Twenty Vicodin

In the first episode of the new season, House is serving a prison sentence after driving his car into Cuddy’s house and attempting to flee justice but, after only one year, he finds himself up before the parole board. There’s a space problem in the prison and all he has to do is stay out of trouble for five days.

The next day, House accompanies his silent cellmate, Asofa, to the common area, ensuring the murderer gets his anti-psychotic medication, and learns that word of his parole has got around. It’s not long before he’s called to prison ‘kingpin’ Mendelson who demands an ‘exit tax’ of him. He’s to get him 20 Vicodin by the end of the week… or else! But House has no idea how to get it.

While cleaning the infirmary, House overhears prison doctor Jessica Adams diagnosing prisoner Nick’s condition. Believing her to be wrong, House offers his thoughts, diagnosing lupus, and it’s not long before he’s heavily involved in the case. Nick deteriorates and House realises he may have cancer, a theory Dr Adams disproves. Later, Nick goes into anaphylactic shock, forcing House to perform a tracheotomy… the case is becoming even more mysterious.

Then, seeing steam rising off an inmate’s coffee, House has an epiphany –it’s mastocytosis, triggered by hot liquids. Banned from the infirmary by Dr Sykes, Adams’ boss, House goes to Mendelson with the Vicodin given to him by Dr Adams. But he then throws them into the air triggering a riot and an attack on him by Mendelson’s henchman who’s only stopped by a furious attack from Asofa!

House is taken to the infirmary where, against Sykes’ orders, he gets Nick to take asprin, which should trigger an attack and prove his theory. Adams helps and is immediately fired, but the asprin seems to have no effect.

Next day, House is in solitary when his food arrives with a note from Adams – he was right!