s2 episodes to watch if you’re converting to foremanism
you guys know the drill, I’ve just finished my s2 rewatch (or well. i did when I first started this post. current matthew finished it like a month ago) so here are the episodes in s2 that you can watch to understand foreman better as a character. surprisingly there are actually more important foreman episodes in s2 than in s1 even though i really do consider s1 THE foreman season, but that’s mostly because while s1 has a lot of foreman a lot of it is foreman filler. anyway, without further ado, the episodes, and what they tell us about foreman;
acceptance - i think this is maybe the best episode for exploring foreman’s relationship with his blackness. this is the episode with the line “a person’s upbringing and their biology are completely different.” “yeah. see, you only overcame one of them.” foreman believes in pulling yourself up by your bootstraps, and he acts like he believes that this is what he’s done, he’s ascended the meritocracy. but foreman is insecure. foreman is so insecure as a person, and he’s so insecure in his place in society. it’s why he dresses well, why he likes a nice fancy office, he needs to be taken seriously, he needs people to look past his history and the colour of his skin. i also don’t think that this patient is actually supposed to be a reflection of foreman, i think he’s actually hugely a reflection of marcus. all the stuff about him being a big brother and foreman snarking that it didn’t matter the way he made his little brother’s mac n cheese because of what he did… that’s foreman talking to marcus, not the patient. he also does see the best in people, he’s a romantic and the second the patient shows him that maybe this wasn’t his fault, foreman immediately becomes patient advocate. he testifies at the appeal. very good foreman episode and it tells us a whole lot about him
humpty dumpty - now, i have complicated feelings about this as an episode. house is very hit and miss when it comes to addressing foreman’s race, sometimes you will get beauties like role model and acceptance, and sometimes you will get episodes like humpty dumpty. but that isn’t to say that humpty dumpty isn’t still important, because i do think that it is. this one explores foreman’s views on and relationship with race directly, but that’s not what the episode does well, he just comes off as preachy and almost out of character. but what the episode does do well is painting foreman as a hypocrite. it almost builds on histories in that manner. he believes that when he shares a quality with a patient, he knows best. and that’s wrong, that’s not true. unfortunately this episode doesn’t really explore that enough and it feels like an unintended consequence rather than what they set out to do, but it is still worth a watch. feel free to skip it though no harm done
deception - i think that this is a very good episode for foreman’s ambition and, in a sense, his optimism/naivety. foreman is an incredibly ambitious person, and you sort of get a feel for this in the episode. foreman really wants to do well for himself, keep climbing the ranks, he wants this position not because he enjoys holding it over house’s head (even though he thinks he will at first, foreman… doesn’t, really) but because he wants to do better for himself. he wants prestige. at this point for foreman, and at this point in the show, this position is temporary (even though it doesn’t really stay that way). he’s already thinking bigger! and he’s very optimistic about the whole thing working, he believes that this change could genuinely work, could be good, and the kicker is that he’s not entirely wrong. but this is an episode hugely about futility, and futility is a massive theme for foreman overall. very good episode to watch as a precursor to the dean foreman arc.
