What's That Song in the 'House' Season Finale?

Posted on May 20th 2008 12:00PM by Melissa Olund
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Make that "songs," as the season finale of doctor drama 'House' included a trifecta of indie-rock cameos. Spoilers ahead -- you've been warned.

On last night's show, part two of a two-part episode, Dr. Gregory House picks up where he left off, racking his accident-addled brain to solve the mystery behind a bus crash. He's realized that Amber, his former employee -- and current girlfriend of his best friend, Wilson -- was the passenger he'd been trying to save on the ill-fated bus. But for the life of him, he can't figure out why they were on the bus together. A sordid affair? Random chance? House comes to realize, with help from guest star Fred Durst (no, really), that it was neither. A Scotch-soaked House dialed Wilson for a designated driver. Fate found girlfriend Amber home to answer the call.

The convoluted plot of repressed memories, electroshock therapy, lung slurries and poorly timed protein-binding flu meds leads to a dire diagnosis -- Amber cannot be saved, and House's efforts to save her have left him comatose. As Wilson breaks the news to Amber while she wakes from anesthesia, the first song comes into play. It's 'Re: Stacks,' by Bon Iver, from the 2007 album 'For Emma, Forever Ago.' "Everything that happens is from now on," singer-songwriter Justin Vernon sings over a sparse guitar melody as Wilson switches off the bypass machine and Amber slips away.

House, still in an apparent coma from a massive seizure, dreams of a conversation on the bus with Amber, set at first against a driving, instrumental bit from People in Planes' 'Light for the Deadvine,' from the 2006 album 'As Far as the Eye Can See.' Dead Amber informs House that "everybody dies," but that he's not dead quite yet. To his chagrin (House cries?!), he walks limp-free off the dream bus back into his miserable, misanthropic life as 'Passing Afternoon,' by Iron & Wine from the appropriately titled 'Our Endless Numbered Days' begins to play.

In the span of about seven minutes, the top-rated Fox drama nailed three spot-on song cameos and left fans wondering for the summer off-season if the cantankerous House they've grown to love will ever be the same.