And so, after eight seasons, Fox's hit series House, M.D. has ended, and Universal Studios Home Entertainment has released its final set of House on DVD and Blu-ray. Starting out in 2004 as a procedural medical mystery series featuring a cynical, sarcastic, borderline-misanthropic doctor, House, M.D. quickly became a layered, well-written character study of a troubled genius, who struggled with pain, drugs and a desire, in the end, to “do the right thing.”
Although the series occasionally strayed as the years went on, its final season rallied, granting fans a proper ending—finished, yet open ended enough that viewers could decided for themselves the ultimate fate of Dr. Gregory House. The season eight DVD set is a must for House fans, a farewell to a dear friend who will be greatly missed.
Over the years, House has been confronted with challenge after challenge, a post-modern Sisyphus overcoming adversity time after time only to fall backwards and push his way up once again—one or two steps forward and five or ten back. It’s a cycle of which some fans eventually grew weary, but others saw as heroic as House’s usually irrepressible spirit (and childlike sense of the absurd) came back against pain, depression, loss and his own dysfunctional way of handling life. House was one of the most compelling heroes ever to grace the small screen, and Hugh Laurie’s ability to let viewers see beyond his off-putting behavior and into House's very human heart and soul (mostly) kept the character from ever becoming too unlikeable.
Although neither creator David Shore nor the writers knew at the start of the season that this was to be the last year, there is a sense of finality from the start of season eight—a drive towards some final conclusion to the real mystery at the heart of the series: Dr. House, himself. Who is he after all the layers and guarding are finally shed? What's beneath the sarcasm, the pranks, and the the jerk that House could sometimes be?
Shore gave fans a wonderful gift, revealing the essence to Dr. Gregory House and a validation to those who have always believed in his essential humanity. It was a fit and proper ending to a great television series. In the end, season eight brings viewers back to what has made the show so compelling—and why, although many series try to hit with the same formula, so few (if any) have succeeded in capturing viewers hearts and minds to the extent that House has.
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Article comments
1 - Jane E
I agree Barbara. I really believed we would have the option to hear David Shore voice over commentary on Everybody Dies. I was disappointed. Also I had entered the House contest and even signed a contract and the fan tribute was no where to be found. Oh well.
I like your warning if you haven't seen House start from the beginning. I will never forget watching that pilot episode and not able to leave the TV. I don't think any television show has had such great episodes one after another like House did in Season 1.
I have already been though 4 on the DVD's and love the blue ray downloads! I can take House anywhere with me.
2 - rjw
I have so enjoyed your column over these past few years,so I'm looking forward to your takes on the first episodes.Season 8 was a terrific season.It was pretty strange not to have Cuddy there,but it certainly made sense that she would move on after House slammed his car into her house!There were several episodes that I considered great,but I think that my favorite one is "The C-Word".I also totally loved the open ending in the finale... it was very close to my idea of how it would end(House driving off into the sunset on his motorcycle,after leaving PPTH). The addition of Wilson was a bonus.Haven't seen the extra features yet,but am very disappointed that no commentaries were included.
3 - Tracy
I planned on watching the series from the beginning this fall. Right from the beginning. Now I get to do it and read your column. I am totally psyched to start the journey again. Thank you Barbara!
4 - Ladybelle Fiske
Wow! I can't believe there are no commentaries on Season 8. I already have the eps through iTunes on my iPad, but probably will buy the DVD anyway, at some point-- to see the xtra content...
WHY didn't they include a commentary by Shore, Jacobs, et al?
I want to be around for the fall House retro with you. I'll keep an ear or eye or whatever out through Twitter. (Weirdly, someone I know well is going through what I think is crush syndrome-- so central to HOUSE... God I miss that show.
5 - Ladybelle Fiske
What happened to that fan tribute thing?
6 - Action Kate
Oh, I am excited to hear you're going to rewatch from the beginning! I may have to travel along with you.
The first ep we saw was "All In." We happened to have been watching the "Family Guy" we'd recorded earlier in the week, so the TiVo/cable was still on FOX. I flipped to "live TV" while we were clearing the table, and it popped in on this closeup of an astonishing pair of intelligent, penetrating blue eyes in a weathered face.
Hubby said, "Hey, what's this?" And both of us literally stopped dead in our tracks. I think it was the scene where the team has come in from the party so they're all in formalwear while doing a DDX at the whiteboard.
We could not tear our eyes away. We tossed the dishes in the sink and sat down to watch the rest of the episode. When Wilson showed up I yelled, "Hey, it's the guy from Dead Poets! I love him!" And promptly set up a Season Pass.
I still have that ep on my iPod as "emergency entertainment I will never get bored of rewatching," along with Star Trek's "Amok Time."
7 - Leodie
Hi Barbara,
If you are wondering if people are going to follow your "rewatch and comment" sessions, i don't know for "people" but i will.
8 - lobentti
Hey, everybody! About season 8, I´d already said, but I´m saying it again - I didn´t like it, except for 3 episodes - Nobody´s fault, Chase and the swan´s song;I found it sad, without the briliance and funny mood that made the 6 first seasons so good ( I didn´t like season 7 very much too); but for re-watching from the begining, I´m in! See you ...
9 - smkearns46
lobentti, i'm with you.
10 - swell
I'll be with you in September! I have had the great fortune of attending TWO of Hugh Laurie's shows with his Copper Bottom Band - in Alexandria, VA and Red Bank, NJ. Wow! He is a fantastic musician/entertainer. He does a lot of that self deprecation stuff on stage as he shares his love of some the great blues artists whose music he plays. I think Hugh Laurie is very much like the complex character that was House. That is why he played the part so well, so genuine. He is one of the greatest actors ever.
11 - Tracy
I too saw Hugh Laurie in concert last week. He's a very hard working performer. He looked like he was having such fun on stage. It was infectious. You can't help but have fun at his concerts. BTW, Barbara, when do we start with episode 1?
12 - DeeS
Swell, I totally agree. He is perfection in everything he does, acting, music, writing, directing, athletics, etc. Stephen Fry said he was the best father he had ever seen. I am totally in love with HUGH LAURIE (can you tell?).