Hugh Laurie stars as acerbic but brilliant New
Jersey medic Dr Gregory House in the fourth

series of the Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning
medical drama. In this episode, House is
bemused to encounter a patient with no memory
who mimics the personalities of everybody he
meets. Foreman returns to the hospital to
supervise the applicants, leading to a battle of
wills between House and Cuddy.
House’s team is presented with the case of Martin
Harris, a mugging victim who has been rushed to
hospital with breathing problems. But before they
can examine their patient, both House and his
entourage are surprised to learn their activities will
now be monitored by Foreman, newly
reappointed by Cuddy to be her “eyes and ears”
on the team. “You do nothing without his
knowledge,” she tells them.
House is deeply resentful at having his former
employee watching his every move, and vows to
drive him out. “I can make you miserable... until
you quit again!” he says. However, when Foreman
makes it clear he has no choice but to stay in the
job, House decides to torment Cuddy until she
reverses her decision. He causes chaos in the
hospital canteen and clinic, and even starts to
meddle with her birth-control pills in a futile effort
to have his way.
In the meantime, Martin reports a number of
other baffling symptoms, only to collapse in the
corridor. Foreman suspects that Martin may be
faking his illness when he notices that he is
mimicking traits from other patients on the ward.
“He’s copying his neighbour’s symptoms,” he says,
noting that the paramedic who brought Martin to
the hospital was also called Martin Harris.
Struck by this theory, House goes one step
further and diagnoses Martin with ‘mirror
syndrome’, a rare mental disorder in which
patients begin imitating the people they see. “[His]
brain’s got no idea who he is, where he is, what he
is,” House explains. In the absence of memories
and an identity, the patient adopts the personality
of the most dominant person in the room. This
would appear to be confirmed when House takes
‘Martin’ into Wilson’s surgery and he begins to
mimic Wilson, who – as the surgeon – is the boss
of those around him.
Suspecting an infection is the cause of the
disorder, the team tests the patient for a variety of
possible causes. Time is of the essence, as the
infection is causing his blood to curdle in his veins.
To counteract this, the doctors have to keep him
warm in a heated blanket and then a hot tub.
House realises that he needs to know the man’s
medical history if he is to pinpoint the infection
causing his illness. The only link to the man’s true
identity is his car, which has been impounded.
Cole and Dr 13 manage to break into the vehicle
and retrieve the possessions inside. They
establish that the patient’s real name is Robert
Elliot, but they still have no clue as to his job or
personal life. House decides the only option is to
try and jog the man’s memory by putting on his
clothes and carrying his possessions into his
room. Can he make Robert look into the mirror
and see himself?
Also this week, Foreman has a hard time
adjusting to his new role at the hospital. “I hate
being here,” he confesses to House. “I’d love to
quit, but I can’t.” After enduring House’s constant
attempts to undermine him, Foreman is annoyed
when Cameron suggests that he is actually
enjoying himself. “You belong with House,” she
says. However, an encounter with his ‘mirror
image’ – as personified by Robert – prompts
Foreman to reconsider his feelings. Is he in fact
happy to be back working with his mentor?