failure to communicate - foreman’s socially conservative view of a hierarchical order and his difficulties with both leading other people and just interacting with them in general. in this episode, the department is a MESS. it’s actually very funny how bad foreman is in a leadership role when he’s leading normal people instead of house. he’s actually quite naturally adept at leading house because of how alike they are, in a similar way to cuddy’s talent for managing house. and completely unlike cuddy, that talent does not extend any further than house. rightfully, chase is pissed that foreman is trying to lead them because the position isn’t a real one. cameron is also rightfully pissed that foreman is lording it over them because she thinks that things should be a fair, equal discussion with nobody in charge. alright comrade cameron calm down. but the episode does articulate foreman’s views on hierarchy really well, and to a degree he’s right. the department does need someone in charge, or at least someone to force them to hold hands and work together. but it isn’t foreman, much to his dismay. he’s just not there yet. sure would be great if they actually built on this in a meaningful way instead of thwarting his every leadership attempt and never letting him learn how to lead people before putting him in a position where he’s suddenly randomly really good at leading people. also a very good episode for showing how fucking entitled he is. that’s house’s twin guys
sleeping dogs lie - okay, this isn’t a very strong one because sleeping dogs lie (and honestly articlegate as a whole) is much more about cameron than it is foreman, but I’ve kept it in mostly for that last conversation between forecam. i think that when you factor in that cameron never calls foreman a friend before this episode and foreman DOES call cameron a friend before this episode, it’s such an interesting little glimpse into how his mind works. he’s the one doing a load of lore dropping, asking her philosophical questions, shoving chase out the way to hug her. but he’s doing something similar to what he does in every romantic relationship; doing something atrocious that has the side effect of pushing her away. and as if to justify himself, he claims that they were never friends in the first place. because deep down, i think foreman does know that it’s a shitty thing to do. but he just can’t help himself. I also find it so interesting that this conversation is a self fulfilling prophecy; because he’s pushed her away in this manner, they do just become ex colleagues that will hug at a conference and send each other christmas cards. makes me very sad #myforecam
euphoria 1 - i think that people really gloss over what euphoria 1 says about foreman in comparison to euphoria 2 because euphoria 2 is the big scary hold up foreman Might Actually Die episode, and its tension sort of subtracts from the memorability of euphoria 1, so im splitting them in two. this episode really illustrates what foreman will do when he’s backed into a corner, when he’s scared. stabgate is maybe one of the most interesting things we ever see foreman do, it’s really up there with the events of family for me. because foreman really genuinely has no ill will against cameron. it’s important to me that you know that. he does not dislike her. but foreman thinks linearly. foreman thinks i cannot die in this room. it’s actually a surprisingly logical thought process for a man with a brain parasite; if cameron thinks she’s at risk, then she’ll go check the house, and she’ll save both of us, so no harm no foul. and if she doesn’t, and she gets sick, then house will see the death toll and finally risk himself. and if she doesn’t go and doesn’t get sick, then no harm no foul. the entire episode is about doubt and control. foreman knows that they have no idea what they’re doing, and they won’t tell him about any of their options, they won’t let him be a part of his own treatment and this is so painful for foreman because he knows that they don’t have a clue. and foreman needs control. without control over himself, which he is slowly losing, he has nothing.
euphoria 2 - ive said it once and I’ll say it again; euphoria 2 is an episode about love. genuinely they could’ve had forecam make out crazy style at the end of this and i would not have been surprised at all. forehouse too lowkey. foreman is so insecure in how much other people love him, and he really genuinely can’t see it. sure, it’s physical in this episode, he physically cannot see them so he assumes they don’t care to be there, but this is a theme with him throughout the series. he’s simultaneously so arrogant and also so insecure, it’s why he needs physical reminders of his social standing such as his fancy offices and his nice suits, to materially remind him that he belongs. he does not believe that these people could possibly love him. he believes that cameron needs stabgate to care, that she just cares about him because she cares about all her patients, and he can’t see how much she really does love him. and the same with house, because house won’t take the risks he does with every other patient with him, he assumes that he’s treating him worse on purpose rather than it being a byproduct of how much house cares, of how much he’s just trying to preserve the thing foreman cares about the most; his mind. his control over himself. and the same with his father, who he assumes is clinging to religion because he believes everything is all in god’s plan, rather than because he needs something to comfort him because he is so afraid that his best boy is going to die. and if euphoria 1 is about doubt, then euphoria 2 is ultimately about faith, and where it fails. why foreman’s role as the doubter is so necessary. because you can have faith in house, and usually it will be correct. but you can’t always wait for him.
