Tonight’s episode of House marks the arrival of Amber Tamblyn to Princeton-Plainsboro Hospital. Tamblyn will play Martha Masters, a third-year medical student sent to play doctor with House’s team (because of course a student is a valid replacement for a qualified doctor). Masters will join the currently all-male diagnostic team on the instructions of Cuddy.
To give Masters credit, she’s plenty smart enough to keep up. She may even be smart enough to match wits with House, a large part of Cuddy’s excuse for throwing the poor girl onto the team. Turns out that Masters is a genius prodigy who’s already picked up a couple of PhDs on her way to medical school. Does this mean that Tamblyn’s character is another House?
Not exactly — Masters is more like the anti-House. Her views on truth and morality are pretty much opposite House’s “Everybody lies” philosophy. However, she’s just as dedicated as House — and as willing to cause herself problems in defense of her views. Needless to say, Masters and House clash early and often.
But Masters isn’t going anywhere soon. The character will remain at the hospital for at least 13 episodes this season, with no word yet on her final fate. Cuddy wants her to stay, thinking that Masters will eventually be a “star” doctor and a major asset to the hospital. House doesn’t care about that, but he does want Cuddy. So “the Internet with breasts” (House is, as ever, succinct in his summation) has a chance.
What’s in a Name?
On a show that has never shied away from odd-sounding names (Cuddy? House? Remy Hadley?), Martha Masters is particularly odd. Some possible origins for the name:
- She’s a superhero. Honestly, the only people with names like Martha Masters are superheroes trying to hide their secret identity.
- The show wants us to remember that she’s not a doctor yet. In her medical career, Tamblyn’s character is at roughly the level of a masters degree. Maybe they’ll start calling her Doctors if she finished med school before she disappears?
- She’s the “master” of all she tries, which currently is medicine. If her first couple of House episodes are indicative, Masters most definitely **is a medical master. Look for her to figure out a diagnosis before anybody else — she may even beat House to the solution.
- She’s named after a real person. Tamblyn told TV Guide that her character is loosely based on a friend, a medical student named Martha Meredith Masters. That might explain it.
What do you think? Are you looking forward to Amber Tamblyn on House? Do you think she’ll replace “Thirteen,” or will there be room for both eventually? Let us know in the comments!
(Image courtesy of FOX)
Senior Writer, BuddyTV
Laurel grew up in Mamaroneck, NY, Grosse Pointe, MI and Bellevue WA. She then went on to live in places like Boston, Tucson, Houston, Wales, Tanzania, Prince Edward Island and New York City before heading back to Seattle. Ever since early childhood, when she became addicted to The Muppet Show, Laurel has watched far too much TV. Current favorites include Chuck, Modern Family, Supernatural, Mad Men and Community. Laurel received a BA in Astrophysics (yes, that is possible) from Colgate University and a PhD in Middle Eastern Studies and History of Science from Columbia University before she realized that television is much better than studying.
