House Season 7 Episode 10: Carrot or Stick

A group of recruits are running through a military boot camp challenge as a drill sergeant, Driscoll, yells and pushes one named Landon to the point where he receives a gash on his head. Just then, Driscoll’s back goes out. He collapses to the ground in agony.

Elsewhere, Cuddy (Lisa Edelstein) tells House (Hugh Laurie) she wants her daughter Rachel to be accepted into an exclusive pre-school for gifted children. While Chase (Jesse Spencer) realizes someone has shared naked pictures of him online.

And the team determines Driscoll’s pain, along with new bladder problems, are a result of a nerve issue. As Masters tries to take a blood sample from the sergeant, he launches into a psychotic rage, requiring restraint from security.

Foreman and Masters point to poison, and interview Driscoll’s recruits. Landon has been slipping the sergeant another recruit’s allergy medication. When fluids are given to Driscoll to wash out the drugs, his heart rate begins to drastically increase.

House, in the meantime, is at the fancy pre-school, claiming to be working on a case. He actually steals the institute’s games so that he can coach Rachel for her interview.

Soon Landon is sent to the E.R. with symptoms matching Driscoll’s. Time is running out. Landon refuses medication, steals Masters car keys, and tries to escape from the hospital. Driscoll then suffers from severe leg pain, a sign of kidney dysfunction.

Chase, who has also had his bank account hacked and his cell phone number posted online, follows up with three women he had slept with at a wedding, thinking one to be the source of his humiliation.

Landon admits he was trying to flee so he could avoid going back to boot camp and explains he was sent there by his caseworker. Masters speaks to the caseworker and learns the Driscoll is paying for Landon’s enrolment. Driscoll confesses to House that he is the boy’s father.

Rachel excels at the tests and lies to teachers when they suspect she has been coached.

At the hospital, House comes to the realization that the head lidocaine used to numb the pain from the head injury triggered a genetic condition, Variegate porphyria. The allergy medication caused Driscoll to encounter the same condition. Landon wonders how they could have the same genetic condition and Driscoll reveals he is his father.

Chase discovers the person causing him pain is actually the sister of one of the three women he was with during the recent wedding. He had given her the brush off when she refused to go all the way. Elsewhere, Cuddy tells House the school is not accepting Rachel this year.