House
Summary
The following contains discussions of suicide .
Many character reference were killed off throughoutHouse MD , but the most abrupt and shocking death left fans enquire , " Why did Kutner kill himself?“Dr . Lawrence Kutner ( Kal Penn ) took his own life in season 5 , episode 20 , " Simple Explanation . " Kutner was introduced in season 4 as one of a large pool of applicants whom Dr. Gregory House ( Hugh Laurie ) forced to vie for a consultant position . Though he was fired and rehired numerous times throughout the competition , Kutner ultimately made the final cutting alongside Dr. Remy " Thirteen " Hadley ( Olivia Wilde ) and Dr. Chris Taub ( Peter Jacobson ) .
Kutner was smart and passionate about his work , showing no outward signs of depression as he and his colleagues work mysteries with themedical Sherlock Holmeshimself , Dr. House MD . In " Simple Explanation , " after Kutner fails to show up for work , Thirteen and Foreman ( Omar Epps ) go to his flat and retrieve him utter of a ego - inflict gunshot wounding to the head . at long last , Dr. House hear to accept that Kutner kill himself and there may never be a real account for it . Off - screen , there was a simple explanation for why doer Kal Penn left the show .
look on House on Hulu
It was a running gag on House , MD that the patient never had lupus . It was true until one of them finally did in an instalment during time of year 4 .
House Killed Off Kutner Because Kal Penn Wanted To Leave The Show
The Actor Left House For The White House
Why did Kutner kill himself ? Ultimately , it ’s because actorKal Penn leftHouse MDfor a different kind of house - the White House . talk in an interview(viaNPR ) , Penn recalled that his co - star Olivia Wilde invited him to an event for then - U.S. Senator Barack Obama during the 2007 Democratic primaries . At the time Penn had interpret Obama ’s Good Book but was n’t interested in catch involve in politics . Attending the case , however , changed his creative thinker :
" I go to this event with [ Wilde ] , really in reality like it … [and ] was enamor enough by his campaign . So I ’ll do three day in Iowa before the caucus … And then he advance ! And there was an opportunity to service in the White House , and … you know , what are you gon na say , ' No Mr. President , I have another stoner moving picture to make ? ' "
Penn was offered a position as associate director in the White House Office of Public Engagement in other 2009 . The job offering was the ultimate reasonableness he broke hisHouse MDcontract , which lead to a difficult conversation with the showrunners . talk in an interview(viaEW ) , Penn recalled :
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" We had a very longsighted treatment . And I commend David [ Shore ] saying , ' Are you telling me that you ’re dysphoric with the show and that you want to pull up stakes so you’re able to go off and do a different show ? ' And I was like , ' Not at all . I ’m really suppose the exact opposite , which is I ’m having an unbelievable time , but there ’s something aching in me to do something completely different and take a break from the do thing for a while . ' And with their blessing , we were able-bodied to form it out . "
After dish two old age in the White House , Penn bequeath in 2011 and joinedHow I Met Your Motherin a recurring role . He did eventually rejoin toHouse MDfor the time of year 8 series closing curtain , " Everybody Dies , " in 2012 - appear as one of Dr. House ’s hallucinations , which also include Dr. Cuddy - who had also impart the show . That being said , while House driving a car through Cuddy ’s living room after their dissolution explainswhy Cuddy leftHouse , Kutner ’s dying persist for the most part mysterious .
Why Did Kutner Kill Himself? The Lack Of Explanation Was The Point
It Proves That House Isn’t Perfect
Though Kutner ’s dying was n’t the first time a major goggle box case claim their own living , it was unparalleled in that there was never a real result provided to the enquiry , " why did Kutner belt down himself ? " Kutner did n’t leave a serial publication of tapes detailing the thirteen reasons why he took his own life story ; he was simply showing up to work like normal in one episode and give out in the next . When take in theEWinterview why they did n’t plainly have Kutner take a job at another infirmary , House MDwriter David Shore explain :
The self-destruction was essential to [ the story ] . The lack of reason behind it - the lack of answers - was what I responded to and is what I got commove about .