forever - i said it when i was rewatching it and ill say it again; forever is kind of a foreman comphet episode. foreman believes that he can delude himself into being happy with living the right way, that he can be happy with everything that’s ‘wrong’ with him. he puts on a huge performance of happiness, of being born again. he lords it over them, acts as though he’s better than them because he’s supposedly learned to live without the one thing that makes him better than everyone. and then, house makes a comment, and foreman’s mask slips. he’s not happy. he’s so discontent with living the right way, the way he’s convinced himself is better. he’s so bored of not taking risks and he’s so frightened of losing himself, of losing everything that makes him special and he’s so frightened by how discontent he is, because what if he never goes back to normal? what if he’s unhappy and average for the rest of his life? what if he’s just like everyone else? it really illustrates to me why foreman would never be satisfied as dean, he’s created this vision for himself where everything works out tidily and he ends up content in the best position he can be, but foreman’s visions never come true. or, at least, not the good ones. he’s bored without risks. he’s discontent pretending to be better than everyone when they’re doing the things he wishes he could be doing. this is why post s8 he’s chase’s backseat driver #1 ://
ALSO:
I created these posts a tag so you can find them more easily, it is #foremanism rewatch. and if you do a foreman rewatch and have thoughts on it PLEASE put them under there so i can see… and also while this isn’t technically part of house md positivity week it spiritually is. my favourite character is foreman guys there i just did day one i think. favourite episodes dnr and family include me guys
episodes to watch if you’re converting to foremanism
silly title, but i just finished my s1 rewatch so i want to outline the most important s1 episodes you can watch/rewatch to better understand foreman as a character and the things that they tell you about him. i will be updating this when i rewatch the other seasons!
the pilot - this is where we meet foreman, and it’s here that we get it really set out for us as to who foreman is. he believes in propriety, but that’s nebulous. he’s a romantic. he has a history of crime. he’s remarkably intelligent. he’s not afraid to challenge house. house likes him. these are all very important cornerstones for who foreman is going to be for the rest of this series and while they get explored in depth later on you kinda need that foundational knowledge first
poison - this is where we kind of start with the idea of foreman being like house, and this is a huge theme that will continue with him. he doesn’t really acknowledge that he’s like house in this episode, despite them having the same damn shoes, but we see it all throughout. we see his arrogance, we see his cockiness, we see the negative qualities of house really shine in him here. the patients mother even says “you’re just as pompous and self absorbed as he is!” and foreman acts like it’s total bullshit and then gets in the lift with house and his matching shoes.
dnr - tells us a huge amount about foreman’s belief in propriety and how it clashes his belief in house. the whole episode, foreman is quarrelling with the way that house does things because it’s not proper. but house is right, and that matters to foreman above all else. house is right, and foreman is smart enough to know that house can make him better. medicine is his ‘thing’ as much as it is houses, as much as music is the patient‘s. he’s smart enough to know he’ll never be satisfied with settling no matter how badly he wants to. very much an episode oat for me.
histories - this is the big episode for foreman and his belief in the meritocracy and his mistaken belief in how accessible it is. foreman thinks that because he ascended the meritocracy, everyone can, and he looks down on the people that haven’t because he believes that they just didn’t try hard enough. and, crucially, he’s proven wrong. he’s shown that not everyone can, and he regrets it so very deeply. this is a very good episode for showing us foreman’s bias, why he has it, and that it’s out of no genuine malice. he can see the best in people, he wants to see the best in them, and he hates it when he prevents himself from doing that from a preconceived notion of them being unworthy.
sports medicine - ive already written up my whole thoughts on sports medicine, but this is where his whole Weird and Comphet thing starts up. this is where we first see what foreman is like in a relationship, and this is where we see how odd and performative he can be, how he feels the need to conform as it pertains to his relationships and let everyone know that he’s conforming. it shows us how his relationships are often for outside approval, and how he’ll end them abruptly always in an indirect way that forces them to drift apart or the woman to break up with him. we’ll see this pattern again with wendy, with thirteen, and finally with the married lady in s8.
