Ep 5. Daddy's Boy

In House season 2 episode 5 titled "Daddy's Boy," Dr. Gregory House and his team are presented with a young patient, a college student named Pat who is suffering from chronic fatigue, joint pain, and gastrointestinal issues. Initially, the differential diagnosis points to rheumatoid arthritis, but tests come back negative.

As House and his team continue to investigate Pat's symptoms, they discover that he comes from a very wealthy and influential family, and that his father is pressuring him to take over the family business. This revelation leads House to suspect that Pat's symptoms are a result of his subconscious reluctance to follow in his father's footsteps.

Meanwhile, House is dealing with his own father issues as his estranged father, John House, shows up at Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital for treatment. John House is revealed to be a character who is equally brilliant and narcissistic, but also neglectful and abusive towards his son. The appearance of his father unsettles House, who is forced to confront his past traumas while also dealing with the current case.

As the episode progresses, House and his team continue to narrow down their list of possible diagnoses, but Pat's condition worsens, leaving him in critical condition. The team ultimately discovers that Pat has a rare autoimmune disease called ALD, which attacks the body's organs and can be fatal if left untreated.

With Pat's life on the line, House must figure out a way to convince Pat's father to approve a risky and experimental treatment that could save his son's life. In the end, House's father, John, also plays a role in helping House connect with Pat's father, revealing a softer and more compassionate side of himself that House had never seen before.

"Daddy's Boy" is a powerful episode that delves into themes of family dysfunction, trauma, and the complicated relationship between fathers and sons. Through House's interactions with the two paternal figures in his life, the episode explores the impact that fathers can have on their children, both positive and negative. Additionally, the parallel between Pat's situation and House's own struggles with his father adds an emotional depth to the episode that is both poignant and thought-provoking. Overall, "Daddy's Boy" is a standout episode of House that showcases the show's ability to tackle complex issues with intelligence and sensitivity.