After a season finale that brought you so far down the rabbit hole you couldn't tell whether you were coming or going, House fans were left with a plethora of questions. How much of that delusion was real? Is his leg better? If it is, will that stop him from being the loveable (ok, tolerable) prat he is? What happens when he's off the drugs? Will the sarcastic retorts and tactless questions still dribble off the tongue to horrified patients and family (not to mention mousy med fellows)?

For a show whose main premise is that everyone lies and revolves around the acerbic wit and genius of its all-too-human hero, we all knew House's personality would remain intact. But, I can't help but be a bit disappointed by this first look back into the doctor's life after being shot and put into a Ketamine-induced coma to hopefully heal his crippled leg.Don’t get me wrong, it was a good episode, but I thought it could be stronger. Maybe I’m expecting too much, but his scattiness and constant grasping for stability made me uncomfortable. I’m sure after his ordeal, it’s only natural to have trouble finding a balance. But in such a strong character, it’s strange.  

Or maybe that’s the point, to show us he really isn’t strong, but just puts on a show. After all, he’s an addict. If it’s not painkillers, it’s the rush of an “interesting” case or turning the mundane in to the extraordinary, as he is accused of over and over again. His struggles are real, in theory, but in execution it’s hard to tell what he’s struggling with at any given time: his patients’ issues or his own.

His colleagues have taken an overprotective parent role with him in this episode, insisting he is substituting one addiction for another and unnecessarily endangering his patients. I could see how that could be the case when he purposely burns his paralyzed yoga patient with a lighter, but the jaded TV watcher in me knew there was more to the puzzle in the father with brain cancer who wheeled himself into the pool. The suspense of “is House right or is he inventing a problem” was lost on me there.

It also seems this fictional Princeton hospital has gone through some changes over its summer vacation. The sets have been changed, maybe upgraded, and you clearly see more of the hospital than ever. But the medical staff too has gone through some changes as well. Med fellows Cameron (Jennifer Morrison), Foreman (Omar Epps) and Chase (Jesse Spencer) seem to have lost some of their dynamic qualities of seasons past, with Cameron most notably losing a few vertebrae with her new hair color.

All in all, it was an interesting episode with its moments of House-isms and a nice little twist at the end. I even shed a tear or two as the brain cancer patient miraculously recovered (but I blame that on being six months pregnant). I’m looking forward to seeing what else the season has to offer. In the past, House has not started very strong, but quickly picks up momentum. Let's hope TV's most sarcastic drama keeps up the good work.