stay at his bedside and not get caught, or of sending him to the drug deal and get caught. Mickey chose to do his duty as a cop, but before Eddie left, Mickey apologized to him, knowing what was coming.
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...
. It aired on January 11, 2010.
Plot
When drug dealer Mickey (Ethan EmbryEthan Embry
Ethan Philan Randall , although he is known and usually credited as Ethan Embry, is an American film and television actor. He is known for his role as Declan Giggs on the Showtime television series Brotherhood.-Personal life:...
) mysteriously collapses while negotiating a sale, his partner-in-crime, Eddie (Nick Chinlund
Nick Chinlund
Zareh Nicholas "Nick" Chinlund is an American actor.-Early life:Chinlund was born in New York City. He attended the Friends Seminary in Lower Manhattan, later moving to Albany, NY in order to participate in Albany High School's varsity basketball program...
), accompanies him to Princeton Plainsboro for treatment. But with a major deal pending, Mickey is not forthcoming with the necessary personal information the team needs to treat him. As Mickey's condition worsens, the team resorts to old-fashioned detective work to solve the case. Eddie takes 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...
to a warehouse to inspect the drugs for clues; they are nearly caught, but Thirteen pretends to be a prostitute and they get away with it.
Thirteen, 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...
and 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:...
attempt to play a practical joke on 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...
. Thirteen leaves a phony paystub showing she earns more than Foreman on the floor where he finds it. When Foreman complains to Chase and Taub, they confirm that they earn as much as Thirteen. Thirteen also borrows an expensive watch to reinforce the joke. Foreman protests the apparent disparity in pay to 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...
, but she refuses to negotiate, noting that Foreman does not have another offer to bargain with. Foreman later tells his coworkers that he is going to leave after this case and the three of them confess the joke to Cuddy and ask her to pay him extra out of their pay checks to keep him from resigning. She agrees, then tells them that Foreman has said nothing to her about leaving. As they leave Cuddy's office Foreman laughs at their gullibility.
Meanwhile, 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 Wilson
James Wilson (House)
James Evan Wilson, M.D., is a fictional character on the Fox medical drama House. He is played by Robert Sean Leonard. The character first appears in the show's pilot episode when he introduces a medical case to Dr. Gregory House, the protagonist of the show. Wilson is Dr. House's only true friend,...
compete for the affection of a new neighbor, Nora (Sasha Alexander
Sasha Alexander
Sasha Alexander is an American actress. She is best known for several roles, including Gretchen Witter, the sister of Pacey Witter on Dawson's Creek; NCIS Special Agent Kate Todd in the first two seasons of NCIS; as Lucy in Yes Man ; and as Catherine in He's Just Not That Into You .She currently...
). House makes her think that they are a homosexual couple. When Wilson tries to explain that it's one of House's schemes, Nora misinterprets the situation and thinks that Wilson is jealous that she is spending time with House. Finally, at a restaurant, Wilson announces his "marriage proposal" to House. The plan works and she ends up resenting both of them.
House bugs
Covert listening device
A covert listening device, more commonly known as a bug or a wire, is usually a combination of a miniature radio transmitter with a microphone. The use of bugs, called bugging, is a common technique in surveillance, espionage and in police investigations.A bug does not have to be a device...
Mickey's room to find out any useful secrets. When he is unable to, he realizes the signal is jammed because Mickey has a bug of his own in the room. Mickey is in fact an undercover cop terrified of being caught. He has been spying for 16 months. He is uncooperative because he fears blowing the cover and losing the case on a big cocaine dealer. House eventually realizes Mickey's disease is Hughes-Stovin Syndrome
Hughes-Stovin syndrome
Hughes-Stovin syndrome is a rare autoimmune disorder of unknown cause that is characterized by the combination of multiple pulmonary artery aneurysms and deep vein thrombosis. It is named after the two British physicians, John Patterson Hughes and Peter George Ingle Stovin, who first described it...
, an untreatable autoimmune disease
Autoimmune disease
Autoimmune diseases arise from an overactive immune response of the body against substances and tissues normally present in the body. In other words, the body actually attacks its own cells. The immune system mistakes some part of the body as a pathogen and attacks it. This may be restricted to...
that creates multiple aneurysms. Thirteen comforts him saying he did the right thing not blowing the case because there was nothing they could have done, no matter what he said.
As Mickey dies in his wife's arms, Eddie and the drug dealers are arrested. As they're caught, Eddie realizes the truth about Mickey, and is visibly hurt. Earlier in the episode, Mickey had the choice of letting Eddie stay at his bedside and not get caught, or of sending him to the drug deal and get caught. Mickey chose to do his duty as a cop, but before Eddie left, Mickey apologized to him, knowing what was coming.
Music
- "Maggot BrainMaggot Brain (song)"Maggot Brain" is a song by the band Funkadelic. It appears as the lead track on their 1971 album of the same name.The original recording of the song, over ten minutes long, features little more than a spoken introduction and a much-praised extended guitar solo by Eddie Hazel. Music critic Greg...
" by FunkadelicFunkadelicFunkadelic was an American band most prominent during the 1970s. The band and its sister act Parliament, both led by George Clinton, began the funk music culture of that decade.-History:... - "One" by the cast of A Chorus LineA Chorus LineA Chorus Line is a 1975 musical about Broadway dancers auditioning for spots on a chorus line. The book was authored by James Kirkwood, Jr. and Nicholas Dante, lyrics were written by Edward Kleban, and music was composed by Marvin Hamlisch....
- "Sway" by Dean MartinDean MartinDean Martin was an American singer, film actor, television star and comedian. Martin's hit singles included "Memories Are Made of This", "That's Amore", "Everybody Loves Somebody", "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You", "Sway", "Volare" and "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?"...