Baggage (House)

"Baggage" is the twenty-first episode of the sixth season of the American medical drama House. It aired on May 10, 2010. The episode deals with Dr. Nolan trying to help House by getting him to recount the events of the past week. The critical response was generally positive.

The episode is set from the viewpoint of House and Dr. Nolan (guest star Andre Braugher), looking into House's past week to try to work out why House is showing signs of being upset and unperceptive.

During the session with Dr. Nolan, House recounts the case of a woman (guest star Zoe McLellan) who arrives at the Princeton Plainsboro emergency room with an unexplained illness and amnesia. While trying to solve the mystery of the woman's illness, House also helps her piece together her identity based on clues such as her running gear.

In the side story about House's private life, Wilson kicks him out of the condo due to his ex-wife Sam moving in with him. Back in his own apartment, House finds his roommate from Mayfield, Juan "Alvie" Alvarez (guest star Lin-Manuel Miranda) has not only occupied the placebut also sold several highly valuable items in order to finance some questionable redecoration. Throughout this episode, they spend time retrieving those items. Another theme is Alvie's problems with being recognized as an American citizen because he has lost all documents proving his national background. Ultimately, House solves these problems by faking a DNA test, scientifically linking Alvie to his probably Puerto Rican mother. He also recovers the books sold by Alvie. One of them happens to be a very rare book by Cuddy's great-grandfather.

Back in the medical story, the patient's situation continually worsens, finally looking hopeless. However, when she is moved to the operating theater she happens to be pushed through some UV light, where House spots the remnants of a tattoo and diagnoses her as having an allergic reaction to the ink, with the allergy having been triggered by the patient's regular extreme long-distance running. Based on that diagnosis, her death is averted and a full recovery seems possible.