heavy - this is an episode that tells us firstly about foreman’s sense of solidarity (which i believe probably links back to his criminal history) and his deep rooted insecurity/imposter syndrome. his job is never on the line, we know this for certain because he’s house’s special boy, even the other fellows know this, but foreman doesn’t know this. foreman really wants his job, he looks down on chase not appreciating his job and not working hard for it when he’s worked so hard to get where he is and feels like he has to perform twice as good to keep the same job. and despite foreman’s refusal to lower himself, he’s so insecure when house makes essentially a joke about foreman’s job being on the line that foreman cracks. he’s worried it’s a real threat. he’s so insecure that he’s blind to how much house really does just absolutely adore him and that insecurity/imposter syndrome will remain very important through the whole show.
role model - i think that while this episode isn’t the most important episode ever, i think it’s one that you can miss out and it doesn’t have the clearest line of analysis in the same way the others tell us something direct about him, but i do think that this is an episode that tells us about foreman’s relationship with his blackness and thus his relationship with honesty and hard work through the lens of his blackness. i think it tells us about it mostly through his interactions with the patient, i think it shows us that foreman holds himself to higher standards just like the patient does because he’s a black man.
honourable mentions:
these are episodes that don’t directly tell us about foreman as a character, but they do set precedents for how foreman’s relationships function with the other fellows.
babies & bathwater - foreman chase beef. yes it starts in heavy but this is when it gets BAD. this is when it gets generational beef starting bad. second foreman knows his job isn’t on the line he’s gunning for chase’s neck and he actively thinks chase doesn’t deserve nor appreciate the job.
love hurts - forecam!! while he’s cameron advocate #1 in all episodes after she gets fired i think that this one is a big one for just… showing how much he likes her. bantering with cameron all episode, very clearly overjoyed to have her back, staying back and talking to house about her, calling her a friend… he’s fake idgafer #1 in s2.
anyway i hate how fandom has landed on foreman as "he follows rules and is very cautious and never reckless" like this man hasn't been insane since episode one, where he decided to make himself a snack while breaking into the patient's home.
like! foreman does fight against his more impulsive side but come onnnnn. he steals bone marrow (family). he gets fired for reckless treatment against orders (97 seconds). he covers up murder (the tyrant). he lies to a patient's hook up to get him to admit to drug use (it's a wonderful lie); he lies to patients for information (failure to communicate). he switches 13's meds, and ropes the romani kid into taking illegal meds against his parent's wishes (needle in a haystack); he pretends his patient is another woman to get her an MRI (histories); he puts his mentor's patient on different meds because house suggested it (dnr), and laughs off house's lying/distrust when a patient is mad about it (poison).
foreman's recklessness is what gets his patient killed in house training, and his cautiousness afterward is out of character enough everyone mentions it; the same goes for his cautiousness in forever: it's out of character. foreman's recklessness and willingness to break the rules is what causes his entire crisis in s3 that leads to his resignation, and not for nothing does the patient in mirror mirror copy foreman by saying "yeah, i love this, i love the rush of this job."
foreman is reckless! he is a rule breaker! he struggles against this; it is not necessarily who or what he wants to be. he cares about people; he wishes he cared a bit more about his patients (not that he doesn't, but: he isn't the touchy-feely guy he pretends he is in forever, either). he doesn't like the idea of lying or doubting people or manipulating them as the first resort, out of cynicism or hatred of humanity, à la house: he wants to follow ethical and moral guidelines. and foreman does learn to strike a balance, i think: he stops being as reactive by s4/5, but... he's still switching out those meds and covering up murders. he hasn't changed that much.
foreman has never been a boring rule-follower. he's never liked or gotten along with authority (he alone of the og3 hated vogler and tritter from the start). he's always been the most willing of the og3 to do what he thinks is right and argue and ignore what he believes isn't. foreman has never, ever been cautious and staid and obedient: he's much too much like house for that.
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