House never finding a diagnosing or reason for Kutner ’s death by suicidewas a key part of the story , since House is the man who ’s hypothecate to see everything . Shore complicate :
House is a medical mystery drama in which the villain is typically a difficult-to-diagnose medical malady. It follows Dr. Gregory House (Hugh Laurie), a world-renowned disabled diagnostician with a notorious substance abuse issue. With his team of world-class doctors, House has built a reputation as one of the most brilliant doctors in the world - an especially impressive feat when taking into account that he rarely actually sees his patients.
" We want it to be a fictitious character who did n’t make sense - or did n’t superficially make sense . Obviously , there are rationality , but the notion that the reasons are too complicated for even House to compute out is what was drawing us to it . I wish the fact that Kutner is almost the least likely guy to do this . And it receive down to the issue of , ' Do we know anybody ? You crop with somebody for two year , but do you really lie with them ? ' "
Had Penn not receive the job whirl that he did and made the determination to leavetheHouse MDcast , Kutner might just as well have continued to be a major part of the show for years after . As it was , though , his difference made manner for one of the most memorable and thought - chevvy Death in the show .
The title theatrical role of medical dramatic play House MD started the eighth and final season in jail ; here ’s how he ended up there and how he obtain out .
What Kal Penn Has Done Since House
The Actor Left The White House To Star In A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas
Like so many of his former costars , Penn kept busy afterHouse MDended . Obviously , he was keep on busy with his job in the Obama government activity , but this did n’t break off Kal Penn from act . Hebriefly get out his White House mail service in 2009 to filmA Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas , and then again in 2011 to live with a repeat role onHow I Met Your Mother .
As well as these function , Penn also played Seth Wright onNetflix’sDesignated Survivor(a show he also acted as a advisor for ) . In 2019 , he appear on the sitcomSunnyside , had a recurring role onThe Big Bang Theoryas Dr. Kevin Campbell , and played Shaan Tripathi on the 2021 seriesClarice . The histrion even hasa political talking miniseries calledKal Penn approve This Message . However , to many , Kal Penn ’s role ( and scandalize death ) onHouseMDremains one of his most memorable .
Why Kal Penn Left The White House And Returned To Acting
The Actor Was Still On The Arts & Humanities Committee During Trump’s Time In Office
This run much of the Arts and Humanities Committee , including Kal Penn , to resign out of protest , as they condemned the then - president ’s reception , which inadequately denounced the blatant dogmatism and racialism of the rally and even voiced some support for its members . Penn had long leftHouse MDby this point , but his surrender from the White House did contribute him to return to more acting oeuvre .
Kal Penn Brought His House Character Back
Dr. Kutner Was Used For A Sketch On The Daily Show
Several years after Kutner take his own life onHouse , Kal Penn revived Dr. Kutner ’s character for another chore . Penn was the guest host forThe Daily Showin early 2023 , andhe used the character for a cartoon on the program . He even managed to get Dr. House himself to look in the sketch - or more accurately , used existing footage of Hugh Laurie from the telly drama .
The Daily Show’sreport focalise on the “ woke brain computer virus ” as Penn discussed what that meant and cycled through various clips of Republican politicians mentioning it in language and interviews . Penn , as Dr. Kutner , then help to “ bring around ” a mind of that peculiar virus after demand a serial of interrogation about things like racism and sex identity , which have also been speak points for political military campaign . The Daily Showsketch can be consider on YouTube .
Penn using his previous use to offer satirical commentary on the current political clime in the United States is appropriate since he originally leave the role inHouse MDto work in politics himself .
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Cast
House is a medical mystery drama in which the scoundrel is typically a difficult - to - diagnose medical sickness . It follows Dr. Gregory House ( Hugh Laurie ) , a humans - renowned handicapped pathologist with a infamous substance abuse issue . With his squad of world - class doctors , House has make a report as one of the most vivid doctors in the macrocosm - an especially impressive effort when taking into report that he rarely really sees his patients .
