Half-Wit

"Half-Wit" is the fifteenth episode of the third season of House and premiered on the FOX network on March 6, 2007. Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Dave Matthews guest stars in the episode as Patrick, a savant and piano prodigy who comes under the care of Dr. House (Hugh Laurie) for a rare movement disorder. Dr. House also is suspected to have cancer by his staff. Also appearing is Kurtwood Smith. The episode marks the directorial debut of executive producer Katie Jacobs.

Patrick Obyedkov (Dave Matthews), a respected pianist, is in the middle of playing a piano concert when he suffers a painful involuntary muscle contraction in his left hand. After Patrick is admitted to Princeton-Plainsboro Hospital, his case attracts the attention of House. House learns from Patrick's father (Kurtwood Smith) that Patrick suffered severe brain damage when he was in the 4th grade from a bus accident that also killed his mother. House is intrigued as to why Patrick, who had no musical training at the time of the accident, could suddenly play the piano flawlessly after suffering a severe injury.

He pushes for further testing on Patrick's brain even though the team has diagnosed him with a simple muscle-contraction problem. While trying to deduce the origin of the brain rewiring responsible for Patrick's mysterious gift of music, House and his team must stop the deadly bleeding that is quickly threatening his life. Patrick's condition worsens as he suffers an onset of seizures and as the team stabilizes him with House's diagnosis, House presents a very difficult option to Patrick's father, either to perform a hemispherectomy, a neurological procedure where the right half of Patrick's brain would be removed, allowing Patrick to live normally but not play the piano, or to continue as he is and never live a normal life.

Patrick's father, needing to make a decision asks him whether he is happy. Patrick answers repeating the question back, a defense mechanism indicating that he did not even understand the question. His father opts for the surgery. After the procedure, Patrick loses his ability to speak, though House says this will return. While the father is talking with House about his son's recovery, Patrick buttons his shirt, a task which he had previously been incapable of doing, which leaves him smiling and his father astonished.