Joy to the World (House)

Template:House (TV series) episode "Joy to the World" is the eleventh episode of the fifth season of House and the ninety-seventh episode overall. It aired on December 9, 2008.

Plot

A troubled teen vomits and collapses during her high school Christmas program; Foreman and Thirteen learn more about each other as they work together on the Huntington's disease drug trial; House gives and receives holiday gifts, leading to team speculation; and Cuddy receives a gift as well. A holiday side-story taking place in the clinic deals with the subject of virgin birth (Human Parthenogenesis). The teen is diagnosed with Post-partum Eclampsia and is only expected to live a few more days. Dr. Lisa Cuddy finds the teen's baby in severe condition and returns it to the teen at the hospital. In the end, Cuddy is expected to adopt the baby and Foreman and Thirteen passionately kiss.

References to Sherlock Holmes

In this episode, Dr. Wilson makes up a story to Dr. Taub and Dr. Kutner about Dr. House falling in love with a former patient named Irene Adler. This is an homage to the fictional character, Irene Adler, featured in the Sherlock Holmes story "A Scandal in Bohemia" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, published in July 1891. It was also the surname of the first patient seen in the pilot episode of House; Rebecca Adler.

Another Holmes reference can be found in the book House receives in the beginning of the episode. The author, Dr. Joseph Bell, was the real-life inspiration for Sherlock Holmes.

Trivia

This is the fourth time we see House actually wear a lab coat. The other three times are in the season 1 episode "Mob Rules," the season 2 episode "Sex Kills," and the season 4 episode "Games".

External links

• Medical review of "Joy to the World"